To those of us old enough to have been there

[upaloopa]

the scenes from Ferguson are exactly like those from the sixties. What strikes me is those cops are a generation or two removed from the cops beating heads in the sixties. Since racism and hatred are taught there must be a handing down of racism from the sixties to the cops of today.
That is proof enough that racism has never died in this country. It has gone somewhat underground in the past but like a smoldering flame it is burning bright again. I think hatred of Obama has brought it out into the open again.
Racism will only end when we stop teaching the next generation to hate.

[oldandhappy]

1. Was just sitting here thinking along the same lines.

Am remembering the sixties and have wanted to say 'I've been here.' Thank you for your post.

[fredamae]

2. I remember the '60's

all to well. The images - you never forget. I'm as tearfully sickened now as I was then......

Thanks for your post.

[tech3149]

3. One major difference

Back then, with the exception of calling out the guard(and even they weren't in full battle gear), the local police were not equipped the same and were not trained the same. I had to work in the NJ police and fire academy, as a contractor, and got to see first hand the sort of training they received. It was very adversarial and defensive even back in the 90's. One of the nice things about being one of those unimportant people just doing your job is you can be invisible and non-threatening and observe the species without having them guard their actions or thoughts.

[upaloopa]

5. I am sure you are right.

Also in the sixties it was happening in more than one place at a time.

[pinboy3niner]

4. It was in the '60s that Daryl Gates created the first SWAT team

He was an Inspector at the LAPD at the time, having served immediately before that as Captain-Commander of the department's Intelligence Division.

[tech3149]

9. Yea, but back then SWAT was only used a handful of times in truly life threatening situations

The progression of usage has been exponential since then. It's like you can't have all those fancy toys without justifying it by using them for everything.

[Scuba]

6. Gee, ya think?

[Ms. Toad]

7. I just commented to my spouse this morning -

that this reminds me a lot of the 60s.

[JaneyVee]

8. If a militarized police force existed in the 60's...

There quite possibly may not have even been a civil rights movement.

[Ms. Toad]

10. Either you weren't there - or your memory has softened it. n/t