urbanSTL

Frankly it's kind of disappointing to see people here more worried about St. Louis's image than the racial problems that have given direct rise to the image.

Greatest St. Louis wrote:Frankly it's kind of disappointing to see people here more worried about St. Louis's image than the racial problems that have given direct rise to the image.

I think everyone here, even though we see the details of the circumstances surrounding the aftermath of the recent police-related shootings from different perspectives, is concerned about racial inequities AND our image.

I don't think there's anything wrong with being concerned about both. The trouble is, the fixes for either issue aren't simple.

Since the height of the protests, the department has spent almost $25,000 buying 650 teargas grenades, smoke-and-gas grenades, smoke canisters and “hornets nest” CS sting grenades, which shoot out dozens of rubber bullets and a powdered chemical agent upon detonation.
http://www.lesslethal.com/media/blfa_fi ... G101IT.pdf

It has spent a further $18,000 on 1,500 “beanbag rounds” and 6,000 pepper balls, paintball-style projectiles that explode with a chemical irritant when they strike a protester. The department uses LiveX branded pepper balls, which are billed as ten times hotter than standard pepper rounds.
http://www.pepperball.com/projectiles/

I personally can talk about race all day if i wanted however talking about it isn't going to solve the everyday problems in St.Louis nor anywhere else to begin with. Being more proactive than reactive will do us a lot more justice than what protesting as done. Fighting against the police isn't going to bring back lives that have been taking by police or criminals. The police are literally fighting a war while citizens aren't willing to help them out to get the criminals off the streets. All of this will just cycle over and over again. Yes i do believe there are quite a few bad police but to dub majority of them bad is just negligent to knowing the facts. People really need to wake up and realize fighting the police isn't the right way to go about it nor taking innocent lives that have nothing to with any of this is just flat out murder.
I try changing the person i am literally every day to become a better person to make good positive difference/ influence on one's life however it takes more than myself to do that and sadly people are quick to blame others.

Ha. Thanks. I honestly think these changes need to happen. Essentially black citizens, as well as some whites and everyone else, feel harassed by this system and I totally think they are. Aggressive policing and over enforcement and basic harassment of citizens isn't the "American way". These changes need to happen and we can't just let time go back and go back to the status quo.
So again, I hope these protesters reach towards these and not towards some absurd or anarchist set of demands.

And one more add on. Perhaps we educate the public that if you attack a cop whether unarmed or not they are legally allowed to shoot to kill you, but obviously not with your hands up, which is what this is all about. And it remains to be seen if MB was truly surrendering or not, post altercation.

obviously i don't want to see any violence or damage, and there are certainly opportunists about, but you all are a lot less cynical than i if you think that, without the continued protests, anybody of means in STL would still be talking about this. it would be business as usual as it has been for decades. so yes, i hope "the protesters" (i.e. all of us) can focus their (our) legitimate outrage into something constructive, but even those disrupting our oh-so-sacred sporting events, for example, are keeping the conversation alive.

dweebe wrote:I think (and hope) this will all turn into Y2K overhype and nothing will really happen. The wild card I'm worried about is the "outside organizers" not from St. Louis who have nothing to lose.

If Ferguson and/or Clayton burn, these outsiders will just go back home to Boston, Austin or Minneapolis with a pleased feeling they knocked St. Louis down another notch.

Exactly. There are a lot of people who plan to act upon the announcement of the grand jury's decision who couldn't care less about Saint Louis, Ferguson, or even Michael Brown in any way, shape, or form. They are the ones who are talking about a 'revolution' and clamoring for a 'war' with law enforcement. Those who plan to protest 'peacefully' should exercise a lot of caution in my opinion. These people- the opportunistic troublemakers- can do much more harm to Ferguson and Saint Louis than destroying public property and our national image. Long term, they may encourage disinvestment for years to come, businesses may leave, and the communities affected the most may have a hard time bouncing back. Look at Watts, or even Cairo. Look at East St. Louis, because even though the last riot there happened almost 100 years ago, it was the beginning rather than the end of racial tension that eventually destroyed much of the community.

urbandilletante wrote:obviously i don't want to see any violence or damage, and there are certainly opportunists about, but you all are a lot less cynical than i if you think that, without the continued protests, anybody of means in STL would still be talking about this. it would be business as usual as it has been for decades. so yes, i hope "the protesters" (i.e. all of us) can focus their (our) legitimate outrage into something constructive, but even those disrupting our oh-so-sacred sporting events, for example, are keeping the conversation alive.

