Ferguson, MO

[Locutus]

They've begun. . . 

Yep!  I feel bad for the residents of that area. 

[Palehorse]

Not just there. They've started in Chicago I am being told. 

[Locutus]

None of them are even bothering to listen to the evidence as it's currently being laid out. 

The only difference that they could have made, is to have saved the decision announcement for the end of this statement, rather than announcing it and then laying out the evidence. 

[me]

What everyone seems to forget is if the kid hadn't been doing wrong the cops would not have been called and he would still be alive.  The out of town shit stirrers are costing the city and state a lot of money.  There are now families who will be losing paychecks because of businesses being destroyed.  Those are the people who need jailed and punished.

[libby]

I watched it on MSNBC -- listened to every word, from start to finish. The case, as presented by the prosecutor, exonerates the policeman. 

[Purplelady1040]

It is always people from out of state or out of town who loot the towns and the locals suffer!

[Exterminator]

The following was posted my an IMPD friend of mine who works the northwest district.  It's worth a read.

"Warning...long rant ahead.....From the start of this Ferguson MO/Michael Brown/Darrin Wilson incident I haven't posted any opinions or thoughts. I have been waiting for the system we have in place to run it's course. This entire incident and what has happened since has really bothered me.

This is what I do know, I am an American Police Officer. My job is the only profession in the United States where I have the ability to take another human life. 99.9% of the time that decision has to be made in a split second. Let me say that again, when I go to work each night there is the possibility I will have to take the life of another human being, someone's loved one. I have no military training, I'm not some ultimate warrior, I don't want to shoot somebody. I am a human being just like everybody else. I am a father, a husband, a son, a brother, an uncle, a friend, and a neighbor. I went to grade school, high school, and college. I play football in the front yard with my kids, I have dogs, I argue with my wife, I make bad decisions, I get sick, I have to blow my nose like everyone else.

Lets talk about that BIG elephant in the room. I have been an American Police Officer for 13 years. During those 13 years I have been shot at, I have been punched, spit on, kicked, and been called every 4 letter word you can imagine. I have shot someone, I have bled in the streets, I have had broken bones, Sprains, I have been involved in vehicle crashes, and I have taken a life. The elephant in the room is that during most of these incidents I have been SCARED. Sometimes so scared that I was shaking. No one teaches you how to deal with being scared. There wasn't some magical class in the Police Academy that teaches you to rip your shirt off, show the big "S" on your chest, and solve all the worlds problems. I do know this....even though I was scared and never know whats about to happen I have a job to do. Someone has called 911 because they are at rock bottom. They have no other option but to call a complete stranger to solve their problem. That person is ME, and every other first responder in this country. I wish I didn't have to answer any 911 calls. That would mean all is right in the world!!

Here is something to think about...everyone has been involved in an argument or fight with their significant other or family member. Remember how tiring that can be? It can be physically exhausting. On any given night I respond to 3-7 domestic disturbances. I go into a strangers home and try to solver the problems of people I have never met. Sometimes it's a screaming match, sometimes it's a knock down drag out fight, sometimes there are weapons involved. I haven't had much training in social work, I'm not a psychologist or psychiatrist. I'm a normal person that has been brought in to temporarily solve the problems of other people. At the end of my shift I'm physically exhausted. At times I have fallen asleep on the way home. I walk in the door and now have to tend to my wife and 2 children at 6 AM. At times that hasn't gone very well to fault no one but myself. I'm still learning how to be the best PERSON I can be and that will probably be a never ending learning process.

I have seen unimaginable things done to children, I have been on countless homicide scenes, and have seen and heard things even the news media won't touch. I have seen Police Officers shot, injured, trapped in their Police cars after a horrible accident. I have seen Police Officers rewarded, fired, and treated like a piece of trash. We don't always make the right decisions. I know it's shocking but we make MISTAKES. Just like in EVERY PROFESSION IN THE WORLD Police Officers break laws. just like all those other professions there is a system in place that deals with people that break those laws. Less than .05% of all Police Officers in this country break the law. I don't think there is an Officer in this country that wants to work side by side with a dirty cop. I WILL NOT give up my career and my good name for someone who can't abide by the rules....PERIOD.

I don't know exactly what took place in Ferguson but what I do know is what has happened since is absolutely SICKENING. If Darrin Wilson shot someone in cold blood then he should face every consequence we have to offer. Citizens don't have the right to take the law into their own hands. Peaceful demonstrations have a much greater effect than lawless stupidity.
In closing a bit of advice, DO WHAT A POLICE OFFER SAYS...it's that simple. If you feel like that Officer has done something wrong there are SEVERAL outlets to make a complaint. If you don't listen to an Officer's commands there is a chance you might get hurt. If you assault an Officer there is a chance you might get shot. I can probably guess that Darrin Wilson was SCARED during that incident. I can probably guess that he is SCARED to death right now. The fact of the matter is if Michael Brown would have done EXACTLY what Officer Wilson told him to do none of us would even be talking about this right now. This country has has fallen into the dark hole of authority. No one has respect for others and the majority of our country has a problem with authority. No one likes being told what to do. I see this as a major failure in parenting. I am the person I am today because of my Mother. She was a single Mom who raised 3 kids and worked several jobs to provide for us. I learned respect from her and learned that I'm not always right and there are times you have to just shut up and listen!! Next time you deal with a Police Officer and have a bad experience please try to remember that he or she might have just come from a homicide scene, or a child molest investigation, or was just spit on. Does that justify an Officer being mean or rude? No, but we are human. We don't do everything right all the time!

