Ferguson: More tension and police brace for more protests

Ferguson Protestors (Loavesofbread)

The situation is again tense in Ferguson, Missouri. Here are a few items with a couple of different perspectives:

November 16, 2014

FERGUSON, Missouri — Activists protesting the fatal shooting of an unarmed black teen by a white policeman in Ferguson, Missouri, expressed anger on Saturday after the city’s police chief said the officer could return to work if a grand jury does not charge him criminally.

The St. Louis suburb of Ferguson, which saw weeks of sometimes violent protests after the Aug. 9 shooting, is on edge as the jury decides whether the officer, Darren Wilson, will face charges for the shooting of Michael Brown.

Wilson would likely be fired if he is indicted, but he could return to duty if he is not, Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson told MSNBC on Saturday, adding that he had not spoken with Wilson to know if he wanted to rejoin the department.

Wilson would still face an internal investigation even if the grand jury does not bring charges, Jackson said. http://bangordailynews.com/2014/11/16/news/nation/ferguson-protesters-decry-report-officer-involved-in-teen-shooting-may-return-to-work/

November 15, 2014

Newly surfaced surveillance videos and dispatch calls from the day a Ferguson, Mo., police officer shot an unarmed 18-year-old contradict the police officer’s version of events, attorneys representing Michael Brown’s family said today.

The videos show Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson leaving for the hospital hours after he fatally shot Brown. The fatal shooting sparked weeks of protest in the Missouri city.

The videos, which were obtained by the St. Louis-Post Dispatch, show Wilson, 28, leaving the police station with another officer and a police union lawyer two hours after the shooting, the newspaper reported.

“Information was leaked from within the police department that Wilson was severely beaten and suffered an orbital eye socket ‘blowout,’ indicating that Michael Brown somehow deserved to die. From the video released today it would appear the initial descriptions of his injuries were exaggerated,” a statement from attorneys representing the Brown family said. http://abcnews.go.com/US/ferguson-videos-show-darren-wilson-fatally-shooting-michael/story?id=26936378

November 15, 2014

From Boston to Los Angeles, police departments are bracing for large demonstrations when a grand jury decides whether to indict a white police officer who killed an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri.

The St. Louis County grand jury, which has been meeting since Aug. 20, is expected to decide this month whether Officer Darren Wilson is charged with a crime for killing 18-year-old Michael Brown after ordering him and a friend to stop walking in the street on Aug. 9.

The shooting has led to tension with police and a string of unruly protests there and brought worldwide attention to the formerly obscure St. Louis suburb, where more than half the population is black but few police officers are.

For some cities, a decision in the racially charged case will, inevitably, reignite long-simmering debates over local police relations with minority communities.

“It’s definitely on our radar,” said Lt. Michael McCarthy, police spokesman in Boston, where police leaders met privately Wednesday to discuss preparations. “Common sense tells you the timeline is getting close. We’re just trying to prepare in case something does step off, so we are ready to go with it.”

In Los Angeles, rocked by riots in 1992 after the acquittal of police officers in the videotaped beating of Rodney King, police officials say they’ve been in touch with their counterparts in Missouri, where Gov. Jay Nixon and St. Louis-area law enforcement held a news conference this week on their own preparations.

“Naturally, we always pay attention,” said Cmdr. Andrew Smith, a police spokesman. “We saw what happened when there were protests over there and how oftentimes protests spill from one part of the country to another.” http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/11/15/48100/cities-including-los-angeles-brace-for-protests-of/

November 16, 2014

The cops are preparing for the worst. And it may happen. And Sharpton, Jackson, Holder, and yes, Obama too, are shamefully silent.

Is Ferguson on the brink of war? With every fiber in my body I hope the answer is a resounding “No.” In light of recent events, however, a violent confrontation between protestors and law enforcement seems inevitable as a grand jury decides whether to indict a white police officer for the shooting death of a black teenager.

