Michael Brown's memorial tree 'cut down' after one night in Ferguson

[n2doc]

Source: Mashable

One day after a Michael Brown memorial tree was planted in Ferguson, Missouri, someone appears to have slashed it in half.

A memorial stone placed at the foot of the tree is also missing, according to a local news channel, which was planted by members of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association.

Caucus members had planted the tree in January Wabash Memorial Park on Saturday. But just one day later, community members found it cut. Police say they have no idea who desecrated the memorial.

Residents of the city were shocked.

Read more: http://mashable.com/2015/04/20/michael-brown-tree/

---

[RKP5637]

1. What vile creatures lurk in the sewers of mankind! What a dispicable act! n/t

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

136. Truer words.

[Quackers]

2. Time to plant another one and set up a camera. nt

[MADem]

4. Great minds!!! nt

[Quackers]

5. Lol

[Snotcicles]

34. I would want to witness that in person and undetected, undetected at first anyway. nt

[cstanleytech]

36. Plus they should plant an even bigger tree as a giant middle finger towards

the person or persons who cut the first one down.

[Evergreen Emerald]

98. Plant 100 of them

And then put up the surveillance camera!

[JDPriestly]

50. Right. Great idea.

[Hoyt]

68. +1

[MADem]

3. Plant another one, quietly, and quietly stash surveillance cameras in nearby houses/parked cars and

other structures. Very important to not mention the surveillance cameras.

Then wait.

[rtracey]

96. I say no

I say, this memorial as it is signals much more then a flourishing tree. The symbolism of this cut, dead stump show just how divided our country is, and how improvement is still needed. I say preserve the cut stump as a sign of race relations. Symbolism is truth.

[MADem]

99. I disagree. If you let them define your memorial, they win.

I like the idea of justice. Replant the thing and catch the criminals. Call them to account. You want symbolism? The symbolism of the shitty, whiney faces of the criminals on the front page of the newspaper as they are marched into court to answer charges works very well for me. The symbolism of those little shits picking up garbage on the highway wearing orange jumpsuits works well with me. That's symbolism that resonates.

The history of Ferguson has been that Might Makes Right. Leaving the tree vandalized says that Might still Makes Right--and that's just not "on" with me.

[rtracey]

105. or

or you get the symbolism of some punk little 12 year old running around doing a dare because he's trying to empress a 13 yo girl....thats not racial symbolism, thats failure of parents to control their asshole kids....

[MADem]

108. If that's the case, you also get the symbolism of the kid paying for, and planting, another tree

as part of his community service, and formally apologizing to the memorial organizers and the city.

It would be a great "Actions Have Consequences" as well as an "Awareness" moment--and no one would have to die and bleed out in the street to make the point, either. Win-win.

[notadmblnd]

117. that wasn't the Mike Brown tree

If you go back to the link in the OP, the paper has corrected the article

CORRECTION, April 20: The photograph originally published with this article did not show the tree dedicated to Mike Brown. Instead, it showed a nearby tree that was incorrectly identified in a local media report. Both trees were damaged. The photo at the top now shows the correct tree.

http://mashable.com/2015/04/20/michael-brown-tree/

[Roy Rolling]

6. Link

The link contains malware.

[n2doc]

9. It does not, but here is another link

http://www.kmov.com/story/28842731/memorial-tree-for-michael-brown-cut-in-half-stone-memorial-missing

[GoneFishin]

7. Racists are emotionally damaged children who stopped maturing when they were pre-teens. No mentally

healthy person would do something so despicable.

What assholes.

[phil89]

12. What evidence is there

that racists did this? Do you always jump to conclusions like that? Evidently no one knows who did it or why.

[GoneFishin]

14. You are correct. As a factual matter I do not know.

[AlbertCat]

22. Evidently no one knows who did it or why.

Yes... probably just someone who hates trees...right? That's reasonable!

[hueymahl]

33. Someone hates these cans!

[Dragonfli]

81. LOL

[wendylaroux]

91. Ha!!!

[notadmblnd]

31. So what, do you think the people that did this- they're just tree haters?

Maybe the tree's 1 1/2 inch trunk was obstructing the view of people turning? Could it have been putting out too much oxygen and that pissed someone off? Who other than some bigot(s) and what other possible reason do you think there could be for someone destroying that tree?

[virgogal]

39. Didn't you ever hear of vandalism? My town

had 1/2 dozen brand new trees snapped in two about 10 years ago.

Local teens,probably.

Why jump to conclusions?

[notadmblnd]

42. Better question. Why stick you head in the sand and ignore the recent past?

So basically, your answer is that they're just tree (and plaque) haters.

