# Ferguson, MO **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 12, 2014, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354 "2014-08-12T04:51:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 107
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2121 "2014-08-25T13:23:52Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > So,your answer to “Nigger, Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On You In Alix” is to move? A’ight, that’s where you’re coming from. Considering that his answer to “blow me, citizen!” is to drop to his knees, gobble some cop knob and file a complaint later, it does not seem inconsistent. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2122 "2014-08-25T13:39:53Z")
Dear Mr. Turnip: We of the Citizens Review Board are committed to a thorough review and consideration of any complaint. And the prevailing view here is that “He never calls!” may, indeed, suggest that the officer is callous and unfeeling. However, this behavior does not fall within our authority… ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2123 "2014-08-25T13:40:22Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > If I’m betting, I’ll take the guy with the training who is physically fit and spot the 70 lbs. > > What’s the excuse for not having a taser ready to fire? You seem to be saying that since they aren’t 100% effective, then murder is the cop’s only option. > > I agree a cop shouldn’t have to be in grappling range. There is also the option of getting in the car, locking the door, and calling for backup. You are _such_ an idiot. This is some weapons-grade stupid here. The mind boggles. Have you suffered a recent head injury? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2124 "2014-08-25T13:48:23Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > You are _such_ an idiot. > > This is some weapons-grade stupid here. The mind boggles. Have you suffered a recent head injury? > > Regards, > Shodan You obviously are having an allergic reaction to logic. May I recommend some Benadryl? ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2125 "2014-08-25T13:48:38Z")
> [@camille](#): > > I think you are just frustrated that there hasn’t been any real dirt dug up for Brown or his family (and you know your friends at the treehouse have been frantically digging). Other than the incident in the store just before he was shot, he appears to have been an average teenager; not overly ambitious or academically inclined, but certainly not a “thug”. What’s the basis for this assessment? Brown had only turned 18 2 1/2 months before he was killed. If he had any sort of juvenile history, it would presumably not be available to the press, as would also be the case with his school records. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2126 "2014-08-25T14:24:41Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > You obviously are having an allergic reaction to logic. May I recommend some Benadryl? No, you are a moron. And I sincerely hope that, if you ever need the police, that they don’t hide in the squad car to get away from the big scary black guy. I know you have no experience with guns or Tasers, and it is clear your understanding of the reality of hand-to-hand combat is based on kung fu movies. And yet here you are, spouting off as if your opinion were worth the powder to blow it to hell. I am struggling not to assume that, just because **BobLibDem** is a drooling cretin, everyone else on his side is equally deficient. You’re not helping. [QUOTE=Fotheringay-Phipps] Brown had only turned 18 2 1/2 months before he was killed. If he had any sort of juvenile history, it would presumably not be available to the press, as would also be the case with his school records. [/QUOTE] [Brown’s family claims he had no juvenile record](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/25/us/michael-brown-spent-last-weeks-grappling-with-lifes-mysteries.html), but I would not necessarily take that as gospel. I have heard rumors of the opposite, and a FOIA request for his juvie record was turned down (apparently properly), and now a lawsuit has allegedly been filed to try to get the record unsealed. The lawyer for the Brown family says he may have had “[some situation](http://www.mediacomtoday.com/tv/3/player/vendor/CNN/player/cnn/asset/cnn-did_michael_brown_have_juvenile_record-cnn/source/Clips)s” as a juvenile, an interesting turn of phrase. In the end, it may not matter. I think we have established that, ten minutes before his death, Brown had robbed a store, assaulted and threatened the clerk, and apparently assaulted a police officer. That doesn’t necessarily establish the shooting as justified, but it also doesn’t help with the “dude was walking down the street minding his own business when that cracker cop shot him in the BACK!” narrative. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2127 "2014-08-25T14:27:41Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > [Brown’s family claims he had no juvenile record](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/25/us/michael-brown-spent-last-weeks-grappling-with-lifes-mysteries.html) Brown’s family also claimed that he was “too timid” to play football even though he was built for it. They also claimed that he had never been in a fight in his life. “Gentle giant” you know… That was of course before the tape came out. