Ferguson is an apartheid police state.

[kpete]

apart·heid noun:

: a former social system in South Africa in which black people and people from other racial groups did not have the same political and economic rights as white people and were forced to live separately from white people

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apartheid

[Nye Bevan]

1. I didn't realize that blacks and whites are forced to live separately in Ferguson.

Appalling. Thanks for sharing.

[gollygee]

5. You don't know about housing discrimination?

I assume you're being sarcastic. Here's some history about Ferguson: http://www.newrepublic.com/article/119106/ferguson-missouris-complicated-history-poverty-and-racial-tension

[Spider Jerusalem]

2. No, that's Israel

I know it's hard to keep things straight with so many major news stories at more or less the same time, so it's easy to see how you could make that mistake!

[el_bryanto]

4. I think the argument is that there is De Facto separation even if it isn't enshrined in law

i could be wrong.

Bryant

[gollygee]

6. There's nothing in the definition that says it has to be enforced by law.

Just that people of color were forced to live separately. Housing discrimination and harassment of people of color who move into white areas works for that.

[gollygee]

3. That's almost the whole US

Including Ferguson. And it has been for a very long time. You should read Sundown Towns by the guy who wrote Lies My Teacher Told Me.

[madokie]

8. Next town over was a sundown town

They removed the sign somewhere about the time I went into the service, mid/late '60s

[jeff47]

7. No, the blacks have the same political rights. They didn't use them.

Turnout in the last Ferguson election was 12%.

The elections in Ferguson are very oddly timed, which helps drive down turnout. But the people need to show up and vote so that they get a government that reflects their beliefs. Otherwise, you get the situation they currently have with abusive police oppressing the majority - there's no reason for the politicians to give a fuck about anyone beyond the 12% that vote.

[Agschmid]

9. I don't think because they didn't/couldn't vote they should be oppressed...

Seems to be what the intention of your post is... If they didn't vote then they deserve what they get? I might be missing the point?

[jeff47]

13. It's not "deserve". It's what happens when people don't show up.

Everyone deserves proper representation. But politicians aren't going to bother when it doesn't affect their election chances.

[gollygee]

11. I really think you have the cause an effect mixed up

though I do understand this is a chicken/egg issue. I think the reason people don't bother to vote is because of discrimination and a history of having their needs and concerns not taken seriously. But certainly regardless of what came first, voting could make a huge difference, and I was glad to see photos a voter registration booth in Ferguson. That could change everything.

[jeff47]

15. That history didn't appear from nowhere.

The long-term trend of people not bothering to vote is why so many people feel like it doesn't matter. Enough people "tuned out" that turnout fell to the point where the opinion of the majority didn't matter anymore.

Ferguson is a particularly bad example due to its odd election schedule. But the next one will be in April 2016, and the politicians are currently betting that turnout will remain abysmal. So the city council is guessing they don't have to do a thing about the cops.

[Trillo]

12. You must not have read about the 24000 warrants issued in 2013 in Ferguson.

Some of those must have resulted in felony convictions. Felons can't vote. Perhaps you've also never heard of election fraud. Or the several studies out that have confirmed we now have an oligarchy of the wealthy and no democracy.

[jeff47]

14. That 12% is registered voters. So warrants do not apply.

Because felons aren't registered voters.

Or the several studies out that have confirmed we now have an oligarchy of the wealthy and no democracy.

The study showed that public opinion doesn't change policy. Because people don't bother to show up and vote.

Doesn't matter that 80% of the public wanted stricter gun control after Newtown when only 20% bothered voting.

[VanGoghRocks]

10. That's 'Fergustan' (as in 'Bantustan') to you. Props to you for the call, though.

[JEB]

16. Cut the cops budget by 90% and put that money

into the Public Schools. Then you might get more folks voting. Fuck the police.