Make no mistake, the media is reporting whatever gets them more readers/viewers/subscribers. That's it. Facts are optional.

 

I spent a good couple of hours following the events last night via people there posting on twitter, including streaming live video from not only reporters but regular citizens. The media was way behind the events as they went down. If you want the information it's out there to get.

That's lower than the % of US households that have guns in general. It is estimated that 39% of US households have guns. So should SWAT be used to serve every warrant?

 

What does the 39% have to do with the argument?

 

Your a cop. Your handed 10 warrants to serve during your shift. Of those 10 warrants 3-4 of those, the bad guy will have a gun. You ok serving those with one or 2 other guys, your 9MM and a smile?

I find it really difficult to determine what is going on. A lot of people who are not there are forming opinions without real knowledge. However, there has been a major screw up in how this has been handled. There is no doubt some media are sensationalizing and looking for stories. My question is why give them any. Let them stand there among the throngs or in a McDonald's, etc. and just watch them until they break a law, if they do. The minute you tell angry people they can't do something, such as protest after dark, that makes them angrier and some more likely to do something; or if you tell media they can't do something they legally can do, they will report it.

 

Why incite them? Which appears to have been done. Major miscalculations by those in charge at the beginning escalated to a situation this small police force was ill equipped to handle. Now you have angry citizens and edgy, nervous police officers (I can't blame them), and leadership incapable of handling something like this.

 

IMO the police should have a presence, be above the barbs thrown their way, and unless in real danger don't act or react. I realize that is difficult, but it usually calms the vast majority down.

Despite reports, SWAT Team helped Al-Jazeera reporters, did not take their equipment | FOX2now.com

BREAKING: FBI Confirms NEW BLACK PANTHER LEADER Is in StL Area Encouraging Violence Against Cops | The Gateway Pundit

And this is why the police will continue to look and act as if they are military. Do people like this guy want this to escalate and more people get killed? I'll answer it for you, YES! You can't can't on one hand show outrage about the police looking like they came straight from Iraq, and on the other hand demand this type of behavior from the public.

I'd like to see the 4-5 hours of footage up to that point. If the officers were in the wrong then that would certainly prove it.

During occupy their was a guy in the Oakland area who had live video from protests, he even went down to LA's protest a few times, where I saw George Lopez on the crowd lol. But anyway, this guy was broadcasting live on UStream, and with some backpack device that the feed goes out over 3 networks just in case one, or two, fail.

 

Have their been people sending out live feeds? One of these backpack things would be interesting to see in MO to see what's going on, live.

Despite reports, SWAT Team helped Al-Jazeera reporters, did not take their equipment | FOX2now.com

 

People complaining that the media has been biased would do well to read this article. Not only does it present the words of the St. Charles County Sheriff’s department's spokesman without contestation (they could have at the very least linked to one of the various videos of the event, which would seem to undermine the consent and graciousness of the reporters as they gagged and fled), but they set up a nice little straw man to knock down by reporting that there was "international news" over the officers taking their video equipment. Every citation of the event has been about the tear gas being fired at them and a few others have noted that one of the officers turns their camera toward the ground after the reporters ran away. I haven't seen any reports allege that the cameras were confiscated.

Apparently since the st. Louis pd was removed, the protest are now peaceful, encouraged and free flowing.

Apparently since the st. Louis pd was removed, the protest are now peaceful, encouraged and free flowing.

 

It's not dark out yet......

It's not dark out yet......

 

It was peaceful after the shooting as well. Things did not escalate until 70 officers in riot gear showed and started blocking of the area. Initially people were setting up a memorial.

It was peaceful after the shooting as well. Things did not escalate until 70 officers in riot gear showed and started blocking of the area. Initially people were setting up a memorial.

The police did nothing to excuse the rioting and looting that followed the shooting. If they had not been on the scene, do you thing things would not have turned violent? The truth is there are too many people in our inner cities who just look for excuses to help themselves to the fruits of somebody else's labor.

@AmyKNelson: They just locked the doors to McDonalds - where reporters were arrested last night - right now, with people still inside. #Ferguson.

 

4 minutes ago

@AmyKNelson: They just locked the doors to McDonalds - where reporters were arrested last night - right now' date=' with people still inside. #Ferguson. 4 minutes ago[/quote']they who ?

I think I saw earlier today that McD's had made the decision to close early. Not sure if they leave anyone behind to protect the store from looters or not.

The police did nothing to excuse the rioting and looting that followed the shooting. If they had not been on the scene, do you thing things would not have turned violent? The truth is there are too many people in our inner cities who just look for excuses to help themselves to the fruits of somebody else's labor.

 

How many is too many. You are talking a decent size suburb of a major city? 30? 50? 100? 1000? That comment is so general without specifics. If that is too many, it still is not the vast majority of a major metropolitan area.

 

I agree the police must deal with it and that is a really tough and thankless position to be placed in. There is that criminal element in all walks of society, just the sheer #'s in a large city makes it appear it is a majority, nothing could be further from the truth. I don't think most expect, condone or want the looting, even the majority that live there, but you cannot hide the fact that this was handled incorrectly as a whole.