Ferguson Follies

It now looks like the Ferguson/ Michael Brown crisis is largely behind us. Thankfully, we’re mostly past the press conferences, the racial hucksters, the street theater, oh so concerned officials and the overly earnest activists. We’re over the continuous coverage, the breathless reporterettes, bored Nation Guard troops, morons in Guy Fawkes masks, violence-addicted thugs, opportunistic looters, their fellow opportunistic politicians, oily lawyers, and family members of every stripe.   

Thankfully, the Ferguson riot was no more than a mere shadow of the ‘60s Days of Rage or the Rodney King riots. One possible death as opposed to hundreds, a few buildings burned instead of thousands,  a hundred arrested instead of many thousands. Ferguson was nowhere near as bad as it was implied.

We’ve been fooled. 

The “movement” was self-contradictory from the start. Within weeks, Michael Brown could be seen as closer to a garden variety thug than an angelic teenage victim. As a result, this issue seemed to never have gotten any lasting traction within the greater African-American community. The protest had to be outsourced to the professional agitators of Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, New York and DC. The media continued their drumbeat of misconceptions, fear -- and outrageous lies. Meanwhile, millions of ordinary citizens, much more alike than not, continued to happily interact. We -- I -- defamed Black Americans by believing they would stoop to violence over this issue.  

When the Grand Jury findings were finally revealed – it was largely a non-issue: a play-date for the unstable, politicians, and cameras. There never were the overwhelming numbers of protestors that we were led to expect. The most publicized confrontation featured an estimated 250 protestors – and 250 media. Within hours, normal life resumed as reality reasserted itself.

Leaving a lot of us feeling a bit foolish. Leaving me feeling like a bit of an idiot.

There’s a lesson here, an important one: there’s profit in wedge politics; in dividing the whole against one another. Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, the New Black Panthers, Lesley McSpadden, Senator Chappelle-Nadal, Jay Nixon, Barack Obama, et al, and their sycophantic media all cynically, dishonorably furthered their own interests by dancing on Michael Brown’s grave. They traded in division and fears for their own ends.

Ferguson shows that we, as a city, state, and nation, are better than that.  We have our differences, we’re human after all, but in the main, we’re a integrated, just, striving, happy people. Much, much more alike than different.  And we shouldn’t let the hucksters and the wedgers tell us any different.  

Work remains to be done. There never should have been the immediate, pervasive assumption that the police assasinated an innocent. Something is obviously wrong. But as a society, we should be aware of just how far and how fast we've come. In societal terms, America's recognition of the error of racism and its largely successful correction has been completely unprecedented in human history.
 
Today, perhaps now more than any other time, we can see just how much we should be thankful for.  

Happy Thanksgiving. To all of us.

Grand Jury Findings Summary

Everyone who wants to understand why the St Louis Grand Jury did not indite Officer Darren Wilson must listen to Prosecutor Bob McCullough's deft summary. 

(heroimage.dimg)

Understanding Grand Jury Ruling Michael Brown's Death

Listen with an open mind. Pass the link around.

Highly recommended.  

HT: PBS

Waffle House Life

Took the wife out to a Waffle House breakfast. She's never had the pleasure. It was the usual good time: fast, friendly service, tasty food, unique atmosphere, and amenable fellow patrons. Americana at its finest.

Mid waffle, my wife asked me to look around. There were about 50 people packed into the little coffee shop: a broad range of ages, demographics, colors, native languages, etc. All pleasantly rubbing elbows with one another. A melting pot, with syrup.

This is the real St Louis, the real America.

We shouldn't forget that.

Situation: Ferguson

Be careful what you wish for: The wife and I wanted to put the Grate State of California behind us. So, last year we moved her to Missouri while I renovated and sold our home in LA. We leased a nice house, with a big fenced-in yard for the pups, in a quiet 'burb of NW St Louis.

Ten miles from Ferguson. 

Frack.

