What's the biggest reason for Blacks not advancing

[tschu]

 

And your post above from the Brown family hits home even harder for me. "We are profoundly disappointed that the killer of our child will not face the consequence of his actions." I would argue their child made the decision for Officer Wilson that day, he faced a consequence for HIS actions. It's sad sure, no question, I wish it never would've happened, but Officer Wilson didn't get ready for work that day and say, "Man, I hope I get to kill someone today!" The problem is, these folks feel like the system has failed them, it hasn't, the system is what it is, how about trying to think that your son really did do something wrong that day and made a very poor choice.

 

If he would've killed this cop there would've been no outrage, that's why cops are there in some folks eyes, to die. "We request a moment of silence for 4 1/2 minutes because our son's body laid in the street for 4 1/2 hours!" Officers have been killed at the hands of bad people and their bodies have laid in the very spot where they died for 12 hours or longer! Injustice indeed..........

 

 

Cops choose to be cops. There is absolutely no doubt it is hard and can be unfair, but at the end of the day that is a choice they made for themselves, along with the baggage.

 

Black people don't choose to be black, and don't have the choice of being twice as likely to be stopped, charged and found guilty of crimes by the justice system in our country.

 

 

Yep. There needs to be change, there needs to be repercussions for actions, and if this is what it takes for us to have this conversation, then so be it. Social change is never pretty.

 

BTW, at least one safe haven location was tear gassed for no reason last night, so well done there.

[alexhortdog95]

Okay, let me post this here. I posted it on another message board:

 

Welp, that was fun. Just as I expected.

Listen - some know that I am an African-American male, with a wife, and two kids.

I pay my mortgage.
I pay my taxes and all my bills.
I've never been to jail (cept to visit, lol).
I've never been arrested.

Most I've had is a couple speeding tickets.

I am also, like many others, a college educated man.

That all being said - and this is going to sound extremely harsh...

Michael Brown is dead for three reasons, and all three he could have avoided himself.

1. He stole items that did not belong to him - and it was caught on video.
2. He was breaking the law by walking in the middle of the street, which drew the attention of a police officer.
3. He fought the law...and obviously, the law won. No joke.

My father used to always say, "Son, if you want to get into trouble, don't look too far, it's always around you. So don't be stupid, and do something stupid, to invite trouble into my house."

Is it a shame that another young African-American man is dead? Yes. Did he bring this trouble on himself? As soon as he took the items that didn't belong to him, you bet.

THIS - this is unlawful - and the officer involved is probably going to jail.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeT_oSLtI-o

 

But the Michael Brown tragedy? Totally preventable by the young man.

Who do I truly blame? Unfortunately, I will ALWAYS look at the parents.

 

 

Okay, all that to answer the post question, "What's the biggest reason for blacks not advancing?"

 

It's not a simple question to answer, because there's many large reasons.

 

1. Lack of civic leaders in the community.

2. Lack of formal education.

3. Apathy.

4. Absence of fathers/sound parenting in the home

5. Lack of an appreciation of the history in the AA community.

6. Generational issues (today's generation does not take responsibility for themselves).

7. Media whores (Sharption, Jackson, etc) knowing the expediency of using race to benefit themselves (playing the 'card').

 

These are just a few.

[StPaulHusker]

Regardless of your feelings about the lack of an indictment or the black community as a whole, the idea of protesting violence with violence is never the best path taken.

[alexhortdog95]

Regardless of your feelings about the lack of an indictment or the black community as a whole, the idea of protesting violence with violence is never the best path taken.

 

Let me say one other thing, too, to be perfectly clear....

 

I believe, that had I served on the grand jury, I too, would have not found probable cause to prosecute Wilson. Just based off the facts that I see in the case, you can't.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

 

 

And your post above from the Brown family hits home even harder for me. "We are profoundly disappointed that the killer of our child will not face the consequence of his actions." I would argue their child made the decision for Officer Wilson that day, he faced a consequence for HIS actions. It's sad sure, no question, I wish it never would've happened, but Officer Wilson didn't get ready for work that day and say, "Man, I hope I get to kill someone today!" The problem is, these folks feel like the system has failed them, it hasn't, the system is what it is, how about trying to think that your son really did do something wrong that day and made a very poor choice.

 

If he would've killed this cop there would've been no outrage, that's why cops are there in some folks eyes, to die. "We request a moment of silence for 4 1/2 minutes because our son's body laid in the street for 4 1/2 hours!" Officers have been killed at the hands of bad people and their bodies have laid in the very spot where they died for 12 hours or longer! Injustice indeed..........

 

 

Cops choose to be cops. There is absolutely no doubt it is hard and can be unfair, but at the end of the day that is a choice they made for themselves, along with the baggage.

 

Black people don't choose to be black, and don't have the choice of being twice as likely to be stopped, charged and found guilty of crimes by the justice system in our country.

