Grand jury reaches decision in Ferguson case (Announcement Monday night)

[Silent Hunter]

Sigh... this is what happens when stupidity meets stupidity.

[Silent Hunter]

You know what the best thing is... have a civil trial instead. Sue the department for wrongful death, let the jury decide on the balance of probabilities who is right.

[Silent Hunter]

Precisely.

[Silent Hunter]

Violence is an absolutely justified form of political action if you are first attacked and you have absolutely no other recourse. The people of Ferguson are never going to get justice through their racist courts and from their racist cops. They realize that and have acted accordingly.

You don't get justice by destroying the workplaces of people who didn't attack you.

Unfortunately, history is full of examples of people doing just that.

[Silent Hunter]

What's it matter whether Michael Brown was a "bad guy"? Even if he were, I've not seen any legitimate argument for why deadly force was in any way reasonable.

If he was trying to grab the officer's weapon, then it is reasonable for the officer to use deadly force to stop that from happening.

[Silent Hunter]

That's why in many countries, the police don't carry firearms. Alas, in the U.S. with our gun worshipping culture this is impossible.

Name them; because the vast majority of European forces do.

[Silent Hunter]

a.) need to genuinely be in grave danger
b.) have no other milder method of achieving the same result (making the suspect unable to harm him)

Not in the United Kingdom, that's for sure; this is reminding me a lot of the Mark Duggan case.

[Silent Hunter]

Name them; because the vast majority of European forces do.

Well, they don't in ours do they? Only specialised firearms units have guns.

The PSNI carry them on a routine basis (and have for years), Garda detectives do and so do most of the forces of mainland Europe.

[Silent Hunter]

That's why in many countries, the police don't carry firearms. Alas, in the U.S. with our gun worshipping culture this is impossible.

Name them; because the vast majority of European forces do.

Off the top of my head, England, Japan and China. In China it's starting to change in some areas because of terrorist attacks, not because the police couldn't handle ordinary crime.

I don't think those in the UAE do either.

[Silent Hunter]

The riot was so predictable, especially with the prosecutor making such a big song and dance during his presentation. He must have known what he would provoke by his words. Blood. On. Hands

I'm sorry, is he Lord Voldemort? Does he have the magical power to make people of free will riot?