MikeN says:

I saw how wrong liberals and the media were about the TrayVon Martin incident, so I will assume the police are innocent until proven otherwise, and am not going to accept the media story, no matter how many former medical examiners they put on the air.

Media version: “He looks like he’s up to no good. He looks black.”

Reality: “He looks like he’s up to no good. Dispatcher, “Can you tell us what race he is, white, black, Hispanic,?” “He looks black”

That said, I agree that cops are overmilitarized. That is irrelevant to the Ferguson shooting though. You are also wrong that the right doesn’t object to such things. Among others, National Review and Mark Steyn both criticized it.

Mr Diesel says:

The program transferring excess military hardware started in the early 90s, not as any reaction to 9/11.

Funny, I heard a report on the way home that as the facts come out there are twelve witnesses backing up the cop’s side of the story and that the cop’s injuries are more severe than has been reported.

And I see the NotSA bot is posting pablum again.

Gary, the dangerous infidel says:

When the Ferguson police chief released a video showing Michael Brown’s commission of strong-arm robbery at the convenience store, Brown’s family and friends immediately portrayed release of the video as a blatant attempt at character assassination. I have a slightly different interpretation. Anyone who has just committed a crime like that is in a very different state of mind and will interact very differently with police than a person who has just bought a snack and is on his way home to play video games or do homework. It’s hard to imagine that Brown would interact in any normal manner with a police officer. Brown’s state of mind in that situation might go a long way toward explaining the policeman’s version of the incident and how Brown acted, an account which might otherwise seem irrational.

You can bet that Brown family lawyers are combing through the police officer’s past to find any dirt they can, so I’m sure we’ll hear some “character assassination” there as well. Stay tuned.

bobbo, the pragmatic existential Anti-theist and Junior Culture critic says:

Heres how to tell whether you are a dumb shit or not and therefore actually qualified to vote:

Do you take one side of this issue, one set of facts, and base your opinion on that? Then you are a dumbshit. Please do note the appeal to non-partisan analysis.

If you recognize that any opinion is based on the facts you assume and depending on what (reasonable) facts you assume, you would opine all over the map, then Pedro will call you wishy washy.

In THIS case, based on what I have seen reported pro and con, I can’t imagine any facts justifying the shooting pas the first bullet that got Brown to stop running away. It may have been an entirely human response from the cop….. but that is what being trained, experienced, and supervised is supposed to stop.

IOW–lets say the Cop stopped Brown because he was blocking traffic in the middle of the street and showing attitude and was hopped up on MJ and anxious from just having stolen those cigars. Cop pulls Brown half into his cruiser and Brown goes for his gun, they wrestle and the gun goes off in the cop car. Brown punches cop, pulls away, and runs the opposite direction. Cop gets out of car and shoots Brown dead. Lets add in that the cop knew about the cigar robbery. Can there be a stronger case for the cop?

I say the cop is guilty of voluntary manslaughter..that heat of the moment crime.

I say the entire cop department has been acculturated into an us vs them mentality that is a symptom of the larger society they operate in. They are a part of a very large entrenched society dynamic that is not healthy/functional for anyone.

I say: TAKE THE GUNS AWAY FROM THE COPS. That will make them develop the other skills they ought to be using anyway.

Like that will happen.

Good job Phydeau. Remember….it takes a head shot to kill a zombie.

Silly Hoomans.

How come we aren’t talking about Rick Perry?

((I crack myself up.))

Gary, the dangerous infidel says:

Never mind the chicken/egg dichotomy, which came first — the militarization of the police, or the militarization of a small but vocally belligerent portion of the citizenry?

bobbo, the pragmatic existential Anti-theist and Junior Culture critic says:

Gary, the dangerous infidel demonstrates that some bad ideas like ticks can get under the skin says:
8/19/2014 at 8:57 pm

I can only “prove” you wrong based on what evidence you accept as compelling, much like with religion. /// Well, my own tick with religion is that “one its face” it makes no sense and is illogical and impossible. Its a special kind of stupid in that sense…provably wrong without any evidence at all.

Here’s a quick example of a guy who started the Missouri Citizen Militia, one of a reported 28 patriot groups in that state… /// Yes, I said to start with there were lots of nut ball groups out in the woods.

http://dailyjournalonline.com/news/local/county-resident-continues-work-to-build-strong-militia/article_d23a17d7-2ea3-5291-b6ee-cca221f64ed7.html

According to a more recent report (post-Ferguson incident), Penberthy has confirmed that the Missouri Citizen Militia has “boots on the ground” to provide armed security to innocent Americans from the police state in Ferguson. /// Yeah–more closely it was himself plus one other guy. Does that come up to “a presence”?

He and his fellow militiamen also recently provided armed security to Cliven Bundy at his ranch in southern Nevada. In that case, the Feds had the law on their side, but they only backed down because they didn’t want another Waco on their hands. /// aka- Cliven Bundy is a rich old white guy and not a young black….yes… that is what we are talking about.

Nobody can prove that these people are a true threat until the first shots are fired, and then it’s too late. You seem to be well aware of increasingly militarized police units, but the militarized citizenry are not as “completely isolated” as you seem to think. /// But your only “evidence” is about a totally isolated group. You’ve been reading too much Pedro. Making arguments that prove your position is incorrect. Only thing missing is the taco.

So if these groups exist and could pose a threat to police, then my original question is legitimate. Which came first? /// What do you mean by a question being legitimate? The Police are or are not becoming over militarized, same with mental defects running around in the woods playing solider boy. So…regardless of which came first or if it is a tie==of what critical, inconsequential, or even interesting impact is your question?

By the way, you’re welcome to interpret the question as being rhetorical. As a matter of fact, I insist 🙂 //// Seems not to be legitimate. Alex: make that in the form of a question.
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So, closely aligned with Phydeau’s first expression, I’m left with what I think is a legitimate, non-rhetorical, directly related to this thread question: Where are all the Civilian Guns?

Not here in Ferguson, Not in New Orleans, not in the Bread Lines, or the Emergency Rooms. Seems like, as has been reported, they are being bought up in the box loads by paranoid right wing white guys who love to wear fatigues out in the woods.

Does this represent a “threat” that justifies the Police becoming militarized?

I say: yes it does.

WHICH HAS NOTHING TO DO with enforcing the curfew in Ferguson.

See how corrupt and stupid conflation is????? It makes you think you have an insight into something…….. when what you got …… is nothing but confusion.