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.
DBQ: The people who were smashing windows at the McDonald’s, stealing bottles of gin from the liquor store, and torching cars and other property were only concerned about an injustice. So if Holder decides to indict officer Wilson I’m confident they will rebuild the businesses they destroyed and compensate the owners in the name of justice.
Aren’t you?
K “<<<"Instead of counseling caution, prudence and waiting to see what the reality was/is in these situations, you jump to a preconceived conclusion and never ever let the facts stand in the way.."
This is precisely the problem, have 'the facts' been shared with you Karen to the extent that, without a shadow of a doubt, you can proclaim to a community of people already struggling with racial bias in their municipal services, that justice was served? We'll never know the facts now, happy?
K <<< "Shall we just randomly pick a cop and send him to jail then?"
I'd start with an open and transparent adjudication of the ones that shoot unarmed citizens. Is that random?
Reblogged this on This Got My Attention and commented:
“Justice” is a fashionable word these days. I wish more of those screaming it as they riot and loot knew even a smidgen about “justice”.
Truth is; the only acceptable outcome for many here would have come from a trial with an all black jury, black judge and black prosecutor, resulting in a conviction on all counts and a sentence of death sentence. The only thing missing would be pitchforks, torches, a big tree and a rope.
DBQ – they have blood and soot on their hands.
Honestly, it’s like “wait to judge until all evidence has been released” is impenetrable to them, or somehow unreasonable.
They never say why they should not have to wait to read all the evidence. They just “know.”
Mobs have already destroyed businesses because people like you spread such irresponsible gossip, outright REFUSING to wait to read any evidence whatsoever.
@ Karen
Exactly my point. People like Inga a Zedalis are guilty of encouraging the violence. Egged on by the MSM which is in it for ratings, they spew talking points with no interest in the facts.
Zedalis:
“Unfortunately they have hidden the evidence from scrutiny and the public will probably never know how far backward the ‘prosecutor’ bent in his role as Wilsons defense attorney.”
Actually, evidence is not released to the public until the legal process has concluded.
Officials have stated that all evidence will be released. I support ensuring that this happens.
And let’s not forget that the DOJ has been involved in this process, as well.
@ zedalis
the public will probably never know how far backward the ‘prosecutor’ bent in his role as Wilsons defense attorney.
You are really quite clueless about how a Grand Jury operates aren’t you?
Inga:
“There are enough concerned Caucasians, African Americans, Latinos, Asians, lawyers, legal experts, journalists and civic minded people nowadays that this miscarriage of justice won’t be taken laying down submissively.”
That is a wildly inaccurate, irresponsible statement.
I KNOW you have not read every page of evidence presented to the GJ because it hasn’t been released yet.
For shame!
Mobs have already destroyed businesses because people like you spread such irresponsible gossip, outright REFUSING to wait to read any evidence whatsoever.
May the justice system treat you one day the way you have called for it to treat Officer Wilson.
The DOJ has not made any determination regarding the killing in Ferguson. Their investigation is still ongoing. From Eric Holder’s statement issued last night:
http://www.kmbc.com/news/attorney-general-eric-holder-issues-statement-on-ferguson/29914142
So Zedalis, what are you saying; you would be satisfied if Wilson were a better shot?
Zedalis:
Let’s talk about the racial gap in the Ferguson police department, which is common.
Is there a racial gap because they refuse to hire qualified black applicants? Could black youth in Ferguson conceivably have little interest in joining the PD?
Again, before we claim racism, which is a possibility, we need to examine the evidence and learn what, exactly, is going on.
Here in CA, for example, I’ve known a lot of cops. There was such a dearth of black applicants that they were letting them in with poor test scores and the barest hint of interest. White applicants had to get far higher scores on their tests, and often waited for years to get in. But a black person could stroll in with much poorer test results and performance and get right in. That did cause some animosity, because admission was clearly based on skin color and not qualifications. It was really unfair to black applicants who did well on their exam and in the academy, because people would just assume they passed because the bar was lowered for them. And yet, still, it was difficult to get enough black applicants to make the force more representative.