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2128 "2014-08-25T14:35:24Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I know you have no experience with guns or Tasers, and it is clear your understanding of the reality of hand-to-hand combat is based on kung fu movies. While your experience, which you could so easily use to enlighten us all (and with fewer keystrokes, too) is … what? > [@](#): > > And yet here you are, spouting off as if your opinion were worth the powder to blow it to hell. Well, yes indeed. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2129 "2014-08-25T14:38:02Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > No, you are a moron. And I sincerely hope that, if you ever need the police, that they don’t hide in the squad car to get away from the big scary black guy. > > I know you have no experience with guns or Tasers, and it is clear your understanding of the reality of hand-to-hand combat is based on kung fu movies. And yet here you are, spouting off as if your opinion were worth the powder to blow it to hell. > > I am struggling not to assume that, just because **BobLibDem** is a drooling cretin, everyone else on his side is equally deficient. You’re not helping. > > [Brown’s family claims he had no juvenile record](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/25/us/michael-brown-spent-last-weeks-grappling-with-lifes-mysteries.html), but I would not necessarily take that as gospel. I have heard rumors of the opposite, and a FOIA request for his juvie record was turned down (apparently properly), and now a lawsuit has allegedly been filed to try to get the record unsealed. The lawyer for the Brown family says he may have had “[some situation](http://www.mediacomtoday.com/tv/3/player/vendor/CNN/player/cnn/asset/cnn-did_michael_brown_have_juvenile_record-cnn/source/Clips)s” as a juvenile, an interesting turn of phrase. > > In the end, it may not matter. I think we have established that, ten minutes before his death, Brown had robbed a store, assaulted and threatened the clerk, and apparently assaulted a police officer. That doesn’t necessarily establish the shooting as justified, but it also doesn’t help with the “dude was walking down the street minding his own business when that cracker cop shot him in the BACK!” narrative. > > Regards, > Shodan Oh my. I hope if you ever get stopped for jaywalking, you aren’t in blackface walking on the streets of Ferguson. If wondering why there were twice as many shots delivered to Brown than were fired in all of the UK by police officers in 2013 makes me an idiot, I plead guilty. I don’t care if he was the biggest crack dealer in Missouri. He didn’t deserve to get shot with his hands up in the process of surrendering. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2130 "2014-08-25T15:17:40Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > … but I would not necessarily take that as gospel. I have heard rumors of the opposite,… Well, I’m certainly convinced, rumors have been heard! Case closed! ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2131 "2014-08-25T15:22:01Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Brown’s family also claimed that he was “too timid” to play football even though he was built for it. They also claimed that he had never been in a fight in his life. “Gentle giant” you know… That was of course before the tape came out. The “gentle giant” thing is now an obvious point of derision, but it’s within the realm of possibility that he really hadn’t been in any fights. Someone of his size may not have to. But it’s equally possible that he had. Parents can’t know everything their little angel is up to. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2132 "2014-08-25T15:32:19Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > If wondering why there were twice as many shots delivered to Brown than were fired in all of the UK by police officers in 2013 makes me an idiot, I plead guilty. No, that isn’t what did it. > [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > While your experience, which you could so easily use to enlighten us all (and with fewer keystrokes, too) is … what? That you also are a moron, dolt, and buffoon. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2133 "2014-08-25T15:39:20Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > …He didn’t deserve to get shot with his hands up in the process of surrendering. (post shortened) Is that what happened? Have they released the findings of the 1st autopsy or FBI report(s)? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2134 "2014-08-25T15:42:11Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > The “gentle giant” thing is now an obvious point of derision, but it’s within the realm of possibility that he really hadn’t been in any fights. Someone of his size may not have to. In the linked article, they describe an incident where he used his size to intimidate someone in a fight. Which sounds rather like what he did to the store clerk. > [@](#): > > But it’s equally possible that he had. Parents can’t know everything their little angel is up to. Or don’t want to know, or do know but don’t want to mention. Or have talked yourself into believing. _De mortuis nil nisi bonum_ and so on. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2135 "2014-08-25T15:42:11Z")