I'll step down off my soap box but I want to leave you with this...I have an open passenger seat in my Police Car. If any of you want to see what an American Police Officer in the great City of Indianapolis goes through in 8.5 hours please get a hold of me. I promise you will see things you never thought you would see before. And guess what, you will be SCARED just like we are!!"

[Palehorse]

The following was posted my an IMPD friend of mine who works the northwest district.  It's worth a read.

"Warning...long rant ahead.....From the start of this Ferguson MO/Michael Brown/Darrin Wilson incident I haven't posted any opinions or thoughts. I have been waiting for the system we have in place to run it's course. This entire incident and what has happened since has really bothered me.

This is what I do know, I am an American Police Officer. My job is the only profession in the United States where I have the ability to take another human life. 99.9% of the time that decision has to be made in a split second. Let me say that again, when I go to work each night there is the possibility I will have to take the life of another human being, someone's loved one. I have no military training, I'm not some ultimate warrior, I don't want to shoot somebody. I am a human being just like everybody else. I am a father, a husband, a son, a brother, an uncle, a friend, and a neighbor. I went to grade school, high school, and college. I play football in the front yard with my kids, I have dogs, I argue with my wife, I make bad decisions, I get sick, I have to blow my nose like everyone else.

Lets talk about that BIG elephant in the room. I have been an American Police Officer for 13 years. During those 13 years I have been shot at, I have been punched, spit on, kicked, and been called every 4 letter word you can imagine. I have shot someone, I have bled in the streets, I have had broken bones, Sprains, I have been involved in vehicle crashes, and I have taken a life. The elephant in the room is that during most of these incidents I have been SCARED. Sometimes so scared that I was shaking. No one teaches you how to deal with being scared. There wasn't some magical class in the Police Academy that teaches you to rip your shirt off, show the big "S" on your chest, and solve all the worlds problems. I do know this....even though I was scared and never know whats about to happen I have a job to do. Someone has called 911 because they are at rock bottom. They have no other option but to call a complete stranger to solve their problem. That person is ME, and every other first responder in this country. I wish I didn't have to answer any 911 calls. That would mean all is right in the world!!

Here is something to think about...everyone has been involved in an argument or fight with their significant other or family member. Remember how tiring that can be? It can be physically exhausting. On any given night I respond to 3-7 domestic disturbances. I go into a strangers home and try to solver the problems of people I have never met. Sometimes it's a screaming match, sometimes it's a knock down drag out fight, sometimes there are weapons involved. I haven't had much training in social work, I'm not a psychologist or psychiatrist. I'm a normal person that has been brought in to temporarily solve the problems of other people. At the end of my shift I'm physically exhausted. At times I have fallen asleep on the way home. I walk in the door and now have to tend to my wife and 2 children at 6 AM. At times that hasn't gone very well to fault no one but myself. I'm still learning how to be the best PERSON I can be and that will probably be a never ending learning process.

I have seen unimaginable things done to children, I have been on countless homicide scenes, and have seen and heard things even the news media won't touch. I have seen Police Officers shot, injured, trapped in their Police cars after a horrible accident. I have seen Police Officers rewarded, fired, and treated like a piece of trash. We don't always make the right decisions. I know it's shocking but we make MISTAKES. Just like in EVERY PROFESSION IN THE WORLD Police Officers break laws. just like all those other professions there is a system in place that deals with people that break those laws. Less than .05% of all Police Officers in this country break the law. I don't think there is an Officer in this country that wants to work side by side with a dirty cop. I WILL NOT give up my career and my good name for someone who can't abide by the rules....PERIOD.

I don't know exactly what took place in Ferguson but what I do know is what has happened since is absolutely SICKENING. If Darrin Wilson shot someone in cold blood then he should face every consequence we have to offer. Citizens don't have the right to take the law into their own hands. Peaceful demonstrations have a much greater effect than lawless stupidity.
In closing a bit of advice, DO WHAT A POLICE OFFER SAYS...it's that simple. If you feel like that Officer has done something wrong there are SEVERAL outlets to make a complaint. If you don't listen to an Officer's commands there is a chance you might get hurt. If you assault an Officer there is a chance you might get shot. I can probably guess that Darrin Wilson was SCARED during that incident. I can probably guess that he is SCARED to death right now. The fact of the matter is if Michael Brown would have done EXACTLY what Officer Wilson told him to do none of us would even be talking about this right now. This country has has fallen into the dark hole of authority. No one has respect for others and the majority of our country has a problem with authority. No one likes being told what to do. I see this as a major failure in parenting. I am the person I am today because of my Mother. She was a single Mom who raised 3 kids and worked several jobs to provide for us. I learned respect from her and learned that I'm not always right and there are times you have to just shut up and listen!! Next time you deal with a Police Officer and have a bad experience please try to remember that he or she might have just come from a homicide scene, or a child molest investigation, or was just spit on. Does that justify an Officer being mean or rude? No, but we are human. We don't do everything right all the time!

