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The Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy (tm) called - apparently I'm supposed to talk about the mess in Ferguson. (Note to The Conspiracy's paymaster - I'm still waiting on my check.) So, here goes.
I think it's reasonably confirmed that when Wilson stopped Brown, there was some kind of fight in Wilson's car that ended with Brown getting shot. What happened afterwards - whether Brown was charging, surrendering or doing something else - I don't know. Unless you were there, you don't know either. Fortunately or unfortunately, our legal system is set up to give the benefit of the doubt in these cases to the survivor of the altercation. Wilson, if charged, would need to be found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, which is a high standard.
The problem with this case is not Wilson's guilt. It's that it seems very difficult to convict a police officer of wrongdoing in a shooting. For example, in Utah the second-highest cause of murder is via police, and the only one of the 45 shootings found not justified did not result in criminal charges. Those kind of statistics suggest that the game is rigged for the police. If the game is rigged, arguing that we should "respect the jury's decision" makes no sense. For the record, neither does burning down buildings.
In other thoughts, as Jim Wright points out, generally speaking the same people screaming "Benghazi" despite 15 reports saying there's nothing there are also calling the Ferguson ruling justified. I also note that many of the "Benghazi-ites" were all in favor of Cliven Bundy pointing guns at police to get out of paying rent.
I don't have a pat solution to all of these issues. But I do think not discussing these problems won't make them go away.
I think it's reasonably confirmed that when Wilson stopped Brown, there was some kind of fight in Wilson's car that ended with Brown getting shot. What happened afterwards - whether Brown was charging, surrendering or doing something else - I don't know. Unless you were there, you don't know either. Fortunately or unfortunately, our legal system is set up to give the benefit of the doubt in these cases to the survivor of the altercation. Wilson, if charged, would need to be found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, which is a high standard.
The problem with this case is not Wilson's guilt. It's that it seems very difficult to convict a police officer of wrongdoing in a shooting. For example, in Utah the second-highest cause of murder is via police, and the only one of the 45 shootings found not justified did not result in criminal charges. Those kind of statistics suggest that the game is rigged for the police. If the game is rigged, arguing that we should "respect the jury's decision" makes no sense. For the record, neither does burning down buildings.
In other thoughts, as Jim Wright points out, generally speaking the same people screaming "Benghazi" despite 15 reports saying there's nothing there are also calling the Ferguson ruling justified. I also note that many of the "Benghazi-ites" were all in favor of Cliven Bundy pointing guns at police to get out of paying rent.
I don't have a pat solution to all of these issues. But I do think not discussing these problems won't make them go away.