Quite frankly, I think it'll be business as usual after the dust settles anyway. There might be some progress in the form of commissions and studies and so forth, but I don't expect much in the way of tangible progress. That doesn't mean it'll never happen, it's just that I believe more of the same, no matter how peaceful or well-intended it may be, will get us nowhere. At some point, I believe people need to realize that the message has got to move off of the streets and into the halls of county government and area city halls. I hope that will happen sooner rather than later.

dweebe wrote: If Ferguson and/or Clayton burn, these outsiders will just go back home to Boston, Austin or Minneapolis with a pleased feeling they knocked St. Louis down another notch.

I agree that people from outside are generally more inclined to stir things up, but I think this is oddly paranoid thinking: outside agitators are coming in to target St. Louis and destroy it because they don't like the city? I don't think people from other cities care that much about St. Louis. It's because it's where the action is.

At the Southampton Neighborhood Association meeting, alderwoman Baringer said they city would have a crefew right away if things get out of hand. Also said that hampton village could be targeted. Then to show how out of touch she is with reality, she said she will stock up on wine, cheese and crackers and stay inside for a while.

I know this is incredibly improbable, but what if Wilson actually were charged? Wouldn't that be something?

It's interesting how nobody is waiting to hear what the Grand Jury's announcement is. And probably for good reason. Seem like he won't be charged. But I figured there's always a chance.

well the fact that the Grand Jury wants to speak to the guy who did the autopsy for the family today, (so late in this process) i wouldn't be surprised if they did charge him with something lesser and let the court system handle it...

jcity wrote:I hope they release the news on Saturday or Sunday when the highs are 35 and 40, respectively. 23/21 is the low with possible snow Saturday. Way too cold for looters and people to cause mayhem. Like 314 said, I'd like to see the protesters direct their anger into meaningful change:

-consolidation of any police departments with city populations below 15,000 people
-only a certain maximum revenue from traffic tickets per city
-reduced fees or offer other payment plans for people that can't pay tickets.
-mandatory cameras on police and their cars

Let's work towards goals like this. Protesting and possibly rioting in clayton and ferguson after they layout reasons for Wilson to defend himself from a more than likely criminal attack doesn't win the minds of 90% of the region. Let's actually do things to make lives better for most African Americans in St. Louis. Let's actually change things for the better.

Excellent post. I could not agree more.

I still think Wilson being charged with murder is about as close to impossible as you can get.

But there are thoughts he could be charged with a lesser crime. As I am not on the GJ and am not privy to all of this info and testimony I cannot say what I would recommend.

I think there are some extremists who will not be happy unless he is charged with murder in the first. And others who do not care one way or another but want to take advantage of the situation in the case of unrest.

But when this is all over we might look back at all of those dire predictions of the region being overtaken the same way we do after the predictions of a Snowpocalypse turn out to be for naught.

We're St. Louis--it's what we do

I think one thing a lot of people can agree on is that this charterer calling himself Tef Poe is a total idiot.

dbInSouthCity wrote:well the fact that the Grand Jury wants to speak to the guy who did the autopsy for the family today, (so late in this process) i wouldn't be surprised if they did charge him with something lesser and let the court system handle it...

I could bore us all with reasons why I think this is the case, but to put it simply, I believe it's an opportunity for the Prosecuting Attorney's office to show that every perspective has been explored AND to discredit Baden's autopsy at the same time.

Just my overvalued $.02.

Video

EPI - The Making of Ferguson with Sherrilyn Ifill and Richard Rothstein

http://www.epi.org/event/the-making-of- ... rothstein/

http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture ... onday.html - No charge announcement expected Monday

Yet more rumors, but this one seems to be more legit. No local people have said anything so I'm still skeptical.

^ I'm treating rumors with skepticism as well. However, based on what I have heard from some administrators at a local school district, I get the feeling that the announcement will be made Monday afternoon.

It's all still speculation, but there seems to be a pattern here. I suppose the decision could be announced even sooner, but I suppose the grand jury may still have to consider Dr. Baden's last-minute testimony.

Snowfall is expected Saturday afternoon with minor accumulations, and the Rams play Sunday afternoon. How much these external factors play into the timing of the announcement is anyone's guess, however.

The gist of the story is....St. Louis will be force to change radically or suffer a horrible fate. This is the real deal guys, St. Louis is at a major crossroads. If we don't get our act together, we might as well change our region's name to #Ferguson and accept a slow death.

http://www.ksdk.com/story/news/local/20 ... /19045259/