Yesterday, I ran a column discussing the curious sight of rioters and looters demanding “justice” when what they are really describing is mob justice in Ferguson, Missouri. I noted that the evidence did not support the initial claims of the shooting of Michael Brown and that demonstrations are not substitutes for demonstrated evidence in a criminal case. The response, however, to the declination of charges has been precisely what President Obama and the Brown family sought to avoid in their public comments. In perhaps the most symbolic incident, Ferguson Market and Liquor, the store that Michael Brown robbed before he was killed, was looted by people demanding “justice” for Brown.
A security camera captured Brown strong arming the store owner after stealing from the store:
Regardless of how one views the evidence of the shooting, the store owner was clearly strong armed by Brown and did nothing beyond being the victim of a reported crime. However, he now has a ransacked store and is somehow blamed for the killing.
The media filmed as people carted out stolen merchandise out of the store last night:
The discussion of the resulting looting and rioting often seemed a bit too enabling and relativistic. There is no rationale connection between ransacking stores and seeking justice, a point that President Obama made eloquently last night as did the Brown family (though reportedly with the exception of Brown’s stepfather). Indeed, some “meanings” drawn from the incident extended all the way to federalism principles.
While St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch detailed the evidence including testimony from African-American witnesses who refuted accounts of Michael Brown’s friend, Dorian Johnson, and onlookers Piaget Cranshaw and Tiffany Mitchell. He was not shot in his back and was initially shot in a struggle with Wilson in (or partially in) the police vehicle. Nevertheless, the verdict was denounced by various commentators, including MSNBC contributor Michelle Bernard who called Brown the latest “casualty” of what seems to be nationwide “war on black boys.” Bernard curiously blamed federalism and state rights for part of the problem, saying that people see this case and say “we don’t want to hear about states rights.” She also calls on the Justice Department to “get involved” and “intervene.”
However, the Justice Department has intervened and reportedly also found no basis for charges in the case under civil rights provisions. If those accounts are accurate, the declination of such charges may trigger no violence by those who define justice as not a guaranteed process but a guaranteed punishment.
“Riot porn”, actually an apt description. And last evenings comments section were in a virtual ‘circle jerk’. To Haz’s credit he tried to reel it in.The pictures of looting and racist poems even before the GJ investigation results were read displayed a commentariat hungry for “riot porn”. Yes indeed, it was almost obscene. I could almost visualize excited commenters hoping that there would be an all out shooting war between rioters, looters and the police. We saw it here on these threads last evening. An ugly display.
Inga – Never, never, believe any of the commentors on TV. They will lower your IQ.
I do happen to know how GJ work. The PA or whatever they are called has a single job, to get a true bill or no true bill. The parents would have no more evidence to offer than the children of Wilson.
Grand Jury proceedings are secret. There is no way to know how McCullogh acted during the proceedings.
Michelle Bernard may have just coined a new slogan for the next election with her “war on black boys”. When in reality there is a “war among black boys”. That unfortunately would not gain the same political traction, but in the long run could possibly save a lot more young black men’s lives.
Maureen – the War on Black Boys is being run by the Democratic Party. It has been going on for years.
What has changed in the morning after the riot?
Michael Brown is still dead.
Hundreds of Ferguson residents woke up without jobs because their places of employment have been burned down, or looted, and will likely not open again.
There is a pall of media disinterest in who the leaders and organizers of this riot are. What we saw was not an organic event….targets were picked, a list of targets was printed and circulated. Brown’s death was used to fuel other agendas.
People who want to believe that America is a racist country looked at the facts presented in the GJ decision, ignored or re-interpreted them to fit their own incorrect narrative.
Those who believe America is a racist country demonstrated their own racism by placing the blame for Brown’s death not on Brown, but on an officer who was doing his job; and by asserting that blacks are incapable of being policed by anyone but other blacks, as if that would magically lower crime.
Part of the American underclass have again demonstrated that they are incapable of advancing themselves within mainstream America as has been done by virtually every ethnic group.
The MSM got the riot it wanted; it will now pack its gear and return home, leaving behind the mess it hoped to document. Millions of people got to see four hours of non-stop riot porn.
Michael Haz – I am interested in this list of targets that you say was printed and distributed. What do you have on that?
Ferguson did not deserve what it got because the arsonists were not from Ferguson. Neither was Brown. Jay Nixon failed in his duty. It would not have taken much to surround the stores with troops and face down the looters and arsonists. The policing was absent. Dee Troit is coming to a city near you. Don’t think it wont or cant. Where did you go to high school? That, is the 64 dollar question in Saint Louis and there is even a book about that subject. Section 8 can come to a theatre near you. And with that, the welfare moms, skating dads, punk kids.
BarkingDog – the authorities in Ferguson and MO let everyone down. Heads should roll starting with the governor.
McCullogh should never have been allowed to conduct this GJ investigation. His history, personal and history with the PD was ample reason to exclude him. He didn’t even contact Brown’s parents, typically the PA in conducting a grand jury is an advocate for the family. In this case he was an advocate for Wilson. The black community has once again seen that there are two standards for justice in this country. No one should’ve been surprised there was rage. We’ve read numerous articles about police abuse and overreach, here on RIL. I guess all of the many many cases of police abuse and no justice over many years now hasn’t had an accumulative effect? Think again. This wasn’t JUST about Mike Brown. It was about excusing an out of control militarized police force, once again.
