This really makes me fear for the safety of that police officer and his/her family. What do you think?
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Well, I've recently read about violent rape .gifs on gawker/jezebel etc. I'd rather not give them the clicks.
From what I've read about them in general, they sound like a really shitty website. So, in my very limited knowledge of what you're saying, I fear for anyone who is publicly shamed by a website like gawker/jezebel.
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@.twist.: I used to really enjoy reading the stories Gawker published. I'm pretty close to unfollowing them after this stunt. Actually, I just did.
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I don't care for Gawker either. But I think it was a horrible tragedy, and the police made it so much worse by not releasing the name right away. Anger has built up and who knows how the public will respond if/when the name finally gets released.
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I can't help but be afraid for the family of the police officer. Maybe if they had released it right away, but now its built up to sort of a mob mentality.
My husband is a police officer, and his information was inadvertantly released to someone (over something minor - a disgruntled traffic stop!) and it was pretty scary for us... It was nowhere near this level, so I'm inclined to fear for the officer and his family.
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This is a really really really bad idea.
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Gawker is all about click-bait. Remember when they crowdsourced to buy video of the Toronto Mayor smoking crack? C'mon!
If this came from a more reputable publication I wouldn't bat an eye. I'm sure there are plenty of reporters working on trying to be the one to get the scoop.
With that being said, the officer's name should have been released already. If it had been the other way around, a civilian shooting a police officer, we'd known the shooter's entire history, where he went to grade school, what size shoe he wore, etc.
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Also, the hacker group Anonymous has been threatening to release the information on all the police officers of Ferguson - phone numbers, addresses, everything. Freaking scary.
They say they're for justice, but I don't see how their threats and attacks are helpful...
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@grizz: I can't imagine what kind of scares you encounter being married to a police officer. (Or, just being a police officer in general).
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@mrsjazz: yup -- as I recall we knew George Zimmerman's name pretty early on. I hope at least the family has been informed and told to keep it quiet or something. They deserve to know who killed their son. Though I doubt they've been told.
ETA: Keeping it a secret for so long just adds more fuel to the fire, IMO.
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@.twist.: DH has a Facebook hate group about him, and a couple of videos on Youtube where people he's arrested have filmed him. He's a mild mannered guy who is known as one of the nicest guys on their department, so that is tame compared to many others he works with.... I cannot IMAGINE how afraid this officer's family is!
ETA: I'm not really taking sides. Just speaking from my perspective as an LEO wife. I doubt anyone will ever know what really truly happened, since it doesn't sound like the officer had a mic or video.
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@mrsjazz: Totally agree with you on this.
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@grizz: I was just going to edit my post and add "especially with social media and internets and such". But, you already confirmed those fears!
Not cool. Not freaking cool.
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The police should have released the officer's name from the start.
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@MrsSCB: Yeah, I highly doubt they've been told anything. I can't even begin to imagine what they are going through right now.
I don't agree with what Anonymous is doing and I think it's horrible that families receive death threats, people can be really horrible--I just wonder, don't most people accused of acts of violence go through this though? George Zimmerman probably received thousands of death threats. Suspects who have been found innocent and vindicated receive death threats. But their names are released. Their families have to face this crap, too. This officer's name should be public. He and his family probably have more protection than civilians in similar situations do.
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@mrsjazz: Exactly. In all crimes involving the general public, the names of the accused are released immediately, even though there's obviously a question of guilt through the trial (innocent until proven guilty and all). I don't see why this officer gets to have his name shielded when there's not even a question of whether he did the shooting. It just adds to people's mistrust and anger at the police. How are we to believe this investigation is going to be fair and just when he's already receiving special treatment?
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Although I personally feel for the officer’s family; I think his name should have already been released to the public, unless in that state names of officer’s involved in police shootings are not routinely released to the public. I don’t really care whether his name is released/broken by Gawker or the NYT. The amount of backlash and public upset is because he shot an unarmed teenager; his actions are not of an extraordinary nature that warrants secrecy and protection for *him*.
Also, I freaking LOVE LOVE LOVE Anonymous. They rock and I wish I could give each member a big hug for being awesome.
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@yoursilverlining: They were threatening to release the personal information of the police chief's daughter, who was completely uninvolved and is innocent. I think that's really scary and uncool. That's like them threatening to release my child's info because another officer on my husband's department did something. The thought is terrifying.
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@grizz: They're not threatening, they did it. For Ferguson and a couple other surrounding municipalities and some St Louis County.
I live in St Louis, only about 8 miles from where this is happening. I grew up in the area and have lived there my whole life, minus the 3 years we lived in England. The whole thing just makes me sad. That being said, I think releasing his name is a terrible idea. That area is a powder keg of poverty and pent up racial tension that has been brewing for decades. I have no doubt that harm would come to the guys family because he probably lives in the area too.
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@loveisstrange, agreed...Ferguson isn't exactly a great area. And releasing his name during rioting and such? Sigh. I just hope that they barricade off his street or something. A handful of local malls have been shut down because people are causing trouble after this....we'll all know soon enough who it was. They were going to release it, though, and then more looting and stuff happened
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Maybe this is a silly question but what will be gained by releasing the officers name?
