Michael Brown: Is White Justice Trying to Frame a Dead Man?

19 Comments

1. 

   Oui on August 16, 2014 at 1:01 pm

   St. Louis prosecutor McCulloch has faced controversy for decades

   (St. Louis Post Dispatch) – On Friday, McCulloch faced calls from political foes to step aside in the investigation of the fatal shooting death of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown at the hand of a white police officer. State Sen. Jamilah Nasheed wrote a letter to McCulloch saying prior prosecutorial decisions and his heavy support of Steve Stenger in his defeat of St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley in this month’s Democratic primary scarred the black community.

   And U.S. Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis, assailed McCulloch on Friday night on a visit to Ferguson: “We don’t have any confidence in the St. Louis County prosecuting attorney’s office.” He went on to accuse McCulloch of attempting to influence a potential jury by the release this morning of the robbery video at the same time the officer’s name was released.

   “Bob McCulloch tried to taint the jury pool by the stunt he pulled today. I have no faith in him, but I do trust the FBI and the justice department.”

   ○ St. Louis Co. Official Charlie Dooley wants AG to lead Brown case

   ○ County Executive 5 August Primary Election Results: Democrats Charlie Dooley 30.5 %, Steve Stenger 66.5 %

2. 

   Marie2 on August 16, 2014 at 2:52 pm

   “Bob McCulloch tried to taint the jury pool by the stunt he pulled today. I have no faith in him, but I do trust the FBI and the justice department.”

   Would that be the same FBI that exonerated the killer of Todashev?  The same justice department that declined to prosecute high level Wall St. banksters and those that have lied to Congress about torture and/or played a role in torture?

   If charged, the cop’s defense would likely request and be granted a change of venue.  Just as in the case of Oscar Grant’s death.  Release of the video makes that almost a certainty.  Would the video be admitted into evidence in a trial?  From what we know now, probably not.  No more relevant than the sexual history of a victim in a rape case.  OTOH, we don’t know what the cop is claiming.  Only what Brown’s friend and eyewitness Johnson has claimed on national TV.  

   Does the video frame a dead man?  Only to those that wouldn’t be qualified to serve as jurors in a murder trial against the cop.  One unfortunate aspect of trying murders cases in the court of public opinion or in a court of law is the predisposition of jurors to accept the validity of eyewitness testimony.  Doesn’t matter how much research is done that demonstrates that most eyewitness reports are crap.  Even when the witness has no biases and seeks only to tell the truth of what she/he believes she/he saw.  The video does inform us that Johnson wasn’t just some guy that happened to run into Brown on the street shortly before the cop appeared.  Doesn’t make Johnson or Brown a bad guy, but it does call into question the reliability of Johnson’s account.  If anything is going to convict the cop, it will be the forensic evidence of shooting Brown as he fled and didn’t pose an immediate threat to the cop or anyone else.  

   Then again the conventional bar for injury and threat to a cop is lower than it is for the general public.  Killer cops go free and convicted cop killers don’t.  Hence, Leonard Peltier and Mumia Abu-Jamal continue to languish in prison.  

3. 

   Oui on August 16, 2014 at 4:38 pm

   .
   Missouri gov. declares state of emergency, implements curfew in Ferguson
    

   St. Louis County Police Dept. Acquires Special Equipment for Major Incidents ‒ December 27, 2012

   ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis County Police Department has acquired a new armored vehicle, a tactical vehicle, and a helicopter for use during major disasters, criminal incidents, and possible acts of terrorism. The department acquired a LENCO BearCat, a Tactical Support Vehicle, and an MD500E Model Jet Turbine Helicopter.

   The BearCat features an elevated, protected platform that can place police officers onto the second story of a building or onto the outer door of a plane. It also comes equipped with chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) detection sensors.

   The Tactical Support Vehicle, which was funded via the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI), is designed to hold tactical equipment. It also comes with a computer and communications equipment that enable it to act as a command post.