There's no doubt that the situation here is very tense. The Michael Brown shooting has been the activist's cause célèbre for the three months since that August day. Professional agitators such as Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, President Obama, the new Black Panthers, etc. are working hard to keep the incident in the national consciousness. Most of the mainstream media seems to be bent on keeping the country's eyeballs on this issue, often resorting to sensationalism and questionable reportage.

It's much the same here in St Louis - but even more so. The news is full of Ferguson: protestors are the top stories almost nightly. They’re earnest, involved – and angry. They’re continuously marching, protesting, training, holding press conferences, conducting street theater- all greedily sucked in by the news cameras. The possibility of violence is unstated, but there nonetheless.  

See if this doesn't chill your spine: Ferguson Action

City and state officials make occasion appearances. Their talk is all on their preparations and their support the First Amendment Rights of the protestors. The hidden, heavy hand of political correctness weighs on their words and actions. Signs of preparation can be found. Additional poice presence, training, additional expenditures, etc. The Feds are in evidence: seventy Homeland Security vehicles were photographed in a hotel parking structure. (At four per vehicle, that's 280 agents.) 

Average Joe is the one with little media attention. They're the ones that'll take the brunt of any disruption. Their businesses, homes and loved ones are being literally put under the gun – for something they do not think they’ve done. I’ve seen fear, but even more frustration with the activists apparently willing to resort to random violence to get their ends. A lot aren’t afraid to call this terrorism - and demand it be treated as such. Many are responding by purchasing their first gun, and many are seeing young blacks buying concealable handguns.

In spite of all their concerns, the citizens are being told to go about their business. Then, oh-so politically correct MO Gov. Jay Nixon declares a state of emergency and calls in the National Guard. (BTW: ol’ Jay is incredibly inarticulate when someone is not putting words in his mouth. His incompetence would be laughable if it weren’t for the critical nature of these times.) The stress levels appreciably jumped, and then jumped again when the FBI said to expect violence.

Everyone’s on edge waiting for the Grand Jury’s decision.  

I remain cautiously hopeful: the months the officials have spent preparing will probably limit the violence in Ferguson. However, it’s very likely that other spots will erupt around the city – and the nation.  EVERYONE, regardless of their location, should look to their preps in the next days. 

We’ve been warned.

I’m going to stay with my prediction of an indictment of Officer Wilson: based entirely on the last two shots that entered Michael Brown’s head from above. It will be far too easy for the GJ to question the timing of those shots – and refer the issue to a court of law. There, I believe a jury with all the evidence, presented by both sides, *should* acquit Wilson. What happens then…   

In St Louis

I'm  now on the ground in St Louis , MO. The wife and I have escaped California - and landed our fat right in the fire of Ferguson, Missouri. 

There's no doubt that the situation hear is tense. The news is full of angry protestors, worried citizens, and preparing authorities. The Grand Jury findings are expected any day. 

I'm still getting a feel for the situation. And I'm working 14 hour days to bring order out of the chaos of the move. And KAOS is winning. Blogging will continue to be light, despite Archer's excellent efforts. However... be sure to keep checking back. I've got a couple of important posts  coming soon. 

And watch your six. 

Ferguson: Two Months Later

It looks like the situation in Ferguson, MO has stabilized – and that’s not good. Two months after Michael Brown’s death, it still feels like the city is balanced upon a knife edge, waiting only for a touch to fall into chaos.

(nationalmemo.com)

As our readers may know, I have a very personal interest in the unrest: my wife lives about 10 miles from Ferguson and she works much closer. I’ll be joining her there as soon as the Cali house closes. I’ve spent weeks listening to her info and reading; trying to understand, analyze and predict the situation from 1832 miles away. Her nerves are a bit frazzled, but thankfully, she’s as safe as anyone in the area. During that period, I developed a number of impressions which I’d like to share. Be assured, these observations can and must change as additional information becomes available.   

