Putting aside any 'rightness or wrongness' on the grand jury's decision, I've seen this play out a dozen or so times starting with the Watts Riots of the mid-60's. The goals of the rioters are simple destruction, and that's destruction of what they don't own since they really don't own anything - their housing, appliances, food, day care, on and on are paid for and provided to them by the rest of us. Why should they take care of somebody else's things?

What amazes me is that we (the public in general) fall for the nonsense that riots like this are based on anything other than opportunity or that there exists causes and reasons for such actions that we could better handle. If a significant portion of any population has a general relationship with the government of 'Daddy/Mommy' and don't have a need that drives them to emotionally mature, they're are going to take every opportunity to throw a 'hissy' and challenge 'Daddy/Mommy' just like an immature child. Treat them like a spoiled child, they'll react like a spoiled child (brat).

As well, there exist thousands in and out of government that make their living and career purpose of being that part of the population's 'Daddy/Mommy' (Jackson, Obama, Sharpton, the media press, etc) and need to maintain, even increase, the public's viewpoint that they are needed. Every reason to see the riot, no reason to help prevent it.

How can Objectivist not see the reality of this type of nonsense?

It's heartbreaking to see this happen in America. Who are the leaders in the African American community? Why didn't Obama, Sharpton and Jackson announce that violence would not be tolerated? I keep thinking of all the work my family has done building our business and it could be gone in the blink of an eye if thugs like this decide to riot. The town of Ferguson probably won't survive this.

Many media outlets just wish to fan the flames. For sensational pictures and stories of mayhem they would endanger more people and property. The criminals creating the mayhem, burning, looting, destruction and violence don't give a hoot about Michael Brown. It is pure opportunism for them. Some wish to justify their actions regardless of facts... Physical evidence or any contrary eyewitness evidence to the preferred narrative be damned. Feelings reign supreme. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M99nzyiS...
The innocent upstanding citizens of the area will only be hurt by the picture painted, as if the criminals are representative of an entire population. It is unfortunate because the violence perpetrated by some will only feed the stereotypes that are undeserved by most.

Was stuck waiting for a train in NY City for a couple of hours yesterday and the only news broadcast on was CNN. This issue was the only one covered waiting for the verdict. It was a feeding frenzy of race and gender race and gender race and gender over and over ad nauseum. It was all feelings devoid of rational thought. It seemed every 5 minutes the race and gender of the jury was flashed on the screen and discussed as though skin color and genital configuration was all that was needed to reach a conclusion. There was zero consideration as to whether or not the jury may have had any brains to sift through the facts and reach a rational decision or if they were dumb as a box of rocks. Now you know why I'd rather watch Fox News.

Great article. I went on a Twitter rant last night on this about 5-6 tweets long. Went along the same lines as Francisco's speech before he announces his crash, ironically enough:
"The moment people start making judgments based upon how they feel, rather than what they know, is the moment the U.S. as I've known it, dies. I see people using the words "I know in my heart" and "I feel like"... the only people who seem to have had the facts are those in that jury. My logic: If they had better access to facts than you, then you have no right to inflame the situation with gossip and speculation. #media."

I went on to say how despicable it was that they were taking it out on their own town and businesses that had served them so gladly. Basically, this would have never become the disaster it had had it not been for the media. Combine an inflammatory information source with enough fuel (dumb people, as per Mr. Gruber) and this is what you get.

Obama did exactly what I expected he would do, fall back to his Saul Alinksy "Rules for Radicals" training, never let a good crisis go to waste, set race against race. It sure got him off the hook for some of his recent bone-headed actions. He has never cared about blacks, was raised as a spoiled brat by white grandparents. Blacks are people he uses to advance an agenda, as the Alinsky training taught him. If there is leadership in the black community, they should be objecting to the way they are used and stepping up on a daily basis to reclaim their children from drugs and thruggery.

The powerful, the corrupt and criminals always turn on each other when there is no one else to loot. After they destroy the country they will destroy each other.

I lived through the Detroit riots. As a teen I was a soda-jerk at a drugstore on 12th street. Two blocks from where I worked was Rev. Franklin's church (Aretha's dad). 12th Street was destroyed. There is no more 12th street as it was then and likely will never be again.