Saturday, August 30, 2014
I guess I need to be very careful here, very clear that I'm not attacking or defending anyone in particular. It's just that I had a thought, and in all I've read and heard I've not heard that thought expressed by anyone else, and that surprised me.
Re: Ferguson, Missouri. Michael Brown.
Very soon after the shooting, TV stations in the area and online news outlets were showing a video from a store surveillance camera, from that day, where a large man identified as Michael Brown (supposedly) stole about $50 in merchandise from a shop, and then definitely physically roughed up a much smaller man, presumably the shop owner or clerk, who was objecting to the (possible) shoplifting.
Many people vociferously objected to the showing of the video, claiming it was an obvious attempt to demonize Brown, because the cop had no idea that Brown was wanted for the shoplifting, therefore it had nothing whatsoever to do with the shooting.
My immediate thought was, no, it had everything to do with the shooting. Ok, the cop didn't know Brown was wanted, but Brown did! He lifted $50 worth of cigars, was seen doing it, had an altercation with the shopkeeper, and mere minutes later is stopped by the police. Bam!
Does anyone believe that sequence of events had NO influence on Michael Brown's attitude toward and dealings with the not-in-on-the-story cop who stopped him?
.
3 comments:
It didn't influence the cop's actions, but yes, I can see that being cocky from having successfully shoplifted would influence the kids actions., especially since the intimidating move on the store employee was so successful.
But, do you shoot a kid who is running away?
Things are so backward in St. Louis - like we're having the sixties fifty years late. And we don't get Rosa Parks, we get this kid, but the problems are the same and have to be resolved. Everyone in town is obsessed with the situation, and talking about it, since everyone can see both sides.
I don't think he was cocky, thinking he got away with it. I suspect he was furious thinking that he'd been caught so soon. So the cop was likely shocked that his simple stop telling the guys to get off the road and move to the sidewalk generated such a powerful reaction.
This is not to excuse the shooting, just to understand the dynamics.
P.S. Missouri has always been 50 years late to the party. Check out when they finally allowed women to own a business without a husband or father's permission. I was pregnant with Daughter in St. Louis in 1975, and was told by the police I should not be driving, and if I had an accident, it would automatically be my fault no matter what the facts.
Post a Comment