A few days ago I appeared on the Fox Business Network to discuss this question with anchor Lou Dobbs and former federal prosecutor Doug Burns. What struck me over the course of our conversation is that a violent conflict seems almost inevitable given a few startling revelations.

First, the local CBS News affiliate reported a few days ago that a Ferguson resident noted the town “is getting prepared for war” if the grand jury doesn’t indict Officer Darren Wilson in the death of the 18-year-old Michael Brown. Never mind that the autopsy report that was recently released indicates wounds sustained by Brown are consistent with apparent statements by Wilson and six African-American eyewitnesses who claim the teen charged the officer and a scuffle for the gun ensued inside the patrol car. That these six eyewitnesses have remained anonymous for fear of their personal safety is revealing in and of itself.

In the same news account, civil rights activists from the Don’t Shoot Coalition have asked local prosecutors to provide them with a 48-hour advance notification of the grand jury decision to “help prevent widespread violence if they have 48 hours to prepare for protests.” The Coalition is comprised of labor unions, anti-war activists, clergy, and so-called black empowerment groups.

Question: Does anyone believe this coalition will use a 48-hour window to quell violence? Or will it or seek to incite it? I tend to believe the latter rather than the former given what we saw in the weeks following Brown’s tragic shooting. …

My question is simply this: where are the Reverends Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson in seeking to quell potential violence? The same is to be asked of our Attorney General, and of the President of the United States, both of whom had no problem calling for a civil rights probe of the shooting but have thus far failed to preemptively warn against potential protests from spiraling out of control.

Sharpton and Jackson have indeed spoken out about the situation in Ferguson—but in a manner that appears to inflame rather than calm matters. Just last weekend Sharpton returned to Ferguson for several days of events to call for “justice” for Michael Brown. At one such event Sharpton offered: “If there is not justice for this family, then we have not achieved the goals of this movement.” A less provocative approach would have been to appeal for calm and respect the rule of law and the grand jury’s deliberations regardless of its decision. Sharpton’s view of justice seems to be prejudged and preordained: if Officer Wilson isn’t indicted, justice will not have been served. http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/11/16/as-michael-brown-grand-jury-winds-down-is-ferguson-on-the-brink-of-war.html

There are reports that Michael Brown charged at and/or injured the police officer, which would be wrong. However, it would also seem that allegedly shooting Michael Brown six times for his actions would also be wrong. Many believe that shooting was racially motivated, which if it was (and I have my doubts that it was) that would, of course, be wrong.

Anyway, I do not condone the use of excessive force by the government nor violent protests against the government. Multiple wrongs do not make a right and violence begets violence. After Jesus was being mistreated by semi-governmental authorities, one of His followers attempted to use a sword to try to change the situation. Notice what Jesus said:

52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. (Matthew 26:52, KJV)

Vengeance belongs to God:

17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. (Romans 12:17-19, NKJV)

What is needed is peace:

9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:9)

As far as violence goes, the Bible also shows that God is against violence and that destruction will come because of it:

23 ‘Make a chain,
For the land is filled with crimes of blood,
And the city is full of violence.
24 Therefore I will bring the worst of the Gentiles,
And they will possess their houses;
I will cause the pomp of the strong to cease,
And their holy places shall be defiled. (Ezekiel 7:23-24)

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality…30…violent, proud, boasters,…31…unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:28-32)

8…And the violence of the land and the city, And of all who dwell in it. ( Habakkuk 2:8)

In my view, some of the protesters and some in the government turn too quickly to violence.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

God’s Grace is For All Is being Jewish a hindrance to salvation? What about not being a descendant of Israel? What does the Bible really teach? Here is a link to a related sermon titled Race and Grace; Do you view race as God does?
Military Service and the Churches of God: Do Real Christians Participate in Carnal Warfare or Encourage Violence? Here are current and historical perspectives on a matter which show the beliefs of the true church on military participation. Is war proper for Christians? A related sermon would be: Christians, Violence, and Military Service.
Christian Soldiers How are Christians to be like soldiers? How are they to be different?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught?