News Stories

[Urzu 7]

Originally Posted by GDB

Because nothing says "Don't kill innocents" like killing innocents.

Yeah. A lot of people are idiots, for sure.


The Michael Brown incident is one thing. Michael Brown was a trouble maker and a hooligan, it seems. But the Eric Garner case, that cop shouldn't have been indicted. There was another incident back in August, where a 22 year old black man bought a pellet gun at a walmart (it looked like a real rifle). Anyway, two women called the cops on him, cops showed up, didn't hesitate to shoot him. If you read up on it, it wasn't fair what happened to the man shot. He died. The cop got indicted, and I feel he and the NYC cop shouldn't have been indicted. In the walmart incident, it was another incident where cops used excessive force and lethal force on a black person don't wasn't necessary and really can be labeled as inappropriate.

[Solace]

Originally Posted by GDB

Because nothing says "Don't kill innocents" like killing innocents.

I'm not defending the shooter, but this is what happens when people feel the system is failing them. Some people protest peacefully, others don't.

[risingstar3110]

The blame lay on the US justice system IMO.

The jury refuse to bring any charge Michael Brown shooter has led to the disbelief of justice system, and give incentive for crazy guys like these to attack on innocent officers.

[DevilHighDxD]

Originally Posted by risingstar3110

The blame lay on the US justice system IMO.

The jury refuse to bring any charge Michael Brown shooter has led to the disbelief of justice system, and give incentive for crazy guys like these to attack on innocent officers.

There simply not enough evidences to really say what happened that day, from what I had read, that Michael Brown doesn't seem to be much of a good fellow either. "Life isn't always equal", this just might be the case here.

Originally Posted by Solace

I'm not defending the shooter, but this is what happens when people feel the system is failing them. Some people protest peacefully, others don't.

Even the seemly peaceful one isn't really peaceful at all.

http://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepa...-cops-n1934308

[Urzu 7]

Originally Posted by DevilHighDxD

There simply not enough evidences to really say what happened that day, from what I had read, that Michael Brown doesn't seem to be much of a good fellow either. "Life isn't always equal", this just might be the case here.

Yeah, I won't stand up for Michael Brown. He was a punk. It is too bad that he of all people become the center of such huge protests.

But Eric Garner, and that guy who was shot to death at an Ohio Walmart (mentioned him in a previous post)? Those incidents are definitely different than the Michael Brown incident. Both of those people were killed unjustly by police officers. Both should be alive and well today, not deceased.

With the Michael Brown case, maybe he did try to grab the Wilson's gun, like he claims. A problem with that incident is the he-said-she-said about it, but the other two incidents, it is clear cut for Garner and pretty clear cut for the Ohio man. Both have been unjustly killed.

[Haak]

What about that 12 year old that got killed? I thought that was by far the worst example.

[Solace]

Originally Posted by DevilHighDxD

Even the seemly peaceful one isn't really peaceful at all.

http://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepa...-cops-n1934308

Yeah I read about that. I'm not surprised, but many protests were civil. Remember that people protest and riot when they are emotional about something, and even peaceful crowds can turn ugly real quick.

Originally Posted by Urzu 7

Yeah, I won't stand up for Michael Brown. He was a punk. It is too bad that he of all people become the center of such huge protests.

But Eric Garner, and that guy who was shot to death at an Ohio Walmart (mentioned him in a previous post)? Those incidents are definitely different than the Michael Brown incident. Both of those people were killed unjustly by police officers. Both should be alive and well today, not deceased.

With the Michael Brown case, maybe he did try to grab the Wilson's gun, like he claims. A problem with that incident is the he-said-she-said about it, but the other two incidents, it is clear cut for Garner and pretty clear cut for the Ohio man. Both have been unjustly killed.

Whatever Michael Brown was is not the point. The force used on him was excessive, and the response to public outrage was even more excessive. To top it off, the officer walks because of a witness who the prosecutor just admitted today lied on the stand about her testimony. But he won't press charges.

It's true the other cases are more clear cut, but you can see how broken the system is when the cops walked anyway even when the evidence is staring everyone in the face.

Like I said, I don't sympathize with the shooter at all and two good cops are dead because of his rage. But that rage didn't materialize out of nowhere, and people should understand that.

