WASHINGTON, D.C. Aug. 10 (DPI) – On the anniversary of the Ferguson, Mo., shooting, another shooting last night in that St. Louis suburb gave the major media yet another chapter in their narrative of police abuse of power – only problem was, this time the police officers shot an armed man who was shooting at them.
Readers commenting today on the news coverage conveyed a singular sentiment: Enough already. All the highest rated and best-liked reader comments expressed weariness that the press can’t accurately describe the events they are covering, and are instead forcing a false narrative.
The Top 5 recommended reader posts linked to the “Shots Fired During Protests” on NYTimes.com today:
So assuming white police officers shot a gang member who was shooting at other gang members and the NY Times implies this is another example of racism? Many of us are simply growing tired of this (and the perpetual description of Brown as an “unarmed teenager” even though he robbed and beat up a store clerk, attacked a police officer and tried to grab his gun and use it against us). Despicable.
The same story, again and again. This time, the new local police chief is black, the entire department and its leadership are intensely aware of the scrutiny they’re under and the risk of being accused of racism, and the entire media circus is filming live all nearly everywhere in town. And again, the officers in question, this time operating on instructions from their black chief, believe they are justified in shooting. Just like last year’s shooting (remember, even AG Holder’s DoJ admitted in its official findings that Officer’s Wilson’s shooting was entirely justified).
But nobody will address the elephant in the room – ie. what the problems with the community values of large swaths of Ferguson and similar towns which produce such results time and time again? Yes, some cases of police racism brutality have been shown and are rightly condemned. But time and again, it’s been shown that these problems continue to happen repeatedly in black communities even when and where police act perfectly. That’s a problem that all the protests in the world won’t help. It has to come from within the black community, and sadly this sort of change does not seem to be forthcoming.
We want justice!!! Darren Wilson sponsored this day!!!! Racism!!!! Unarmed black teen killed by white police officer!!!!!
Really?
Darren Wilson was attacked by a thug who had just robbed a convenience store. And, according to both a grand jury and Eric Holder’s justice department, no criminal charges were warranted.
Oh, and nobody produced a single shred of evidence that race played anything to do with it. No history of Wilson making racist statements, no racist words at the scene of the incident, nobody from Wilson’s high school saying he used the N-word sophomore year. Nothing.
Why are people protesting the fact that a non-racist police officer who was attacked for asking someone to walk on the sidewalk shot and killed that man in self-defense?The New York Times coverage consistently blames institutionalized racism for the problems in Ferguson.
But no amount of racism can force someone to shoot at a police officer, loot and steal from stores, block traffic or hurl objects at cars.With its constant and entirely misleading characterization of Michael Brown’s shooting as a white officer shooting an “unarmed” 18 year old, as well as constantly fanning the flames of racial grievance and hatred of police, the New York Times is at least partly to blame for this latest incident of an armed attack on police.
I look forward to the Times focusing on the “victimhood” of the person who shot at the police, and his celebration in the Editorial pages of this newspaper.
And the Top 5 “Best Liked” comments from The Washington Post site today
A day of ‘honoring Michael Brown’? For what, exactly? Slamming the little Pakistani grocer into a wall a couple of times while he stole his merchandise?
Groups of young men were breaking into storefronts, a reporter was beaten and robbed, and two groups exchanged gunfire. All this before the police were even involved. And these people wonder why BLM doesn’t draw more sympathy.
A man with a stolen handgun fires shots at a passing police van. The police return fire and the shooter is injured. WaPo then refers to the would-be cop killer as “the victim” for the entire article. No bias there!
If they want to honor m brown, finish high school, stay off the drugs and use birth control
Let me get this straight – this bird-brained thug brings a stolen gun to a “peaceful” demonstration. then, he and others of his ilk start popping caps at each other. Then, if I read this right, the Evil Cops have the audacity to interfere with this no doubt peaceful disagreement betwixt the various players. The mental giant (not to be confused with “gentle giant”) then proceeds to bang away at a group of cops who then shoot back, as cops are want to do when someone shoots at them. Lo & Behold, the shooter becomes shot! And people are surprised…why? Would the erstwhile Mr. Rice be as concerned if one, or some, of the black protestors have been shot by their compadres? Somehow, I doubt it!
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/11/us/shooting-ferguson-michael-brown.html