Riots in Missouri - Part 1

[Dr. Evil]

I wonder....if Brown had been Hispanic or Asian, would there have been riots? I would think that the outrage would be the same, but would there be violence?

 

[Thundercrack85]

Well, certainly not in Ferguson.

The original story really played to the narrative of police murdering an innocent man simply because he was black. Obviously, given the long history of racist police abuse, that was going to be extremely inflammatory.

Now we know that he was a violent crook, who had just robbed a convenience store prior to running into the policeman who shot him.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Because crimes can only be solved if we physically see someone commit them. Otherwise, welp, we tried.

Here is the story. Far from open and shut, but the major defense seems to be "justice".

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/19/david-barajas-execution_n_5693235.html

It kind of reminds me of the Ferguson case. Potential emotion from the public taking over. And while I can't blame anyone, it just doesn't feel right. I know on the first day I saw the Brown story, I started taking the eye witness accounts as gospel. The idea of a young kid being executed while giving up made my blood boil, and I lost some of my sense. There is evidence in these very threads. Thankfully I feel I have gotten more perspective on this situation.

 

[Dr. Evil]

The police abuse I have heard have always involved white cops and black victims.

But what if the next victim was Asian? Or Latino? And that victim was innocent? How would the media portray it? Would there be violence on the streets? As an Asian American, I don't think we have a Jesse Jackson/Al Sharpton type to stand up for Asian Americans the way Jackson and Sharpton do with African Americans and that has a lot to do with the diversity of the Asian American community (Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Vietnamese, Indians and Thai mostly).

Latinos are the same, although a lot of Latinos living in America, especially those Dominican, Puerto Rican and Cuban heritages are also black.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are vultures. Even many black Americans have become wary of them. Asians and Hispanics would want nothing to do with them.

I think the real issue is that Michael Brown is not the person he was portrayed. He wasn't some innocent kid just walking to his grandmother's house.

 

[Dr. Evil]

We don't need Sharpton and Jackson.

Do we know for sure that Michael Brown committed the robbery? last I heard it was someone who looked like him.

 

[Thundercrack85]

It's been confirmed.

 

[Dr. Evil]

It's been confirmed.

Interesting.

Although I can see why the African American community has banded together to protest and do the hands up don't shoot thing. Not really sure the same would have happened had the victim been Asian though.

 

[Thundercrack85]

I doubt they would care if an Asian 18 year old who just robbed a convenience store got shot, if that's what you mean.

I'm not sure Asians would care.

 

[Dr. Evil]

I doubt they would care if an Asian 18 year old who just robbed a convenience store got shot, if that's what you mean.

I'm not sure Asians would care.

We wouldn't if he was a criminal. But if it was the gunning down of innocent Asian Americans based on race, I think a small segment of the community would care.

The Asian American community is more diverse and mixed than the African American community anyways.

Of course, there was that stupid nonsense of sending Japanese Americans to internment camps during World War II, but that's a topic for another day.

 

[Thundercrack85]

I don't think there is an Asian community.

There's a Japanese American community, a Vietnamese American community, etc.

But even so, I can't see them taking to the streets for something like this. But then Asians being mistreated by the police isn't a major issue. It wasn't just one man being shot that led to these mass protests. The original story of a black kid being shot dead by police for no reason is what sparked the mass reactions.

Now, if police did just blow away some innocent Asian guy, then there would be protests, but the demographics would look nothing like this for obvious reasons.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

I agree with Thundercrack.

Asian-Americans are divided among ethnic lines so they're not likely to come together and rally behind an Asian cause.

As far as blacks being more angry to the point of violence it probably has something to do with the legacy of slavery, Jim Crow, the Klan, police profiling, police brutality, racism in general, etc. At some point things boil over.

Asians and even Hispanics don't have that collective baggage in the United States.

But things get pretty heated in South Korea and Japan when a foreigner is accused of raping one of their people. Maybe not riots but pretty damn close.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Japanese people don't really riot. They stand outside holding polite, but strongly worded signs.

I don't even think there is a Japanese word for looting.

 

[SuperJediHero]

A night of peace, finally? That would be awesome! Fingers crossed!