Inga – the job of the grand jury is to decide if there is a true bill, not talk to the parents. This isn’t a sob story You have no real concept of Grand Jury proceedings.
Elaine M,
Sunset in Ferguson, MO was around 4:40 pm. This wasn’t just about crowd control. The arson, looting, etc, appears to be planned, perhaps even coordinated. While an argument can be made that a “late afternoon” announcement might have made some difference, I doubt it would have made more than a small dent or passing ripple.
He may not have been shot IN his back, but Wilson may have shot AT his back and missed. Let’s stop jumping to conclusions without all the evidence.
Oxa – there seems to be no evidence of missing rounds however since Wilson supposedly shot from at least 100 feet, he could have missed at least once.
Think the overall context is akin to a Carnival Game where the House always wins for African-Americans. Although it’s nearly impossible to detect cheating, everyone knows the game is rigged.
Even if the outcome to this case was justified, there is a decades long “pattern & practice” of police corruption (required to violate federal statutes) and it is absolutely appropriate for the DOJ Civil Rights Division to take control of this police department and make necessary reforms.
Ross – I do not think the DOJ has any right interfering in police departments anywhere. They need to clean up their own house first.
Decision to announce grand jury verdict at night devastating
By Jeffrey Toobin
http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/25/opinion/toobin-ferguson-grand-jury/
Excerpt:
(CNN) — The grand jury has made its decision not to indict Officer Darren Wilson in the death of Michael Brown last August in Ferguson, Missouri. But another verdict became clear last night, too. The decision by St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch to announce the decision at 8:30 p.m. CT was foolish and dangerous.
Here’s the thing about that time of night: it’s dark. Anyone — anyone! — should have known that the decision in the Brown case would have been controversial. A decision not to indict, which was always possible, even likely, would have been sure to attract protests, even violence. Crowd control is always more difficult in the dark.
The grand jury’s deliberations concluded around lunchtime on Monday. It would have been simple to make the announcement while it was still daytime. Still, McCulloch said that he would not announce the grand jury’s decision until 8 p.m. CT.
At a news conference in the late afternoon, Gov. Jay Nixon was asked about this nighttime announcement. In an answer that was consistent with his generally clueless performance throughout this crisis, Nixon said the decision to announce the decision at night was made solely by McCulloch. In other words, don’t ask him! He’s only the governor!
When rancor passes through a news medium faster than the phase velocity of light the resulting Cherenkov Radiation glows like flaming buildings.
Paul C. Schulte,
Also see Newark, NJ, once upon a time a flagship city of the Northeast. Newark hasn’t recovered yet from the 1967 riots. Corey Booker provided some hope, but it appears now he used the mayor’s office of Newark as a stepping stone.
U.S. version of an Arab Spring uprising. Over 100 protests secluded in cities across the nation…..Hold on to your seat. Ferguson, Mo looks a lot like Libya.
CNN, MSNBC and Fox have all been “promoting” the expected grand jury decision and “warning” about potential riotous violence for several days. CNN had its A-team on the ground in Ferguson: Van Jones, Anderson Cooper, Don Lemon, and another gentleman whose name I don’t know (and probably others), with “insightful” commentary from smart people in the studios. Fox had at least two guys whose names I don’t know on the ground covering the violence, with more smart people in studios in NYC providing additional commentary. I forced myself to watch a couple of minutes of MSNBC and during that time Chris Hayes was reporting on the ground in Ferguson.
Big night for cable news. Guess all the promotion and “warning” about possible riots and making the decision to locate their high priced talent to Ferguson to cover the violence paid off for them. It will be interesting to see which one scored the best ratings.
We got to see live primal violent human behavior as it happened. Hope everyone had plenty of popcorn to munch on while relaxing in the comfort of your home taking in the “entertainment” cable news created for you.
I said this last night on another thread but these unfunded shoppers setting fire to the neighborhood have ruined the town/city of Ferguson. It will never be the same. Like Watts, those business will not come back and no one else will build in the rubble. Ferguson is the new Watts or another Watts and sadly, they deserve what they got.
The remarks of many commentators, and also many public figures, were absolutely inflammatory and irresponsible. There were twelve grand jurors who viewed and heard all the evidence. They deserve our thanks for having performed a difficult task, rather than the second guessing of people who saw none of the evidence. The sad truth is that, to many people, the evidence didn’t matter. To them, “justice” could only be accomplished by the indictment, conviction, and public execution of the police officer.
MLK’s dream has become true in a way he never hoped it would. People are known by the content of their character.
Darren – no one on MSNBC can read. Any info they need is feed to them through an earpiece. If they actually read, they wouldn’t be the least watched cable news network. Al Jazerra has better numbers than they do.
Did the arsonists burn that store too?
I wonder if Michelle Bernard even considered reading the evidence presented to the grand jury before she made her accusations.
For too many, their opinions are facts and facts are opinions.