Were officials too quick to tie Texas deputy shooting to Black Lives Matter?

[marble falls]

Were officials too quick to tie Texas deputy shooting to Black Lives Matter?
Law enforcement officials have arrested and charged a man in the shooting of a Houston deputy. The motive remains unclear.
Christian Science Monitor By Jessica Mendoza
21 hours ago


Law enforcement officials on Saturday arrested Shannon J. Miles, of Cypress, and charged him with capital murder in the fatal, “execution-style” shooting of Harris County deputy Darren H. Goforth, NBC News reports. Deputy Goforth was filling up his patrol car at a Houston Chevron gas station when the gunman approached from behind, opened fire, and fired again as Goforth lay on the ground, according to Reuters.

While the motive behind the shooting remains unclear, officials were quick to link the incident to Black Lives Matter, the series of demonstrations against police misconduct. Goforth was white, Mr. Miles is black.


"We've heard black lives matter; all lives matter. Well cops' lives matter too," County Sheriff Ron Hickman said at a news conference following the arrest. "At any point where the rhetoric ramps up to the point where calculated cold-blooded assassination of police officers happen[s], this rhetoric has gotten out of control.”

Authorities took Miles in for questioning early Saturday, after deputies found the shooter’s suspected vehicle – a red, extended-cab pickup truck – parked in Miles’ driveway less than a mile away from the scene, The Houston Chronicle reports.

Miles, who has not identified any motive for the shooting, has previously been convicted of resisting arrest, trespassing, and disorderly conduct with a firearm, according to CNN.

Harris County district attorney Devon Anderson, who appeared with Sheriff Hickman, also pushed back against widespread criticism of police. “There are a few bad apples in every profession,” she said. “That does not mean that there should be open warfare declared on law enforcement.”

Despite ongoing efforts to improve relations between law enforcement and black communities across the nation, tensions remain high between police and the public. From Ferguson, Mo. to New York City, high-profile, violent confrontations between officers and unarmed black men and women continue to be the focus of calls for sweeping police reform.

In Texas, State Representative Garnet F. Coleman (D) of Houston criticized Hickman’s remarks.

“It strikes me as politicizing a death that, I don’t know that anyone knows what was in the mind of the shooter,” said Rep. Coleman, who is leading an inquiry into the death of Sandra Bland, an African-American woman found dead in a Waller County jail cell in July, according to the Times.

“I think black lives matter,” he continued. “I think deputy sheriffs’ lives matter. But I think the statement shows a lack of understanding of what is occurring in this country when it comes to the singling out of African-Americans.”

At least one of the movement’s leaders has also criticized Sheriff Hickman’s comments as misguided.

“It is sad that some have chosen to politicize this tragedy by falsely attributing the officer's death to a movement seeking to end violence,” civil rights activist DeRay McKesson tweeted.

Still, the shooting – which shocked the suspect’s neighbors as well as Harris County, the most populous in Texas – could be an opportunity for the community to come together. On Saturday night, hundreds attended a vigil for Goforth, who leaves behind a wife and two children and whom colleagues described as a passionate officer and a family man.

"We need a lot of healing rather than anger," Houston police Lt. Roland De Los Santos, who met Goforth decades ago, told KPRC Houston. "We need for the community to understand that most of us are out here to help. We really are out here to do good."

[Fred Sanders]

1. In this summer of a Birther using hatred and violent rhetoric as his only weapon being feted by an

uncritical free press, not to mention all of RW rhetoric of the past 7 years, I honestly almost choked a little reading the white Sheriff's very white privileged and totally clueless racist comments:


"We've heard black lives matter; all lives matter. Well cops' lives matter too," County Sheriff Ron Hickman said at a news conference following the arrest. "At any point where the rhetoric ramps up to the point where calculated cold-blooded assassination of police officers happen, this rhetoric has gotten out of control.”

[marble falls]

5. That comment is what pissed me off.

[BlueCaliDem]

21. Me, too, marble. eom

[Facility Inspector]

2. Well it was certainly a "Fuck Tha Police" moment

at least.

[marble falls]

3. You know this, how?

[Facility Inspector]

4. ask the Deputy's children

and his widow.

Nothing says "Fuck Tha Police" like executing them at a gas station.

If you honestly can't see this, it would leave any decent person with character speechless.

