Ferguson, Missouri Who Benefits?

That may seem kind of a odd question since it appears on the surface no one does. However, advertently or inadvertently several players financially benefit by continually fanning the flames of discontent.* First off it's the police themselves. Police are not salaried. They are paid by the hour. No doubt it will cost taxpayers $100,000's in overtime pay.

* 10's of TV reporters have descended on Ferguson. Everyone knows when they do there is a huge spike in ratings. The more they excite their audience the greater the ratings. The greater the ratings the more advertisers have to pay per minute/per viewer.

* Then there's the suppliers for tools of the trade. Tear gas canisters, rubber bullets, flash bangs, vests, shields, batons and even fuel suppliers for the vehicles.It seems just about everybody makes out except the protestors. Let's talk about the protestors. I'm confused how so many have the time to run around in the streets all day into the night. Don't they have a job to go to? Apparently not.

Parents shouldn't be dragging their kids into the protest now that schools have been shut down. I know I wouldn't want my kids witnessing both adults and police behaving badly. I know I wouldn't let my kids grow up under the impression this is the way to act in society when people disagree.

There are no good guys here. Both sides are wrong. Police need to start acting like police and not a military force like it were some war zone. In many cases instead of calmly quelling a situation they are escalating it. So too are protestors who engage police when they do. It seems both police and the angry crowds are both chumming each other hoping to gain some sort of win in a no-win situation for either side. When crowds act up against police they lose the empathy and support more rational thinking people may have for them. Same goes with the police.

This constant media attention on every little thing goats both sides to become more confrontational. At this point media has now become part of the story rather then reporting on it. They've given this way too much over the top coverage. Live streaming minute by minute both day and night. Sticking a mic or camera into the face of every bad actor whether it be cops or some protestor is irresponsible journalism.

Hell reporters even managed to get in the action themselves by being where they don't need to be barking into their microphones. None of them would have been picked up by police had they set their cameras to photo or video the situations from balconies or on rooftops. By doing so they would be observing the situation rather then becoming participant in it.

The victim of the police shooting was no innocent. But he certainly didn't deserve to be shot six times and executed over a petty theft. On the other hand no cop (especially this one) would have taken out his gun had the suspect complied. If the suspect in the theft had a beef, take it up with his lawyer and a judge in court. Both were wrong.

Apparently blacks in Ferguson feel they've been treated unfairly by heavy handed cops. Perhaps it may or may not be so, but allowing some individuals to get up in cops faces, looting stores and screaming out in the streets into reporters cameras is just feeding the bears < pardon my pun

As far as I'm concerned everyone from protestors to police, including the media are an embarrassment. Nobody's acted responsibly from the get go. The suspect for what he did. The cop squeezing off six shots. Not the riot police nor people out in the streets screaming both day and night about what might have or not happened. They weren't there.


The country is going off it's rocker
I don't know whether it's the food, water or what it is, but people have become way too aggressive. We see it with the militarization of our police. More people having road rage. Others getting physical with cops in almost every encounter.

Shootings of every kind-- Random shootings. Firing a gun at a perceived home intruder which in too many cases ends up being unnecessary. In some cases even a member of their own family who came home late or got up to use the toilet ends up shot. Shootings in schools, work places and movie theaters.

Teenagers, both boys and girls, video taping fights (sometimes encouraged by their own parents).

The latest fad of going around and sucker punching complete strangers for no reason.

It seems too people are losing more and more self control. Teachers who can't keep their hands off of students. Even if it weren't legally speaking "consensual" sex in all too many cases we learn some teen students themselves agreed to it. In some instances even instigating it.

More and more of both our young and adults are acting up against authority even after doing something wrong. Thereby refusing to accept responsibility for their own actions.


In ConclusionWhat's going on in Ferguson is symptomatic of changes going on in our society. The breaking down of self discipline and increasing aggressions towards one another.

So too the exploitation of it by media seeking advertising dollars spread thinner by more competitions to them then ever before.

Ferguson (with it's single death) is far less a concern then these others we face. If it weren't for media hype most of use wouldn't even be speaking of it (including me).

Each of us should reflect, act responsibly, hold ourselves accountable for each our own actions and hope we not fall victim to those who do not. That's all we can do.