Last week, after the Ku Klux Klan promised “lethal violence” against Ferguson protestors, hacktivist group Anonymous took over the KKK’s Twitter account and website, and posted:
To the KKK and police: Be peaceful or you will feel the consequences. To the protestors: do not be afraid. We are here for you and will protect and serve you.
Some Ferguson activists said that it took a hacker group in Guy Fawkes smirking masks to make them feel safe, given the local police’s recent history of aiming tear gas, rubber bullets and military weapons at them.
In words reminiscent of the ship hijacker in the movie Captain Phillips, Anonymous boldly proclaimed:
We are the law now.
Anonymous was responding to the virulently racist KKK threats against them and Ferguson protestors, like:
You’ll be strung up next to the chimps on display for the whole world to see. The Klan is to be feared, not threatened. Turn away, or face the consequences.
As law enforcement seemed to be doing nothing about the KKK’s threats, Anonymous took the matter into their own keyboard tapping fingers. All of this arose in the context of, and highlights, the ongoing lawlessness and lack of accountability in Ferguson.
Consider:
1) After teenager Mike Brown was gunned down in the street on a sunny August Sunday, his blood literally ran in the street for four hours as his killer stood by. No arrest was made, though six witnesses have said publicly that Brown’s hands were up in the universal sign of surrender when he was fatally shot.
2) Officer Wilson, the shooter, was not even required to fill out an incident report explaining his killing of an unarmed civilian. Nevertheless, he has not been fired or even disciplined. He’s been on a paid leave since the killing.
3) Prosecutors did not file charges, an option available to them, though five of the six eyewitnesses who saw Wilson fire the fatal bullets into Brown’s head while his hands were up did not know either man in the incident. This is more than enough to establish probable cause, the lowest burden of proof in our legal system.
4) Prosecutors instead chose the secrecy of a grand jury proceeding, and then dragged it out, making getting to charges far more difficult by two highly unusual choices they made:
(i) putting on all the evidence as if this were a full blow trial; and
(ii) not recommending any particular charges be filed. As this same grand jury has been hearing other matters for months under standard operating procedure — where the prosecutor puts on a few witnesses and then advocates for specific charges — they will surely notice the difference.
In the unlikely event that the grand jury does indict, it would be in spite of, not because of, the prosecutor’s presentation of evidence in that room.
Which brings us back to the question of who, precisely, is the law in Ferguson? When an unarmed kid is shot, authorities repeatedly lie, duck for cover, and duck even the most minimal level of accountability. When Missouri’s Governor can’t even say who’s in charge, a vacuum exists and alternative groups like Anonymous step in to fill the void. No one, for example, seems to have been investigating the KKK’s fundraising for Darren Wilson’s defense fund or its other alleged ties to Ferguson police.
Repeatedly threatened by the KKK online, Anonymous’ first tweet from the KKK’s Twitter feed was a simple poke at having been underestimated.
You should’ve expected us.
Later the group mocked the KKK by posting a picture of a unicorn. A day later, still in control of the KKK’s Twitter feed, the hackers posted this:
Naturally, some voiced outrage at Anonymous’ illegal tactics and demanded THEY be investigated.
Now, hacking is very, very naughty, and the KKK has the right to freedom of speech yada yada. I suppose the police should get right on this, just as soon as they complete working out the criminal justice system’s massive, top to bottom racial biases (which I outline in my book, Suspicion Nation). Right after law enforcement puts in place a plan to stop widespread racial profiling and police targeting of poor and minority Americans. After all police are sporting the inexpensive body camera that Rialto, California has shown to work so we can drastically reduce excessive force against our neighbors. As soon as we tighten our gun laws so people like George Zimmerman aren’t walking around with concealed loaded weapons on their way to shopping at Target, and so police have less reason to fear civilians reaching into a waistband. Right after we train police to use nonlethal force against citizens whenever possible. When we have completed prosecuting all the Wall Street tycoons whose massive crimes tanked our economy in 2008, rather than the current focus on young black and brown folks jaywalking (Mike Brown, dead in Missouri) or walking too slowly (Trayvon Martin, dead in Florida) or selling cigarettes (Eric Garner, dead in New York) or looking at a toy in Walmart (John Crawford, dead in Ohio).
Anonymous is not the problem. Anonymous is performing a public service by drawing attention to the problem.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Avvo.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons and Anonymous
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43 comments
norbit peters
It's common knowledge now that "Hands Up, Don't Shoot" NEVER HAPPENED, but that won't stop the simple-minded Left from repeating what they're told by their race-pimping Democratic Masters.
The problem is 72% child abandonment in black communities.
THAT'S what leads to the criminal culture there, and the police response.