Michael Brown
(Family Photo/ Facebook)

Midday August 9, 2014, eighteen year old Michael Brown was shot by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson. Michael Brown was black, Wilson is white. Beyond those few facts, the info available to the public is largely incomplete, one-sided, hearsay, self-serving, unclear or contradictory. The police are naturally reluctant and many times legally prevented from releasing information about the ongoing investigation. What little official info released, such as the past histories of the officer and the deceased, is carefully parsed. Into that void, factoids, spin, speculation and outright misinformation flows.    

The St Louis County Police Department assumed control of the investigation and their finding are being presented before the Grand Jury. Results are expected to be unsealed about mid-November. Wielding the might of the FBI, Eric Holder’s Department of Justice is conducting a multi-pronged investigation for possible civil rights violations by Wilson and the Ferguson Police Department as a whole.

Al Sharpton and Mike Brown's Body
(atlantadailyworld.com)

It’s abundantly clear that Ferguson is no longer about Michael Brown. The parameters of the case have been ignored or spun along the preexisting state and national racial fault lines. Activists of both sides have assumed control of the spotlight. Witness the funeral of Michael Brown twisted into a bloody-shirt rally. Race huckster Al Sharpton gave a speech over Brown's coffin that was all but an incitement to riot. Incredibly, Sharpton, with all of his racialist baggage, was an Obama Administration official representative at the funeral. The president even wrung his hands over Ferguson in a decidedly strange moment before the UN. There can be no doubt about which side Obama is backing.

Protesting at the St Louis Cardinals Game
(Mariah Stewart - The Huffington Post)

Outside activists continue to press their own Ferguson-camouflaged agendas. After the riot could no longer be extended, they immediately started pushing to replace the St Louis County Prosecuting Attorney for what could be seen as a deficiency of melanin.  Recently, several vocal supporters interrupted a performance of the St Louis Symphony. A small group protested outside the St Louis/ Dodger playoff chanting “Justice For Mike Brown” and were countered by some foul-mouthed fans chanting “Let’s Go Darren”: a bad show all around. Violence seems to be the goal of the few: a shooting of a Ferguson cop resulted in a night long confrontation in front of the Community Center, orchestrated by 5 to 10 angry activists.

Obama Discussing Ferguson
Before the UN
(Richard Drew, AP)

The leitmotif is by no means restricted to the small time agitators. The media has been relentless in promoting its version of the tragedy, emphasizing the provocative unarmed teen vs white cop meme. Eric Holder and Obama have similarly been active in attempting to overtly shape popular opinion.

If I had to guess what will happen - based on what little is known - I think Officer Wilson will be indicted for excessive force: for the last two shots that went into Michael Brown’s head from above. It will be far too easy for the GJ to refer the questions around those two shots for resolution by trail. Then, unlike today's ongoing media barrage, a jury will be presented with the totality of facts and explanations and theories from both sides. Officer Wilson will have to hope for an unbiased,  intelligent, wise and above all, brave jury. And just like the first Rodney King and George Zimmerman trials, despite all the efforts of the activists and the media, I feel the cop will be acquitted.

     
What happens then?… I have only fears. 

(Mike Ramirez - IBD)

Michael Brown/ Ferguson MO Riot 2.0

Instructive dynamic: MO State Police adopt a nonconfrontational stance to great media and political acclaim, ...aaaaand, wait for it...  After day's calm, a storm erupts overnight in Ferguson

StL Post-Dispatch

'There are no police': Ferguson store owners guard businesses; cite lack of police response

Police presence in question during overnight looting in Ferguson

Ferguson police stand down; Looters run wild again; Local store owners plead for help: ‘Where the cops at?'

Weak police response in Ferguson confirms necessity of self-defense, gun ownership

Armed citizens defend Sam’s Meat Market in Ferguson

StL Post-Dispatch

HT: Fox News, StL Post Dispatch, Twitchy.com

This is an object lesson: law-abiding citizens can and will be sold down the river for political correctness and the politicians' personal gain. You have to be strong, capable and take responsibility for your own safety at all times.   

