Ferguson

[GrayMatterWife]

Oh I wasn't saying that I can't believe it's open. Just bad luck that she would have to go on Monday.

Gotcha. I can't believe that the schools extended the Thanksgiving vacation so that it starts on Monday instead of Wednesday.

Message to students: "The adults are going to be incapable of responsibly handling a disappointing life event and will choose to riot and threaten your safety. We think so little of the adults in your community that we presume they will act like a bunch of violent animals. Oh, and by the way, that is a totally socially acceptable standard and, by extension, that's what we must think of you. Because you come from that community."

I feel for the students who are trying to get good grades and a solid education so that they can be productive members of their community. They are losing educational opportunities because of the assumption that they are part of a community that welcomes and endorses violence.

Could you EVER imagine a primarily white community being treated this way? Did ANYONE think that the predominantly white community would riot if OJ was not convicted or something similar? Nope. Never. That never happens. It is the grinding, condescending prejudice of deeply inset low expectations. The expectation is that people will not be able to act like responsible members of their community.

And the really horrible thing is: people meet the bar that is set for them. Why would anyone be surprised if people rioted? They've been told for months that they will riot. They have been given a PASS on rioting. Everyone assumes they will riot. How about this? Tell people that there will be no rioting. Give them other options for venting their anger: legal, religious, community...How about this? Ask everyone to invest an entire day of their life to IMPROVING Ferguson. Have the interest groups collecting funding for rebuilding and organize mass groups of people to STRENGTHEN and REBUILD. And make it an EXPECTATION. Have preachers, have the chief of police, have the school officials expect this POSITIVE response. Rebuilding in the name of man who was killed instead of destroying in the name of his memory.

I know people from Ferguson. I am just so pissed about this. Sorry. Rant over.

[bokelley]

GMW I agree with you 100%

[bokelley]

8:00 CST announcement. Everyone is prepared for hell.

Please keep STL in your thoughts.

[JDAZ11]

I'm so nervous. I really hope unnecessarily so.

[JDAZ11]

Ferguson

I'm guessing no indictment. I think the announcement would have been on time if there was one.

[JDAZ11]

😔

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

I don't understand why they announced it at night. Why not listen to community leaders who told them to do it during the day. If you're going to close everything anyway, it makes more sense to me to announce it at 10 AM rather than after dark.

[JDAZ11]

I don't understand why they announced it at night. Why not listen to community leaders who told them to do it during the day. If you're going to close everything anyway, it makes more sense to me to announce it at 10 AM rather than after dark.

This!!! Such a bizarre decision. Not handed well on MANY levels.

[scarlett09]

I don't understand why they announced it at night. Why not listen to community leaders who told them to do it during the day. If you're going to close everything anyway, it makes more sense to me to announce it at 10 AM rather than after dark.

I didn't pay close attention to the timing of the announcement, but my one thought is maybe they waited until later because of the schools in the area? I know there was concern about the safety of the children coming to and from school and how the announcement might put them at risk. But 830pm seems a bit too late and looks like it gave people time to assemble to set fire to buildings, overturn cars, etc.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

I'm disappointed by media stories reporting that the Brown family incited the crowd (his stepfather is reported as saying "burn this place down" referring to the police station). Their grief is unimaginable but they only put more people in harms way with that action.

[JDAZ11]

Wow. I hadn't heard that.

It's all just so sad.

[Chrisada]

They knew what they were doing releasing this at night instead of waiting until the morning. I'll stop there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JDAZ11]

They knew what they were doing releasing this at night instead of waiting until the morning. I'll stop there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I totally agree with this, but I'll stop after seconding it.

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

I have heard the exact opposite, that the family was encouraging peace and asking people to not be violent or destructive.

I had heard that too which is why I was totally shocked by this story: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/26/us...=top-news&_r=0

"Mr. Brown’s mother, Lesley McSpadden, and stepfather, Louis Head, stood with protesters outside the barricaded Ferguson police station as Mr. McCulloch made the decision public. As Ms. McSpadden cried, Mr. Head turned and yelled, with an expletive injected, “Burn this down! The crowd began to roar, and some demonstrators rushed toward a fence near which police officers had assembled."

[bokelley]

I personally believe it was best to wait until night. Many children that live in north county are part of after school care. This gave time for parents to pick up kids and get home (off the highways) If they would have done this during the day, I believe the outcome would have been far worse. I think we would have seen the same thing but even more disruptive to STL. I believe the 48 hour notice was a horrible idea. There are so many agitators on each side, that I believe it would have escalated even quicker.

Blocking i44 on a normal work day, can be catastrophic to this city. That is one of the major highways which leads to all other highways. This allowed most of us to be home, off roads when this happened.

It is sad, it is upsetting, but STL is the most racial segregated city I have ever witnessed. The anger is deep, and this has just shown how deep it really is.