gpatt0n

No, but I had my fair share of altercations. pubby

Stradial: you had me for a while there ... Fact is, you lost me with this line: First, it was not at all clear: that the youth was a criminal at the time of the encounter what exactly transpired at the scene or that there were different people doing the protesting and another largely distinct group who were looting rioting and burning in what is known as a crime of opportunity. What was clear ... and about the only thing that was crystal was that an armed office shot and killed an unarmed kid. That fact was followed by news the identity of the officer involved

Actually, one aspect of wisdom is choosing your fights carefully. That is advice. pubby

I took that journey 50 years ago. For the benefit of those in denial, here are the suggestions from your link: Think what really makes you different from another race, and in what ways you are alike. Encourage your family and friends to respect and understand other races. Be open to people from other races. Usually when you like someone that's a different race, you will respect that race because you like the person, and likewise. Don't shy away from learning about other cultures or races. Forget stereotypes; everyone is different. Some people do fit the stereotype, but the majority of pe

Bump ... Come have fun! pubby

I know. It is all the deniers out there that don't even know they are racist that is so sad. pubby

I wonder if that is to mean he believes TP to be sincere in kissing his butt?" If you read the article in the NYTimes you'd have grasped that bullying, of which personal attacks are the subset in the poll above, apparently has some resonance here. Now a personal attack can say, for instance, that someone is ugly, or maybe is not bright, doesn't write well or some other trait. Another way to attack someone is to ostracize them - separate them and their points of view from the presumed 'conventional wisdom' - seek to show how 'different' they are from the 'good people' therefore making

So, you think that stupid is a capital offense. pubby

Here are the statistics. Blacks in Ferguson MO are arrested at 10 times the rate of whites in that city. Nationally, blacks are arrested at only three times the rate of whites. Maybe it is that blacks are that more mischievous in Ferguson Mo. than they are elsewhere but that doesn't make sense given the Mayor and police all say that race relations in Ferguson are great, well above average and all that jazz. I'm sure each one of them has a close, personal black friend that isn't a felon. Still, before I pass along my admonishment to Barak Obama about your fears of an oppressive

Do you folks not grasp how arrogant you sound to folks who are, as Rand Paul observes, victims of the uneven justice system? Such arrogance is more insensitive to those people than that of the British in 1770 in the wake of the Boston Massacre ... which was the reaction of a soldier being taunted by black guy and mob throwing rocks (and the poor sentry didn't have body armor or a helmet). When I see big, oppressive government - which is presumably at the core of the conservatives issues - to me it looks like a police force out in mass staring down what was a peaceful protest with aut

Actually, the first instance stradial was Dwight Eisenhower who nationalized the Arkansas National Guard to enforce Brown v. Board of Education in Little Rock in 1957. pubby But it is important to know that the original activation of the National Guard in Arkansas was by the states' governor who deployed them to block the blacks from entering Little Rock Central High. The crisis, which started in early Sept. was transformed when, later that month, President Eisenhower just nationalized them and told them to instead protect the black students as they entered the schools. Eisenhow

Or could it be that some are from German or Russian or even Serbian stock and others trace their heritage back to jolly old England? I say that because here is a case of a man who has been suspected of using guns in crime in England and was a known 'criminal' apparently but when the police - ooops the 'armed police' in England apparently shot and killed him for holding a cell phone like a pistol, the bloody country erupted in riots. I mean how dare the police shoot and kill an unarmed man. The police were put on trial and a pistol they claimed was held by the man - supporters fel

I guess that is really the point. Shouldn't we expect or even demand more restraint from the police? I mean if you put it in the context of the guy who reached for his cell phone and was answered with 100+ rounds from police you begin to wonder if the culture we've created on that side of the blue line considers these 'freebee' kills. Here is another event that just happened. Apparently a man with darker skin was in a Cincinnati WalMart and picked up a serious looking 'Pellet gun' that would be about as frightening as an open carry org guy doing his shopping with his bushmaster. (whic

Here is the 'alternative' description of what went down which was from a friend who relayed what the officer told his 'significant other.' From that description it appears that the first four shots; maybe even fifth shot (presumably to the eye but still not fatal) could have been justified. With the man wounded and faltering, could the officer have avoided killing him with the sixth and final shot to the head? Could he have taken five steps backward and pulled his tazer or baton? Could he have avoided taking the sixth and fatal shot? As an officer of the law, is he obligated to avoid taking t