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@blackbird: I don't understand the looting and raiding... how is that helpful? That is no way for people to take you seriously, or to get proper justice.
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@.twist.: or spray painting "snitches get stitches" on the side of a convenience store.
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@.twist.: @swedishfish: The graffiti I saw on the news that made my blood run cold said "The only good cop is a dead cop."
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@swedishfish: @grizz: YIKES. I just seriously do not understand those kinds of actions. It just seems so foolish and juvenile.
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Here's the thing -- are there people who are taking advantage of the situation to promote looting and incite more violence? Sure. But the root of the issue is, this is something that's happened time and time again with no justice and no resolution. Michael Brown is not the first young black man to be killed for no reason, and unfortunately he won't be the last. These protests and even riots that we're seeing now are what happens when people don't have any other recourse for justice. Is violence the answer? No. But you can hardly act surprised that people who feel they have no voice and no advocate are finding it hard to control their anger. Frankly, I feel pretty intense anger over this situation and I haven't had any of the experiences that a lot of these protesters have had. I highly recommend this article for more perspective: http://theconcourse.deadspin.com/america-is-not-for-black-people-1620169913
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@MrsSCB: Please don't misunderstand my comment. I am not saying these people shouldn't be angry. I'm saying, I don't understand why looting and raiding is the answer. This kind of thing does not happen where I'm from, and while I count my lucky stars for that, it still makes me wonder about it when I hear about it.
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@.twist.: Remember Vancouver when the Canucks lost? That was the stupidest reason for a riot to happen, yet it did. You're right in that looting/raiding is not the answer, but i can understand why some may not be able to control their anger over what had happened.
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@Freckles: Oh yes, I remember. I'm sure it's a major part of Canadian history now. It just definitely doesn't happen on the same scale as it does in USA.
I don't want to get this thread off topic, my comment was just a completely bewildered one, nothing more.
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http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/13/us/missouri-teen-shooting/index.html?c=homepage-t same story on CNN for those that don't want to click on Gawker.
@mrsjazz: @MrsSCB: @plantains: Agree. The officer's name should have been released.
@MUI831: Transparency. When something as simple as the officer's name (no dispute on which officer fired at the teen) is with held from the family and public it feels like a cover up.
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I agree it should've been released. The whole thing makes me sick. Nothing speaks to white privilege more for me than never ever being afraid of a police officer. If my son weren't white I don't even know how I could prepare him for being assumed to be dangerous. Sick to my stomach.
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The officer should be treated like any other alleged perpetrator. How many more vibrant young men of color do we have to lose before we say enough?! Trayvon. John Crawford. Eric Garner. Michael Brown. Oscar Grant. It's time for some outrage and change. But that must start with accountability.
http://deadspin.com/america-is-not-for-black-people-1620169913/all
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Now the Ferguson police are saying the officer involved was injured and the "side of his face was swollen." This is why transparency matters. I'll admit it's hard for me not to question the truthfulness of this and to not wonder why they didn't mention it until now? They've offered a pretty detailed account of what allegedly happened, but no mention of an injury? Just makes everything seem suspicious. http://www.kmov.com/special-coverage-001/Chief-Officer-in-fatal-shooting-suffered-facial-injuries-271079471.html
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Gawker is not the place for it BUT it's absolutely outrageous that the name of an officer who is accused of murder is not being released!!!! It's further proof that police and politicians are somehow above the law.
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@MrsSCB: Not the same cop. There was a shooting last night. A County officer shot a guy who pulled a gun on him on the street.
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@loveisstrange: No, this is talking about the same guy: "The police officer involved in the fatal shooting of an unarmed black teenager last weekend in Ferguson, Missouri, an incident that has sparked repeated and sometimes violent racially charged protests, was injured in the encounter and treated for a facial injury, the city's chief of police said on Wednesday." http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/13/us-usa-missouri-shooting-idUSKBN0GA0Q420140813
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@yoursilverlining: I agree with everything you wrote.
Gawker might not have good reasons for doing this, but my only reaction is... if only that police officer had given a shit about the life and safety of Michael Brown. No sympathy here.
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@MrsSCB: Ah. Youre right. I think the live feed I've been following must have gotten confused. There were 5 related shootings last night, so they've been busy.
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The police in ferguson are completely out of control: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/in-ferguson-washington-post-reporter-wesley-lowery-gives-account-of-his-arrest/2014/08/13/0fe25c0e-2359-11e4-86ca-6f03cbd15c1a_story.html?wpmk=MK0000205
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Personally, I don't think it's fair for anyone to make judgements at this point. From my perspective, the only information we've received (I've stopped watching the news about this so I can't say if more has come out in the last day or two) is an account of what happened from each side, neither of which i hold to be completely accurate.
Regarding the release of the officers name, I don't think it should be released. The plan was to release his name and then the riots & looting happened Sunday.
I live in St. Louis and find the whole situation awful.
Not cool. Not freaking cool.
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154 comments