So we know that the Michael Brown/Darren Wilson grand jury made its decision by midday; yet the verdict wasn’t announced till well after dark, a time when crowd control is more difficult, after hours of breathless media yammering about “How bad will the riots be?” and ratcheting emotions on both sides, building and building the tension till something HAD to snap.
Folks were teased with the news that there’ll be a press conference about the verdict at 7:00 ET. Then it’s not giving the verdict; it’s the governor coming out to blather on about how tense the whole situation is and everybody better be peaceful or else we’ll roll on you will all this firepower we’ve got waiting.
More time passes; more frustrated anticipation (though we all knew in our hearts what it was going to be, didn’t we?) ramps up and up.
Then, finally, the prosecutor comes out with his coldly dismissive speech, beginning with an attack on the media before launching into his defense of letting Wilson walk. Out on the streets, the vast militarized brigades of law enforcement roll into position, tear gas and armored vehicles and such straining at the leash. And predictably, Ferguson blows sky-high.
Wow! Tear gas clouds and running menacing figures and burning buildings and cars! Breathless media reports from the front lines! It’s true! They ARE all thugs! Just look at Those People running wild! Animals! That kid got just what he deserved!
Does anyone else wonder just why the announcement was handled so badly? Just whose interests are served by the propaganda value of the images out of Ferguson last night?
Or am I just being paranoid? I report; you decide.