Let's just dispense with this little lie Chief Jackson told Hannity and his viewers Thursday night. He said, "Not a single protester has been injured and I'm very proud of that." He then redoubled that bid, saying that the only injuries were to police officers.
Here ya go, Chief Jackson. This pastor, who was trying to calm the situation down, came away Wednesday night with this:
If that's not an injury, there isn't such a thing. That was inflicted by a rubber bullet shot from a policeman's rifle. Spare me the pride, Mr. Chief, and especially spare me the lies. Furthermore, here is what happens to people when tear gas is released in their midst:
- stinging and burning of the eyes, nose, mouth, and skin
- excessive tearing
- blurred vision
- runny nose
- salivation (drooling)
- exposed tissue may develop a rash and a chemical burn
- coughing and difficulty breathing, including a feeling of choking
- disorientation and confusion, which may lead to panic
- intense anger
- The disorientation and confusion may not be totally psychological. In some cases, the solvent used to prepare the tear gas may contribute to the reaction and may be more toxic than the lachrymatory agent.
They may not have been taken to the hospital but that doesn't mean there weren't injuries. That Al Jazeera America team that got gassed so cops could turn off their cameras probably has something to say about that.
He also claimed they only arrested 12 people on Wednesday night. Of those, at least two were journalists and one was an elected official, who was held overnight.
If this is how the police chief handles the truth that everyone else's lyin' eyes are seeing right in front of them, why on earth would we want to believe the cops' version of how Michael Brown was shot?
It isn't just Chief Jackson, either. Saint Louis County prosecutor Bob McCulloch is angry about Governor Jay Nixon's decision to replace the St. Louis police with the State Highway Patrol.
A simple comparison of what we saw Wednesday night and what we saw Thursday night begs the question: What group of people is McCulloch concerned about being in danger? Is that really just some code for frustration that they can't run roughshod over a community of black folks who really hate it when cops shoot one of their young men?
Chief Jackson also isn't sure why anyone needs to know the name of the cop who shot Michael Brown. How would it help things, he wonders? Too bad for the chief, because that name will be released Friday.
Once again, I reiterate: If you give a damn about race relations in the city you police, you do not make back-to-back appearances on Sean Hannity's show to justify your actions. At this point, I'm assuming Chief Jackson isn't simply being stupid, but quite intentional. Hannity's audience is white, scared, and bigoted. Evidently Chief Jackson is most comfortable in that environment.