- and THAT is a direct result of the Democratic welfare-dependency which has - BY DESIGN - destroyed the black family!
GOVERNMENT DEPENDENCY = DEMOCRATIC VOTES
Bob
Why is my reply to Nana appearing at the top of the comments section?
Bob
Nana, she isn't.
Bob
Except that she's not.
Bob
More lies from Social Justice Warriors ( today's KKK ).
matt
How did this story becomes about gun control or restrictions out the blue? I guess you liberals have to slip it in some where don't you.
truth
Unbelievable. These are the articles that the left take as facts and spread them as such. The facts have been released yet people like Lisa Bloom continue to spread only what they want to hear. Racism will never completely go away. Human race has a thing about the need to hate. Whether it's religion, gender, race or whatever. The government fears us as a people compared to any other nation. We are a tolerant people and educated which makes corruption in the government easy to see and as a people will step up to stop it. This is why they create these hysterias to appear epidemic and break us apart. If you disarm and dismantle a nation of people, youll never have to worry about a revolution. We were built on the foundation of overthrowing a corrupt government. That need seems to be coming again.
Brent
Mike Brown is on you tube viciously beating people. He was caught on camera roughing up a store clerk for cigars. But apparently he was an angel who would never ever assault a police officer. Yeah right.
Crispin Porter
Wow, look at all these wonderfully written ignorant comments with amazingly bad grammar. Yet you expect people to take you seriously. That there, is cute.
As for you Lisa I did enjoy the story. Not for stating facts and not but for the story in itself. I appreciate it.
These ignorant people should be watching Jerry Springer anyways. Not sure how they got on the Internet in the first place.
Lindon
Nothing more than verbal fecal waste. What a shame. Lisa should send her one paragraph resume to the ACLU. I understand that they continue to hire socialists willing to dis-serve the law and the Constitution. What a load of feces.
Al Sharpton
We've got a Black President. The race card is null and void. In our great country if you work hard and do right you can accomplish any thing. Anyone who doesn't see it that way is only holding their own self back. Lisa Bloom you need to check your facts and for someone to call you a great journalist is complete nonsense. Idoit is the word best used to describe the author of this article.
Heri
Lisa, will you marry me?
TOMMYLAND
Americans are just damn stupid. This is exactly what your government wants and the media is in on it. As long as we are fighting against one another they know we won't come for them. Racism is not as big of a problem as the media makes you think it is. There have been several white people shot by black officers why is that not in the headlines???? We all should get together go to Washington DC and protest there. That's where the problem is. If we all stop letting the race baiters make us fight against each other we can get together and take our country back.
Mike K
Don't fight with the police. Simple enough
Theodore Taylor
Btw, let's play a hypothetical game. Let's say you had to choose between two people: one will live and one will die. One is a white criminal who just stole a car (the act I Al crime matters little) and is resisting arrest. The other is a black policeman. One WILL die, but you are given the rare opportunity of choosing who lives. Do you pick the criminal, or the innocent and upstanding lawman? Obviously the police officer shouldn't die for a criminal. But if the criminal is black, and the officer white, we suddenly cannot think clearly. So Brown may not have been threatening the Officer. But it's POSSIBLE. If it comes down to it, NO police officer should have to die, or be made to run the risk of dying, for a criminal. Given the worst case scenario, who could honestly say otherwise?
Theodore Taylor
By the way, people (on both sides) act as if this whole thing is "Blacks" vs. "Whites." We are SO racist in this country, from the KKK to the government giving money to black people JUST for being black. Are we going to subsidize blonds, left handed people, or give out "acne relief funds"? It's just as arbitrary, unless you would like to imply that skin color somehow affects intelligence (better stay inside, then, so I won't get a tan!). If you would like to stop racism, JUST STOP BEING RACIST. Treat black people like we treat left handed people or plumbers or people who wear scarves: no differently. Because it is equally racist to "promote" as it is to "discriminate."
Dan
This is a joke article, right?
jd
Everyone wants everyone else dead so they can keep all the twinkies for themselves. Thats the game play it or lie to yourself
William
Here is an idea how about getting your facts correct. It might give more strength to your opinion regardless of how stupid it is. How do you know when a lawyer has quit lying? They are closing the lid on their casket.
Kuhn Tewk
Mindless drivel ! Note to self...if you get in a legal jam, don't hire this dim-wit.
Marko
Dream on anonymous. You hacked their twitter acct. BFD. You're no better than any other self appointed organization, so sure that they are better than the other guy. You want to effect some REAL change, figure out a way to stop the plague of Black Violence.
Zac
Disgusting article. Clearly poor journalism. Maybe validate your opinion before you smear it onto the Internet. You don't know anything about police work or tactics.