[marble falls]

6. Thats why we don't let families prosecute, jury or execute. I understand their lack of balance....

but I certainly would not look for the rational explanation from them. Grandstanding over a corpse doesn't bring about any sort of justice.

[Facility Inspector]

9. Your response

makes no sense in the context of our discussion.

[BlueCaliDem]

22. It made and makes perfect sense to me, and it's well within the context of your and marble's

discussion.

[marble falls]

27. Are you advocating some sort of "Sharia" law????????? Due process is what I am interested in....

I think the Bill of Rights is just peachy. Why do you want to deny Constitutional rights to an American citizen? What do you want? Honor killing? Blood money?

Be honest: when the next cop kills black male youth thread comes out, the first thing off your internet connection will be a "don't politicize this death - all the facts aren't in - (though the live video may already be on youtube). This sheriff gins up political outrage before he'd even done any sort of investigation.

Where's the security tape from the convenience store, for example?

Please.

[Facility Inspector]

28. Do what?

Dude, you went off into some other universe that has nothing to do with what I had mentioned.

[callous taoboy]

17. + 1,000 Marble Falls.

Your post is spot-on.

[lunatica]

7. When a white person kills he's mentally ill but

when a black person kills...

You are jumping to conclusions so I hope you're not a policeman who at the very least should make an attempt to investigate the crime before claiming all blacks are at fault. If you don't agree with that then maybe you're a racist.

[Facility Inspector]

8. I'm not claiming anything

except fundamental decency.

[lunatica]

10. Well I don't see anyone claiming otherwise

[LanternWaste]

12. You initially attributed the motive "f**k the police" to the shooter

You initially attributed the motive "f**k the police" to the shooter, yet now claim otherwise.

Odd how our biases often illustrate who we are much more than they illustrate the subject of our allegations.

[Facility Inspector]

14. I'm not claiming nonsense

that the other posters were trying to attribute to me.

If executing an officer at a gas station doesn't embody "Fuck Tha Police," what does?

[marble falls]

29. First of all this hasn't been classified as anything but an open homicide. Its that due process/....

presumption of innocence - the Constututionally stuff that keeps getting in the way of a good old fashioned lynching.

[Facility Inspector]

31. Okay

you're the one making value judgments, not me.

[marble falls]

42. You're the guy telling me to ask the slain deputy's two small children about what his death was....

about and then presumed to speak for them like you knew exactly what they would say and I'm the one being judgmental? I'm the one one saying lets let justice work its way without all the political crap.

Maybe this guy is as crazy as the white guy in SC who shot eight extremely valuable humans in any society, is. Remember when people said "don't get political about this, its only a crazy non-racist white kid? Couldn't you now wait to see if this wasn't also another crazy non-racist killing also?

[Facility Inspector]

44. I would suggest going outside more

you're reading way more into my words than is actually there in reality.

[marble falls]

47. So now its personal. What an ungraceful way to concede you have no argument. Crude, but I accept it.

Have a nice rest of your life.

[Facility Inspector]

49. Can't talk to you

you're can't stay on topic and there's too much projection,

Nothing personal, just my opinion. Take it or leave it.

[bullwinkle428]

32. What about when 2 officers are executed at a restaurant by a

couple of "Bundy Ranch" rejects?

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/06/09/las-vegas-shooting-officers-dead-possible-white-supremacists/


I don't fucking believe I have to add a disclaimer, but my own personal feelings are that both acts are completely abominable and inexcusable under any circumstances.

[Facility Inspector]

36. It's cowardly, it's evil

No disagreement.

[uponit7771]

61. +1, the same folk aren't going to attribute these actions to Bundy though even if they're from Bundy

... Ranch .. because they shooters wore specials shoes

[callous taoboy]

13. So you know the attacker? The vicitm?

No, you don't. You have no idea why the attack took place. I always wait until all of the facts are in before passing judgment, and I'm thankful that we have a judicial system that does the same.

[Facility Inspector]

16. So, you're saying there is some kind of justification

for this execution?

[callous taoboy]

18. No sir, but you are quick with justifying it.

As for motive, I prefer to let the investigators do their work. For all we know at this point the attacker may just have been insane, off his meds, whatever. But to claim it was a "Fuck th' police" crime is premature.

[Facility Inspector]

20. Both things can happen at the same time

You do realize that, don't you?

Actually, even more than TWO things can happen at the same time.

