Open Carry? Open Season? Strange Fruit, indeed.

[johnny9fingers]

I'm so glad I'm not a black chap in the USA.

On August 5th this year a chap called John Crawford walked into a Wal-Mart while talking on his cellphone, took down an air rifle on display, and wandered around looking at other stuff, maybe to purchase, whilst still talking on his cellphone, before being gunned down by the local policeforce. This in

Comments

[peamasii]

In conclusion air rifles should be banned.

[johnny9fingers]

Well...obviously not for upstanding white folk...but maybe black folk should be wary of any toys that could be assumed to be dangerous to policemen. Maybe we should advise them not to buy baseball bats, car jacks, or even balloons...for their own safety, you understand.

[peamasii]

It's a police state and there are wars on crime, drugs, terror, etc.

[moonshaz]

The so-called war on drugs is stupid, and so is the war on terror. I could write all day about the problems with both. However, it's a rather huge jump from that to "The US is a police state," especially since you don't live here (I looked at your profile) and therefore don't have any personal experience with any of this.

[peamasii]

Neither does the OP so what is your beef with me in particular? Not to mention that you're a complete unknown variable in this wonder of threads.

[johnny9fingers]

These wars seem to affect white folk and black folk rather differently. The asymmetric aspect of these differences might almost be considered to be institutionally racist. We have such problems in the UK too, but not quite as markedly. Maybe because our police are not routinely armed.

[sandwichwarrior]

No the white folk get shot too, it just doesn't make national news.

[johnny9fingers]

True, especially when they piss-off the Costco workers, and the police, and don't put their guns down when told to as part of a process that took quite a bit longer than the police just turning up and shooting dead a black shopper with little or no warning.

However, it does appear that some of your policemen are out of control. And that they appear to be protected from any consequences of their out of control actions.

[sandwichwarrior]

True, especially when they piss-off the Costco workers, and the police, and don't put their guns down when told...

So they say. Several eye-witnesses have said that Scott never drew his gun, Costco Security and Las Vegas PD say he did. Personally I find it highly suspicious that the surveillance tapes for the night in question seem to have been "lost".

However, it does appear that some of your policemen are out of control. And that they appear to be protected from any consequences of their out of control actions.

On this much we are in 100% agreement.