Actually, the autopsy doesn't really debunk the witness testimony chainshaw and here is why. First, there has been no release of the number of bullets fired. Were there eight, nine, seven or just the six. If there were more fired ... and presumably there was at least one other shot fired ... the fact is that there could be that shot was fired as the kid was walking away and missed him by an inch causing him to turn. The families ME has also said that it is possible from the placement of one of the bullets that hit the arm that that shot came from behind. In either case, the

The notion that it is sinking is patently untrue. If there was ever a society that has the ability to remake/recast itself without a violent revolution it is ours. The promise, and this is in areas from science to art to business and everyday life is so dramatically far beyond our species humble beginnings that the suggestion that you don't owe every duty to its continuation is absurd. I think where most are confused is by the notion that that duty means acceptance of the status quo when it means the exact opposite. I'd be a fool to suggest that we do not face some real issues f

Yes it is ... First he was a "gentle giant" who was murdered because he was a black man walking in the street. He was a doper and usually those who smoke weed tend to being gentle. Then it turned into him being shot in the back with his hands up. The account I read in the NYTimes suggested that the families autopsy did not rule out one shot having come from behind. Then we find the gentle giant attacked the officer and tried to take his gun. The actual incident report has not been released; only video of an unrelated petty crime. Then we find the gentle giant just violently robbed someone

NJ: If your neighbor chunks a Molotov cocktail on your Cadillac then your neighbor has committed a crime, the punishment being some specific range of years in the penitentiary upon the provision of proof and a conviction. It is not, however, a capital crime and no one has the authority to grant the role of judge, jury and executioner to any policeman. What the police have is the duty to bring these criminal to the bar of justice. pubby

I think the message is quite clear glassdogs ... you believe in might makes right, survival of the fittest and kill your neighbor before he kills you. True or real American patriots believe in due process of law as well as government of the people, by the people and for the people. pubby

they sure are; that's why we stick people in jail for drinking and driving and convict them of a crime if they're drunk. The carry anywhere law does says go ahead and go out drinking and carrying because it is good to carry everywhere. It is kind of like an invitation to drink and shoot (not like shooters or hunters have strict laws against such stupidity - fact is, mostly they revel in it.) pubby PS: And BTW, you can't tell me there isn't a subculture in the fishing/hunting/shooting/outdoors culture that doesn't embrace drinking because there is a drinking subculture in just a

He was at a bar, cptlo. The barkeeper declined comment on how much he had had to drink. pubby

Following is a video that is an actual news story about the group "Photography is not a crime" which investigates, not the paranormal but the normal problems that many face when confronted with police who don't know the law. The law is that you while you can't interfere with an officer, the SCOTUS has determined that standing at a reasonable distance from a crime scene (Like across the street from your house or on your porch or on a public sidewalk) you have every right to video tape all that you see ... including or especially police doing their jobs that are supported, in part, by your tax

True, but the woman should be alive and he should be in jail overnight for being drunk and stupid. However, you throw a gun into the equation and now you have a real tragedy. pubby Wow! markdavd ... thanks for finding the anti-texas spin ... I didn't think I was that good but if you saw it and, yes I am from Arkansas and we don't like Texas is right - I'm especially not fond of Texas A&M; damn burrheads - so I'm just tickled you found some anti-texas spin in this. pubby

Shouldn't she - the Texas woman - been packing herself so she could protect herself. I mean, Pierre said that only way to protect a person from a bad person with a gun is good person with a gun? Doesn't that mean that only way to protect a person from a stupid person with a gun is another stupid person with a gun? pubby

Those who talked about Michelle Obama's anatomy no doubt are just parroting what they've heard in the right wing media that seeks simultaneously to dispel any notion that they have any anti-woman agenda. That's why there are similar videos compiled talking about Laura and Barbara Bush (not) although I suppose it isn't really a racist thing since they've got a ton of crap they've said about Hillery (aka: Hitlery) they could (and will likely) begin playing in about a year. The real question though is whether by noting Limbaugh's favorite nickname for the former Secy. of State, does tha