    « click for more info
   Police officers line up across W. Florissant Avenue near the QuikTrip that was burned down a few days earlier in Ferguson (Photo: St. Louis Today)

   The helicopter was funded through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) funding approved through the St. Louis Area Maritime Security Committee (AMSC) and the U.S. Coast Guard, Sector Upper Mississippi River. It comes with AERO computers and “Nightsun” spotlights, which enable it to perform search and rescue missions, patrol areas with infrastructure, and provide support to first responders.

   ○ DHS: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Training at Fusion Centers
   ○ Department of Defense Excess Property Program (DoD 1033)
   ○ Newsweek: How America’s Police Became an Army – the 1033 Program
4. 

   Oui on August 17, 2014 at 3:08 pm

   Former police chief Tim Fitch was likely ousted by the “Affton gang” of council executive candidate Steve Stenger. St. Louis County a political cesspool.

   Jon Belmar Named Eighth Chief Of St. Louis County Police – January 2014

   (StL Pubic Radio) –  Belmar added that his time in Affton had taught him the most important lesson of policing – it’s all about customer service.

   “You have the have the ability to deliver services,” he said. “Homicide detectives, SWAT team, helicopters, record room clerks, none of that stuff matters unless we’re able to deliver the response to emergency services, and figure out a way to reduce crime in St. Louis County.”

   Belmar takes over for Chief Tim Fitch, who retires Saturday, after five years on the job.

   In an interview with St. Louis Public Radio and the Beacon, Fitch warned his successor to be aware of, but not involved in, politics – something Belmar says won’t be a problem.

   “I’ve been around a long time,” he said. “I don’t come in here with any biases, nor should I. The police department has to have the ability to cooperate fully with the administration of county government, and we will do that.”

   Speaking to reporters after the announcement, county executive Charlie Dooley said he looked forward to working with Belmar, who was chosen over two other candidates.  

   Fitch Says Successor As Chief Should Be Mindful Of Politics

   (StL Pubic Radio) Jan. 30, 2014 – While he says he will miss his colleagues and “putting the uniform on every day,” Fitch added that he won’t miss the “political stuff.” And it was hard for Fitch to avoid that “stuff” in the past few months, especially as controversy swirled over the crime lab subcontract and the seemingly endless battle to fill the police board. Fitch even accused unnamed “political researchers” of digging up dirt about him and his department.

   Fitch – who has continually sworn off any interest in running for political office –  said if the county police chief “could just do crime fighting and law enforcement issues in a police department, it really would be the best job in the world.” But unfortunately, he said, “all the political stuff gets dragged in and the chief has to deal with it.”
   He predicted that things could get even more heated as Dooley and Councilman Steve Stenger, D-Affton, duke it out in the months leading to the Democratic primary in August.

   ○ St. Louis Political Eye: Local fixer in the shooting gallery

   Dooley Issues Executive Order On Minority Participation Goals

   (StL Pubic Radio) June 18, 2014 – St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley signed an executive order establishing minority participation goals for county contracts. His move comes a day after the St. Louis County Council rejected bills on the issue.

   The situation showcases the escalating hostility between Dooley and a county council increasingly aligned with Councilman Steve Stenger, the Affton Democrat who is challenging the incumbent this August.

    « click for more info
   St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley signs an executive order to broaden minority and female participation for county contracts. It establishes goals of 20 percent minority and 5 percent female workforce participation for contracts over $1 million.   (Credit Jason Rosenbaum, St. Louis Public Radio)

   At issue are Councilwoman Hazel Erby’s bills establishing workforce goals for women, minorities and county residents for county contracts. Dooley strongly backed the legislation, contending it would make county work more available to people who were traditionally shut out.

   Wow …  what’s behind this?

   SLCPA Endorses Steve Stenger in Democratic Primary

   October 18, 2013 – The St. Louis County Police Association (SLCPA) has endorsed St. Louis County Councilman Steve Stenger in his bid to unseat Charlie Dooley.

   “The SLCPA joins the ever growing list of citizens, organizations, labor groups, and public safety professionals supporting Steve Stenger in the Democratic primary,” stated SLCPA President Gabe Crocker.

   The Dooley Administration symbolizes everything that is wrong with government and the damage that has been done to St. Louis County is immeasurable. Crocker stated, “The Dooley Administration is the proverbial “cement block shoes” dragging this county and its police department to the bottom of the river.” “Steve Stenger is the guy we need to beat Charlie Dooley. He is the only guy that can beat Charlie Dooley,” Crocker added.

