If all the cops left Ferguson, Mo., there would be no one left for the residents to yell at. There would be no one left for them to taunt and no targets for their anger, shouting, thrown rocks, and molotov cocktails. There would be no one threatening them or making them feel threatened, no one pointing … Continue reading If all the cops left Ferguson …
Those who’ve been following the Michael Brown shooting in Ferguson, Mo., this week have undoubtedly seen or read commentary about the militarization of our local police departments. If you’re curious about what surplus military equipment the Defense Department has given to your county, see the excellent interactive map posted by the New York Times a few … Continue reading Toys for big boys: Gifting our police with military gear
I’ve been wanting to comment on the Michael Brown shooting and situation in Ferguson, Mo., this week, but haven’t known where to begin. New information, often conflicting or confusing, keeps coming out faster than I can organize my thoughts. In brief, Michael Brown was an unarmed black teenager shot to death by a white cop. Demonstrations, rioting, … Continue reading This has to stop
There’s a critically important point being made on Twitter this week. And news outlets across the country should be giving it serious thought. #IfTheyGunnedMeDown is a social media campaign prompted by the police shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager, in Ferguson, Mo., on Saturday. The campaign protests the media’s portrayal of Brown with a negative image … Continue reading #IfTheyGunnedMeDown takes media to task
This country is full of hyphenated Americans. Mexican-Americans, Asian-Americans, African-Americans, Irish-Americans, etc. And it leads one to contemplate why. (And yes, we know that, strictly speaking, the hyphens should be used only in adjectival constructions.) Often the hyphenated designations are chosen and used by individuals either to show pride in their heritage or for political reasons, … Continue reading Hyphenating Americans
There’s a good editorial in the Boston Globe today about LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling; it expresses some ideas that we should be hearing from a lot more sources. Among those I’ve seen, former NBA star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar came closest to echoing my thoughts when he wrote on Monday: “Shouldn’t we be equally angered by the fact … Continue reading Sterling’s remarks were private, protected
