Woo-hoo - we made the Drudge Report!

[wmenorr67]

Driving cross country with family tomorrow.  Will be upgrading defenses and not going near Chicago

Stay away from West St Louis also.

[dogmush]

Driving cross country with family tomorrow.  Will be upgrading defenses and not going near Chicago

That's just generally a good idea.

Side, semi related note:  One of the things I have found to like the most about my AR/w Sig Brace, is as far as the law, traveling and my CCW it's a pistol which has some advantages for better concealed firepower in the car or hotel room.  Not to mention traveling with an SBR is more paperworky than a pistol.

[Ben]

Driving cross country with family tomorrow.  Will be upgrading defenses and not going near Chicago

Good plan. Interestingly, I saw that a police shooting of an allegedly handcuffed black man in Los Angeles on Monday was quiet for a couple of days, but then created a minor protest/riot/looting situation yesterday because of copycating on the Ferguson news, so while chances are low that you'll run into trouble, they're certainly higher than normal.

On a side note, I guess a good thing coming out of all this is that I saw on Fox news that there's now bipartisan support for reducing the availability of military equipment to LE. Where I fully agree with Dogmush's post regarding the snipers, etc., I wonder how this would have escalated or not had the cops remained in Andy Taylor mode a while longer. Perhaps there would have been more shouting and less destruction. Once looting and property destruction start however, I have no problems with tear gas and rubber (or real) bullets aimed at valid targets.

[HankB]

. . . They were pulling 'white' people out of their cars and beating them . . .

Was vehicular traffic that badly gridlocked, or did the victims forget they were behind the wheel of a 3000 lb, 200hp battering ram?

With all the looting the news says is going on, I'm actually kind of surprised we haven't read about an armed shopkeeper stacking up a bunch of goons in the entrance of his store as they surged through a broken door or window . . .

[Jim147]

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/michael-brown-shooting/ferguson-chief-names-darren-wilson-cop-who-shot-michael-brown-n181326

What will they say now if the guy did just rob a store?

jim

[AJ Dual]

That's just generally a good idea.

Side, semi related note:  One of the things I have found to like the most about my AR/w Sig Brace, is as far as the law, traveling and my CCW it's a pistol which has some advantages for better concealed firepower in the car or hotel room.  Not to mention traveling with an SBR is more paperworky than a pistol.

Because cops that shoot an unarmed man with his hands over his head and the family Labrador Retriever will see your Sig Brace and say "Oh! Sig Brace! You're good to go Mr. dogmush!"  

'Sokay... I get it. I'm a big proponent of the Sig Brace for it's legal advantages over a SBR as well, but you have to admit, on it's face, that's funny. 

[KD5NRH]

Was vehicular traffic that badly gridlocked, or did the victims forget they were behind the wheel of a 3000 lb, 200hp battering ram?

People don't like to think of it that way.  If they did, there would be more liability attached to using it to intimidate people in traffic.

What will they say now if the guy did just rob a store?

Considering his buddy and key witness's mouthpiece rolled on him, I guess we get to find out.

Johnson’s lawyer confirmed to MSNBC on Friday that Brown had taken the cigars from the store.

[Tallpine]

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/michael-brown-shooting/ferguson-chief-names-darren-wilson-cop-who-shot-michael-brown-n181326

What will they say now if the guy did just rob a store?

jim

That it's okay to shoot suspected robbers who have their hands in the air...?   

[dogmush]

Because cops that shoot an unarmed man with his hands over his head and the family Labrador Retriever will see your Sig Brace and say "Oh! Sig Brace! You're good to go Mr. dogmush!"  

No definitely not. I draw one of those guys I'm probably hosed.  But the guy one that pulls me over for 82 in a 70 on I-95 might be swayed by the whole "it's a pistol" thing.  Failing that, it should keep me out of jail in the aftermath of the traffic stop.  

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

Ok to shoot?

Depends more on what the cop believed. If he had just got smacked around by a robbery suspect who grabbed for his gun that same guy turning to face him again better not lean forward or it might be perceived as round 2.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2014/08/15/ferguson-police-releasing-name-of-officer-who-shot-michael-brown/?tid=sm_fb

Pics

[SADShooter]

So, officer responds to suspected robbery, possible assault. Not in itself justification for the shoot, but perhaps insight on the officer's state.

[fifth_column]

Wow, so here we go.  The police were right to kill this guy, after all, he just stole a box of cigars!  In fact, he stole them in an aggravated manner!  That cop was in fear for his life as the guy raised his hands, how was the cop to know he didn't have a live grenade in his pants?  And of course the people that are tired of putting up with the heavy-handed demands from cops should just suck it up and realize that they're only being treated like scum, because in fact, they are scum!

[KD5NRH]

So, officer responds to suspected robbery, possible assault. Not in itself justification for the shoot, but perhaps insight on the officer's state.

Also, it would be interesting to hear how it was dispatched; I wouldn't be surprised if it was something along the lines of "violent robbery, two suspects, unknown weapons."