   With union leaders behind him, Stenger announces campaign for county executive

   ○ County Executive 5 August Primary Election Results: Democrats Charlie Dooley 30.5 %, Steve Stenger 66.5 %

5. 

   Oui on August 17, 2014 at 3:12 pm

   .

   Many angry after police release footage showing Michael Brown allegedly robbing store
   | KMOV Special Coverage | Posted on August 15, 2014 at 10:30 PM |

   Many people in Ferguson are angry after Ferguson police released a video allegedly showing Michael Brown, Jr. stealing a box of cigars from a store. “It pissed ’em off. It pissed ’em off and for one reason, because it muddied the waters,” said Ferguson resident Reggie Harris.

   Police released the surveillance video at the same time they released the name of police officer who shot Brown. “What he did was enrage the community more by releasing the name and saying `hey here’s the name, but we’re going to discredit Mike Brown at the same time,” said business owner Charles Davis.

   Mother of dead Ferguson teen wants officer jailed – KMOV Aug. 9

6. 

   Oui on August 17, 2014 at 3:16 pm

   After she was maced and tried to pour milk in her eyes, police officer Wilson came up to her and said if I poured milk in my eyes, I would be arrested. In his commands to me he used the f*** word a number of times. This incident was about a month ago.

   Darren Wilson mace story

   (Gawker) – The woman tells Lemon that while trying to clean her eyes at a convenience store after being maced last month, Wilson allegedly told her to “shut the fuck up” and “sit the fuck down.” Lemon did not ask the woman’s name. Their interview:

   Woman: I was maced and I had come up to QuickTrip because they said I could use their sink. So I was trying to clean out my eyes with some water and one of the employees told me to go get some milk, because that would help. So as I was pouring milk in my eyes, the officers had come in and told me to get out.

   Officer Darren Wilson mace story

   • 

     Marie2 on August 17, 2014 at 4:57 pm

     Seriously?  This has the form of most false or highly embellished story concocted to exonerated oneself or charge someone else with misdeeds that I’ve ever heard.  

     First, when this allegedly happened is undefined “a month ago” — doesn’t even include day of the week or time of day.  Convenient memory lapse that precludes proof that this cop wasn’t on duty or anywhere near this QuickStop on that day or at that time.  Being maced would be a unique experience for most of us; enough so that within a month we could still recall day, time, and place.  

     Second, no information on how, where, why, and by whom she was maced.  Only, I was maced and I had come up to QuickTrip because they said I could use their sink. So I was trying to clean out my eyes with some water …  But lots of details about milk for her eyes.  

     I had come up to QuickTrip because ….  Come up from where?  Oh, she had a car parked in the QuickTrip lot.  Did she drive and park there before or after she was maced?  Eyes stinging and unable to see, she got back in her car and then the cop ordered her to get out and sit on the curb.  Was she planning to drive away with impaired vision?  She couldn’t see but could read the cop’s name badge.

     Not saying the she couldn’t at some point have had what she experienced as a negative encounter with this cop.  Or maybe it was a different cop.  Or maybe …    

7. 

   Oui on August 17, 2014 at 3:18 pm

   Hey BooMan, don’t knock Missouri policy! We get along with anyone who is Caucasian and comes to church on Sundays. You’re not gonna cause any trouble now or you go head first out the door this establishment. Just saying, so we understand how things get done here in Ferguson. F*** don’t pour that milk.

   My experience going for a ride on a nice sunny afternoon, figured I would go north of the airport and double back into the city of St. Louis.

   Kinloch Mo, Hometown of Maxine Waters (CA)

   Embedded between Lambert Airfield [used to be named after Charles Lindbergh] and the city of Ferguson, Kinloch is a story that represents segregation and never admitting there was a “white” problem. The AfricanAmerican population has been awfully restraint, a bomb ready to be set off after decades of subjugation. You never realize this when admittedly I lived in Creve Coeur, one of the many small “white” rural areas in the ’60s (pop. 1501). Indeed I took two close friends for a ride along Airport Road, an experience that nearly lost that friendship in 1966.

