There is absolutely no excuse for it, and I hope all the troublemakers are locked up!

They've shut down Interstate 70 in both directions. It's hell living in the area, let me tell you.

I am wishing for a peaceful night, but not counting on it. Instill....do you live in that area? How many years is this going to happen on the anniversary date? I feel so sorry for the store owners who are just trying to make a living.

I will never understand these crazy actions of violence and destruction.

Just when you think things can't get any worse, they do. It's so unfortunate.

Yes, I live in St. Louis. It's aggravating and irritating. All these people out "protesting" (read: rioting, burning, looting, stealing) instead of working for a living.

We are going to move from this wonderful college town because of all the gun related BS things that are happening in this community. So many dead. It ain't right. I cannot fix the situation and they have a 'task force' working on it. But, the morning newspaper has new stories every week about gun fire and such.

We have the same situation in my area. Just this morning a 70+ year old lady was knitting in her living room when a bullet came through the window and hit her leg. I wish I knew what the answer is to stop the violence, but most of the shows on tv are gun toting people, so I guess kids think it's ok to shoot someone.

they are bullying the police to see how far they can taunt them.

And then cry foul when something happens. It is a vicious cycle because all the babies of today will be dropouts and/or gang members tomorrow. I honestly believe the change has to start at home. These poor children don't have decent home lives, no one to care for them or about them, not really. No one makes sure they eat, do their homework, get to bed at a decent hour. No one is teaching them right from wrong, they are being raised by crap tv and gang members in their neighborhood.

Those that are quietly and peacefully demonstrating aren't the problem. Unfortunately, I feel that there are many who are seeing it as an opportunity to destroy and be destructive - even against those in their own community. Those are the criminals, and they're giving the whole thing the bad rap. They should be prosecuted.

Kids, adults, older people.... it's the gun culture. And it's everywhere. It sucks!

Amen, Rob!!! When will enough finally be too much?

You'd think there would less violence on television to answer the question: Is this the way you want your country to behave. Shame on them. I saw a portion of Empire and couldn't believe in this war we are raging against each other would it win an Emmey.

It's the CRIMINAL gun culture. My husband and his entire family, generation after generation, are gun people. RESPONSIBLE gun people. As are our adult children. You have to teach safety and responsibility.

I agree with the crap on tv, and it p!sses me off when "famous" actors, rock stars, whoever, condemn guns when they have become rich and famous and well removed from it all, with their movies and songs about just such things.

Entitlement culture. I agree!

It's awful, more instances of racial unrest. There's plenty of blame and wrongs to talk about on both "sides", the public vs the police and political authorities.

Why do so many blacks get unnecessarily manhandled or shot by police? Does the frequency of such incidents lead to community hostility toward the police? Of course. Does a reaction in turn breed more violence from police? Of course.

Private citizens, not in law enforcement, can't shoot another person without a gun in their hand. I'm not sure why the cause and effect of this is so hard for some to understand.

Is out of control rioting acceptable? Of course not. Does it lead to more problems? Of course. Is the anger understandable? I think so, it's just the reaction that isn't.

Is unapologetic racism involved? Of course it is, on both sides.

Why would ANYONE be unnecessarily manhandled or shot by police?

I agree it's awful that the percentage is disproportionate towards blacks... but that it happens at all is appalling! Why aren't we outraged at the entire load of bull hockey?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWS1j7ezqTg

I have a friend who was a firman. He said 20 years ago when they answered calls the kids in the neighbor would throw stones at the firemen, kick their trucks and impede their job. He became racist he admits. He couldn't rectify why his department was treated so badly. I think the police get the same treatment and feel they have no leverage.

If one has no concience he or she is very dangerous and most likely to move to brutality quickly.

I've talked about personal responsibility before and been tagged "foolish" for it. I still maintain people are responsible for their actions but sadly, today people aren't HELD responsible for their actions. Can't punish them for it, no, that's not right in the feel-good society of today. It starts with parenting and goes downhill from there. Too many people now want their kids to be their best friends, or more accurately want to be their kids' best friend rather than the kids being responsible citizens. Doesn't work that way.