[Balog]

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2011/08/05/report-black-mobs-attack-white-patrons-outside-wis-state-fair/

This is not where I work, this is further out in the 'burbs where black mob violence isn't supposed to happen.

And yes, if my family were in the car, I would shoot any *expletive deleted*er that made a threatening move toward them. They were pulling 'white' people out of their cars and beating them.


I narrowly missed a 'juneteenth day' celebration gone awry a few years ago because I simply selected a different route on my way home that day. One of my coworkers went through the area right as the rioting started warming up and only had a few people jump up and down on their car.

This one happened a couple of blocks form where i work in a place I drive through every day.   http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/125027704.html

When the mob is surrounding your car, how are you going to get the rifle out of your trunk?

That's sort of the crux of my whole point here. I'm not saying there are no scenarios where having a rifle wouldn't be good, I just have trouble seeing how one would be able to deploy your rifle in those scenarios.

Not arguing, I am honestly curious.

[Balog]

Which is it?

Using optics to get a closer look, or using optics to aim (as in select and prepare to shoot)?

Will you next be calling out hunters that use their rifle-mounted scopes to check out the terrain looking to see if they can spot whatever it is they'd like to hunt (you know, aim at, shoot, and kill)?

What, if any, difference is there between the cops and "overwatch" teams in Afghanistan?  Neither is glassing the area with the intent of shooting everything that comes into their field of view.  (And I understand the cops have much stricter ROE that the folks in the 'Stan.)

stay safe.

1. Semantic difference. I don't think cops should be pointing guns at people who are in no way a threat.
2. One is a peace officer in his home country, one is a soldier in a foreign war zone? I'm hoping this is a rhetorical question.

[wmenorr67]

When the mob is surrounding your car, how are you going to get the rifle out of your trunk?

That's sort of the crux of my whole point here. I'm not saying there are no scenarios where having a rifle wouldn't be good, I just have trouble seeing how one would be able to deploy your rifle in those scenarios.

Not arguing, I am honestly curious.

I've thought that if I ever have a decent enough truck, I would mount a rifle rack just over the windshield from the roof.

[dogmush]

I've thought that if I ever have a decent enough truck, I would mount a rifle rack just over the windshield from the roof.

http://www.vdpusa.com/truck/shelf-it.php

I had one of these on my Bronco, and will have another on my next F150.  Handy as heck, and with tinted windows keeps the rifle out of sight.

There's also an AR fold-for storage adapter that would allow a 10" or so barrel to fit in the center console of many trucks.

[Balog]

http://www.vdpusa.com/truck/shelf-it.php

I had one of these on my Bronco, and will have another on my next F150.  Handy as heck, and with tinted windows keeps the rifle out of sight.

There's also an AR fold-for storage adapter that would allow a 10" or so barrel to fit in the center console of many trucks.

Wish they made those for Subarus.

[wmenorr67]

http://www.vdpusa.com/truck/shelf-it.php

I had one of these on my Bronco, and will have another on my next F150.  Handy as heck, and with tinted windows keeps the rifle out of sight.

There's also an AR fold-for storage adapter that would allow a 10" or so barrel to fit in the center console of many trucks.

That would be it.  When I worked for an auto parts wholesaler we sold a few of those.

[vaskidmark]

Driving cross country with family tomorrow.  Will be upgrading defenses and not going near Chicago

Pretty much SOP for pulling out of the driveway.

stay safe.

[roo_ster]

Circumstances are still a muddle.  Though given that brown was a robbing thug not above intimidating those smaller than him...er i mean a st louis cardinals fan...i will shed at least one fewer tear for the late mr brown.

[dogmush]

Circumstances are still a muddle.  Though given that brown was a robbing thug not above intimidating those smaller than him...er i mean a st louis cardinals fan...i will shed at least one fewer tear for the late mr brown.

One thing is not a muddle:  Whatever the circumstances surrounding the initial shoot riots, damage, looting, and death threats are not an appropriate response before the justice system has even a chance to work.

[Tallpine]

One thing is not a muddle:  Whatever the circumstances surrounding the initial shoot riots, damage, looting, and death threats are not an appropriate response before the justice system has even a chance to work rule that the police shooting was justified and followed accepted standards .

Fixed 

[SteveS]

Well, it's North County.


Help me out here, folks.

The cops were lambasted for doing nothing, and letting looters take over on Sunday night. Now, the past two or three days, all I hear is that the cops are being "heavy-handed," and shouldn't be pointing rifles at people, using tear gas, being all military-like. Concerns about the militarization of police seems to have gone mainstream.

 

If anything, Ferguson seems to be a case that would justify all of that military hardware. Looting, arson, Molotov cocktails, random gunfire? From what I'm reading, a lot of the "protests" are centered around the Quiktrip, as if to leave no doubt that they intend more of the same.

What is your take?

Good question, and I wonder if this is a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation.  If I lived near there, I would want the police to do what they could to make it stop.  That being said, I am not willing to throw out due process and civil liberties to make it happen.  I am not convinced that the "heavy handed" tactics work all that well.  I am not suggesting that the police hand out cookies and open a kissing booth, but tear gassing reporters and people on their own property seems to be a little much.