   ○ Kinloch Demographics
   ○ Missouri Historical Society – Fairground Park

   In the next chapter of the history of Fairground Park, this swimming pool, touted for its capacity to develop citizenship, served as the site for a civics lesson. On June 21, 1949, a race riot took place when, for the first time, African Americans were permitted to enjoy the pool. The violence occurred against a background of inconsistency when public practice in St. Louis had not caught up with federal laws related to desegregation.

    « click for more info
   An unidentified young man being beaten during the riot over the Fairground Pool desegregation.
   (Photograph © 1949 by Buel White of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

   While the Municipal Opera, area ballparks, and public transportation were open to all, theaters, restaurants, and hotels were segregated. The Missouri Constitution required that “Negro and white children must learn separately,” but Catholic schools educated all students regardless of race. The Division of Parks and Recreation operated under a deliberately vague policy in relation to its facilities. While the Social Service Directory indicated that all facilities were open to all people, the Commissioner, Palmer B. Baumers, admitted that they were, in fact, restricted. When pushed about the issue, he said, “I inherited this. We just try to please everybody.”

   ○ St. Louis among most segregated cities in U.S.  

   Note: For the entirety of this essay, I will refer to this group of African American teachers that resisted school desegregation as the "group of Negro Teachers" or the "Negro Teachers," as this is what the group was referred to by several newspaper and journal articles of this time period. The group did not have a formal name that I have found.
   [Source: Black Resistance to School Desegregation in St. Louis during the Brown Era (pdf)]

8. 

   Oui on August 17, 2014 at 3:36 pm

   I haven’t read all of it, but it started on the right note …

   Black Archipelago: politics and civic life in the Jim Crow city by Joseph Heathcott

   In this paper, I examine the Strange Career of Jim Crow in the context of industrial St. Louis, where a nearly uniform system of segregation emerged over the first half of the twentieth century in a political culture suffused with gentility and civility. I argue that segregation emerged as the central feature of settlement and public life in St. Louis between 1900 and 1950.

   At the same time, however, the unevenness of its application and the pretensions of civility that characterized the urban political culture of this North-South border city provided important openings for the development of vital black civic institutions, political associations, and organizations that would protest, challenge, and eventually dismantle legal apartheid. Segregation was the tragic precondition for a flowering of black civic life in St. Louis.

   But the spatial and life distortions wrought by segregation created the conditions of its own demise, as African-Americans in St. Louis drew upon their internal community resources to build the requisite political power and civic culture to defeat American apartheid in its legal form.

   [Read on …]

   ○ St. Louis Demographics and Lack of Immigrants: “Even the bricks are leaving the city.”
   ○ The Growth of America’s Cities, 1880-1900 [pdf]

   The African-American community in St. Louis has an organization for Black Struggle based on the Principles of Nguzo Saba and Our Black Value System.  

   The White Citizens Councils: Respectable Means for Unrespectable Ends

   John Kasper : After running a bookshop in Greenwich Village he moved to Washington, DC, where he befriended Pound and set up a company to publish the poet’s works, as well as those of others such as Charles Olson. Imbibing Pound’s right-wing ideas, he formed the Seaboard White Citizens Council immediately after Brown v. Board of Education in order to prevent desegregation in Washington.

   Kasper came to prominence during the integration of Clinton High School in Clinton Tennessee. He sought to mobilize the opponents of the desegregation order, and was arrested during the resulting unrest. Kasper was acquitted in the subsequent trial that included a number of jurors who served on the arresting auxiliary police force.

   Racism in America: Small Town 1950s Case Study Documentary Film

   • 

     Oui on August 17, 2014 at 3:46 pm

     I just watched this case study of Clinton High School, a racial event in 1956 school segregation in Tennessee. In this period my parents emigrated and we arrived in St. Louis, so I have a good impression about life, culture and non-violence in this era in America. The only exception is the figure John Kasper, an outsider. He would fit in quite well in today’s Tea Party politics, what an @sshole and agitator who caused violence and hardship on this community. An old cold war style provocateur with hatred and incitement for violence. He threatens President Eisenhower and VP Nixon, accusing them for being Communists. The Supreme Court ruling should be trashed and the nine SC judges would be best for the nation if they were assassinated.

