August 18, 2014

Ferguson And The Event That Changed Everything

9/11 changed everything. – That is the refrain we heard over and over in the years after that tragic, but singular event. Why people felt the need to use that phrase escapes me now, but I think at the time I subscribed to that thought process. My cerebrum has since awoken, but many others have not quite let go. What exactly changed? The threat that existed pre-9/11 was always there, so in many ways what changed was our awareness. But what also changed is our fear-fueled response. It turns out 9/11 changed everything because we allowed it to. And if there was ever a time when “the terrorist won” rhetoric should apply, this would be it. How does this relate to the events in Ferguson, Missouri? Because we believe 9/11 changed everything, we decided militarization of our police forces was an acceptable curtailment of our civil liberties. And we our witnessing that abridgment of rights at this moment in Ferguson.

∼ Continue Reading ∼

• • •

August 18, 2014

I Want To Trust The Police, But…

I want to trust police, but I will not offer them trust or even respect if they give me reason to question their morals, their ethics, or purity to their oath of office. We make a huge mistake if we offer carte blanche to anyone, and that includes the police, elected officials, judges, justices, or even the President of the United States. Nobody deserves automatic respect without first considering situational awareness. If given no other reason, we can default to respect. If given no other reason, we should be gracious and well-mannered. But we are thinking human beings, and that means if someone gives us a reason to revoke our respect, regardless of stature in society, we must follow through.

∼ Continue Reading ∼

• • •

August 17, 2014

The Ferguson Military Hollywood Fantasy

I feel like the police in Ferguson, Missouri have lived in a Hollywood dream, where police and military officials regularly have their weapons trained on anybody, friend or foe, until they can ascertain whether or not it is a friend or foe. See, the problem is that this is entirely a Hollywood fantasy, and it’s part of the reason I say that police officers have a thankless and impossible job. But that is no excuse for pointing weapons at innocent citizens. Maybe someone who has served in the military can correct me, but it’s my understanding that the military are trained not to provoke a situation, and that means not pointing weapons at people who pose no threat. I’ve heard this account of military operations multiple times this week, including on Sunday’s “The Week Tonight with John Oliver” on HBO. Again, maybe someone in the military can correct me if this is wrong, but I’m beginning to think that is irrelevant anyway, because we aren’t talking about a military engagement in the Middle East, we are talking about fucking police officers in the middle of America.

∼ Continue Reading ∼

• • •

August 17, 2014

War On Drugs, The Rise Of Police Militarization

In my many recent blog posts on the police initiated war zone in Ferguson, Missouri, I’ve mentioned the increasing militarization of police forces around the country, especially in the aftermath of 9/11. I have also talked about MRAPs (Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicles on multiple occasions. What I did not do in any of these articles was trace back to where this all started. And it should come as no shock that America’s war on drugs plays a crucial role in police department militarization.

∼ Continue Reading ∼

• • •

August 17, 2014

QUOTE: Melissa Harris-Perry: Curtailing The Rights Of Ferguson Citizens

“So Governor Nixon says it is hard to tell among the protestors, at night, who is there to help and who is there to hurt. Given that an unarmed teen was killed by a police officer during the day, and given that the response of the governor was to suspend the First Amendment rights of protestors in the nighttime hours because of the difficulty of telling which ones of them were there to help and which ones to hurt, has there been any discussion about suspending the rights of police officers to carry weapons during the day, because it is difficult to tell which of them are there to help and which of them are there to hurt?” – Melissa Harris-Perry (MHP on MSNBC – 08/17/2014)

∼ Continue Reading ∼

• • •

August 17, 2014

VIDEO: In Memory of Robin Williams, by Aladdin Voice Actor

The video below is worth watching if you are still in a bit of disbelief at the passing of Robin Williams. A tribute like this has the potential to go wrong, but the man who continues to voice the character of “Aladdin” (after Robin Williams voiced the character for the 1992 film), performs it perfectly.

∼ Continue Reading ∼

• • •
1 … 19 20 21 22 23 … 161