Charlotte is blowing up

[philosslayer]

The police are reaping what they have sown.

[chillfactor]

1. if that isn't the truth!

lying cops just make things worse.

[NobodyHere]

14. It seems in this case that it is the lying witnesses that are to blame

as well as agitators taking advantage of the chaos

[Mary Mac]

79. pray for peace in Charlotte

Violence won't solve any problem

[Gabi Hayes]

2. this only benefits trump

we are so screwed......

[Gabi Hayes]

5. I was there in 68:

[Maru Kitteh]

11. At least Tricky Dick had man-thumbs.

Not sawed-off, goofy little Tiny-Tim thumbs.

[sarae]

31. LOL @ sawed-off Tiny Tim thumbs!

[underthematrix]

57. Me too

[Island Blue]

6. Yup. Exactly what I was thinking.

North Carolina has just been delivered to Trump and our awful governor Pat McCrory. I grew up in Charlotte and love the city, so all that is happening there right now is heartbreaking.

[anamandujano]

17. No. He will only make everything worse. Everybody knows that.

[Island Blue]

25. Oh, I know that and you know that

but I'm afraid that this will push enough "undecided" voters in the state to be more conservative with their votes. The race here (for both POTUS and governor) is so tight right now that it won't take many misguided voters to swing it.

[SCliberal91294]

39. Why?

Would they vote for Republicans because of this? Doesn't make much sense, Hillary will have a better response that Loser Donald.

[ecstatic]

62. Perhaps if elected dems had spoken out forcefully and

maybe even taken action, we wouldn't be seeing this right now. The protesters are human beings, not pawns who can be ignored until election day.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

63. This is Dems' fault how?

Geez!

[ecstatic]

84. Sadly, both parties haven't done shit

about getting killer cops under control. I'm a democrat but I'm not going to pretend like this ongoing lack of justice is acceptable.

[Captain Stern]

66. I'm afraid you're right.

Our state was a toss-up before this.

Now, McCrory gets to look like a "take-charge" law & order guy by sending in the troops to put down the rioting criminals. (And make no mistake about it, the small percentage of "protesters" that are committing violence ARE criminals.)

Trump gets to point out how he was right about how unsafe our country has gotten, and that only he can do something about it. Of course it's bullshit, but people eat that stuff up.

[Island Blue]

67. Exactly. That was my thinking here.

Never underestimate the damage that scared white people can do in an election.

I wish Rev. Barber would go to Charlotte and maybe act as a mediator between the protesters and the police. We need his voice right now.

[tonyt53]

3. They have acted really wrong in the past, but isn't it best to wait until ALL evidence is presented?

The city attorney there will be consulting the prosecuting attorney's office before making the decision to release the body cams from the uniformed cops. They had cameras running. Not taking up for anybody, but best to see what really happened.

[philosslayer]

8. The police say that the officer who fired the shots

Was black. But multiple witnesses have said he was white. At this point I believe nothing the police say.

[tonyt53]

10. I was watching a CNN segment today and they had on a friend (black) of the cop that shot him.

He said his friend was devastated that it came to that. He admitted to him that he is the one that shot the guy.

[mythology]

19. Are those the same witnesses who claim he was reading a book and absolutely didn't

have a gun? Eyewitness testimony is actually pretty inaccurate. People under stress don't have great awareness or memories. It's why cops mistake cell phones or wallets for guns, it's why witnesses swore Michael Brown had his hands up and/or was shot in the back.

If you are going to inherently disbelieve the police and unconditionally believe witnesses, are you any more intellectually interested in the truth than those who believe everything the police say?

[philosslayer]

22. So you believe he had a gun?

Uhhhh.... okay. You go with that.

[tonyt53]

27. Not at all; not even remotely. I've learned over the years to wait until I see all the evidence.

[6000eliot]

47. Funny how this is always the first line of reasoning

by racist apologists when a shooting like this occurs.

[Ace Rothstein]

49. It is the first line of reasoning for most people because it is the sensible thing to do.

[6000eliot]

51. Yep. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

Of course, it ends when the smearing of the victims begins.