     In the politics and populism, I do see similarity with today. The call for cohesion within family life, community activities, personal freedom and equality, choice for non-violence have mostly been replaced by chaos, drugs, gun violence and a global perspective of war. Once again Washington is playing the “communist” trump card with his policy towards the people of Russia. America need change, Obama needs to change some of his close advisors.

     PS another pain in the @ss, Gov Perry with dark rimmed glasses reminded me of Barry. You think that was intentional? Wasn’t young Ms Clinton also a fan of BG, showing her true colors and lust for power.

9. 

   Marie2 on August 17, 2014 at 6:09 pm

   Update This message is NOT TRUE: CAM video shows date 2014-08-09 time 11:53:03 …

   Who could have predicted that?  Oh, wait … This was close to a no-brainer.

   Beware unidentified random men or women that confirm, with no presentation or evidence of any type, that the less than competent Ferguson would be capable of altering video time/date stamps.  Kiev, with access to plenty of US tech assistance, couldn’t do that; so, highly improbable that the tiny Ferguson PD could.  

10. 

    Oui on August 18, 2014 at 2:27 pm

    Protests over the fatal shooting of an unarmed black teenager by a white police officer continue.

    It’s not about one incident of a police shooting of Michael Brown, it has become a national discussion about equality, being treated fairly by authorities and THE WORLD IS WATCHING once again.

    ○ Missouri governor sends National Guard to Ferguson

    Ferguson: Live updates on day 9

    Update, 7:00 a.m. ET: CNN has obtained video from Piaget Crenshaw, who says she witnessed the shooting. The footage shows Wilson and another officer standing near Brown’s body. Crenshaw said Brown was running away from police and then turned around when he was shot.

    Earlier this week, St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said that Brown reached into the officer’s car and tried to get the officer’s weapon. Brown was shot about 35 feet from the police vehicle, according to Belmar, who declined to give more details.

    Two witnesses CNN interviewed Wednesday said Brown did not try to get the officer’s weapon. “It looked as if Michael was pushing off and the cop was trying to pull him in,” said Tiffany Mitchell.

    Piaget Crenshaw said that she shot cell phone video of the aftermath of the shooting. She said the officer and the teen appeared to be arm wrestling when a shot went off. The teen broke free, and the officer got out of his car to run after him. “I saw the police chase him … down the street and shoot him down,” Crenshaw said.

    ○ Iraq A Mess, Now National Guard Send to Ferguson

    Posted earlier in BooMan’s fp story – Biased, Yes, But Biased for What?

11. 

    Oui on August 18, 2014 at 2:30 pm

    At first I got the impression Michael Brown was walking on the busy West Florissant Ave, the shopping and business district of Ferguson when the shooting took place. Not so! When I viewed the Crenshaw video, I figured I could find the location, the busy W. Florissant Ave is four lanes, so I had to extend my search.

    I found this map of the spots we have been talking about …

     « click for more info
    Michael Brown shot in residential area of Ferguson Mo. (Daily Mail)

    Via google maps it was an easy find: a very quiet lane of a residential area. Officer Darren Wilson was answering a call, why did he need to stop to reprimand these two teenagers? I don’t get it.

    ○ Address: 9401 Stonefield Rd at Windward Ct.

    • 

      Marie2 on August 18, 2014 at 3:47 pm

      No evidence released that Wilson was responding to a call when he encountered Brown and Johnson.  Many plausible and legitimate reasons why Wilson would have slowed down and ordered Brown and Johnson to get on the sidewalk.  Also plausible that he’s a racist cop that didn’t miss opportunities to issue legal orders to black kids, but claims and evidence for that haven’t been offered.  

      Why didn’t Brown and Johnson just get on the sidewalk?  Could they have been cited for walking in the street and/or not complying with a police officer order?  