Mike
This is only an opinion story which does not require the author to give facts. With that said, Ms. Bloom, have you always had bouble standards? To condone one crime, hacking, and not the other, threats against human beings, is exactly whatI would expect from a lawyer who is trying to make a name off of tragic circumstances. I am sure that if your freedom of speech was taken away, you would be talking out of the other side of your mouth.
Adrienne
Great story. Racist bigots disgust me. May they all burn in hell!
Badfinger99
Piss on the KKK and piss on their gangStalkers haha Lol
James black
So the authorit's condoning anarchy over rule of law? The author clearly wants to see Ofc. Wilson brought to justice via rule of law but as a double standard didn't want anonymous held accountable for their illegal actions? This type of hypocritical thinking is exactly why the author cannot be objective of the facts in this case. Their two sides two what happend and obviously nothing in this case is provable or winnable for a conviction. Also, reasonable suspicion is the lowest burden of proof, not probable cause. In this case I don't think there is even reasonable suspicion and most legal experts will tell you a Grand Jury was costly and unwarranted based on the lack of evidence. If it wasn't for media/political/community pressure the legal system would never had wasted the time and money.
I'm totally opposed to the KKK but you can't fight hate and lawlessNess with hate and lawlessness. That's the trouble with the violent protests. .. they're not justified and they don't own lines of communication or facilitate change.
Milla
Dear Racists,
Lisa is entitled to her oponion, and I believe she states facts, so get off her page.
Easy Money
Well what the opinions ate flying all over the place. I say good story. Anonymous keep doing what you think is best for the oppressed.
Carol
Good gawd what horse droppings so much of this is! The Wall Street tycoons won't be arrested! They're playing golf w/ Obama! Michael Brown wasn't jaywalking, he and his buddy were walking in the street, being an annoyance to fellow citizens who called the police on the brothers! When Wilson told the pair to get outta the street, they told him FU! Jaywalking. You're a joke.
H Holmes
After reading the bio at the bottom of the page your "journalistic portrial" of events makes sense now...Your a lawyer. Either your going for shock value, your are uninformed, or your a liar. just one question for you (don't worry it's rhetoric), why did the "witnesses" change their story or tell the investigators that what they said they saw was actually a neighborhood account and not their own? Stick to cheap commercials during Muarry.
Matt
The KKK was never and will never be an illegal group. They are an extension of the local police. The police used them for criminal activities against non-whites back then and they still do now. The group is white-Americans murder squard. It was never a secret. Even the CIA used and continue to use them to terrorize the black community.
bishop Willams
We all need love and compassion for human life I pray for this world
Randy
This is very poor journalism. The blacks are acting like criminals and you make them out to be bambi. You should have to walk the streets of Ferguson. I am sorry I spent 4 yrs in the army for this sick country.
Pam
Thank you for the thoughtful, well-written article!
California Bar Complaint
Avvo.com has lost all credibility by pubishing this tripe.
Gimmedaloot
You should be fired for as a journalist.. All lies no truth in this story an who ever was the editor lol wow way to go on proof reading this shity story..
Storo
What a lopsided post. You don't even have your facts right. Defending Anonymous is like Hillary Clinton being in charge of security in BENGHAZI. What a dolt.
Jedotter
This is exactly what the liberal left wants following Saul Alinsky's theme of Rules for Radicals, using violent conflict as a uniting element in communities. Alinsky would find an external antagonist to turn into a common enemy for the community within which he was operating. Often, this enemy would be a local politician or agency that had some involvement with activity that was causing detriment to the community. His goal was to unite a group through conflict with an external antagonist. Once the enemy was established, the community would come together in opposition of it. This management of conflict heightened awareness within the community as to the similarities its members shared as well as what differentiated them from those outside of their organization. The use of conflict also allowed for the goal of the group to be clearly defined. With an established external antagonist, the community’s goal would be to defeat that enemy, whether it be a politician, policy, or opposing agency. It turns into nothing more than a mindless mob mentality of anarchy!!!
lalaw
Lisa bloom I read your comment and I think you're a complete idiot and biased to no end. You need to start fact checkingbefore your idiotic ramblings of your half-baked ideas. your career is headed for Doom and you opened yourself up for a defamation lawsuit. Fyi the ball is rolling
Really
Yeah and now they are rioting and burning down their own community. Way to "protect" protestors. Who's going to protect people from them ?
john doe
This isn't journalism. There are no facts, just one sided opinion and misleading information. Michale Brown was not just a kid walking down the street being profile by police for being black. He was a full grown man that instigated that altercation with police when he committed a crime. The media is using the most innocent looking images to depict Brown when in reality he was a thug.
Joel A.
Great write up! You are a true journalist!
Nana
I love you Lisa for telling the truth!