[philosslayer]

58. Oh that's well under way

The police record of the victim has already been all over the media. Yet we hear nothing about the police officer who murdered him

[Calista241]

72. Yeah we have.

We know he was black and went to Liberty University. He was also a fairly new officer. People,who know the officer have been on TV, so I'm sure his name is out there, I just haven't seen it yet.

[Yo_Mama]

69. The claim is refutable and very specific.

If the dead man did have a gun, matters are very different. Right to carry does not include right to brandish your gun around cops.

But this claim is also easy to disprove, which means that we should be waiting.

It is fine to go out there and protest to ensure that the claims really ARE checked. It would be stupid not to do that.

But now these "protests" have turned rapidly into violence and will provide the circumstances in which criminals can get a big payday (as well as people who just like violence, for whatever reason). This serves no one except the criminals.

[DAMANgoldberg]

64. NC statute

...doesn't permit this without a court order.

§ 132-1.8. Confidentiality of photographs and video or audio recordings made pursuant to autopsy.

This may not be the exact statute because I am not a lawyer nor a politician. However, there is a body involved here, so this should apply. Plus I read somewhere where a local attorney is looking to do just that.

This, I believe was passed after #3 Dale Earnhardt died at Daytona some years back. Reinforced by the current state Government of which both candidates are a part of. However, I am still with Roy.

[BootinUp]

4. Way too much tension, people getting hurt.

I hope it doesn't get worse.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

7. Police aren't reaping shit.

They get to put on their hut-hut gear, bash some heads, spread some tear gas and feel all vindicated.

Now there is at least one dead civilian and untold damage to businesses. Oh and cops get overtime out the ass.

Not bad for reaping. They live for this shit.

[GulfCoast66]

9. That's just total bullshit

Make the Democratic Party the anti-police party and enjoy Republican rule.

[tonyt53]

12. Yep. Words really do matter. No need to wait to see the evidence apparently.

Time to step back and wait for all evidence to be presented.

[GulfCoast66]

13. Right...

Tulsa, that cop needs charges against her. Charlotte, who knows. But we will find out.

Now, we have a huge problem with law enforcement and the way the treat minorities. But we have to do the hard job of fixing it and not just say fuck the cops.

[tonyt53]

28. Agree 100%

[Hassin Bin Sober]

18. Not sure what you are saying is bullshit.

Cops aren't an introspective bunch. They're not going to say "wow, look at this mess we made. Maybe we shouldn't shoot civilians"

They'll be making t-shirts about tonight's events by next week.

And, yes, I don't disagree that such unrest will play in to The Talking Yam's tiny little rat claws.

[GulfCoast66]

23. I say bullshit

because I do not think most cops enjoy what is going on in Charlotte tonight. The ones I know sure do not. They had much rather have a slow evening of simple robbery or suspicious person calls with breaks at the crispy cream. And the ones I know really do go to the crispy cream and are happy to laugh about fulfilling the stereotype.


Are there some who do get off on nights like tonight?...sure, but there are some who shoot unarmed black men. We need to come down hard on those.

[Maru Kitteh]

36. I think it's really stupid to assert anyone puts up with that shit for OT pay.

Just like it's fucking stupid for anyone to assert that protestors "just want to create anarchy/trouble."

The greater portion of both, police and protestors, are peacefully doing their part the best way they know how; with more of the same goals in common than much of the horseshoe left or the horseshoe right would care to admit. Thankfully, smarter and more mindful forces will keep working from both sides to make things better. HRC will be a big part of that.

90-99% of protestors are doing their job; serving as catalysts for change, moving society forward, exercising their constitutional right in an effort to effect that change we need.

90-99% of police officers are doing their job, love the communities they work in and are attempting to keep the line between protecting protestors, protecting others, protecting themselves and protecting property.

Everybody wants to go home to their family. Everybody wants things to get better.

So much work to do. Platitudes mean nothing but neither does the empty-headed language of generalization or bashing for the same sake.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

42. .

http://www.businessinsider.com/cop-brags-about-money-earned-in-ferguson-2015-8

A St. Louis cop bragged on Facebook about spending his 'annual Michael Brown bonus'


“I decided to spend my annual Michael Brown bonus on a nice relaxing bicycle ride trip to Defiance,” Officer Todd J. Bakula of the St. Louis County Police posted on Facebook under the name TJ Thekoola, according to the Guardian. “Eating dinner now and staying at a bed and breakfast tonight.”

