No need to apologize, Jo. I try very hard to stay center. In the case of Ferguson I think the grand jury decision was correct. In the case of new york I think they missed the boat. Every situation is different and unless you or I were actually at the scene we can only draw conclusions and sometimes (most times) those conclusions are wrong. But what I find disturbing is that some folks of color seem to think that they can commit a crime with impunity and disobey civil authority. Notice that I said SOME - not all. Same could be said for all other human beings. Where is this headed? My fear is that some do-gooders are going to take things in their own hands and we are all going to be in trouble. Just a feeling, not a prediction, not trying to stir up things. Jo, when Obama was elected in 2008 I bought all the ammo I could find and afford. Not because I had any ill will toward him but because I figured some ignorant redneck was going to blow him away and then we would have Holy heII. So the ammo was for the protection of my family - defensive, not offensive.
Are some cops over the top? HeII yes! Strap on a badge and a gun and sometimes you have a completely different person. Even I feel different when I'm carrying my piece under my left arm. Many years ago in my younger days there was a young man, a teen ager who was an "at risk" kid. His parents were alcoholics and very prejudiced. We took him in, invited him to participate in our racing activity and more or less became surrogate parents. About the time this young man graduated high school we moved so we lost touch with him. Many years later I stopped in a donut shop on the way to work and ran into him. I didn't recognize him because he looked like a tramp living under an overpass but he recognized me. We talked for 30 mins. or so and as we were leaving he made a comment that sent chills down my spine. He said if I ever needed someone "taken out" give him a call. The reason he looked so bad is, get this, he was working undercover for the ________ police department. I guess where this BS is headed is this was good kid. But after 20 years of seeing the worst of the worst as a police officer he changed. I don't know how, as a law enforcement officer, you control or manage that feeling. I couldn't.