So there's this riot going on right now

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I moved the discussion about "Privilege" to a separate thread. If anything was moved incorrectly, let me know.

[Frelga]

I suppose this is not about privilege, so into this tread it goes.

Georgia Lawmaker Vows to End Early Voting Because Blacks Vote That Way

Georgia Sen. Fran Millar, Republican of Dunwoody, has vowed to fight a plan to allow voting on Sunday because precincts will be "dominated by African American shoppers and... several large African American mega churches," and he "would prefer more educated voters."

[River]

What gets lost in the ruckus when politicians say this sort of crap is these roadblocks to civic duty (because that's really what voting is when you're a citizen) also affect lower class whites and, with certain flavors of ID laws, anyone who has changed their name (most commonly, married women who decided to take their husband's name). Nasty game they're playing there. Why bother trying to win hearts and minds when you can just exclude them?

[Túrin Turambar]

Quite a few people on both sides of the political spectrum have been writing about the militarisation of U.S. Police. I can't help but think they are looking more and more vindicated, particularly when I found out today that the Los Angeles School District (not the Actual LAPD, but the School District) has its own law enforcement arm with 61 military assault rifles, three grenade launchers and a mine-proof armoured vehicle!

(I am rarely surprised by what I read in the news these days, but consider this one of those occasions).

[Voronwë the Faithful]

The grand jury has reached a decision as to whether to indict Darren Wilson, the officer who shot and killed Michael Brown. No indication of what that decision is has been given. An announcement will be made some time after 5:00 p.m. EST today. I have no prediction as to what the decision will be, but I hope that if there is no indictment we don't see riots that dwarf what came before. But I fear what will happen.

[Frelga]

I wish they did not put it off until dark.

[River]

It has occurred to me that the protesters might be able to get their point across just by staying indoors with blackout shades drawn for a week. Schools shut, businesses shut, all non-essential personnel just call in. A dark and silent city with riot police alone in the streets. The economic blow would be devastating, but so are riots. And the silence would, I think, be more eerie and imposing. What will the pundits say to this dark and silent city? What would law enforcement do?

It wouldn't work, though. All you need is a hothead to go out and throw a brick at something and the effect will be ruined. And there are hotheads aplenty.

[axordil]

I wish they did not put it off until dark.

They're waiting until after the evening commute. Several protest actions have tied up arterial streets in town, and the light rail is another easy target. Morning commutes are less vulnerable for the simple reason than a lot of people have flexibility in how they get to work...before they go to work.

[Frelga]

I see. Makes sense, I suppose, but it does leave more time for the tension to build up.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Three of four school districts in Ferguson have already cancelled school for tomorrow. I don't think anyone thinks that there is going to be an indictment, and everyone is gearing up for the worst.

[Jude]

Is there likely to be a riot if the decision is to go ahead and indict him?

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I don't think so.

[Jude]

That's what I thought.

So the delay in announcing is an announcement in itself, it would seem.

[River]

It's hard to say. Anonymous took over the KKK twitter feed over their calls to violence in Ferguson. Makes me wonder.

And no, I don't think anyone in Ferguson wants white supremacists involved.

[Frelga]

Not that there is any good answer to this, but who was calling for violence?

[Voronwë the Faithful]

While no formal announcement has been made yet, an attorney for the Brown family has indicated that he was told that there will be no indictment.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nati ... /19474907/

[Voronwë the Faithful]

It's official, no indictment.

[axordil]

There's something about the combination of tear gas and holiday decorations that pushes this over the line into the nastiest kind of farce. I can't even watch now.

[WampusCat]

Ax, that was my reaction as well. The cheerful Seasons Greetings sign was wreathed in tear gas and smoke from fires lit in rage. Surreal.

I had hoped the protest would remain peaceful and the law enforcement restrained. Instead, some people are expressing their anger by looting and burning minority-owned businesses -- say what? -- and the police look ready to take on ISIS, not their own citizens.

[axordil]

BTW--I should note my previous explanation of why they'd announce after dark wasn't a defense so much as an understanding of the reasoning people bring to bear. As it turns out, protesters DID shut down at least one interstate here last night...but no one was hurt there that I know of.

But if they were really concerned about disruption and yadayada they would have waited until Wednesday afternoon, when all the schools were already out and only half as many people are at work. Ultimately the reason they announced at night was because they could. They're in charge and they can do whatever the hell they like and if you don't like it you can suck tear gas. That's why.