      • 

        Arthur Gilroy on August 19, 2014 at 11:20 am

        “Walking in the street”…and the related “walking very slowly across the street against a red light”…are very common acts of small rebellion by minority kids in the U.S. It’s like “Fuck you and your fucking cars!!! We da man!!!” i see it in minority neighborhoods all over NYC and I have seen it in minority suburbs as well. Pushing it further against the direct orders of a policeman…I am not saying that I believe this actually happened because I believe no one in a case that has been this politicized/sensationalized by the media…but continuing this act after a cop says something is risky business. Do this to the wrong cop at the wrong time and anything can go down.

        Further…the video? If that really is Brown in it…apparently one of the few demonstrable agreed-upon “facts” in this whole drama…then he was a big, dumb -ass bully at the very least.(,http://fox2now.com/2014/08/15/raw-video-surveillance-video-believed-to-show-michael-brown-ro
        bbing-convenience-store/>) Notice how every person who moves past him in the store except his buddy gives him the eye and a wide berth. Me too. I read the street well…been successfully doing so in the roughest neighborhoods of NYC since the late ’60s…and I would read him in a NY minute as stupid trouble. Ain’t no “black” or “minority” about it. Same deal in Little Russia, Little Italy or any other neighborhood. Bad news waiting to happen.

        Now…the cop shooter? I don’t know anything about him at all. I do know better than to fuck with nervous men who are carrying guns though, and all cops are “nervous” on some level. It’s part of the job.

        Just sayin’…spark met powder in this case, and it happened in a powder keg. Now? We may be getting our own “Arab Spring,” just as I suggested when the original troubles spread from Cairo. Socio-political ebola, and no vaccine in sight. Read the news. Organized gunshots? “Instigators” from Oakland? The National Guard called out? (That translates as many more nervous fellas…badly trained amateurs with little or no practical street experience…with even bigger guns, by the way) Uh oh!!! No wonder Preznit O’Bomber left his Martha’s Vineyard vacation hotspot to come to Washington.  I anticipate a “ready room” photo to rival the bin Laden assassination version.

        Any day now.

        

        Aaaaany day now.

        Of course…Hillary won’t be there. She’s in political quarantine so’s she’ll be able to take over after Obama tanks. Praise God!!!

        But seriously, folks…

        I am going out into the lovely NYC streets soon. Walking through my local project areas, past my local rough high school as it lets out for lunch, onto the subways, etc. I will be carrying a instrument worth thousands, and I am demonstrably white and will probably be alone. I will be on red alert. Bet on it. Red street alert. This particular societal infection looks ready to jump out of Ferguson and into who knows where. Maybe NYC although I doubt it. More like Newark, Camden NJ or Philadelphia, I think.

        At first.

        Somewhere.

        Watch.

        Somewhere chickens be flyin’ as we speak.

        

        Watch.

        Later…

        AG

12. 

    Oui on August 18, 2014 at 6:23 pm

    Citizens should be better armed and switch the frontdoor semtex booby-trap to ON before retiring to their bedrooms in the evening.

    Mayor wants federal probe after SWAT raids house, kills dogs

    (CNN) Aug. 7, 2008 – A Maryland mayor is asking the federal government to investigate why SWAT team members burst into his home without knocking and shot his two dogs to death in an investigation into a drug smuggling scheme.

    Berwyn Heights has its own police force, he said, but Prince George’s County police did not notify the municipal authorities of their interest in his home or the package.

    “They didn’t know my name. All they knew was my wife’s name. They matched that to the registration of the car,” Cheye Calvo said. “It was that lack of communication that really led to what has really been the most traumatic experience of our lives.”

    …
    Calvo said authorities entered his home without knocking and refused to show him a warrant when he requested one. But Prince George’s County Police Department spokeswoman Sharon Taylor said legal counsel had informed her that “no-knock” warrants do not exist in Maryland.

13. 

    Oui on August 19, 2014 at 2:44 am

    WTF why are these papers writing a headline from an anonymous source in such a contested case?

    County investigation: Michael Brown was shot from the front, had marijuana in his system
    | By Emily Wax-Thibodeaux, Wesley Lowery and Mark Berman | August 18 at 12:34 PM |

    While Case declined to comment further, citing the ongoing investigation into Brown’s death, another person familiar with the county’s investigation told The Washington Post that Brown had between six and eight gunshot wounds and was shot from the front.

