<div dir="ltr"><div>That's pretty much where I am on this one. It's certainly possible that it was racially-motivated, it's also possible it was simple police brutality, or some mix of the two. It's also possible it was simple self-defense. Since we know very little, it's way too early (imho) to get all worked up about it.<br>
<br>I would like to say that the police department in Ferguson is run by a bunch of incompetents when it comes to handling something like this. They should have immediately put the offending cop or cops on administrative leave pending an investigation, and been transparent with what they knew and when they knew it. If that had happened instead of immediately trying to defend their guy and keep things from the media, they wouldn't be embroiled in as much of a shitstorm as they currently are. Sure, there will always be those who jump on a bandwagon know matter what the facts, but at least they could have helped convince most reasonable people that they were taking it seriously. Look at how they handled the guy being choked to death in New York. No riots there.<br>
<br></div>Paul<br></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, Aug 24, 2014 at 1:50 PM, Scott Dredge <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:scooterd408@hotmail.com" target="_blank">scooterd408@hotmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="auto"><div>I'd guess they will show up in droves. Race baiting and anti-establishment sentiment are effective in mobilizing young people who are more driven by peer pressure and emotion in jumping to conclusions rather than rationally waiting for all for the facts surrounding this tragic event to emerge and coming to an informed opinion.</div>
<div><br></div><div>As for me, I'll keep an open mind that this could be 'racist cop shoots and kills black kid minding his own business', but until I'm convinced beyond a reasonable doubt I won't be rendering a verdict.</div>
<div><br>-Scott</div><div><div class="h5"><div><br>On Aug 24, 2014, at 3:12 PM, "Saundra Lund" <<a href="mailto:v2020@ssl1.fastmail.fm" target="_blank">v2020@ssl1.fastmail.fm</a>> wrote:<br> </div><blockquote type="cite">
<div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Here’s hoping our local college students make me proud </span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Wingdings;color:#1f497d">J</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"> I’ve given my hubby a head’s up to be aware & hopeful that some of his students walk out tomorrow morning and to not take it personally </span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Wingdings;color:#1f497d">J</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">I’m curious: is anyone here planning on going to Spokane Tuesday to participate in the rally?<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Saundra<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""> Amnesty International USA [<a href="mailto:alerts@takeaction.amnestyusa.org" target="_blank">mailto:alerts@takeaction.amnestyusa.org</a>] <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Sunday, August 24, 2014 9:59 AM<br><b>To:</b> <br><b>Subject:</b> Solidarity with Ferguson<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><div><div align="center"><table style="width:487.5pt;background:white" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="650">
<tbody><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"><div align="center"><table style="width:487.5pt;background:white" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="650"><tbody><tr><td style="width:18.75pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in" width="25">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:0%"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><img src="https://www.e-activist.com/ea-campaign/action.retrievefile.do?ea.client.id=1839&ea_filename=etem-top_mobile_01.gif" alt="template image" height="104" width="25"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</td><td style="width:181.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in" width="242"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:0%"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><a href="http://www.e-activist.com/ea-campaign/broadcast.response.do?ea.url.id=273186&ea.campaigner.email=BAD5ZdktWlKbKzOfDY5p9fmkGi65H1302t8RM2eLScw=&ea_broadcast_target_id=0" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration:none"><img src="https://www.e-activist.com/ea-campaign/action.retrievefile.do?ea.client.id=1839&ea_filename=etem-email_logo_mobile.jpg" alt="Amnesty International USA Action Alert" border="0" height="104" width="242"></span></a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</td><td style="width:268.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in" width="358"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:0%"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><img src="https://www.e-activist.com/ea-campaign/action.retrievefile.do?ea.client.id=1839&ea_filename=etem-top03.gif" alt="template image" border="0" height="104" width="358"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</td><td style="width:18.75pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in" width="25"></td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2" style="width:18.75pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in" width="25"></td><td style="width:6.25in;background:#a00a32;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in" width="600">
