Nothing says concern about civil justice and race relations like looting a liquor store.

[Electric Monk]

On a side note, I wonder how many of the worst examples of behavior tonight in Ferguson were from locals, and how many were opportunistic tourists looking for an excuse to behave badly ?

[GGJohn]

1. I'm betting that the bad behavior was from agitators,

I saw several protesters trying to stop the few that were acting out.

[nomorenomore08]

12. +1

[blkmusclmachine]

2. Cops get thirsty.

[former9thward]

28. Cops were looting the liquor store?

[Recursion]

3. Well, at the risk of repeating myself from the past several weeks: I'll wait until the facts are in

I currently have no idea who is burning and/or looting what, and it would be premature to say whether or not this has anything to do with the protests other than using them as an excuse/shield (or, for that matter, target).

[Electric Monk]

8. That's sort of my point. Those truly concerned about Michael Brown would've listened to his parents.

It seems to me like some people were intent on this building up to more riots, just like this, but not the Brown family.

[Recursion]

16. Why would rioters care what the Brown family has to say?

It's not like the people in Keene actually cared about pumpkins. Once the social contract breaks all kinds of bad shit happens.

[LanternWaste]

30. The fundamental question being, who initially broke the contract...

" Once the social contract breaks all kinds of bad shit happens."

The fundamental question being, who initially broke the contract-- the collective and systemic actions of law enforcement against minorities, or the reaction to that?

[6000eliot]

4. Isn't blaming a whole group of people based on the actions of a few

the very definition of prejudice?

[Bonobo]

5. Nothing says missing the fucking forest...

like focusing on one little branch in an entire rainforest of racism, abuse and oppression.

[kelliekat44]

19. +++++1 Million! nt

[Lizzie Poppet]

33. Right now, the focus IS on Ferguson, though.

And a part of what's happening in Ferguson is looting (and arson, etc.). Asking whether violent, destructive responses are appropriate is a perfectly legitimate question.

The enormous problems of how the African-American community is treated by law enforcement and the increasing militarization of the latter must be addressed. Is the destruction or theft of the property of people unconnected to the shooting something that helps address those problems, or do they instead make it worse?

[Voltaire]

35. You are correct

People are paying attention to symptoms and completely missing the contagion that engulfs this guilty land

[XemaSab]

6. If I was subject to 400 years of racism and oppression

I'd want a beer too.

[Blue_Tires]

7. Who knows...

But I will say when the FBI, Nixon, police, bloggers gun nutters, media, etc. are saying weeks in advance to be afraid because there is going to be violence and chaos, it obviously becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy...

Yup...The PTB played this one beautifully and got their primetime carnage for a national audience, while ever-so-deftly reinforcing in our national subconscious the grand jury's decision by making sure the world see live what kind of animals and Philistines live in Ferguson, Mo.

[nomorenomore08]

13. "Self-fulfilling prophecy" is exactly right. n/t

[maced666]

9. LOL and the liquor store is the first looted. Hell, tip/burn police car after...

Loot that damn store first!

[ZombieHorde]

10. Molotovs aren't going to make themselves. nt

[Niceguy1]

11. doesn't matter where

They are from.

That aside, looting amd burning does nothing to address social injustice. Using such violence to effect political change is terrorism...

[ecstatic]

14. that store is central to what happened to Mike Brown. nt

[Teamster Jeff]

15. It's all about civil justice and race relations. Looting included. Shit, especially looting. nm

[Eleanors38]

17. Jesus, it's a riot not a philosophical fashion statement.

When slaves rose up in the Stono Rebellion, the first stop was the gun shop.

[Adrahil]

21. Well, THAT would make sense. The Hooch Palace? Not so much! n/t

[Eleanors38]

27. Few riots do not involve vandalism and looting;

Liquor and convenience stores topping the list.

[Capt. Obvious]

34. No results found for "HOOCH PALACE" FERGUSON.

Your search - "HOOCH PALACE" MISSOURI - did not match any news results.

Your search - "HOOCH PALACE" - did not match any news results.

Your search - "HOOCH PALACE" - About 104 results (0.18 seconds)

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kries-Hooch-Palace/147695721991613

Why is the liberal media ignoring the rioting in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia?

[Trajan]

18. So sayeth the Gungeonite ...

Love when you guys come out of the Gungeon and spew this ... nonsense ....

[GGJohn]

23. Electric Monk a gungeonite?

[Eleanors38]

29. Fifth column?

[SQUEE]

31. WHAt!?!?!?!

EM is most certainly not a gungeonite... WOW.

[boston bean]

20. Nothing says more about civil justice like getting away with shooting unarmed black men and black

young men without impunity.

[Adrahil]

22. And how does looting an burning other peoples' stuff..

... help that even a little bit?

[boston bean]

24. You want the rule of law followed, then follow the rule of law.

This decision was a corrupted by the DA as he made Darren Wilson the victim to be protected, not Mike Brown.

So, yeah, fuck em. What's a looting in the face of cold blooded murder.

[Adrahil]

25. Really? Holy Freaking Jeebus!!

I don;t even know what to say to that.

Here's a hint: the people who worked at that Advanced Auto Parts Store? They don't have jobs now. They didn't shoot Michael Brown. Your position is wholly unsupportable.

[kwolf68]

26. Thank you

The looters are thugs, PURE thugs, rioters, law breakers. They have NO justification for this. They've now made their neighbors, black folks, unemployed.

These rioters are cowards too...AND stupid. So a STATE decision on not indicting a killer cop is met by these asshats destroying PRIVATE property, business people who had NO culpability in the decision. BRILLIANT!!!

[Orsino]

32. Nothing says "loot a liquor store" like the systematic denial of civil rights for centuries. n/t

[SoCalDem]

36. In ANY civil unrest where mob mentality takes over, there is usually

some looting..Why?..

Because there is the feeling of righteous anger that develops alongside the feeling of anonymity. There will always be people who decide that while a store is "open" and vulnerable, this is their opportunity to get something that they do not have enough money to buy. Many feel that the business owners have insurance (some may not have enough), so why not grab that bottle of expensive booze or those cartons of cigarettes.

If enough people are looting, there is a piling on effect, and others join in..

It's not okay to loot, but there is an explanation for it.