[GDB]

Originally Posted by Solace

It's true the other cases are more clear cut, but you can see how broken the system is when the cops walked anyway even when the evidence is staring everyone in the face.

Like I said, I don't sympathize with the shooter at all and two good cops are dead because of his rage. But that rage didn't materialize out of nowhere, and people should understand that.

But how is that any different from terrorism or home-grown terrorists? The only real difference is the scale of their rage and retaliation. They're murdering innocent people because they don't like how the system works. It's not even like they're going after lawyers or judges or anything either. You know, the actual system.

[Solace]

Originally Posted by GDB

But how is that any different from terrorism or home-grown terrorists? The only real difference is the scale of their rage and retaliation. They're murdering innocent people because they don't like how the system works. It's not even like they're going after lawyers or judges or anything either. You know, the actual system.

People go after lawyers and judges too. You just don't hear about them as much because they are usually isolated to regional news.

But most people don't understand the system, they just lash out at what they consider the most immediate problems. That's the downside of emotional protests, peaceful or not.

"Murdering innocents" goes both ways here. There's certainly many people who would argue that police (not these two in particular) have killed innocent people and gotten away with it. It certainly fueled this killers beliefs and actions.

[ganbaru]

No charges against ex-police officer in fatal Milwaukee shooting
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/...0K01B420141222

GM gets 104 more claims for faulty ignition switch compensation
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/...0K01BY20141222

Police officers' slaying raises pressure on New York mayor
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/...0JY0N820141222

[kyp275]

Originally Posted by Solace

Whatever Michael Brown was is not the point. The force used on him was excessive, and the response to public outrage was even more excessive.

Says who? Personally, I say if you physically assaults an officer and make for his gun, you deserve every piece of lead you end up eating.

Was the police response excessive? I suppose that depends on your perspective. Ask some of those people who hand their businesses looted/burned down, they might disagree with you.

I would say the police response was inefficient and needlessly provocative. The armored vehicles and machine guns weren't ever going to be used, so why put them out there?

To top it off, the officer walks because of a witness who the prosecutor just admitted today lied on the stand about her testimony. But he won't press charges.

There are a few witnesses FROM BOTH SIDES that lied on the stand, but I'm sure you're equally outraged that Dorian Johnson, Brown's friend that flat out lied about what happened, is also not being charged right?

Like I said, I don't sympathize with the shooter at all and two good cops are dead because of his rage. But that rage didn't materialize out of nowhere, and people should understand that.

Which is why he first shot and tried to kill his gf, because of the police?

[Renegade334]

RIP Joe Cocker.

English blues singer Joe Cocker has died due to complications from lung cancer. He was 70.

Cocker was a lifelong musician known for his passionate vocal style over the course of 40 career albums. His hits included "You Are So Beautiful," "Feelin' Alright," "You Can Leave Your Hat On," and a cover of The Beatles' "With a Little Help From My Friends," which was used as the theme song to TV's The Wonder Years.

In 1983, he won a Grammy for "Up Where We Belong" — a duet with Jennifer Warnes, popularized by its appearance on the An Officer and a Gentleman soundtrack, that reached number one on the U.S. charts. --Scott Meslow

[Solace]

Originally Posted by kyp275

Says who? Personally, I say if you physically assaults an officer and make for his gun, you deserve every piece of lead you end up eating.

Sorry but I disagree. There are options for taking down suspects that don't involve seven shots to the chest. Am I the only person who finds it completely ridiculous that we still live in an age where any aggression toward police is met with lethal force? Are there really no other ways to handle situations?

I will of course admit that there are some situations that can meet no other end, but just in this last decade there are frequent instances of police using aggressive responses that go over and beyond what is needed to resolve a situation. Including using nonlethal weapons when there was no need for it.

It's enough to concern the public and cause outcries like this, at the very least, and that erodes trust in an essential part of society.

Was the police response excessive? I suppose that depends on your perspective. Ask some of those people who hand their businesses looted/burned down, they might disagree with you.

There's always more than one perspective. Just as there were people who acted out violently, there were also people stepping up to help rebuild.

I would say the police response was inefficient and needlessly provocative. The armored vehicles and machine guns weren't ever going to be used, so why put them out there?