[philosslayer]

23. No justification

But you have no idea what the motive was. Maybe the officer cut him off in traffic. Maybe they had a previous interaction and the officer was abusive. We have no idea.

[Facility Inspector]

24. I'm not speaking of motives

I am making a plain statement of fact. Shooting a police officer in the back, execution style, is the expression of "Fuck Tha Police" in real life.

There is no justification, there is no valid reason. It is abominable, senseless, and an expression of pure hatred.

[uponit7771]

30. Fuck th police is a verbal reaction to police brutality... are you saying this is in reaction to

... police brutality but in shooting form?

Don't see how "Fuck th police" come in unless it's clear

Cops continue searching for a motive ... is what I see online

Unloading 15 bullets into a persons back in insane

[Facility Inspector]

33. The Deputy was the police, not a gardener

or a Marketing Assistant. He was the police.

Shooting him in the back until he dies is the purest expression of "Fuck tha Police" I can think of.

The murderer didn't give him flowers.

[uponit7771]

38. So when a cop murders a 12 year Tamir was it "Fuck teenage black boys" by the police?! Wonder

... where you're getting this message from just yet.

There's no motive, and in reverse the suspected motives of cops are 10 times worse if you apply YOUR same logic to their murders of black and Latino men in America

[Facility Inspector]

39. That has nothing to do with what I am saying

I am discussing one thing. You are discussing another.

Don't put words in my mouth.

You are spouting what you are spouting, I'm not.

[uponit7771]

54. You're jumping to the conclusion it had something to do with cops vs Dads or people who wear

... blue or anything else when there has NOT been a motive proffered by the police or anyTHING else in evidence.

I'm reversing your conclusion, IN QUESTION, when it comes to black boys and teenagers...

Their aren't people proffering that "fuck the black boys" is a motive by cop when a cop murders a black or brown kid...

Why such putting forth a motive like that in this situation?!

regards

[Facility Inspector]

58. Whirl whiiirl

whirl.

Bro, chillaxe.

I haven't said anything you are conjuring.

Peace out.

[uponit7771]

62. It was question, I even put it in capital letters to outline it as a question. No need to burn out .

... just have a cogent conversation

[Facility Inspector]

63. Get me a coherent interlocutor

you're making way too many assumptions and attributing shit to me that isn't there in reality.

[randys1]

55. ding ding ding - this should be the end of this discussion...game, set, match

[Orrex]

11. Well, the shooter is black, right? Case closed!

Of course, a white shooter who posts racist screeds online and is affiliated with known hate groups is simply a lone wolf acting on his own initiative. But a black shooter is automatically tied to whatever political scapegoat is convenient.

[callous taoboy]

15. My racist, right-wing brother jumped on the BLM as motive meme.

Sickening.

[Lee-Lee]

19. Kind of ironic given how fast most here jump to proclaim

Every police shooting bad/racist/whatever before looking for facts.

If BLM activists are upset about being lumped in and blamed for this so quickly, I hope they are wise enough to see it's exactly what they do every time the field are reversed....

[uponit7771]

34. There's a history of blacks unloading 15 bullets into cops backs like there's a history of police

... brutality and racism among LEO forces across America?!

I find this kind of comment not informed

[Lee-Lee]

48. Ahh, I see, it's ok to use stereotypes instead of judging based on the facts

That's pretty much what your saying, that it's ok to profile based in perceived trends....

[uponit7771]

51. 21 times more likely isn't a stereo type it is fact, and there's no "perceived" anything it's been..

...well documented and reported on.

There's no equivocating blacks killing cops like cops killing black men so no...

The cops statement doesn't make sense in light of the fact that black\brown men are 21 times more likely to be shot by cops

That doesn't justify killing anyone, just states the fact; cops are loose with the trigger when it comes to blacks \ browns

[Waiting For Everyman]

25. No, the cops have a point.

A cop was openly shot in cold blood, and the response was that cops' lives matter too. That seems an obvious statement, which isn't arguable. Direct responsibility wasn't drawn, it's more in the zone of an implication, by way of using a phrase which is currently in the media... and additionally has particular relevance to cops. The person who said it was justified in doing so. (To even parse this while the news story is the cop's death is pretty ridiculous.)