 

[Thundercrack85]

This does blow my mind,

“I’ve said that many a criminal element that have been coming through Ferguson are not from this area. Tonight, some of those arrested came from as far away as New York and California,” State Highway Patrol Captain Ron Johnson told a news conference early on Tuesday.

Who the hell drives from California to Missouri to rob a liquor store?

That's like someone in Berlin going to East Ukraine just to rob a store.

 

[Anita18]

What in the actual ****?

Yeah, pretty much.

 

[Feenix]

Imagine you're in elementary school and the teacher explains that blacks enslaved whites for much of your country's history. Then the teacher explains how whites were made second class citizens who were mocked, lynched, humiliated, tormented for nearly 100 years. Then you go outside and some black kids use a racial slur against you that has stings because it completely reinforces that black supremacy that subjugated and dehumanized your people for centuries. Then you leave school you have to deal with black police profiling you because your white and you have to fear for your life with every interaction. Then you interact with blacks who pretend none of that painful history matters and when you bring up modern racism against whites they claim it's just your imagination.

This is just a small taste of what blacks deal with growing up. Just when you think you've escaped racism something happens that re-opens and pours salt in the wounds.

So no, you'll never understand but that doesn't mean you have to act like blacks are unreasonable when racism of the past bothers or even enrages them.

If you think there is racism everywhere you go, you'll see it, even if it doesn't really exist.

Maybe it's different in Canada, but the black guys I knew in university never complained about racism or that they were being profiled.

The Aboriginals on the other hand...they had reason to complain. But, the government did pay them back for the residential schools. Didn't really help, though. And the chiefs of the separate tribes tend to be greedy bastards who build nice mansions for themselves beside lakes and funnel money to their friends.

 

[Thundercrack85]

I mean, do these looters car pool?

 

[Thundercrack85]

If you think there is racism everywhere you go, you'll see it, even if it doesn't really exist.

Maybe it's different in Canada, but the black guys I knew in university never complained about racism or that they were being profiled.

The Aboriginals on the other hand...

Canada had a pretty brief history with slavery, and no real equivalent to Jim Crow. Plus, Canada is whiter than an episode of the Bachelor.

 

[Warhammer]

I don't think there is an Asian community.

There's a Japanese American community, a Vietnamese American community, etc.

But even so, I can't see them taking to the streets for something like this. But then Asians being mistreated by the police isn't a major issue. It wasn't just one man being shot that led to these mass protests. The original story of a black kid being shot dead by police for no reason is what sparked the mass reactions.

Now, if police did just blow away some innocent Asian guy, then there would be protests, but the demographics would look nothing like this for obvious reasons.

I agree with this. I've noticed that Asian Americans my age are a bit more united. But our FOB parents? They usually only stick to their own kind.

 

[Thundercrack85]

I guess I'm the only one who is fascinated by the logistics of looters.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Japanese people don't really riot. They stand outside holding polite, but strongly worded signs.

I don't even think there is a Japanese word for looting.

Well the Japanese may not riot but the Chinese and other Asians have no problem rioting.

This article speculates why the Japanese do not loot.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/crime/2011/03/stop_thief_thank_you.html

One theory is that organized crime (the Yakuza) keeps everyone in line.

 

[Schlosser85]

No, it's beyond me how little of a life you've gotta have to drive from California to Missouri to rob a liquor store.

 

[Thundercrack85]

I agree with this. I've noticed that Asian Americans my age are a bit more united. But our FOB parents? They usually only stick to their own kind.

I would also say that assimilation has a lot to do with it. There used to be a very unified Irish and Italian community. Now most Irish and Italian Americans don't even identify as Irish and Italian Americans.

I think it'll go from Japanese and Chinese (Americans) to Asian Americans and then just... Americans.

Unfortunately a side effect of that is the cuisine going to hell.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Well the Japanese may not riot but the Chinese and other Asians have no problem rioting.

This article speculates why the Japanese do not loot.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/crime/2011/03/stop_thief_thank_you.html

One theory is that organized crime (the Yakuza) keeps everyone in line.

My friend went to Japan, and lost his wallet on a train going across the country. He thought there was no way he could find it again. When he got to wherever he was going his Japanese friend told him to call the train station where he lost it. They did. Someone had turned it in (but only after waiting for hours for someone to come back to the seat to claim it). He got it in the mail, with all the yen and euros still in it.

It's not the Yakuza.