<p><b><span style="font-size:22.5pt;color:white">Solidarity with Ferguson, Missouri<u></u><u></u></span></b></p></td><td rowspan="2" style="width:18.75pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in" width="25"></td></tr><tr><td style="width:6.25in;padding:11.25pt 0in 7.5pt 0in" width="600">
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<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><img src="https://www.e-activist.com/ea-campaign/action.retrievefile.do?ea.client.id=1839&ea_filename=etem-getinvolved2.jpg" alt="Get Involved" border="0" height="40" width="210"><br>
<br><a href="http://www.e-activist.com/ea-campaign/broadcast.response.do?ea.url.id=273187&ea.campaigner.email=BAD5ZdktWlKbKzOfDY5p9fmkGi65H1302t8RM2eLScw=&ea_broadcast_target_id=0" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration:none"><img src="https://www.e-activist.com/ea-campaign/action.retrievefile.do?ea.client.id=1839&ea_filename=email-ferguson.jpg" border="0" width="175"></span></a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-size:7.0pt;color:#999999">Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images<u></u><u></u></span></p><p><span style="font-size:10.5pt">A police officer in Ferguson, Missouri fatally shot unarmed teenager Michael Brown on August 9.<br>
<br>This week, the Ferguson community is asking us to take to the streets.<u></u><u></u></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size:10.5pt">Dear Saundra & Bill,<br><br>On August 9, Mike Brown, an unarmed 18-year old, was shot by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri. It’s moments like this that draw us in, and that demand solidarity, because all lives matter and human rights are at stake. <br>
<br>You have taken action online. Now, the Ferguson community is asking for us to take to the streets: <u></u><u></u></span></p><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">On Monday, August 25, Mike Brown's family is laying him to rest. <strong><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Ferguson community members are asking college students to <a href="http://www.e-activist.com/ea-campaign/broadcast.response.do?ea.url.id=273188&ea.campaigner.email=BAD5ZdktWlKbKzOfDY5p9fmkGi65H1302t8RM2eLScw=&ea_broadcast_target_id=0" target="_blank">walk out of their classes at 1pm EST/10am PST</a> and assemble in solidarity with victims and survivors of police brutality. <a href="http://www.e-activist.com/ea-campaign/broadcast.response.do?ea.url.id=273189&ea.campaigner.email=BAD5ZdktWlKbKzOfDY5p9fmkGi65H1302t8RM2eLScw=&ea_broadcast_target_id=0" target="_blank">Will you join them?</a></span></strong><u></u><u></u></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">For the rest of the week, people around the world are rallying at U.S. federal buildings and U.S. embassies to <strong><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">call on the Department of Justice to create policies that respect human rights</span></strong>. We'll be joining, and we want you to stand with us and with the people of Ferguson in your own communities. <strong><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a href="http://www.e-activist.com/ea-campaign/broadcast.response.do?ea.url.id=273190&ea.campaigner.email=BAD5ZdktWlKbKzOfDY5p9fmkGi65H1302t8RM2eLScw=&ea_broadcast_target_id=0" target="_blank">Find a rally here!</a></span></strong> <u></u><u></u></span></li>
</ul><p style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span style="font-size:10.5pt">Since arriving in Ferguson, we have witnessed hundreds of people take to the streets daily to demand human rights. We have also seen law enforcement use tear gas in the crowd, and arrest protestors. There have been blockades on West Florissant Street for days; journalists have been cleared from the area, and we’ve been kept from full access to protestors at times. Throughout all of this, we’ve been in awe of the power and resilience of community organizers on the ground who have refused to have their fundamental human rights restricted, and have dedicated themselves to sharing Mike Brown’s story and to demanding change. <br>
<br>Now is the time for us to join in raising concerns about race and policing, and the impact of militarization on the fundamental right to peacefully assemble. Now is the time to bring together your community to participate in the movement to bring human rights home. <br>
<br>In Solidarity,<br><br>Kalaya'an Mendoza, Senior Organizer<br>Noor Mir, Associate Field Organizer<br>Amnesty International USA Delegates in Ferguson, MO <u></u><u></u></span></p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:7.5pt 0in 7.5pt 0in">
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