Moving the goal posts: The False Narrative Of Calm In Ferguson

[TalkingDog]

http://www.popularresistance.org/the-false-narrative-of-calm-in-ferguson/


“I had a National Guardsmen put an automatic rifle in my face and ask to see my credentials,” says live streamer James Woods. “I have been to many protests and actions in many places, but the shit I saw last night was insanity of the highest order. Military vehicles in the middle of the road with LRADs and large caliber turrets, choppers flying at 200 feet, beatings, police turning dogs on priests and women.”

Yet even after hundreds of people were terrorized at gunpoint and several falsely arrested, including a legal observer and at least one journalist, Guardian editors saw fit to write the headline, “Night of relative calm in Ferguson ahead of Holder visit.” Reporter Rory Carroll offhandedly wrote a description of events which is disturbingly at odds with reality.

snip

Authorities have adopted “Ferguson standards” of law and order, which is on a sliding scale. They’ve rolled out military equipment and weapons so deadly and frightening that not using some of them one night seems comparatively peaceful.

The media have normalized the militarized police by adopting the “Ferguson standard”: no teargas and no bullets is not bad! They seem as eager as authorities to restore “calm” by repeating the message that things are calm.

[bigtree]

1. the 'narrative of calm' is mostly referring to demonstrators

... the police presence and operation is still aggravating the mostly peaceful protests.

Still, I get what is said here. I read where someone had written that the macing was better than tear gas; or that arbitrary and violent arrests were better than the smoke bombs, and such.

Even the releases without charge don't make the police presence and operation some benign entity. They are out of control and not needed to parent over the demonstrators - screaming at them to stay on the sidewalk and off of a section of parking lot; or slamming protestors into the ground for telling them how abusive they are being. They are absolutely out of control.

The major media bias and prevarication should come as no surprise to anyone.


But I would think it is important to point out where the police restraint has produced a less violent and harmful situation for the people and press. I don't think anyone should refrain from pointing that out, seeing how the demonstrators have been portrayed as instigators and the primary cause of the disturbances.

What we need is more objective coverage, all around. Generalizations don't serve that purpose, but neither do exaggerations or omissions on any side.


FayettevilleFreeZone ‏@FayFreeZone 28m
Media lies re #Ferguson police out of control not people @GlobalRevLive @CecilyMcMillan http://klou.tt/3ae0qevikwo4

[OilemFirchen]

2. "Relative calm" not good enough for this "citizen journalist"?

Yes, indeed. Let's offer some armchair "reportage" from a thousand miles away, discouraging de-escalation in order to get some ME time. Thanks Anne. You're a peach!