Yeah it was vandalism alright, vandalism committed by bigots.

[virgogal]

45. If the vandalism was by bigots I apologize but

I've seen nothing that says it was.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

77. Wait. You are serious?

[virgogal]

90. Yes,I was serious. I saw nothing in the original

post stating the motive behind the damage to the trees. There was also another tree damaged.

As I mentioned in an earlier post I've seen young trees damaged before by idiots.

Jackasses abound,I'm afraid.

[notadmblnd]

110. Head, sand, stuck

Tell me, how does it feel? Do you get a back ache or neck ache or anything like that from maintaining that position?

[RegexReader]

131. With this having something to steal

not hard to see someone stealing the plaque for resale later or to keep as a memento.

Are you suggesting that a pickup load of crackers drove into a black neighborhood and did this with the risk of getting mobbed? Or that police officer dared to touch it with all the cameras around that could have recorded it and would have lost his job over the incident? I seriously doubt that either did it.

Sorry, there isn't a racist under every rock and human stupidity is infinite.

[notadmblnd]

132. Cameras don't appear to be stopping cops from shooting or beating people to death

so why would fear of catching them on camera cause one to hesitate hacking a tree? Someone obviously was bold enough to do it and didn't care about whether or not there were cameras.

And no, the deed would not necessarily require a pickup load of as you say- "crackers" to perform the desecration. Or are you suggesting that all white racists are such cowards and so afraid of African Americans that a truckload of them would be required to in order for this to have been done by them?

I agree with you on one thing though, human stupidity is infinite.

[wendylaroux]

92. Pretty lame vandals

picture it,a car full of ruffians,one of them says,hey Rocko,stop here,there is a newly planted tree,I love snapping little trees!!!!!!!!!

[Oktober]

106. Absolutely possible they did it less for racist reasons and more to get a rise out of folks like you

[notadmblnd]

109. I think you're grasping at air.

[Oktober]

111. Well...

[notadmblnd]

112. You're suggesting a consipracy?

[Oktober]

113. Not at all...

I'm suggesting that there are folks who just like to make other folks mad and this is an excellent way to do it...

[notadmblnd]

114. so you are sayng that there are people out there that just want to make

the residents of Ferguson Mo who are majority African American and others such as myself, angry?

Why would they want to do that?

[Oktober]

115. Amusement...

[notadmblnd]

116. amusement? How?

I really need you to explain this to me. I want to understand your reasoning.

[Oktober]

118. I don't know how to say this any simpler....

People in group A like to fuck with group B for fun...

Especially if group B is volatile or sensitive...

[notadmblnd]

119. Who is group A and who is group B.

How do you perceive these groups to be different from each other?

[Oktober]

120. Group A is led by a man named Bob...

Group B is comprised of left handed ginger midgets...

What exactly are you looking for?



My faith in humanity rests on the fact that I have to believe you are trolling me...

[notadmblnd]

121. You responded to my post originally so who is trolling who?

I'm trying to get you to give a specific answer as to who and for what reason the Mike Brown tree was desecrated.

It's become obvious that you can not come up with any reasonable answer in regards to your argument that bigots or bigotry was not involved.

I'll leave you alone now.

[Oktober]

122. I told you...

You just can'tconceive the possibility that someone would act for a reason beyond racism.

[notadmblnd]

125. and I asked you what specifically could the possible reason outside of bigotry be?

You still haven't provided a reasonable answer. I told you that I want to understand your thinking. I got a vague circular answer and when you became frustrated, you gave me nonsense.

If you don't have a reasonable alternate answer for the desecration of the Mike Brown memorial, then how can you be so certain that it was not racially motivated and defend that argument?

I think anyone that reads our back and forth on this- will not come to the conclusion that you provided a reasonable argument in your defense that bigotry was not the motivation for the destruction of the tree.

[Oktober]

127. No one is claiming certainty...

I am suggesting that it is possible that a person or persons acted out of a desire to irritate and anger folks just like you as opposed to a KKK style racist motivation.

Same reason teenagers smash mailboxes.. Because they enjoy the thought of someone else's anger and not because of their hatred for the postal service.

You are stuck because you can't conceive that it could be anything but racism.

[notadmblnd]

128. that's because you can't give me a REASONABLE alternate reason that can make me believe that

it is not.

I'm asking (no, at this point, I'm begging) you to convince me that there is another reasonable explanation- and so far you haven't done that!

[Oktober]

129. You are obviously very emotionally attached to your belief that it must be racism...

It's really really simple and you are intentionally convoluting it so you don't have to think about an alternative.

There's no convincing a true believer it seems..

Might as well be religion...

[notadmblnd]

130. Now you want to make it personal.

I guess that's all you have left. Accuse me of being an emotional female. Predictable.