Ruminations on Riots

I’ve lived through two - two and a half riots. I was just a spud during LA’s Watts Riots. I barely remember my grandparents suddenly appearing in our backyard and everyone staring at a thick tree-trunk of smoke in the sky. I wondered why my Grandmother sobbed, not understanding that their house was only a few miles from the flames. I also remember my Father putting a target pistol in the car on our way to church. 

Twenty seven years later, I stood in my own yard, staring at three solid walls of smoke surrounding my newly purchased house. I had helped guide some company employees out of downtown Long Beach, pulled my girlfriend out of her trendy, but sketchy, apartment, then came home to stare at the encroaching smoke with an equally black pit in my stomach. 

I remember it was eerily quiet – no one was on the road. Civilization had abandoned us; most everyone, including the cops, crouched inside their stucco huts. The only sounds were occasional sirens – and gunshots. Lots of gunshots.

I had never felt so alone, so utterly exposed. Fires raged less than a city block away, but there were no firemen, no cops, no National Guard. Just me. Stupid me. I didn’t know any neighbors; but I did have a few firearms. However, they were better suited for busting clays or bunny-rats. I didn’t even have enough ammo to fill the few magazines of my wildly inaccurate Mini-14. If push came to shove, I was going to get it sideways. 

Fortunately, the Rodney King Riots ended after three - four days; too late for 53 people. The cops reappeared in a rush when a copter’s searchlight pinned a car to the curb near the head of our street. Cruisers and HMVs came out of nowhere and the six young male occupants were quickly cuffed and stuffed. The cops took at least two long guns into evidence and then vanished again. However, the smoke walls were losing their solidity and eventually vanished, too. The smell of smoke took a very long time go away.   

Now, twenty-two years later, I’m living through another riot – virtually. The GF – 'scuse me, The wife – is in St Louis, while I’m in LA. Thankfully, so far at least, the Michael Brown Riot isn’t anywhere near as vicious as the Watts or Rodney King riots. However, the locals are very aware of the tensions that course beneath the city. 

Again, I’m helpless – unable to protect the one I love. However, she lives in a neighborhood of deer hunters, has her Cowboy Action Shooting guns, and we moved some of my mil-surps with her. (Parlez-vous Mosin? SKS? Sardine cans?) The neighbors have organized for protection and truly appreciate my wife’s contributions (not without a raised eyebrow or two.) She's as safe as anyone can be in St Louis.  

I’m left 2600 miles away to ruminate on riots.

It can get ugly when civilization’s leash is slipped. No one is truly safe; cars can deliver the insanity anywhere. TV, Twitter, Facebook, whatever, can excite the unstable far away. Your putative protectors may go missing; overwhelmed or simply busy defending their own. And it can all happen in a heartbeat: you’re there with yourself and what you’ve got. Ready?

When the smoke suddenly engulfs you, you might have to fight very hard to stay alive. A mob is a heartless, cruel beast. One of the firearms that our Dear Leader is so desperately trying to eliminate is uniquely suited for self-defense in a riot. Light, handy, capable, accurate, easy to shoot, limited penetration, with a large magazine capacity: carbines like the AR-15 just might be the best choice available. Our readers need to have something to resist the anarchy.

Although mindless, the mob can be reasoned with. Pointing intimidating pieces of hardware at it seems particularly effective. Stories abound of home and shop owners facing down rioters with their SKS, AK-47 and AR-15 rifles. Often, the mob turns tail without the need to fire a shot: a Win-Win. Some of their neighbors, without such communication tools, died.

There are predictions of increasing social disruptions and riots, with all the ongoing demographic shifts, racialist expectations, employment participation rates, and the overarching economic problems. The possibility of a political shift with the Nov 14 elections is upsetting to some elements. It seems prudent to look at your particular situation and prepare. 

Several interesting webpages:

Social Unrest
Prepare for a Riot
Preparing & Reacting To Riots 

Best advice: Don't Be There. If You Are, Be Strong.  
 
The possibility of having to face rioters alone, however remote (if you are lucky) is just one of a host of excellent reason to fight for all of your Second Amendment rights - without compromise.