What is especially difficult in cities with high crime rates is finding people that not only want to become a police officer, where those officers are wildly unpopular, but finding applicants without a criminal history.
Same thing happened in the fire department.
Personally, I think that college admissions, and all jobs should be given based purely on qualifications, and should be color blind. What’s fair is getting what you earned, not having the “right” skin color to fill a quota.
If you want more people on a police force, then do more community outreach to get more applicants. Improve education. Audit the hiring policies to ensure there is no racism, and punish it where it’s found.
Jack << "…if a life is lost, somebody must pay"
When a unarmed teenager is shot as many times as Brown was by a police department known for racial bias, common sense dictats that the public's best interest is served by a transparent and open process. Unfortunately they have hidden the evidence from scrutiny and the public will probably never know how far backward the 'prosecutor' bent in his role as Wilsons defense attorney.
zedalis – the thug Michael Brown, a common criminal and felon was shot dead by Officer Wilson after a scuffle in Wilson’s car in which he tried to take Wilson’s gun away from him. It appears that Wilson was injured during the scuffle
This could be settled in a more amicable way, the old fashion way.
Jack and Karen,
They are the same folks that believe the 19th/20th century lynch mob method of justice is a legitimate process for 21st century America; Regressives of America, Unite!
Here’s a link to a section of the book “Introduction to Criminal Justice”. It’s provides unbiased information on the role of the Grand Jury.
http://books.google.com/books?id=p5-Dx4h6obEC&lpg=PA430&dq=%22grand%20jury%20investigation%22&pg=PA430#v=onepage&q=%22grand%20jury%20investigation%22&f=false
The majority of the businesses looted and burned are those of the black business owners. People who have had nothing to do with the Brown case and who are merely trying to eke out a living.
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/11/25/Most-Businesses-Destroyed-in-Ferguson-Minority-Owned
So in the (false) name of justice, people’s livelihoods are being destroyed. Innocent people who are victimized by a mindless mob of greedy looters. Ferguson will never recover from this and the people who did the looting will stand around blaming everyone BUT themselves.
And you, here, who refuse to accept that sh!t happens are encouraging it. Refusing to accept the facts and the decision of the Grand Jurors. You keep spinning the victim mantra, playing the racism card. Spewing and regurgitating the MSM pablum that you eagerly and uncritically swallow. Encouraging the rioters and looters by your sideline cheer leading. Easy to do from your safe little houses, behind your computer screens, in Wisconsin and elsewhere isn’t it.
Instead of counseling caution, prudence and waiting to see what the reality was/is in these situations, you jump to a preconceived conclusion and never ever let the facts stand in the way of being able to stir the pot.
Hope you are happy with the results.
There are enough concerned Caucasians, African Americans, Latinos, Asians, lawyers, legal experts, journalists and civic minded people nowadays that this miscarriage of justice won’t be taken laying down submissively. Cops cannot go on killing and tasing, beating, macing unarmed citizens with impunity anymore without backlash. It’s cumulative not a one time incident.
Inga – and there are a lot of people who are tired of the emotional whining of the left about a thug who was killed during the commission of a crime.
At the 5:20 mark on my Mifflin Street video, you’ll see lots of white folks rioting.
Zedalis:
Pray, explain to me why my skin color makes me a white wing bigot when I say we should wait for the evidence? When I remark that neither the DOJ nor the GJ could justify charging officer Wilson?
Do only white bigots wait for evidence?
What an interesting statement that makes about your definition of justice.
Schulte – how is there institutionalized racism?
Let’s stat with the racial make-up of the Ferguson PD, shall we? Then let’s move to a prosecutor who should have recused himself throwing softballs at a GJ for months and acting like defendants lawyer.
zedalis – and whose fault is it that the PD is mostly white?