[Oktober]

133. I calls em like I sees em...

[notadmblnd]

134. Might want to get your eyes checked

[LanternWaste]

37. No doubt many people get persnickety merely from reading benign speculation on a message board.

"Do you always jump to conclusions like that?"

No doubt many people get persnickety merely from reading benign speculation on a message board.

[frylock]

38. would love to hear your theory..

[heaven05]

47. the evidence

has been presented and .................to ask what evidence....geez

[Enthusiast]

54. Racists did it.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

56. Well, ya know, there's this little thing called Occam's Razor...

Basically, the simplest possible answer is very often the real one.

When a Catholic statue is vandalized, it's very likely by people who don't like the Catholic Church.

When a Satanic Church display is vandalized, it's very likely by people who don't like Satanists.

When a memorial to a slain black person is vandalized, it's very likely by people who don't like black people.

[Tom Ripley]

88. ^^^THIS^^^

[La Lioness Priyanka]

51. that's patently not true. are you at all familiar with the literature on racism?

[GoneFishin]

89. Thanks. I am sure there is an enormous body of information of which I am unaware. But in this

instance my main point is that whoever did this is an asshole.

[lumberjack_jeff]

76. Or maybe it was actual pre-teens. n/t

[hrmjustin]

8. Just horrible.

[rurallib]

10. I bet the police are looking really hard to find the perp

really hard

[Jackpine Radical]

16. When they find the perp, I wonder

if he'll still have the removed part of the tree in the trunk of his squad car.

[rurallib]

18. !

I would laugh, 'cept it's probably true

[uponit7771]

41. +1

[F4lconF16]

72. Ouch. nt

[Enthusiast]

57. Yes really hard. So they can beat him to within an inch of his life.

(they'll probably buy him a beer)

[NYC_SKP]

11. One day, the good will win and the evil will be eaten. nt

[still_one]

24. It won't just happen, it has to be fought for, ideally through the electoral process. The civil

rights act would have never happened if it wasn't for the marches, protests, and pushing the politicians

Obviously, we have been taking a step backwards with forces trying to undo all the work those brave folks fought for in the 50's, 60's, and 70s

It should also be remembered that the Equal Rights Amendment could not pass decades ago, and today unfortunately, I think it would be even more difficult for the ERA to pass

[NYC_SKP]

25. It probably does, it probably has to become much much worse.

It might be too late for it to work through the electoral process.

Our culture is locked in a shallow absorption with consumption and sports and entertainment.

Bread and circuses, we are self-medicating while the powerful few figure out more ways to take away what's left of our power.

I'm very passionate about this and hope it comes sooner but I'm also fearful.

[still_one]

26. I agree with you.

[heaven05]

49. quite a few

step(s) backward, I'd say.

[haikugal]

60. People died for their rights..

Remember Mississippi? People died, were brutalized and threatened. Those people never gave up, we can't either.

[AuntPatsy]

101. You have so much more faith than I do

[Blanks]

13. Hateful people suck. eom

[C Moon]

15. With video cameras everywhere, it's a shame this wasn't caught on video. Sucks!

[rhett o rick]

17. The police say they have no idea. I don't believe a word. The Ferguson

black community hasn't seen the last of the police harassment.

[Jackpine Radical]

19. Oh. lighten up on them, Rick. They're probly right

when they say they have no idea. Ideas require some semblance of a mental process.

[rhett o rick]

20. I'm betting there were high-fives at the local cop bar. nm

[Enthusiast]

58. Me too.

[SpankMe]

21. The klan moves in predictable ways. n/t

[haikugal]

63. Very, very true!

[still_one]

23. Racism, pure and simple

[jwirr]

27. Leave the damaged tree as a memorial - it clearly shows the situation in this community.

In the mean time can anyone think of a suitable memorial that we could help create that CANNOT be destroyed. Maybe a scholarship fund?

[-none]

35. Depending on the type of tree, it may come back as a bush.

That could still work.
As for the marker, make it out of some massive metal something, firmly anchored in the ground.

Maybe make it like a symbolic Michael with his hands up, just for spite.

[underpants]

28. It's braches looked like someone with their hands up

and the Ferguson police couldn't resist

[n2doc]

30. It must have charged at them n/t

[uponit7771]

43. +1

[bravenak]

52. Looking like a demon. A demon tree.

[bullwinkle428]

97. "It was reaching for its trunk, I tells ya!!"

[citizen blues]

29. Investigators should treat this for what it is . . . . A HATE CRIME!

[truebrit71]

32. Post-racial Murrka...

[MrScorpio]

40. Black people aren't allowed to have anything in this country...

Especially our peace of mind.

