2020 candidates promote Ferguson conspiracy theory!

James Bond, anyone?

 

I thought it was a Bond reference, but it made no sense in the context.

 

Michael Brown had tried to snatch the policeman's gun. What do you think he would have done with it, if he had suceeded.
He was charging at the policeman ... he was a big guy, doped up.
You say if you have a gun and he doesn't, your life is not in danger.... ok, WHY is it not in danger? Why? What is it about a 'gun', as opposed to a bouquet of roses, that makes your life not in danger? What do you do with the gun?
Hold it in your hand and point it? He did that. Michael Brown didn't care. He was coming back for a second try. What do you do with your gun now?

Okay, when I watched Hoppalong Cassidy and Lone Ranger TV shows in the 1950s, the Good Guy never killed the Bad Guy -- he just shot the gun out of the Bad Guy's hand. That's Hollywood, back when it wanted to preserve decent values among our children instead of destroying them.

The first time I ever went to a shooting range with a handgun I was astonished at how difficult it was to hit even the target, forget the bullseye, when they ran it out beyond 25 meters.

It's night, this thug is coming at you again, you've got a gun ... so as you say, because of something about that gun, your life is not in danger ... Phil, what do YOU do??? Seriously...

Please have a look here. A lot of policemen and policewomen who probably were reluctant to shoot in a dangerous situation and who would win your approval for their forebearance. But you won't be able to deliver it to them personally.

Two questions and a thought: (1) Do any other liberals here agree with Phil? There is always a temptation to take the most extreme among our political opponents and portray them as typical. The way American liberals are moving, maybe this is now a typical view. But I would like to be fair.

Related to (1), is (2), Why did these Democrats do this? The incident received widespread publicity, it's not that distant in time ... they MUST know the truth ... so they have calculated that this will benefit them... but how? Everyone who likes the idea of killing policemen and burning down towns is going to vote Democratic anyway ...and this ought to repulse ordinary working class Democrats ... so why are they doing it? Some sort of nefarious Trump/KGB mind-altering neurological fungus implanted into them? Why?

Don't just say, 'Democrats are like that...' No, they want to win elections. There must be some motivation, however perverse. (When the cynical French diplomat Talleyrand heard of the death of the Turkish ambassador, he is supposed to have mused, "I wonder what he meant by that?" So maybe there is no meaning in this decision to embrace and glorify would-be cop-killers. Maybe it's just some crazy unexplainable thing, random motion as happens at the subatomic level.)

Finally, a thought. It's set in the future. The 'Red State Republic' has separated peacefully from the 'Blue State Republic'. People like Michael Brown have gone to live in the Blue State Republic, people like the policeman who shot him move to Red State Republic if they're not already there.

Someone with Phil's views about policing is put in charge of judging police behavior in post-event legal assessments in the new socialist utopia.... I'm going to stop here ... sadistic anticipation is wrestling with black humor and there have been too many hilarious posts this week already.

 

Ah!! That puzzled me too. Just got it. But not on my own, had to see your reference. Damn.

 

They could make it official: "No police officer shall be imprisoned for any action taken in the performance of his duties." It might read that way in the police handbook in Ferguson and elsewhere. We should know that.

If only select police officers earned their license to kill everyone would know what to do in this case?

What makes you think I'm liberal? I just believe in right and wrong.

Obviously these politicians are trying to find some strand of support their Democratic rivals won't touch. Possibly some of them interpret things as I do (the right way). Don't condemn them for this offense alone.

Since you know the whole story, please tell me what kind of policeman addresses a suspect while he's in his police car. What kind of idiot sees a policeman in his car and decides to lean in and take his gun? Where did the cigar end up?

 

HE did not plan it.

He reacted to a threat
It is not murder he had good reason to shoot

 

Wrong.

Brown attacked Wilson and attempted to take Wilson's gun which constitutes a lethal threat. He then ran, turned and charged at Wilson.

Clear cut self defense

 

Many officers address people while in their cars. It is common.

An idiot like brown does it and did it.

He handed the cigars off to his friend.

 

"Here, hold these while I kill the cop." Maybe we should put dead suspects on trial in cases like this. See if they could convict him for attempted murder.