Is Ferguson to blame?

[snoopy]

link

Here's my simple question: do you agree that Ferguson is to blame, or do you think it's something else? If something else, what do you think it is?

As a followup: what should we do about it?

[callmeslick]

two observations: First, I think 'Ferguson' is just a symptom of a more connected world, with every citizen able to record nearly everything. Second, I thnk the stats are a bit misleading, as every breakdown suggests a WIDELY varied reality, with overall violent crime down, and extreme spikes in a few locations.
What to do about the issues the article raises? That's tough, as we cannot allow wholesale police brutality or excess of any sort by them, but still have to maintain public order. Perhaps, the fact that the victims are largely people of color will serve to galvanize the black community to a bit of introspection. As I noted in a discouse with a high-level player in the 'Black Lives Matter' movement, that idea is sort of empty if the community is unwilling to acknowledge targetting of black people WITHIN the community by other black people. That observation wasn't received well by that individual, but brought a lot of support from others in the roundtable discussion(some of whom, thankfully, were men and women of color).

[woodchip]

link

Here's my simple question: do you agree that Ferguson is to blame, or do you think it's something else? If something else, what do you think it is?

As a followup: what should we do about it?

I blame George Soros for funding the leftist extremist that agitated in Ferguson. From there we went to Baltimore and now we have "black lives matter", a group that receives funding from Soros. Throw in Rev Sharpton agitating to kill cops, along with the Justice Dept. getting their fingers in how cops perform and you have a witches brew affecting law enforcement to the point they don't want to get out of their cars in the big cities.

[callmeslick]

If your theory was correct, you'd see crime spike nationwide, across the board, Woody. We don't, however. As I said, I think you're seeing a widely varied response by police forces to the fact that their every move is likely to be recorded. The rest of what you whine about are merely very, very, minor upshots of that reality and the resulting footage.

[Spidey]

This is the type of thing that happens when two parties are responsible for something, but only one party is being taken to task.

And to make it worse, one party is being marked as the perps and the other are the poor helpless victims.

Sure cameras may change the behavior of cops, but what will change the behavior of the Negros.

Yea I said it, black people need to learn how to behave when dealing with the police.

Now I’m not going to comment on the police side because, that’s where all of the effort is already being given, so that would be pointless.

[vision]

Yea I said it, black people need to learn how to behave when dealing with the police.

"Those people."

I actually think this is a problem that will work itself out in time. The reasons why I believe this get too complicated for talking about on a game forum, but it can be summed up with a pro-gun control argument. Guns are seen as "the great equalizer." So are cameras. What is yet to be seen is how a world of constant surveillance changes society, but all I have to say about it now is, always film the people filming you, no exceptions.

[Spidey]

Yea, too bad people can’t treat “those people” with some respect, and actually speak the truth, instead of treating them like some pampered voting block.

[Lothar]

"Those people."

This creates such a ridiculous catch-22.

If a white person tries to speak about issues that have a racial component inclusively, they'll be criticized for cultural appropriation or for trying to insert themself into a "black issue". If they describe themselves as outsiders and use "they" language, they're criticized for being divisive.

[Top Gun]

"What do you mean, 'you people'?"

"What do YOU mean, 'you people'?"

[woodchip]

What is the meaning of "is". Me gazes at navel.