Just an FYI....this is Capt. Ron Johnson, regional head of the Missouri State Highway patrol and is in charge of protest security, not the new police commander. "We have been criticized for using SWAT trucks during protests. We did not deploy them into crowds until things deteriorated," he said. "Once again, not a single bullet was fired by officers despite coming under heavy attack" With protesters coming from outside Ferguson, it obviously takes more than just "respect and understanding".
Duke was just a leader of a small group of klansmen. The Irish community in Boston has leaders. The Italian Community in New York has leaders. They are white people. It is not unusual for black communities to have leaders. It would be remarkable if they didn't. It does not mean that somebody speaks for all black people. There are plenty of them. There are also leaders in any group you can name.
The Italian community in New York has 5 leaders. They all go by the title "Don" If I was black or hispanic I would be offended by the idea that I needed a "leader" to tell me how to act, think and vote. It implies that people of my race or ethnic group aren't smart enough to think for themselves. Martin Luther King was a leader at a time when inequality and injustice was such that black people needed somebody to lead the fight for them. That time has passed. There will always be some people of all races who are bigots but most of them are dying out.
You have a strange idea of what a leader is, chief. Leaders don't "tell people how to act, think, and vote". Leaders inspire. Leaders have a vision, a drive and a commitment to achieve that vision. They lead by example and people follow by choice.
According the the coroners report there were six shots, all from the front. http://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...016ef8-26f4-11e4-8593-da634b334390_story.html If a big man charged the officer with his head down as alleged, it is not unusual at all to be hit on the top of the head. If someone is charging an officer with a drawn gun who he had just punched in the face, multiple shots are going to be fired if he doesn't go down quickly. You can assume that was aiming at the torso and missed rather than shooting him the arm.
And of course the Brown family attorney claimed that the two head shots came from behind, which supported the eye-witness comments from Brown's accomplice....the autopsy photos didn't show which direction but the attorney used the diagram in front of the media from a church pulpit. The toxicology is not surprising....even supporters expected as much and wondered what a tox-screen for Officer Wilson would show. Which is what I posted from Baden's initial comments...."This one here looks like his head was bent downward,” he said, indicating the wound at the very top of Mr. Brown’s head. “It can be because he’s giving up, or because he’s charging forward at the officer." With that narrative, could it be that his "arms up" surrender was actually an instinctual defensive move? It might explain all the wounds in his arm region. I guess forensics can tell that much. One question I have of anyone with homicide investigation....I have read that part of the anger comes from the fact that Brown's body lay uncovered for up to 5 hours. I have seen programs covering other homicides where that seems to be sort of normal. Anyone?
My final thoughts on this and the other shooting and deaths of unarmed black men. It sickens me to see things happen in this manner, yes i believe police are more apt to use deadly force against men of color, yes i think the disparities in the prison racial make up has a lot to do with racism and a justice system that from the beginning was designed to discriminate against minorities, if you deny that, then you would be denying the way this country was brought forth and the history that stains this great nation. Addressing the police in this matter first things can be done differently, every situation doesnt cause for deadly force from the Oscar Grant situation to this situation and if the laws are written these ways then they need to change. I have 2 boys and they are smarter than I could have ever imagine, great little fellas, I love them dearly, but it scares me that they are gunning down black men at this rate. I will continue to raise them to respect authority but do not stand for disrespect and blatant discrimination as i have done as i was raised. However, i have to look at both sides, first black on black crime is real, but one does not have to do with the other. Is it a big problem yes and its very suspicious when so called black leaders keep quiet on the war thats going on in Chicago that has taken so many potentially great black and Hispanic kids that have been caught in the crossfire of gang wars. Its very hypocritical. Also, another major problem is the rate of how black and Hispanics vote, local and state elections matter, if you are screaming now about a racist or conflicted DA and you didnt vote in that election, then you are complicit in his election, so to scream about it now, i just dont buy into that. Also, as black people we have to look at the situations we put ourselves into, as racist or otherwise how a law is written, its still a law, that pertains to lopsided in sentences for prison to any other disparities, again thats a complicit choice of we dont vote and have a strong reaction to laws in a proactive manner, not after something happens in the community. Stand your ground, etc. People like Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, they cant speak for me, their words dont line up with their actions, they actually make things worst in many situations. Their intent is good and how they organize is great, but you have to do that 365 days a year and get our people to vote, get ids, restore their voting rights if they have felonies, etc Lastly, I heard someone say, if you buy into the fact that racism still exist and you feel like you have to be twice the person another person of another race is, then dont complain, just do it. Personally I believe I can overcome any discrimination, racism, prejudice, because that was instilled in me, i will continue to teach that to my sons and to teach them you have to be accountable for your actions, whether the deck is stack against you or not. These parents get on tv and scream about how good of a child he or she was, but all the while they are in situation where the words dont add up with the actions. In life your words have to line up with your actions. We have to look at the wrong we do, but thats not a reason for a death sentence if we/he is unarmed. I try not to make any excuses about why i didnt achieve something, the failure begins and ends with me. Nobody owes you anything and if you are in a situation where the officer or person doesnt like your color, your action and his actions are amplified x 100. pick your battles and you will live to see another day.
