I do see things from a different perspective so as you stated, "maybe you should take your own advice."

 

As I stated I normally agree with most things that you say about the police and I have said so multiple times in numerous threads. I'm still waiting for folks to say they understand the unrest in the inner cities without folks saying that people care more for a criminal than a murdered police officer. Is that a perspective you might be interested in?

 

I do understand why some are frustrated. With that said, they still can't go riot and loot. It destroys their credibility.

 

They also can't complain about a large police presence in their neighborhood when they live in a high crime area. They complain when the cops don't do their job then turn around and complain when they do their job.

 

They have to act in a responsible manner to help affect change. It can't always be someone else's responsibility. They need to stand up and be counted in credible way.

While I find Djason to be a "dazzling urbanite," I just don't see him as the rioting type.

 

Jokes aside, you're missing the point. It's not THAT Ferguson went up in flames. It's WHY. Whether Darren Wilson was justified or not in his actions is kind of not the point. It's why the people of that town reacted the way they did to the shooting of Michael Brown. And we can change the names of the city, the cop and the shooting victim and the problem is still there.

 

There lies the problem with the thinking IMHO. It does matter if the police are justified in their actions.

 

There are those that need to learn that everything that happens in not racial in nature. That includes whites and blacks. Some things are racial in nature, most are not.

I do understand why some are frustrated. With that said, they still can't go riot and loot. It destroys their credibility.

 

They also can't complain about a large police presence in their neighborhood when they live in a high crime area. They complain when the cops don't do their job then turn around and complain when they do their job.

 

They have to act in a responsible manner to help affect change. It can't always be someone else's responsibility. They need to stand up and be counted in credible way.

 

I don't disagree. Rioting and looting does absolutely nothing at all to help them or their situation. It also doesn't allow anyone associated with the situation to be heard at all. For me, that is what bothered me the most about your initial post is because you know this is true. While your first post had a certain message you wanted to get across IMO it was unnecessary and inflammatory in a situation where an officer was murdered by an idiot.

 

They don't complain about the large police presence in their neighborhood. They complain when there has been documented cases of excessive police force being used and nothing being done about it. Baltimore and Cleveland both have documented histories of excessive police force being used which has caused a large amount of mistrust between the citizens and the police. People shouldn't fear and mistrust the police but sadly in a lot of those areas they do and the reasons why are documented.

 

Everyone has to act in a responsible manner to affect change and a huge part of affecting that change begins with better schooling in the inner city. As long as there are mediocre schools in the inner city then for the most part things will never change in the inner city. Too many people are born into the cycle with no hope and no chance to escape the cycle. That cycle has to be broken for true change to take place.

I don't disagree. Rioting and looting does absolutely nothing at all to help them or their situation. It also doesn't allow anyone associated with the situation to be heard at all. For me, that is what bothered me the most about your initial post is because you know this is true. While your first post had a certain message you wanted to get across IMO it was unnecessary and inflammatory in a situation where an officer was murdered by an idiot.

 

They don't complain about the large police presence in their neighborhood. They complain when there has been documented cases of excessive police force being used and nothing being done about it. Baltimore and Cleveland both have documented histories of excessive police force being used which has caused a large amount of mistrust between the citizens and the police. People shouldn't fear and mistrust the police but sadly in a lot of those areas they do and the reasons why are documented.

 

Everyone has to act in a responsible manner to affect change and a huge part of affecting that change begins with better schooling in the inner city. As long as there are mediocre schools in the inner city then for the most part things will never change in the inner city. Too many people are born into the cycle with no hope and no chance to escape the cycle. That cycle has to be broken for true change to take place.

 

I have seen many in news reports, both TV and in print complain about too many police in the neighborhoods.

 

I understand in some cities there has been a history of excessive force and it needs to be dealt with. It should have happened long ago.

 

I agree 100% with your last paragraph. We do need better schools in our inner cities. To help foster that we need a lower crime rate so we can get the best teachers into those schools.

 

To help break the cycle, people have to want better for themselves also. Not just want better but be determined to MAKE it. We have to help change the mindset of generational poverty.

 

I think Morgan Freeman said it best when asked about racism, to paraphrase, I'll stop calling you a black man and you stop calling me a white man. We are just people.

 

Oddly, my oldest daughter and I had this discussion the other day. She doesn't like to be called black. She said "Black is a color Dad, I am a person". Amazing how a teen from Ethiopia can get it and a lot here can't. Just had to share my proud Dad moment.

I have seen many in news reports, both TV and in print complain about too many police in the neighborhoods.

 

I understand in some cities there has been a history of excessive force and it needs to be dealt with. It should have happened long ago.

 

I agree 100% with your last paragraph. We do need better schools in our inner cities. To help foster that we need a lower crime rate so we can get the best teachers into those schools.

 

To help break the cycle, people have to want better for themselves also. Not just want better but be determined to MAKE it. We have to help change the mindset of generational poverty.

 

I think Morgan Freeman said it best when asked about racism, to paraphrase, I'll stop calling you a black man and you stop calling me a white man. We are just people.

 

Oddly, my oldest daughter and I had this discussion the other day. She doesn't like to be called black. She said "Black is a color Dad, I am a person". Amazing how a teen from Ethiopia can get it and a lot here can't. Just had to share my proud Dad moment.

 

The mindset of generational poverty is such a brutal mindset. It is depressing to see and frustrating to watch.

 

Hopefully our kids will do a better job going forward of dealing with erasing racism from our society.

While I find Djason to be a "dazzling urbanite," I just don't see him as the rioting type.

 

Jokes aside, you're missing the point. It's not THAT Ferguson went up in flames. It's WHY. Whether Darren Wilson was justified or not in his actions is kind of not the point. It's why the people of that town reacted the way they did to the shooting of Michael Brown. And we can change the names of the city, the cop and the shooting victim and the problem is still there.

I think you missed the point. The reason there were rioting in Ferguson is simply because people

lied and said Michael Brown had his hands up and was surrendering to the officer and was shot. That is the only reason they started rioting. To think it was because of some under current of police brutality is completely false. It is however another excuse these idiots who support the looting etc use to justify their criminal behavior.

 

Education is where it all needs

to start but when the kids

in inner cities refuse to go to school and their parents tell them there is no reason to go to school because of any number of excuses such as don't go because they canceled your sports program etc. well things won't improve.