The St. Louis County police confirmed to the Guardian that Bakula is an officer.

According to the St. Louis Business Journal, overtime pay for police officers can be very lucrative, noting that during the riots in Ferguson in 2014, St. Louis County doled out $2.5 million in overtime pay for police work.

[Maru Kitteh]

43. It's good to expose that 1-10% that are rotten. It needs to be done.

Generalization of any population is lazy as shit.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

45. If your numbers were correct we wouldn't have the problems we do, now would we?

The few bad apples bullshit doesn't fly anymore.

We have a militarization problem. An occupying force mentality problem. A racism problem. An accountability problem. A coverup problem. A perjury problem. And on and on and on.

Most of all we have a training problem that is pervasive and mixed with above is toxic to mostly the poor and minorities.

The problems are coast to coast.

[Maru Kitteh]

55. I think we would. I think we do. I think that 1-10% is a fair number

supported by much of recent history.

Painting with broad brushes is, has always been, and will always be, lazy.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

56. Saying a few bad apples is beyond lazy.

Not all the cops are doing the killings and the beatings. But a majority of the cops are standing behind and covering up for the ones that do.

And that's not factoring the rediculous stances by the FOP unions. The local Chicago FOP here is trying to cause blue flu work stoppages because we had the nerve to want to see the video of a cop firing 16 rounds, pavement ricochet smoke and all, in to a kid lying dying in the road.

[Maru Kitteh]

61. Generalizations are always lazy, and all the country is not Chicago.

For those who must live there, yes. But that doesn't explain the rest of it so well.

It's seriously fucking late and I'm tired. I'll try to give the short version here.

In SOME areas, especially some (not all) of those with a tradition of Irish police officers, some of them have a tendency, historically, of being a little more insulative and closed off. It seems to be a cultural tradition borne of defensiveness against bigotry.

THEN THERE IS THE OTHER 90%+ OF THE COUNTRY.

Generalizations are always lazy.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

65. Here's a few more bad apples for your bunch

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028179506

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028179545

[Trust Buster]

15. Charlotte IS NOT blowing up. Hyperbole is really not necessary IMO.

[B2G]

21. Yeah, by Charlotte standards it is.

A protester was killed tonight too.

[Maru Kitteh]

37. In ICU per latest reports.

[B2G]

38. I just saw that. Nt

[Maru Kitteh]

41. FWIW, that may be a formality.

If I'm the victim of a fatal shooting, and my body is still warm, and they can plug the hole long enough for the organ team to arrive - I'll be in the ICU too. Dead, but sustained until my body can do one last thing. Pass it on.

[philosslayer]

44. Well, a state of emergency has been declared

sounds like blowing up to me

[vadermike]

20. Agreed

Charlotte is not blowing up there are things this country needs to work on like our Police but we can support the police and hold them accountable at the same time They certainly are not all bad !

[B2G]

24. All transit has been shut down

Restaurants and bars have now closed. Fires being set. My daughter sits in her apartment 1 mile from the center it this.

Feels to me like it's blowing up.

[cwydro]

82. The buses are running.

They continued running last night, they simply shut down the transit center because that's where a lot of the trouble was happening.

I was just downtown, and businesses, restaurants etc are open as usual.

[B2G]

26. And it be surprised when they call in tanks

And don't bitch about it either.

[NaturalHigh]

29. Too bad about innocent civilians having their property burned, eh?

Your concern is noted.

[Travis_0004]

30. How are the police reaping what they have sown

The end result is a lot of small businesses are going to have to spend money fixing windows, and other damage. Hopefully they can arrest the idiots, and bill them for the damage.

[romanic]

32. Hmm...

I see you've waded from Islamification of Europe to Inner-city rioting. It's almost like you want people here to cheer this stuff on to make this site look bad or something...

[NaturalHigh]

34. Ahem...troll alert.

Just my opinion of course.

[LanternWaste]

70. Ironic you yourself say that....

Ironic you yourself say that....

