I spent more time than I probably should have discussing the goings on in Furguson, MO, today.

Can’t say that before yesterday I’d really ever heard of that St. Louis suburb before, but after today it’s going to be hard to forge.

You see, there’s some massive police action going on there. That’s in reaction to some massive public action–including looting and riots. And that’s in reaction to a shooting that left a black man definitely dead and a cop reported injured.

Chains of events like this aren’t all that uncommon.

It’s a symptom of the ongoing and underlying racial and economic divides we’ve got going on here. That we’ve had going on here pretty much forever.

It’s tragic all around.

First that there’s any legitimate question that an altercation with a law enforcement officer was uncalled for or that the cop’s response was out of scale. Further that pretty much any any event between white people and people of a different race will far too often set off protests and riots.

I’d like to say “It didn’t used to be this way…” But that’s not entirely true. There is a tremendous history of those in power (who have always happened to be white, and almost always male here in the United States) abusing those of different races, genders, and sexual orientations. So much so that any “event” involving a minority has to be deeply questioned and, in many communities, serves as a flashpoint for the pent up frustrations of the population.

In Fuguson, the death sparked riots (which, in and of itself is an utterly counter-productive reaction–“Let’s mess up our own town to protest the actions of the powers that be!”). Those riots sparked a highly militarized police response (which, in some cases, was definitely called for–if you’re setting things on fire and robbing stores, the cops are kind of supposed to stop that). The problem is, because the police force itself was seen as the aggressor in the ongoing tension in the town, having them show up at even peaceful gatherings looking like an occupying military force and then moving in on the crowd isn’t going to do anything but incite resistance and more distrust.

Which is exactly what’s been happening over the past four days.

It’s a problematic and unfortunate situation that has done near irreparable damage to the community in many ways. Law enforcement and those in power are going to have a very difficult climb to even get back to the strained point of tolerance they had with the residents before this all fell apart. The residents are going to have to deal with numerous issues this is inevitably causing in their own community–when neighbors of yours are burning down buildings you shop at, there’s going to be some lingering frisson there.

And then the country, not as a whole but as a divided population of “us” and “them”, has yet another example of why they shouldn’t trust those we’ve put in power. That brings us one step closer to collapse… and that helps no one get anything positive done.

Anyway, there are 70 or so back and forth exchanges, all filled with fantastic and diverse opinions attached to the articles about it in the feed. Definitely check those out.

Also, there are baby ducks swimming in a sink.

And a dancing tree.

Just to balance things out.

Here’s the feed…