I'll step down off my soap box but I want to leave you with this...I have an open passenger seat in my Police Car. If any of you want to see what an American Police Officer in the great City of Indianapolis goes through in 8.5 hours please get a hold of me. I promise you will see things you never thought you would see before. And guess what, you will be SCARED just like we are!!"

An excellent reminder that provides a perspective most forget. I agree 100% with this post and the lessons / advice it offers.

Thanks for sharing Ex! 

To this day I cannot understand the "purpose" of violence like that we saw last night in Ferguson. They destroyed every business in that town from what I saw, and burnt at least 12 businesses down to the ground. Now what? Everyone living in that city has to go somewhere else to obtain the goods and services they need. Even the McDonalds was severely vandalized. . .

And today the sun rises and the lives of the people of Ferguson just got exponentially harder. . .

[Henry Hawk]

As I read back through this thread, it really began to bother me.  Some of the responses on here is exactly why we are seeing the destruction and harm to an innocent town and its people.  I know I will catch holly hell from this remark, but I am telling it like it is, that our POTUS and Eric Holder should be held accountable to the unnecessary violence that is being done.

As some of the folks on here, and our WH...they by-passed the evidence and spoke before all the facts were in.  The media did its normal embarrassing job, and relayed many stories that simply were NOT true. 

Whatever happened to the "innocent until proven guilty" slogan that was at one time a highly regarded American rule that we proudly exclaimed.

This, like Louis Gates controversy in Cambridge Mass, where the POTUS regrettably admitted he spoke to soon, and said the Cambridge police officers "acted stupidly". 

Then in the Trayvon Martin incident, before the facts were all gathered, Obama made the statement "If I had a son, he'd look like Trayvon,".....

All three of these incidents could have been less dramatic, if our President would have kept his mouth f'ing SHUT, until ALL the facts were gathered....but he didn't.


In Ferguson, they (the WH) sent Holder and others to the funeral of a kid, who as we now have a clearer picture of, attacked a police officer, and unfortunately ended up dead, because of his OWN actions.

It was NOT because the police officer was doing anything other than the job he was hired to do.

People were exclaiming that Micheal "the gentle giant" Brown was TRYING surrender, with his hands up, and he was then shot in the head.

The scientific evidence, along with physical evidence and eye-witness evidence says, that was NOT the case..... 12 people who looked at ALL the evidence to separated the facts and the fiction, and decided unanimously that this police officer did nothing that should indite him of any wrong doing.

Yet, the many of the black community has justified that looting, rioting, and violence is acceptable and had not our Nations President made any negative comments early on or perhaps had he supported our legal system and urged all folks to give the system a chance before passing judgement maybe this would not be the story it is today.


I agree with Purplelady, that it is probably many from other towns, that came to Ferguson to riot.......the town of Ferguson doesn't deserve this.

[Exterminator]

...our POTUS and Eric Holder should be held accountable to the unnecessary violence that is being done.

This statement is as asinine as your comparison of this case to the Treyvon Martin incident. 

[Henry Hawk]

This statement is as asinine as your comparison of this case to the Treyvon Martin incident. 

You know, I really don't give a fuck what you think.

[Exterminator]

You know, I really don't give a fuck what you think.

Aw, that really hurts.   

[Locutus]

You know, I really don't give a fuck what you think.

You really think the outcome would have been any different in this instance if there were a different POTUS and AG who took different courses of action than Holder and Obama did?

I sure don't. 

From watching those crowds gathering before the announcement last night, it became increasingly clear, as I mentioned last night, that a certain segment of that group was going to stir up shit because that's what they were intent on doing regardless of the decision of the grand jury. 

[Henry Hawk]

You really think the outcome would have been any different in this instance if there were a different POTUS and AG who took different courses of action than Holder and Obama did?

I sure don't. 

From watching those crowds gathering before the announcement last night, it became increasingly clear, as I mentioned last night, that a certain segment of that group was going to stir up shit because that's what they were intent on doing regardless of the decision of the grand jury. 

I really don't know, but I am certain, it didn't HELP the situation by sending our AG to a funeral of this kid, and leaning towards JUSTICE being done for him.  I just think it was uncalled for and NOT in the line of duties our POTUS should be doing.....that by getting involved in every racial issue that seems to surface.

If anything, he should have thrown his support behind the Ferguson Police Dept.....and visited the cop who put his life on the line and had to "kill" an 18 year old.

I agree that this was going to happen regardless of the grand juries decision........some people has used this as an excuse to create the havoc all in the name of racial injustice.

[Purplelady1040]

Excellent post Exterminator! I have friends who are cops and my ex brother in law is! Everyday, they could have not come home due to the decision of one or several! There are good cops out there and there are bad cops also but every profession has good and bad!