The Protests in Missouri | National Catholic Reporter

The Protests in Missouri | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB:The conduct of the local and county police in Ferguson was beyond the pale.  They just loved playing army dress up, although I am sure any professional soldier would be ashamed - as would most professional police (including my late Uncle Don, who was a highway patrol officer who never had to fire, or even unholster his weapon in the line of duty.  The local police may have well put up a burning cross to get their point out.  Sadly, their conduct mostly reflects on the local leadership.  If there is a city manager, he should be fired and the mayor should resign.  My proposal was to send in the National Guaard and federalize it to make a point, but the Governor took an even more measured action by putting the state police in charge.  Now, everything is peaceful.  Turns out, when you don't goad a crowd, they don't respond back.  Word is that there are more than a few outside protestors there to make a point about the local police.  The point has been made - they have been humiliated and the Justice Department will make sure the original shooting is prosecuted appropriately.  It is now time for any outsiders to take a break and get things back to normal - although in the long term there needs to be a conversation about affirmative action in police hiring.