I didn’t think it was possible, but **Shodan** , the confessed troll, is actually _regressing_. Pretty soon he’s going to tell us “fuck algernon hes a stoopid litl mouse”. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2136 "2014-08-25T15:46:58Z")
Well, now, do you have any actual solid evidence? Have you heard any rumors? ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2137 "2014-08-25T16:16:44Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > If wondering why there were twice as many shots delivered to Brown than were fired in all of the UK by police officers in 2013 makes me an idiot, I plead guilty. It does make you an idiot. It means that you are unable to comprehend that there are cultural differences between the US and the UK, the main ones here being we don’t, as a rule carry weapons - to the extent that even carrying a knife is often a criminal offence - and we don’t tend to attack police officers on a regular basis. I suspect it’s because we actually try to treat the mentally ill, and provide sufficient help to the poorest people that they have realistic options to survive. I mean, we still have criminals (and are usually to soft on them), and plenty of violent ones, but someone violently resisting the police is news, not an everyday situation. I’d still rather see a situation where people can use weapons for self defence, though. Not doing so puts far too much power in the hands of thugs and criminals. Oh, and I’ll join those asking for cites that the police in America are murderers. A link to a conviction would be ideal, but even a link to a trial or investigation with an inconclusive result would be a start. As far as I know, _every_ police shooting is investigated, not just fatal ones, to determine whether it was justified. Do you know of any where it was determined that it wasn’t? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2138 "2014-08-25T16:34:46Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > It does make you an idiot. It means that you are unable to comprehend that there are cultural differences between the US and the UK, the main ones here being we don’t, as a rule carry weapons - to the extent that even carrying a knife is often a criminal offence - and we don’t tend to attack police officers on a regular basis. It’s not really the cultural differences that put the dunce cap on him. It’s more the notion that a bit of martial arts training allows someone to easily overcome a 70 lb. weight disadvantage, or the notion that an appropriate police response to a threatening situation is to hide in the car and call for help. Of course he is also a charter member of the “Why Didn’t He Shoot the Bad Guy in the Leg Like the Lone Fucking Ranger” Club, so there are other reasons to consign him to the short bus, but those are the latest. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2139 "2014-08-25T16:34:52Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > It does make you an idiot. It means that you are unable to comprehend that there are cultural differences between the US and the UK, the main ones here being we don’t, as a rule carry weapons - to the extent that even carrying a knife is often a criminal offence - and we don’t tend to attack police officers on a regular basis. I suspect it’s because we actually try to treat the mentally ill, and provide sufficient help to the poorest people that they have realistic options to survive. > > I mean, we still have criminals (and are usually to soft on them), and plenty of violent ones, but someone violently resisting the police is news, not an everyday situation. > > I’d still rather see a situation where people can use weapons for self defence, though. Not doing so puts far too much power in the hands of thugs and criminals. > > Oh, and I’ll join those asking for cites that the police in America are murderers. A link to a conviction would be ideal, but even a link to a trial or investigation with an inconclusive result would be a start. As far as I know, _every_ police shooting is investigated, not just fatal ones, to determine whether it was justified. Do you know of any where it was determined that it wasn’t? [First one I happened to find.](http://caselaw.findlaw.com/ga-supreme-court/1460116.html) I’m aware the the UK lacks the gun nuts that permeate the US. True, the widespread availability of guns make the police less safe. But Brown was shot far enough away as to not leave any gunpowder residue on his body. Hopefully this unnecessary shooting will result in a criminal indictment, conviction, and imprisonment of the cop. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2140 "2014-08-25T16:39:47Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > I suspect it’s because we actually try to treat the mentally ill . . . How did you miss Thatcher? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354.md?page=106) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354.md?page=108)