5 ms·

This is a red herring. I lived around the KS City area for a year and people walking in the middle of the street intentionally obstructing traffic was a thing t

This is a red herring. I lived around the KS City area for a year and people walking in the middle of the street intentionally obstructing traffic was a thing that happened on a regular basis. They walk in the street while you're driving and glare at you, basically trying to prove they can make you do their will by having to drive around them just walking there. Civility is already gone at that point, it is willful, aggressive disruption. Maybe the cop was dickish, but for the same reason you can't blame Brown's behavior for his homicide, you can't blame Wilson for escalation that would make brown figure he could win a confrontation against a law officer. If Wilson shouldn't have acted like an asshole because it escalated the situation, the it more applies to Brown that he shouldn't have been walking in the street.

jqm 12y ago
Indeed. Both parties are guilty of basic lack of civility (a point which I note). But one party is (in theory), a professional state agent, paid at least in part by the other. (Sounds like you didn't quite make it to the bottom of my post.....). I'm not quite catching your point... it seems to be that Brown was acting up so it was acceptable for Wilson to act as he did. And if that is your point I don't agree. At all. And no, this isn't a "red herring". It is an often overlooked point that is entirely relevant to the issue. The behavior and general attitude of police officers sometimes helps cause these types of situations. Also you say I can't blame Brown for being partially responsible for his own death? I can't blame Wilson for inflaming the situation? Oh yes I can. On both points. And I would be right. Not sure why you would say this...... My point is... we would all be better served if officers behaved in a more respectful manner. So ultimately would they. That people walked around cocky in the street and annoyed you is irrelevant to this simple fact. Two wrongs don't make a right. And one party, in particular, should definitely be expected to be above this behavior. We should demand it.
- A_COMPUTER 12y ago
  I didn't say you could "blame" either one of them. I said that you are being inconsistent by only attributing total responsibility for escalating a situation that resulted in the confrontation to one party. The fact that Wilson was a professional and Brown wasn't doesn't change that fact, in fact not a single thing said I thought he shouldn't be punished. You are saying "Wilson didn't act within his responsibility." Well, what about Brown breaking the law by walking in the middle of the road? He had a responsibility to not do that, even if he is not a "professional." "Wilson should be held to a higher standard as an officer of the law." Indeed he should, but none of that excuses Brown for escalating it further. Again, there is a very simple calculus that goes into this: if you enter into a confrontation with a police officer, you are not going to win--and this is not underhanded justification for Brown's execution, but the basic fact that the law officer holds all the power. They both can provoke each other, but the costs are much higher for one party than the other. If you think a cop is being a dick to you, recognize that right or wrong, he has the power to kill you and get away with it. I understand your point. I reject it.
  - jqm 12y ago
    This article isn't about people walking in the street or the behavior of suspects. It's about the behavior of police officers. So are my comments. "Total" responsibility? Where do I attribute that? Did you actually read my post? You reject my point that society would be better served if police officers behaved in a more civil manner? I don't think this worth continuing.... Have a good evening.

jqm 12y ago

Indeed. Both parties are guilty of basic lack of civility (a point which I note). But one party is (in theory), a professional state agent, paid at least in part by the other. (Sounds like you didn't quite make it to the bottom of my post.....). I'm not quite catching your point... it seems to be that Brown was acting up so it was acceptable for Wilson to act as he did. And if that is your point I don't agree. At all. And no, this isn't a "red herring". It is an often overlooked point that is entirely relevant to the issue. The behavior and general attitude of police officers sometimes helps cause these types of situations. Also you say I can't blame Brown for being partially responsible for his own death? I can't blame Wilson for inflaming the situation? Oh yes I can. On both points. And I would be right. Not sure why you would say this...... My point is... we would all be better served if officers behaved in a more respectful manner. So ultimately would they. That people walked around cocky in the street and annoyed you is irrelevant to this simple fact. Two wrongs don't make a right. And one party, in particular, should definitely be expected to be above this behavior. We should demand it.

A_COMPUTER 12y ago
I didn't say you could "blame" either one of them. I said that you are being inconsistent by only attributing total responsibility for escalating a situation that resulted in the confrontation to one party. The fact that Wilson was a professional and Brown wasn't doesn't change that fact, in fact not a single thing said I thought he shouldn't be punished. You are saying "Wilson didn't act within his responsibility." Well, what about Brown breaking the law by walking in the middle of the road? He had a responsibility to not do that, even if he is not a "professional." "Wilson should be held to a higher standard as an officer of the law." Indeed he should, but none of that excuses Brown for escalating it further. Again, there is a very simple calculus that goes into this: if you enter into a confrontation with a police officer, you are not going to win--and this is not underhanded justification for Brown's execution, but the basic fact that the law officer holds all the power. They both can provoke each other, but the costs are much higher for one party than the other. If you think a cop is being a dick to you, recognize that right or wrong, he has the power to kill you and get away with it. I understand your point. I reject it.
- jqm 12y ago
  This article isn't about people walking in the street or the behavior of suspects. It's about the behavior of police officers. So are my comments. "Total" responsibility? Where do I attribute that? Did you actually read my post? You reject my point that society would be better served if police officers behaved in a more civil manner? I don't think this worth continuing.... Have a good evening.