[JimDandy]

65. That moves me deeply this morning.

[blackspade]

44. The cops have 'no idea'....right.

[jtuck004]

46. "Residents of the city were shocked." And no sarcasm tag. n/t

[JDPriestly]

48. Will the police find out? Do you think?

[The Jungle 1]

53. Just look at the depth of this hate.

[haikugal]

55. Hateful fuckers!

These people have been fed and nurtured by hate radio and the GOP/Fox propaganda. Our country is in for a very bad time because the only ones that seem to have a voice are the hate mongers. The rest of us get shut down or ignored.

I read in a comment here last night about someone who doesn't recognize our country anymore and is fearful of their neighbors, and fearful of what is coming in this country. I know how he feels, I really do.

Hate crimes, women under attack all over the Internet, torture praised..what the hell have we become?

😫

[Enthusiast]

59. The condition of this nation is dire.

[haikugal]

61. Indeed, my friend...

😡

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

62. Disgusting excuse for human beings. These are neanderthals.

Deepest apologies to the the original neanderthals. They were much more advanced.

[haikugal]

66. Neanderthals had more humanity.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

67. I think they did.

[workinclasszero]

64. I bet off duty cops were the vandals

Or local kkk, which may be the same thing

[mountain grammy]

69. Why? Not enough hate in the world?

So depressing.

[TRoN33]

70. .........

[Scruffy Rumbler]

71. I would like to be a part of the Michael Brown Memorial Forest.

Does the City of Ferguson have a a Parks Department that provides citizens with curb side planting. I would buy one for the neighborhood.

I want to turn this park into a forest of trees.

I am moving back to Portland, OR and vow to plant a tree in his honor.

[FlatBaroque]

73. tree must have

Reached for his waistband

[DeSwiss]

74. K&R

[FiveGoodMen]

75. Shows you what 'we' value, doesn't it?

Also reminds me of an Old Testament passage or two ...

Thou shalt not ... something ... a graven ... something ...

Well with all the proud Christians in this country, surely everyone knows the passage I'm trying to recall.

[Art_from_Ark]

83. That applies especially to Golden Calves...

...or Golden Bulls, as the case may be.

[DeSwiss]

85. They can't assault him anymore......

...so they assault and desecrate his memory. But I suppose being douche-bags like the cops in Ferguson are, along the entire support system in the racist-infested burg which made all this shit possible, that's what they'd be expected to do.

It's a pity someone didn't video it.

- Not that it would've mattered, as we've seen before......

[Hassin Bin Sober]

78. And somewhere in New York, there was a battered wife with a restraining order....

Sorry ma'am, we don't have the manpower...

[DeSwiss]

86. And even that's a 50-50 proposition calling them for domestic violence cases.

- Given so many cop's penchant for tasing first and answering postmortem autopsy questions later. The odds are even worse if you're brown......

[AuntPatsy]

102. I'm sure every state today has one of their own once again being ignored.

[workinclasszero]

79. They damn sure protected that mammon idol

Didn't they?

[DeSwiss]

87. Indeed!

- That's how things work when you have brass balls (made from the finest algorithms).......

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

80. Sick heartless fuckheads!!

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

82. What kind of piece of shit would do such a thing? Un-fuckin-believable.

[Trajano]

84. Hateful

Savages

[Spitfire of ATJ]

93. I say we send undercover people into the usual places and have them brag that they did it,....

....then wait for someone to say, "No you didn't."

[davidpdx]

94. Sick

[romanic]

95. Replant the tree and plant cameras nearby.

See if it's a cop or somebody else looking to start shit. Simple solution.

[DallasNE]

100. Michael Brown Was Cut Down Too

Let the tree grow back from the stub left behind. That would be a powerful symbol and a fitting tribute to Michael Brown. Quietly replace the plaque stolen on Michael's next birthday.

Realistically, you can't stop the haters from hating. The answer is to let the tree grow back.

[Oktober]

104. Next person will be more subtle and put plant killer in the soil...

... and watch the nub die.

[DallasNE]

123. One step at a time

There does need to be a camera and street light in the area.

[Oktober]

124. Probably not worth the effort and cost for a symbol...

[myrna minx]

103. How awful. As if the community hasn't grieved enough.

[awoke_in_2003]

107. The older I get

the sicker I get about to this fucked up country. I remember that feeling I had at the ballot box in 08, I naively thought things are getting better. Since then, the ugliness has only gotten worse.

[Hugin]

126. Has anyone started a gofundme on this yet?

Worthy cause... Maybe they could even buy the whole park.

[City Lights]

135. What an awful thing to do.

Some people really suck.