Look at the famous sports figures and movie stars. They can delay their sentence to finish shooting a movie. Wouldn't you kike to clobber the Judge. I think parents don't know how to parent. It is easier to be a friend. You are right, Cynic, it doesn't work that way and parents get taken advantage of and kids end up in trouble.

I agree, Cynic. I'd just add that the expectation of others acting with personal responsibility is reasonable but should apply as much to police and those in political power as with the citizens in the street.

They have the right to protest and to express their views freely but not the right to damage property or injure others, that's what you're saying.

I think irresponsible behavior has more of a socio-economic track than a black/white racial one, but others may disagree.

I'm with you 100% Snidely. Everyone is accountable for their actions, police, politicians, kids, parents, TV/movie celebrities and so on. People can disagree, people can protest, but there's still limits. Once the lines are crossed they have no right to expect to be given a pass. But too often they are and then it's "expected"

I'm reminded of a Leave It To Beaver episode where Fred Rutherford was talking to Ward Cleaver. "Have to keep a firm hand on boys nowadays, Ward. My Clarence answered me back the other day. I smacked him right in the mouth. None of this psychology for me" You can't even say that on TV now or people will cry "child abuse!" LOL

Wrong. Just wrong!!! Smacking kids is resorting to something that is completely unnecessary. There are plenty of ways to punish without using physical means. I'm not speaking about a lack of punishment.

There are a lot of parents out there who want to be their child's friend. Not me, I'm the parent and it's up to me to say No to my child and I have never had a problem saying No.

There are parents who are afraid of their children, who won't/don't discipline, who don't set expectations and ground rules for behaviour, who don't ask their children where are you going, what are you doing, who are you hanging out with and No you can't have the car.

Start asking those questions when they're 5 and don't stop. If you don't like the answer, say No.

I do think that there is a lot of taunting both directly and indirectly, passively and aggressively, to all first responders these days and I don't understand when that became ok.

The next time you see or hear a siren, watch how many people don't move over.

A reporter from a local newspaper was interviewed on the radio this morning, who reported that there'd been a largely peaceful demonstration last night, and the police had been there in force but there was no trouble, and things were winding down, about midnight, when about a half dozen people appeared dressed as civilians and wearing flack jackets and carrying assault rifles, one with three extra clips on his chest. They were on the police side of the street (not very welcome) for a time, and were unnoticed by the demonstrators, but when they became aware of them, there was a substantial verbal confrontation, with the (mostly black) demonstrators claiming that were they to appear in such an outfit, they'd have all been jailed ... or shot, immediately.

ole joyful

And they were right joyful. Why do such a thing? Shame on the city/state, whoever thought that up!

Heavily armed civilians with a group known as the Oath Keepers in Ferguson, Mo., early Tuesday. St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar has said the presence of the group was "both unnecessary and inflammatory."

Katlan, there is no known way to separate so-called responsible gun owners, and everyone else. And certainly no one with power is attempting to find a way due to fear of the nra. Very few of us need to kill something for dinner--gun ownership is a holdover from the old, old, old days. Every other "first world" country in the world has tight gun controls but the US.

Before any pro-gun person gets in a snit about what I'm writing about, I do realize that some, and probably the majority, of gun owners are fine and responsible people.

I agree, sjerin. I was recently in a big argument on Facebook about this issue when a guy said that he open carries and will proudly do so anywhere. I commented that if I saw someone openly packing that I wouldn't know if they were safe to be packing or a crazy about ready to start shooting people so he would make me nervous. He responded with such anger that it was unbelievable. Several of his friends jumped in. I was caled vile names. They went to my Facebook page and commented on other posts I'd made there, making fun of me. They started making threatening comments about knowing where I live (and it's a small town so they probably do).

Now, to be clear, they also repeatedly said that they were safe to pack guns, that they are responsible, that they are just concerned with protecting innocent people yet they repeatedly threatened me. The few other people who dared to jump in to tell them not to threaten me and voiced disgust with their statements were also threatened.