[philosslayer]

46. No one is cheering anything

What are you babbling about? The police have killed yet another black man, and people are voicing their frustration. I started a thread to point out that things were going down, and you turned it into a personal attack. Go harass someone else. You really need a hobby

[leftynyc]

68. It appears your reputation

precedes you.

[FrodosPet]

33. Eduard Khil was quite a vocal talent

[Liberal Jesus Freak]

40. All I know is...

Our beloved niece is there in the midst of this, crying out for human rights. I love her and am so proud. Be safe Kaley and we support you

[JI7]

48. it must be disapppointing to have most people disagree with the right wing characterization of the

left.

i see the threads are getting more bizarre .

[alcibiades_mystery]

50. MIRT MIRT MIRT MIRT MIRT MIRT MIRT

[philosslayer]

52. Excuse me?

Is there something within my post that you disagree with? Or are you just going to throw a tantrum

[Rocknrule]

53. NC just got gift-wrapped for Trump, I'm afraid

[vadermike]

54. NC

Will be close regardless what is happening there Hillary will win if AA etc turn out at high rates

[SCliberal91294]

59. This could

Help AA turnout. I don't see how it helps repubs. Trump is for stop and frisk. Hillary will have a better answer.

[vadermike]

60. Agreed

Oh ya Trump just admitted he said the birther issue to rest not cause he believed it but because "to get on with the campaign" Hillary campaign slamming him on it good

[LWolf]

71. At this point, it should.

How many more people die while we protest the "right" way? How long do we allow this to go on?

And...how many people have died in this "blow-up?"

Frankly, there needs to be a strong white presence in all actions, protests, and "blow-ups" from here on out. Black Lives Matter, and if we believe that, we need to walk that talk and stand against racial injustice with our actions, not just our words. If we ever want to bridge the divide, we've got to be with our brothers and sisters in color in action as well as sentiment.

I'm at the wrong end of the country to show up in Charlotte. Given actions that I can afford to reach, I'll be there. Let them shoot through this white grandmother to reach their bad, scary black men. THAT would make the news. I'm so, so, fucking repulsed by my country right now.

[tblue37]

76. Colin Kaepernick 's polite protest doesn't seem to mollify the racists who demand that

people must protest in the "right" way, so we should probably conclude that such people don't think anyone has any right at all to protest police brutality and the modern day lynching of black people by cops.

[LWolf]

85. Of course they don't.

And that should't hold us back.

[cwydro]

73. There is dash cam video showing the man was armed and refused to drop his weapon.

Brush up on your facts.

[Worktodo]

78. No video has been released yet

The ACLU is suing for release of the video(s).

[philosslayer]

83. Really?

You've seen it? You must have a level of access the rest of us don't.

[Odin2005]

74. Another thread, more posts full of White Privilege.

WTF has happened to DU?

[Wednesdays]

77. "Ignore" is your friend

Right now I see six responses, including yours.

[Worktodo]

75. Reaping what they've sown?

I'd advise steering away from language like that. It's genuinely not helpful.

[bighart]

80. The solutions to these problems are at the ballot box.

I know that isn't what people want to hear but it is the truth.
It isn't a quick solution, it isn't easy and it requires our thoughtful participation.
Our job, like that of an elected official, does not end once our ballot is cast, we have to stay engaged to bring about meaningful change.

WE THE PEOPLE CAN fix many of these issues simply by getting out the vote.
An engaged and active electorate has more power to sway and influence public policy than any protest ever will.

Engage politicians at every level

Voice your concerns

Hold them accountable

Vote them out if they don't follow through with the will of the majority

Show up and participate in public forums and demand they be held at times the majority of concerned citizens can attend

Engage your family, friends, neighbors and inform them of the FACTS concerning political figures statements, promises and records

Shape the discussion

Run for office

Get a job on the "inside" of the process

If we want the governmental institutions to change and policy to change we need to change the way we engage with those institutions and demand via the ballot box that changes be made.

We continue to do the same things and expect different results regarding our interaction with all levels of government.

[onecaliberal]

81. Don't take a knee, don't take to the street, don't speak out.....

How in the bloody hell do you expect people to react? This is so far beyond the pale, something. Has to be done. My heart is broken. We ALL need to demand the killing of black bodies by police must stop now.

[msanthrope]

86. You Better Believe It. nt