    In addition, Brown had marijuana in his system when he was shot and killed by a police officer on Aug. 9 in Ferguson, according to this person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation.

    …
    Residents and protesters have noted that allegations of marijuana use have been used in the past by some in an attempt to disparage the character of shooting victims, including in the Trayvon Martin case.

    …
    [Benjamin Crump, an attorney for Brown’s family]
    Crump said he didn’t know anything about marijuana being found in Brown’s body.

14. 

    Oui on August 19, 2014 at 4:36 am

    As I have diaried on this topic of Ferguson, the underlying issues of America need to be debated and a path forward to change bias, inequality, improve education and duly integrate non-whites in the Caucasian community. The choice is to do too little and too late and become a fascist state! In the 1950s under Eisenhower/Nixon administration, the National Guard were deployed to protect the citizens, today the County Police SWAT teams and Missouri National Guard are deployed to control the masses and protect authority.  

    The state of emergency in Ferguson, Missouri

    (WSWS)  ̶  Both imperialist war and the destruction of democracy are driven by the vast decline in the global economic position of American capitalism, intensified by the breakdown of American and world capitalism in the 2008 Wall Street crash, which continues to deepen six years later.

    It is striking that in the nonstop media commentary on the events in Ferguson, there is virtually no mention of the catastrophic economic and social conditions that underlie both the growth of police repression and the eruption of popular anger in response to it. One would never know that one out of four residents of St. Louis lives in poverty. Or that the wholesale closure of auto plants, breweries and other manufacturing facilities has led to the loss of two-thirds of St. Louis’s population since 1950. Or that 47 percent of the metropolitan area’s African American men between ages 16 and 24 are unemployed.

    The well-off commentators, lawyers, academics, preachers and politicians, most of them African American, being paraded before the TV cameras dare not even mention such facts. They are petrified of raising anything that speaks to the class divide in America, and the capitalist economic and political system they defend has no policies on offer to address the social crisis.

    Unlike the 1960s, when the US ruling class responded to the urban uprisings with modest social reforms, today it has nothing to propose other than austerity and more repression.

    ○ How the sixties and Vietnam changed America: Kent State shooting of student by the National Guard ‒ May 4, 1970

15. 

    Oui on August 19, 2014 at 2:59 pm

    Dismantling education systen in Ferguson, Berkeley and Florissant Missouri …

    Suspension of Ferguson-Florissant superintendent questioned

    (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) Nov. 7, 2013 ‒ A decision by one school district to suspend its superintendent has become an issue of regional concern for black community leaders.

    Art McCoy, who has been at the helm of the Ferguson-Florissant School District (FFSD) in north St. Louis County since 2011, is on paid “administrative leave” after a decision by the School Board this week. Since then, a local chapter of the NAACP and St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley have come out publicly criticizing the decision and the board.

    …
    Paul Schroeder was the only board member to vote against placing McCoy on leave. He and Leslie Hogshead are the only members who were on the board when McCoy was hired. Schroeder said he believed in McCoy’s leadership, particularly with students and teachers.

    “I think he’s quite a model of what they both can achieve,” Schroeder said.

    McCoy grew up in north St. Louis County, graduated from Lafayette High School in Rockwood and became a certified teacher at age 19 and superintendent in Ferguson-Florissant at 33.

    Ousted Ferguson-Florissant superintendent breaks his silence  ̶  Nov. 26, 2013

    Ferguson-Florissant School Board will hold hearing on charges against superintendent

    (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) Dec. 19, 2013 ‒ Since Nov. 6, a district spokeswoman said, the board has looked into several areas of concern, and an independent, third-party investigation has been completed with attorney Doug Copeland. Part of that included information sent to state education officials about inflated attendance data that resulted in about $80,000 in extra funding to the district. McCoy has denied any involvement.

    As a result of the investigation, the board again voted 6-1 to issue a notice of charges to McCoy with reasons it is considering terminating his contract.

    FFSD superintendent Art McCoy resigns ‒ March 12, 2014

    ○ LinkedIn Art McCoy