# 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:** 118
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2341 "2014-08-27T13:09:11Z")
[QUOTE=Richard Parker] So you’re telling us you’ve never possessed a controlled substance? Let someone else take one of your prescription pills? Driven after drinking when you’re over the limit but feel fine? Downloaded something illegally? Violated a gun possession or registration law? Struck someone in a bar fight? Bashed mailboxes? Bought alcohol for someone underage? Failed to report tips on your taxes? Violated the terms of use on a website? Left your child with a babysitter younger than your state’s minimum? Had sex in a public place (in some states)? If so, you’re in the distinct minority. But I’m guessing you just didn’t consider your felonies to be real felonies. [/QUOTE] Well, no, I have not committed any of the above felonies. But I am not sure of your point - are you alleging that the police commonly gun down black folks for hiring under-age baby sitters, and let whites off with a warning for the same? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2342 "2014-08-27T13:27:45Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > So you’re telling us you’ve never possessed a controlled substance? Let someone else take one of your prescription pills? Driven after drinking when you’re over the limit but feel fine? Downloaded something illegally? Violated a gun possession or registration law? Struck someone in a bar fight? Bashed mailboxes? Bought alcohol for someone underage? Failed to report tips on your taxes? Violated the terms of use on a website? Left your child with a babysitter younger than your state’s minimum? Had sex in a public place (in some states)? > > If so, you’re in the distinct minority. But I’m guessing you just didn’t consider your felonies to be real felonies. I don’t think you know what a felony is. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2343 "2014-08-27T13:53:13Z")
> [@Punoqllads](#): > > And **luci** is a synecdoche. :mad: Even in the Pit, you should be more cautious about tossing out random accusations of sexual deviancy! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2344 "2014-08-27T14:08:03Z")
Oh, its _sexual_ deviancy! What a relief, I was afraid it was some form of anarcho-syndicalism. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2345 "2014-08-27T14:13:05Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I would do the same whether my loved ones were there or not. Non lethal methods first. Pepper spray and taser. If no success, ONE shot. If the shot kills him, I’d be sorry. I’d hope that one shot wounds him enough to make him stop and then he could be taken in and patched up. Blasting away is for cowards. And your strategy is great for winding up dead. Both you and your loved ones, if they’re there. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2346 "2014-08-27T14:16:17Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Oh, its _sexual_ deviancy! What a relief, I was afraid it was some form of anarcho-syndicalism. Hey baby. Wanna come back to my place and, uh…facilitate some worker self-activity? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2347 "2014-08-27T14:25:56Z")
There are any number of web sites that cater to facilitating self-activity. Or so I’m told… ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2348 "2014-08-27T14:30:15Z")
> [@kidchameleon](#): > > I don’t think you know what a felony is. I expect that **Parker** is fully aware that the definition of a felony varies from location to location. ---
**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 27, 2014, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2349 "2014-08-27T14:33:25Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > And your strategy is great for winding up dead. Both you and your loved ones, if they’re there. Taken to the extreme, your strategy would be for the cops to kill every person they stop, lest they risk injury to themselves. There is no need to go full deadly force at the drop of a hat. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2350 "2014-08-27T14:37:14Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Taken to the extreme, your strategy would be for the cops to kill every person they stop, lest they risk injury to themselves. There is no need to go full deadly force at the drop of a hat. Your strategy doesn’t have to be “taken to the extreme”. As it is, there is a great probability of you and your loved ones winding up dead if you follow it. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2351 "2014-08-27T14:47:50Z")
Well, of course, guy walking down the street with his family, minding their own business, then they all get slaughtered by a maniac with a steak knife, or a handful of stolen cigarillos! Shit, that happens every day! ---
**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 27, 2014, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2352 "2014-08-27T15:21:59Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Your strategy doesn’t have to be “taken to the extreme”. As it is, there is a great probability of you and your loved ones winding up dead if you follow it. There’s a 100% chance of someone dying with your plan, which seems to be shoot first, shoot often, and ask questions later. There is a good chance nobody dies with my plan. If we as a society accept the notion that the cops’ first and only obligation is to save themselves, then your plan makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2353 "2014-08-27T16:46:56Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > There’s a 100% chance of someone dying with your plan Except of course there isn’t, as there are thousands of interactions between cops and people (even black people!) every day which do NOT result in anyone dying. There are plenty of meaningful criticisms of the way the cops interact with the public without having to result to ridiculous straw men and exaggerations. ---
**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 27, 2014, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2354 "2014-08-27T16:48:39Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > Except of course there isn’t, as there are thousands of interactions between cops and people (even black people!) every day which do NOT result in anyone dying. > > There are plenty of meaningful criticisms of the way the cops interact with the public without having to result to ridiculous straw men and exaggerations. But the scenario was that there was a perp who was threatening me as a cop, so the choices were get the guns blazing or use something less than lethal force. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2355 "2014-08-27T16:55:32Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > But the scenario was that there was a perp who was threatening me as a cop, so the choices were get the guns blazing or use something less than lethal force. Or run and hide in the squad car. 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 27, 2014, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2356 "2014-08-27T17:06:18Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Or run and hide in the squad car. > > Regards, > Shodan And what would the harm have been to retreat to the squad car, call for backup, and let say four cops in armored vests and helmets tackle the guy? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2357 "2014-08-27T20:13:20Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I would do the same whether my loved ones were there or not. Non lethal methods first. Pepper spray and taser. If no success, ONE shot. If the shot kills him, I’d be sorry. I’d hope that one shot wounds him enough to make him stop and then he could be taken in and patched up. Blasting away is for cowards. Better to be a coward and alive than a corpse with the moral high ground. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2358 "2014-08-27T20:17:46Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I would do the same whether my loved ones were there or not. Non lethal methods first. Pepper spray and taser. If no success, ONE shot. If the shot kills him, I’d be sorry. I’d hope that one shot wounds him enough to make him stop and then he could be taken in and patched up. Blasting away is for cowards. ISTM that shooting at someone that you don’t necessarily want to die is the coward’s way out. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2359 "2014-08-27T20:55:14Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > And what would the harm have been to retreat to the squad car, call for backup, and let say four cops in armored vests and helmets tackle the guy? Well, then he might have gotten away! ---
**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 27, 2014, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/2360 "2014-08-27T21:28:26Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > ISTM that shooting at someone that you don’t necessarily want to die is the coward’s way out. No, the coward is the guy that shoots to kill when he doesn’t need to. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354.md?page=117) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354.md?page=119)