National Guard troops will hit St. Louis city's streets in secondary role

[Sherman A1]

ST. LOUIS • National Guard troops will be stationed throughout the city of St. Louis in a secondary role to civilian police, Mayor Francis Slay said on Monday.

Slay held a press conference minutes after Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard in anticipation of a grand jury decision in the Darren Wilson case.

"We do not want people to feel like they have to panic or be afraid," Slay said, saying residents should go about their daily business.

Slay said the troops will serve as a backup role to the city's civilian police. They will not interact with protesters unless an emergency requires it, he said. Slay said the civilian troops live in St. Louis and know the community better, therefore his preference for them to be on the front lines.

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/nick-pistor/national-guard-troops-will-hit-st-louis-city-s-streets/article_14d736ab-6f7e-565f-bbee-f6a3eb5d551b.html

[Skidmore]

1. That statement from the mayor makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

How can people not feel alarmed when your city has turned its police force into an army and declared war on the populace and then has another army brought in for backup? This just makes me feel physically ill.

[logosoco]

2. Funny how Slay, the mayor says "don't panic, don't be afraid" and just yesterday

someone here posted screen shots of a police board and they were saying "get guns".

The system is a mess.
The people seem to just want no trouble, even if it means part of the population will continue to be treated so badly.

This reminds me very much of the mindset after September 11, too many people didn't care that the war bush wanted was NOT the right thing at all, they just wanted to "feel safe".

The St. Louis area needs some of those famous positive DU vibes. I live 30 miles from there and woke up this morning at 3 AM and it really felt like it was because there is a lot of negative energy here.

I want the city of my birth to become the place where things turned around, not got worse.

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. Almost seems as if the folks in charge

are trying to create a war, to me.
Given the demonstrated attitudes towards blacks, on the city,county level, sounds as if most people are expecting the GJ to aquit.