Aibu too not understand the reaction of the Ferguson Michael Brown in the USA

[Natashathemum]

My Dh thinks that it is a disgusting example of racial inequality in America. But i think having read a lot of articles/news that the police officer was only protecting himself. Although it is unfortunate that someone so young died.

However Dh feels strongly it is disgusting racism. He called me blind and crazy (lighthearted). Aibu for thinking this.

Oh for goodness sake PC gone mad. The 12 year old was not playing with a gun he was deliberately intimating people in the park with a gun and then reached for it an officer when told to raise his hands.
That kid knew exactly what he was doing, he would have been well aware of the number of shooting by kids and he if you point a gun (or replica) at a cop they may shoot to kill.

Callani Please say it again!!!!

How can you expect to know better than peoples daily experiences? JUST HOW?

That KID knew exactly what he was doing

Pathetic.

That is all.

I think the attitude a 12 year old wouldn't know what he's doing equally pathetic.

^ Was meant for Littlebrain

I think people have a fear of people with guns, no matter who they are. I remember going to Italy for the first and seeing the armed police. Also the airport police in City Airport with the guns. They worry the hell out of me. If they aren't shooting at me even. I could be caught by a stray or deflected or someone going berserk. Oh, and that's before I went to the US where it seems everyone with a uniform has a gun. (and it seems a lot of everyone else as well).

I reluctantly bought some Hallowe'en weapons for my son to go with his outfit. I would not let him open them on the train home precisely because they could worry somebody, plastic or no.

LittleBairn is right, saying that I blame the perents for letting thier kid run around with what looks like a real gun.

there is another thread stating that an 11 year old white boy cannot possibly know that he is being racist when he abused a girl of indian origin, however this 12 year old is responsible for his actions how is it that some people are deemed to be responsible at a young age and others are given a (white) pass?

Of course juries aren't 100% impartial, but neither are we. They still have more facts at their disposal in the final analysis though.

To the OP, it's complicated.

1. Black men are perceived as scary, dangerous and violent in the US. (Lots of white Americans will protest. There is loads of academic research to back this up.)

1. America is armed to the teeth. Bad situations in the USA get ramped up because people are armed, or thought to be armed.

1. The police are all armed. So when mistakes happen, the consequences are often worse.

This isnt about race, the police turned up to someone they thought was armed, that person then reached for what the police thought was a gun. the police acted the way they are trained.

But this is going off topic now, i thought this was meant to be about MB and Ferguson?

The problem is, if you are a black man, everyone is more likely to presume that you will behave violently and more likely to interpret a move to take something out of your pocket, etc. as you pulling out a gun.

Sensible gun control would help A LOT.

But if the police work in an area where a lot of black men are involved in shootings then surely the police by default would be more worried when dealing with them?

I've been following this case since the day it happened months ago on Tumblr and the reaction of the police department involved was disgusting. The officer shot that UNARMED boy 12 times and then left him dead in the street for hours for all and sundry to see! No information was given to anyone, the police department totally closed ranks to protect their own and lie after lie was told. The fact that he's getting away with it disgusts me.

Some of the opinions on this thread make me want to weep. I can't even summon up a reasonable comment, but I hope and pray that something happens soon. My heart hurts for what my son may have to go through.

cherrybombxo, the police haven't lied at all in this case,

Let's try and think through the consequences of accepting the arguments of some on this thread.

Creighton and others state that whites are inherently predisposed to be racist towards blacks. Whites cannot be trusted to act without prejudice when interacting with black people. White cops are unable to act with moderation when faced with black suspects; their actions will always be disproportionate and involve excessive force.

This prejudice is both genetic within whites and is further bolstered through white privilege and the institutions and structures that have been created by white people.

So what are we to do as a society to deal with the racism inherent in the white system? It must naturally follow that if these arguments are correct, then white people must be kept away from black people for their own protection. Whites must not be in any position of authority over blacks. Black communities must be policed by black cops. Black suspects must be tried by black juries and judges. If a crime is reported and the suspect is black, white officers must stand down until their black counterparts arrive who can deal with the incident without racism.

Similarly towns which are majority black, and where black communities are kept in poverty by the racism inherent in the white system, must be given over to black leaders and authorities. It will only be when blacks are free of the prejudice of whites and allowed to run their own schools, universities, businesses and public services that they will become successful.

In the face of such monumental racism the idea of "checking your privilege" is an absurdly ineffective tool. Merely being conscious of their privilege will never be enough to remove entirely the racist impulse from whites. As far as I can see removing whites from any authoritarian interaction with blacks is the only possible solution to the intractable problem of incurable, inherent white racism.

In days gone by this solution would have been called segregation and spoken of with horror. But this time it is black people who seem to be calling for it as they require protection from racist whites. Is this where we must go to next?

NancyPurple, sometimes reading this kind of thing reminds you what some people are really like, they pretend to like or respect you to your face but will dismiss you or undermine you at the drop of a hat. at least you know what you are dealing with and who you can actually trust.

AnotherEpisode, it will not get better, as some people are happy having us as the 'enemy'. they will never give up their privilege and entitlements over us.

He was shot six times not twelve. The last shot been the fatal one. From blood splatter analysis he kept coming towards the officer after been shot. Hence why the officer kept shooting.

His body was left for hours so a detailed forensic mm by mm analysis of the scene could be undertaken I believe. In case it did become a murder charge. In most murder/potential murder cases the body is left for some time.

The autopsy also shows he did not have his hands up.

A sixth shot that hit the forearm traveled from the back of the arm to the inner arm, which means Brown’s palms could not have been facing Wilson, as some witnesses have said, Melinek said. That trajectory shows Brown probably was not taking a standard surrender position with arms above the shoulders and palms out when he was hit, she said.

Creighton what in earth are on about about focusing hate?? I don't hate anyone. And why state "black hysteric"? It's your words I disagree with not your race. Are you seriously staying you have received an email from MNHQ stating you haven't go upset "white posters"? Really? Because I don't believe it.

I do believe there is institutional racism within the criminal justice system. I actually did my PG research on this many years ago and there's a cascade of racism from blacks been more likely to be stopped, more likely to be arrested for an offence, more likely to be charged, more likely to be remanded in custody and more likely to be given a heavier sentence.

This is wrong and needs sorting.

However I don't believe that even though the above is true it means that any white police on black suspect incident/shooting is due to racism. I believe that each case must be looked at with an open mind and the facts judged.

yes Tinkerbell I have. why don't you believe it?

scatteroflight errrr or you could just, as you say check you privilege and act accordingly. That was a lot of text to come to such a ridiculous conclusion. You have heard the arguments and gone to a lot of effort to articulate pretty much nothing! I have no idea how you have found logic in what you have written over accepting its a racist society and thinking that as a start, you could accept that and act accordingly. Of course I am assuming you are not trying to keep the status quo!

If the 12yo wasn't killed because it looked like he was pointing a gun, but just because he was black, then isn't it a massive coincidence that he also happened to have a gun?

So some officer is bored, looks around for someone black to shoot and just happens to shoot one who had a toy gun that looked real in his hand?