We don't know if the cop and shooter had a particular beef with each other, if not then the case for more responsibility by blm, strengthens. I don't know why people think they can freely whip up hatred and nothing will come of it. If that's what they think, then why bother getting on tv? Tv is used in order to influence people, but oh no, no, we didn't influence this shooter? It's bullshit logic and very dishonest.

Neither the cops nor blm has much credibility with me. I think there's a lot wrong with both of them and both are very quick to deny obvious reality when it serves their purpose.

If blm (or any group) wants a war with the cops, it will lose. And it will result in a worse police state for all of us. Of course all the people don't count to blm, so no worries.

[uponit7771]

37. Cops are NOT 21 times more likely to be shot by black men... no, the cop didn't have a point...

... it was bullshit looking at the facts.

18 cops have been shot this year in a nation of 330 million people

Do tell the reverse

Also, BLM isn't just one group and it's in response to blacks 21 times more likely to be shot by cop... those state don't hold for the reverse

[Waiting For Everyman]

40. Therefore, anything goes, right?

If you deny that, then where is the line drawn, between what's ok and what's not ok?

It's a ridiculous conversation because no one can prove that blm did not influence this act. If you think you can prove that, go ahead.

[uponit7771]

43. No, anything does NOT go including this poor equivocation of the cop... cops are NOT 21 more times

... likely to be shot by black men and that's one of the reason BLM exist.

All lives matter in words but not in police deed otherwise there wouldn't be a 21 times more likely to be shot by cops stat.

It's a ridiculous conversation because no one can prove that blm did not influence this act. If you think you can prove that, go ahead.

Also, you're asking to prove a negative... that's silly on its face...

Like asking someone to prove they don't have an A bomb somewhere around their house..

Come on...

BushCo broke that one

There's nothing BLM has done to this date saying go shoot a cop 15 times in the back...

NOT a DAMN THANG

[Waiting For Everyman]

46. Oh really, I think you need to read post #26.

And btw, I didn't say a negative was provable, and that's the point -- you cannot prove that blm did not have a part in motivatig this. You simply deny it, and that is not supported by anything except your denial.

[uponit7771]

50. Did, nothing in the article says shoot cops in the back 15 times at close range or anything close

... to it.

Also

It's an overt logical fallicy to even proffer a negative to prove \ disprove

[Waiting For Everyman]

53. "Pigs in a blanket, fry 'em like bacon!"

Quibble much?

[uponit7771]

56. You're kidding right?! That's more to do with locking them up not murdering them !! come on people

... don't

come on!!

[Waiting For Everyman]

59. Defend that if you want.

I draw my line right here.

[uponit7771]

60. I support them, I'm not defending them at all. I agree, lock dirty ass'd cops up! Why wouldn't

... anyone support locking dirty cops away!?

There's nothing in that say murder cops at point blank range!?!

Some people are grasping at straws to demonize the BLM movement

Regards

[marble falls]

45. Thats why they are armoured and armed. Thankfully the vast majority of cops don't ever pull a piece

But the fact is that there are climbing numbers of unarmed black youth being shot by cops even as crime numbers are dropping.

[jonno99]

26. This doesn't help deflect the criticism:

http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2015/08/30/black-lives-matter-chant-called-disgusting-by-police-leader/

[randys1]

57. Out of hundreds protesting I heard maybe 4 voices saying that...

But be assured, if you flipped the roles of everyone the past 200 yrs, there would be no chanting, only burning.

[Rex]

35. Cops won't win, they need to realize this and start now with the self-correction.

They seem to think that just like every other time in American history, people are going to forget about all the murders by cops caught on camera now. It simply won't go away and if cops think their job is hard now, imagine how hard it will be when dogs are running around with collar cams etc..

Face it, honest up and show integrity and punish those 'bad apples' or continue to face protests against police brutality. It ain't going away. It never did and never will. Being in a special profession like law enforcement does not change those rules.

What the CoP said, I thought incredibly insensitive and way out of bounds. You know...without all that PROOF and EVIDENCE first people keep flogging others over!

Wait for all the evidence...or not just make a public statement and enrage a huge part of the nation. Either way cops are not going to win this fight in the social arena. Not going to happen, start with the self-corrections or face endless protests and public shaming.

[Hekate]

41. Ya think?

[JustAnotherGen]

52. Yep

And they aren't referring to the shooter as the accused.

[briloop]

64. Stop

politicizing everything, please.