This I absolutely agree with. The police isn't the military. If you need armored vehicles and machine guns, you call in the Guard.

There are a few witnesses FROM BOTH SIDES that lied on the stand, but I'm sure you're equally outraged that Dorian Johnson, Brown's friend that flat out lied about what happened, is also not being charged right?

Yes, I am. I want fair justice, and that means fairness for both the victim and the accused. I'm disgusted with the system. When a prosecutor publicly admits that the process was tainted, that's a huge problem for everyone.

I'm a firm believer in "innocent until proven guilty", so yes, I believe that Wilson is innocent in the eyes of the law. But that same system handled the case so poorly that lingering doubt of his innocence will follow him forever. It will haunt the Brown family because there really isn't a resolution that they can move forward with. And it haunts all of us, because if it happened once it can happen again, to any of us.

That's unacceptable.

Which is why he first shot and tried to kill his gf, because of the police?

I never said his motives were strictly because of the police. But he clearly pointed to that as a motive. My point was that he didn't suddenly see the news and decide to get a gun and kill people. Violence doesn't happen out of nowhere.

To dismiss it as "well he was crazy" or something similar to that reasoning is to deny any possibility that the system could produce such a monster. It facilitates a logical fallacy that allows acts like this to happen over and over again and it cripples efforts that work toward understanding and preventing that.

[KiraYamatoFan]

Originally Posted by Renegade334

RIP Joe Cocker.

"Up Where We Belong" was and still is my favorite song from him. I used to listen to it a lot on the radio when I was a very young kid.

RIP.

[Urzu 7]

Originally Posted by Solace

Sorry but I disagree. There are options for taking down suspects that don't involve seven shots to the chest. Am I the only person who finds it completely ridiculous that we still live in an age where any aggression toward police is met with lethal force? Are there really no other ways to handle situations?

You know...4 or 5 years ago, I saw a TV show about cops and it showed a white officer dealing with someone he pulled over. Dashboard cam. So the officer is standing in front of the cop car, good view for the camera, and he is white, and the guy he was dealing with was a middle aged white man, dressed in casual clothes...the man tried to stab the officer with a knife, the officer avoided it, pulled out his gun, and shot the man ONCE in the stomach. The man went down, the officer pulled out his walkie talkie and said he needed a medic.

Now ain't it some shit that when ever an officer responds with force to a black male, it is multiple shots to said black suspect. Always, everytime I hear about a cop shooting a black suspect, they load them full of lead. White guy = single shot. Black dudes = OMG IT'S A BLACK MAN, PUMP HIM FULL OF LEAD. A lot of cops just see black suspects as being 'meaner, scarier, more dangerous' than white suspects. Heck, I was reading from an article kinda recently that a test showed that police find pictures of black kids to look "less innocent" in comparison to when viewing pictures of white kids.

[Anh_Minh]

I read an article saying that even black cops find black men scarier...

[SeijiSensei]

North Korean Internet Experiences Outage

Was this the "proportional" retaliation President Obama threatened at his press conference the other day?

Experts who monitor the health of the global Internet called it one of the worst North Korean network failures in years. But American officials who had described over the weekend how they were intensely focused on the country’s telecommunications connections through China — and how they had asked the Chinese government for help in cutting off the North’s ability to send malicious code around the world — declined to discuss what befell those connections.

The Chinese denied having anything to do with this, of course, though nearly all of the DPRK's Internet services come through China. (Read this link that Saintess posted the other day for a good analysis.) Another possibility is a denial-of-service attack on Korea's border routers.

I liked this observation:

“Proportional would mean that we would hack a North Korean movie company,” said Victor Cha of Georgetown University, who handled North Korean issues in the George W. Bush White House. “But that would not get you very far.”

[MrTerrorist]

Rare Islamic State visit reveals 'brutal and strong' force

Well that's depressing to read. So looks like troops on the ground might be needed.

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

I liked this observation:

If there are any billboards in NK, why not just upload Team America onto it for vengeance?

[DevilHighDxD]

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

If there are any billboards in NK, why not just upload Team America onto it for vengeance?

Along with this "Murica! Tastiest freedom where you can't get anywhere else!" in full Korean with a Uncle Sam picture.