Welcome to the latest LU office pool. The contest is open to contributors and readers alike. No investment is necessary. Prize to be determined.
The goal is to determine how many hours elapse between the release of the name of the officer involved in the shooting death of black teen Michael Brown (which is imminent) and one of the following kneejerk reactions: (1) the issuance of a bounty on his head by the New Black Panthers or (2) the publication of his address — more likely the wrong address — by Spike Lee.
So eager are professional race baiters and looters in Ferguson, Mo., to know the cop’s name that one of them tweeted out the wrong name yesterday. And what exactly do Rev. Al Sharpton, Missouri State Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, and the rest of those clamoring for justice to do with that piece of information? The narrative being advanced is that it will enable them to “conduct an investigation.” Never mind that the U.S. Justice Department has already begun its own formal investigation (which, considering that the slain teen was one of Attorney General Eric Holder’s “people,” will get top priority).
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon told ABC News:
I was pleased to hear [Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson] indicate this would be a day in which, finally, that initial name would come out, and we’ll work to make sure that his family [is safe] and there’s security around that. I think those kind of concrete steps of transparency leading to justice are vitally important now to heal the old wounds that have been made a fresh by this difficult and horrific situation.
Really? Try telling that to David and Elaine McClain. They are the elderly couple whose Sanford, Fla., address Spike Lee idiotically tweeted out to his quarter million Twitter followers as the address of George Zimmerman. The McClain were harassed by self-appointed vigilantes and received numerous death threats. Zimmerman’s family was also hounded and threatened.
According to today’s headlines, the passions in Ferguson are beginning to cool, and protests are “turning peaceful.” Instead of reigniting emotions, wouldn’t it make much better sense at this juncture to keep the investigation low-key and (sigh!) give peace a chance?
*UPDATE* This just in via the Daily Mail on Twitter:
BREAKING: The officer involved in the Mike Brown shooting has been identified as Darren Wilson #Ferguson
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMailUS) August 15, 2014
The clock has started!
Related Articles
- Missouri State Police to take over public security in Ferguson
- Ferguson police: Officer named by anonymous source in Brown killing is false
- Tweet of the Day: Obama parties while Ferguson burns
- BREAKING: Reporters arrested in Ferguson; teargas; Molotov cocktails; outside agitators
- *UPDATE* Developing: Antonio French detained in Ferguson
- There’s a ‘Ferguson’ near you
- Federal encroachment: FAA imposes temporary flight restrictions over Ferguson, MO
- Rev. Al Sharpton, Islamic groups stir the pot in Ferguson, MO
- Firearm sales through the roof in St. Louis
- Dem MO senator adds fuel to fire, calls Brown shooting ‘execution-style’ murder
- Community activist: We should ‘thank’ looters in Mo. town where teen was slain for ‘wake-up call’ (Video)
- FL couple whose address Spike Lee wrongly advertised as George Zimmerman’s sue