Really? Am I supposed to believe these types of folks are safe with guns?

My husband used to hunt each year, he doesn't so much anymore, but we still have his hunting rifles. So I'm not anti-gun but I do believe that our gun culture has gotten very out of control in this country.

funkycamper, I would feel exactly the same as you if I saw someone with a gun on their hip. I mean, how WOULD you know? Especially now days when you hear about something every day on the news! No one can look at a person and know if they are sane or insane...right? Sounds like this person really is insane! You were right to fear it!

It's usually the crazies who need to show they're Big Men who talk and act like this. Way to go, lawmakers. Please unfriend these nuts and don't think you ever need to defend your position of knowing guns are dangerous. It's a power thing (by usually uneducated people,) and that power thing kills daily.

Not FB friends with them. It was on a community page regarding local issues. I did change my privacy settings though because of it.

Sjerin, that's right, they can't separate the responsible from the irresponsible gun owners. So banning guns only takes them from the responsible people, who take the safety courses, get background checks done on them, pay to have the permit, and register their guns. My husband is a retired corrections officer. While working he was on the CERT team and was the handgun instructor/trainer. He IS responsible.

We DO hunt for our food. I buy very little meat at the store. Chicken mostly, pork sometimes.

And by the way, I take offense at you saying "so-called" responsible gun owners.

What percentage of gun owners hunt for food? I think it's very low. If that's a legitimate reason, can that be used as a requirement for a gun license? If we go in that direction, can guns of limited use for hunting (like handguns) be taken out of circulation? And large magazines (say, more than 5 rounds) be prohibited?

Would it be unreasonable to ask those that hunt to do their shopping at a grocery store?

I've said it before, this question is really about what kind of society and communities we want to have. Other arguments are extraneous.

sorry snidely, but your point is moot. Other arguments are features of the gun owning argument. We have, by Supreme Court decisions, been enabled the right to own guns. My brother doesn't hunt for his food, but is a responsible gun owner. I do not own a gun because I don't want one. But if I did, I'd practice safe ways of keeping and using my gun even if I didn't hunt for my dinner. We're not taking guns away or outlawing them. Even you think it's the only right way to live.

It's not moot at all, rob. If we were stuck with only 18th century views, we'd still have slavery and male-only voting. If amendments could only be enacted and not repealed, Prohibition would still be with us.

I think even the NRA and its members must chuckle when court decisions relevant to them are made on political rather than legal grounds. Fortunately there are a few honest justices among the Supremes who care enough to let thoughtful assessment rather than just doctrinaire views guide their decisions. (It's reassuring when decisions come out for which commentators describe certain votes as "crossing the line" or some-such. I'm happy with such decisions in either direction, it shows the result of honest deliberation. That's what we need more of). That hasn't happened yet on the gun question, but with enough time and no legislative action, it will.

The discussion didn't need your unnecessary constraint.

Undoubtedly, you won't agree, and try, yet again to convince me, but I know honest deliberation has happened on gun rights many times over decades. If it didn't the US wouldn't have passed the NFA, Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, gun free school zones, Brady handgun, assault weapons banning... It goes on all the time, based on legal grounds. You're far from right.

I'm not trying to convince you of anything, I was just sharing my views as the conversation progressed. Gun free school zones? The Brady law and the other ones? Do you realize how the rest of the world laughs at us because of things like this?

Policemen have my respect, it's an important job that's far too dangerous because of how many people have firearms and not enough brains to realize what happens when you pull one on a law enforcement officer. I understand how they can get skittish when facing possible life and death situations. But they also get carried away. This will continue to happen.

In many parts of the UK, and in other countries, cops don't carry guns. Or wear bullet proof vests. They don't need to. And they don't frequently need to shoot at citizens to defend themselves. As a result, other countries have far fewer incidents as we've seen in the news, fewer protests and rioting about police overreactions.

Yes, we have the kind of society that results from not fully thinking through the consequences of having wrong-headed rules we don't change.