Ferguson discussion on local radio

mrsconn23

It's one long parade of "oh white people".  

I work from home alone and I want to hide under my desk to get away from these people.  But I can't stop listening because it's such a trainwreck. 

0Face

It's amazing how one event can happen---proceeded by many other events and we all have completely different takes on it.  And some are ABSOLUTELY convinced they know all the facts, before the facts are known.

I'm just completely lost and flabbergasted by so many things, and by people regarding this entire event and those proceeding obviously.

VarunaTT

I'm pissed about it.  I pissed that people have been yelling at the leadership of this state for farking YEARS now about all of these problems (systemic racism, the security net in our state, the gerrymander, OH THE GERRYMANDERING) and no one in power has paid attention or we've been poo-poohed and in the meantime terrible terrible legislation has been passed in this state, pushing all of us down so our legislators can keep getting their gifts from lobbyists. 

And I'm pissed that Governor Nixon, who I actually believed was the only thing standing between this state and horrific disaster (he's had to veto a number of laws that would've broken the tax system and put us at odds with federal legislation in bad bad ways) has performed so terribly that this is what his entire term will now be about. 

ETA: I'm not really getting into the specific situation and my issues w/it.  My FB feed is full of it and I've already gotten into an argument with one person who accused me of "hating your own race".

NOLABridesmaid

I don't talk much on fb, but it is interesting how quiet some people of different races are about the topic. I think Kuus posted an article about it. Interesting.

 

 

GBCK

I've actually been trying really hard on this one to listen.  And to listen to news sources that I don't always notice.

Not sure it's working, but trying it, nonetheless.

mrsconn23

Me too @GBCK

VarunaTT

If you have Twitter or Instagram, I recommend the following:

@tefpoe

@antoniofrench

@STLAbuBadu

@PresReed

@WesleyLowery

@MariaChappelleN (who is PISSED at the Gov)

@stevegiegerich

@Lussenpop

@kristenhare

@Yamiche

@kodacohen

@elonjames

GBCK

thanks varuna, I'l add them to the twitter list.

VarunaTT

Most of them are local reps or citizens.  There are a few who are professional reporters coming in from outside, but are already in the business of, what I guess I'd call guerilla reporting.  And then a few professionals from WaPo and other outlets.

ETA:  The hashtag that's really settled is #Ferguson

GBCK

I started to go on a mini-rant about being frustrated that it's actually difficult to find news that's not the pablum 30 second rehash that CNN reads once every 15 minutes.
I'm not anti-educating-myself and I know that sometimes we have to probe deeper to get bigger stories and more nuance but it's still infuriating.  

I should probably put myself into a better news-hounding mindset more often. (insert complaint about time for that which should also include that the newsfeeds I check are already weird and a PITA to keep up with.)

VarunaTT

To be honest, I've found Twitter more of a newssource than any of the traditional outlets for awhile now.  You do have to be careful about who you follow, but as long as you're being attentive, it's pretty easy to figure out who is trying to report on the ground and who is causing trouble.  Plus, multiple links are usually shared which gives me more, better sources to read and find.  

I think it's a little easier to get trapped in an echo booth though, so you do have to be careful.

GBCK

Since I have sirus, when I can stomach news reporting (Some days news is to much and I got tired at yelling "LIARS" at the radio this week when NPR was doing a religion story), I find listening to Canadian public radio (and the BBC less-so) is good for a bit of perspective too.  I mean, Canada's culture isn't radically different in many ways, but just the headspace-distance changes perspective.