 

 

Yep. There needs to be change, there needs to be repercussions for actions, and if this is what it takes for us to have this conversation, then so be it. Social change is never pretty.

 

BTW, at least one safe haven location was tear gassed for no reason last night, so well done there.

 

Not surprised you agreed with him, link to your tear gassed situation please.

[NUpolo8]

So, shouldn't this title, if accuracy is the goal, be titled "why -some- blacks aren't advancing? (And other people of other races too?)"

[carlfense]

I wonder how long it would take a 300+ pound dude to cover 150+ feet? That's probably the shakiest part of Wilson's story. (Haven't read the full release yet but I think I heard the DA/CA say that the lethal shots were fired when Brown was 153 feet away from the cruiser.)

[carlfense]

Also, the Brown family deserves much credit for the way they handled the announcement last night. I'm impressed.

[carlfense]

And finally . . . can we all agree that this investigation/grand jury/announcement/etc. was handled quite poorly?

[sd'sker]

i really did not want to get involved in this, but i have a couple points to make. it is insanely easy to indict someone. as the saying goes, 'you can indict a ham sandwich.' yet, law enforcement are rarely indicted. and there could be valid reasons for it, and not so valid reasons. the cops and prosecutors work together, so the prosecutor might not be so ambitious. however, prosecutors may have pressure to put a case before a grand jury he or she otherwise would not because of the nature of the incident. and finally, jurors may just see cops as more trustworthy.

 

the other point i would like to make is that it is understandable for a community to be upset when an unarmed teen is shot by the police. yes, misinformation is a huge problem in these cases and reasonable people can make reasonable arguments that the cop's actions are justified. but it would be hard to trust and stomach for many who have dealt with a history of institutional racism. so i will withhold judgment on all involved and just see this as a tragic event happening in a country that still has issues to address.

 

finally, i think the issue for a lot of blacks not advancing is similar to a lot of americans, cyclical poverty. but i do think whites receive are certain amount of privilege that is hard to quantify and largely intangible.

[knapplc]

Awful situation. But much like Kiev, the photojournalists covering this are producing some spectacular photographs.

 

[carlfense]

i really did not want to get involved in this, but i have a couple points to make. it is insanely easy to indict someone. as the saying goes, 'you can indict a ham sandwich.' yet, law enforcement are rarely indicted. and there could be valid reasons for it, and not so valid reasons. the cops and prosecutors work together, so the prosecutor might not be so ambitious. however, prosecutors may have pressure to put a case before a grand jury he or she otherwise would not because of the nature of the incident. and finally, jurors may just see cops as more trustworthy.

 

the other point i would like to make is that it is understandable for a community to be upset when an unarmed teen is shot by the police. yes, misinformation is a huge problem in these cases and reasonable people can make reasonable arguments that the cops actions are justified. but it would be hard to trust and stomach for many who have dealt with a history of institutional racism. so i will withhold judgment on all involve and just see this as a tragic event happening in a country that still has issues to address.

 

finally, i think the issue for a lot of blacks not advancing is similar to a lot of americans, cyclical poverty. but i do think whites receive are certain amount of privilege that is hard to quantify and largely intangible.

^^^this.

[Junior]

i really did not want to get involved in this, but i have a couple points to make. it is insanely easy to indict someone. as the saying goes, 'you can indict a ham sandwich.' yet, law enforcement are rarely indicted. and there could be valid reasons for it, and not so valid reasons. the cops and prosecutors work together, so the prosecutor might not be so ambitious. however, prosecutors may have pressure to put a case before a grand jury he or she otherwise would not because of the nature of the incident. and finally, jurors may just see cops as more trustworthy.

 

the other point i would like to make is that it is understandable for a community to be upset when an unarmed teen is shot by the police. yes, misinformation is a huge problem in these cases and reasonable people can make reasonable arguments that the cops actions are justified. but it would be hard to trust and stomach for many who have dealt with a history of institutional racism. so i will withhold judgment on all involve and just see this as a tragic event happening in a country that still has issues to address.

 

finally, i think the issue for a lot of blacks not advancing is similar to a lot of americans, cyclical poverty. but i do think whites receive are certain amount of privilege that is hard to quantify and largely intangible.

 

Wish I could give more than a single +1. Very well thought out post.

[sd'sker]

my initial point was not very clear, but basically the grand jury system is flawed. flawed in cases like this and flawed in typical criminal cases.

[ZRod]

I wonder how long it would take a 300+ pound dude to cover 150+ feet? That's probably the shakiest part of Wilson's story. (Haven't read the full release yet but I think I heard the DA/CA say that the lethal shots were fired when Brown was 153 feet away from the cruiser.)

Foot pursuit?

 

And finally . . . can we all agree that this investigation/grand jury/announcement/etc. was handled quite poorly?

Yes, very much so.