"Peaceful" protests rage violently throughout our nation....

The Wilson/Brown incident in Ferguson, Missouri was NOT racist.  

Rather it was arrogance and hostility by Michael Brown that initiated all the actions.  Brown was a bully and a thug and if the black community can't come to terms with that, then it needs to do a lot of soul searching into itself.  

Blacks need to take some responsibility for the actions that cause police to act the way they do.  A belligerent, aggressive and disrespectful Brown was responsible for his own death.  Police Officer Darren Wilson had every right to do what he did based on Brown's actions.

On the other hand, the issue in Staten Island, NY re: Eric Garner and Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo was a case of inappropriate police actions and the Grand Jury should have found the officer guilty of brutality and murder.  It was a grave error that the Grand Jury found Officer Pantaleo innocent of the charges.

While many blacks are trying to compare the 2 incidents in MO and NY as being the same issue of police brutality, it is an incorrect assessment and comparison.  

Mr. Garner was innocent of any wrong-doing.  He managed to cry out that he couldn't breathe... at least 4 times.  Daniel Pantaleo and other officers on the scene did not heed his cries.  Pantaleo was in fact guilty of murder and the other police officers were guilty as accomplices.

 

In conclusion, the violence now being perpetrated by many blacks and whites in the guise of peaceful protesting against police brutality does not aid their cause.  

The continued violence underscores the main reason why police act the way they do in hostile environments and they are justified to use rubber bullets, tear gas, and whatever else they need to protect and serve the majority of people... blacks and whites and people of all color who are law-abiding citizens. 

President Obama and his administration seem to support the recklessness and lawlessness so that future law enforcement will be done by the military and will be of Federal jurisdiction.  We are swiftly moving towards an oligarchical military/police state.

disgusted about the Michael Brown case and following uprising...

pstern 1:52:59 PM on 1 December 2014 Don't know about how all of you feel about the Michael Brown case in Fergusson, MO, whereby this young black man [Brown] 6'4" at 245 lbs. was aggressive towards a [white] Fergusson police officer, Darren Wilson, who shot and killed him.  Many from the black community are up in arms about it because many are saying that excessive force was used, being that Brown supposedly was unarmed and had his arms raised in a law-abiding pose, but the facts don't really support the street views given. The street verdict was that the officer acted out of racism, that Brown was not resisting or acting violently. In addition, the facts also highlight a video from a nearby store in which we see Michael Brown acting violently toward a clerk or owner of the store before he emerges from the store and is walking along with a friend before a police car calls out to them.   See store video for yourself: http://video.foxnews.com/v/3736886850001/store-owners-in-fear-after-michael-brown-video/#sp=show-clips Then there is documentation that reports Brown fought the officer [still in the vehicle] and was wrestling with the officer who had his weapon drawn in defense against Brown.  The rest of the incident remains open to some speculation. In addition, there was a report that Brown may have been under the influence of an illegal substance [drugs] and that the substance may have encouraged violent behavior towards the store clerk and the police officer. In conclusion, the officer was cleared of any wrong-doing by a lengthy review and verdict by a grand jury, but many protesters refused to agree with the findings and began some peaceful and then violent protests throughout Fergusson, St. Louis, and some other towns and areas.  The violence did foster street mayhem in the form of store looting and setting fires to homes and stores.  Fights broke out and a man in his thirties was killed by 3 young teens with a hammer. It has gotten ugly and even the Reverend Al Sharpton has become involved and perhaps inciting further protests throughout Fergusson and the nation.  It often seems that protesters are acting out emotions and/or violent and aggressive tactics and many do not seem to have considered the facts in the case that prompted a grand jury of their peers to file a not-guilty verdict. Meanwhile, Officer Darren Wilson submitted his resignation from the Fergusson Police Force and despite the grand jury dismissing any guilt on his part, will not receive any severance pay from the department. Everyone needs to watch this video of one black man's view: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152314396513715&fref=nf See and hear Charles Barkley's view of Ferguson and the jury's verdict : http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/12/01/charles-barkley-says-ferguson-grand-jury-got-it-right-looters-scumbags/ I am disgusted by the methods used by many of the protesters who now appear to be comprised of blacks and whites and who are using the case to aggressively halt public traffic and protest without permits when needed.  The violence now continues throughout the nation and even this past Sunday 5 black pro-football players from the St. Louis Rams mimicked the raised hands which has become the outcry of the protesters and they did so in front of public television.  A police organization has requested that the players be punished and the movement of protesters does not seem to be subsiding, nor apparently do they recognize and/or accept the facts and videos provided to the grand jury, which has been made very public and transparent to anyone wanting to see the facts of the case. You may view some of the articles posted on the case by looking around on the front page in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch  here Meanwhile, the real victims continue to be the citizens of Fergusson and St. Louis and other nearby areas, who fear for their lives on a daily basis.  The police has been mostly passive as per direction from the Department of Justice and President Obama.  The powers that be are NOT interested in protecting the citizen majority and in removing the reality-based fear for survival. There are ways to protest and there are ways to incite people towards criminal behavior.  The verdict was given and if certain people don't agree with it then they should file an appeal like all the rest of us would need to do.  But the violence and inappropriate behavior will continue and we have not seen the end of it by any means.  The police must punish those who determine to be hostile and aggressive to persons and property and they also should not accept the disruption of public traffic in any area.  Protection of the public is paramount. At least that's what I believe.  How do you feel?