Campbell was "possibly" suicidal? Exactly how many media must someone use to scream a death wish before they lose the "possibly?"

The last I checked it isn't the job of the police to facilitate violent suicide.

I'm not saying they should have shot him, I'm pointing out an example of Matt taking liberties with the interpretation of facts to support the narrative he constructed the moment he heard of this event.

This goes hand in hand with the "rogue" cops who beanbagged the 13 year old who was violently resisting arrest. Now that the judge has agreed the girl was in the wrong, I guess she's a "rogue," too. The whole damn system is rogues!

I'm glad MD is out there working his ass off and asking tough questions; I just wish he'd lay off the knee-jerk pro-"little guy" morality. It makes him appear to be a perpetual PSU poli sci freshman, and god knows we have enough of those. I'm not asking for "balance" for the sake of balance, just a recognition that not all stories have to be shoehorned into a faux Heroes/Downtrodden v. Rogues/Oppressors model.

Sorry, the "she" in the second sentence of the second paragraph refers to the judge, not the girl.

get over yourselves portland. you're not that important. and your problems are hardly unique.
there are racist/rouge cops in every city... having lived in 2 other major cities prior to portland, both with more racist pasts and presents than portland, it's funny to me to see people get their panties in a bunch when a white cop shoots a black guy. armed unarmed or whatever. black folks protest, white folks celebrate (either publicly or privately)... that's been happening since way back in the day. in fact, it used to be a big deal, killing black folks... the whole town would come out in their sunday best to cheer the event. it was part of the culture.

i don't comprehend why people are so naive to think that just because we have a half-black president that we've really come that far as a society? don't deceive yourselves. racism in the u.s. is just a prevalent today as it was 100... 200... years ago... but like everything else today there are new forms and delivery methods, plus the good old tried true and tested ones... all the protests, meetings, articles, editorials, education, police training/equpiment and good intentions in the world isn't going to change that fact... neither will the politicians in your local, state or federal government change that fact. it's not going to change. it will ebb and flow like it always has.

white racist cops will shoot unarmed black men, women and 13 year old girls (and whatever other minorities they can find, thank you very much) with no consequence. just like they always have. and laugh and brag about it with their buddies over a cold one. just like they always have. the community and other activists will complain and protest. like they always have. and the world will keep spinning. just like it always has.

the united states of america is a racist country. (period) portland, like every other community in the us is a microcosm of the racist country wherein it resides.... fairly straightforward really. not sure why there's so much editorial space used up discussing it.

Thanx to Neighborhoodobserver, i'm suicidal now..... :/

"get over yourselves portland. you're not that important. and your problems are hardly unique."

Who ever said we were?

"there are racist/rouge cops in every city... having lived in 2 other major cities prior to portland, both with more racist pasts and presents than portland, it's funny to me to see people get their panties in a bunch when a white cop shoots a black guy."


Noone EVER claimed that Violent, murderous cops are uinque to Portland. And ofcourse there're racist cops in EVERY city, i certainly know that. When un-armed non-threatening people are murdered by cops, don't you think that shit outta be addressed?!

What YOU seem to be saying is: "Portland ain't the only city with violent cops(DUH!), it's a racist country(DUH!), people should just shut up & deal with it:.

You sound like just another White guy who can't "get" why people would make such a "fuss" over an un-armed Black man being shoot in the back with a military assault weapon by a cop with an [already] rotten history. And if it annoys you that "so much editorial space" is used up on this, well, noone's MAKING you read the Merc.

@DamosA

"You sound like just another White guy..." [buzzer sound]
what do white guys sound like? they make a specific noise that other humans don't make? that statement is racist yo. furthermore, my race is irrelevant with regards to my comments. but here's a clue for you... i'm not white...

"And if it annoys you that "so much editorial space" is used up on this, well, noone's MAKING you read the Merc."
correct... and typically i don't... the mercury's not even worthy of keeping in my bathroom for when i run out of toilet paper... i was looking for a movie time and i was assaulted by the headline on the homepage... (which i notice has since been relocated and reduced in size) and subsequently i was moved to respond... as i've done in the past....

"When un-armed non-threatening people are murdered by cops, don't you think that shit outta be addressed?!"
yes. i did address it. see above. ^

yo bro. i've seen your postings here and there... typically in response to other articles about race and or racially charged issues. i choose to focus my time and energy elsewhere. like volunteering at self-enhancement inc. or coaching or otherwise donating my time and reaching out to the community...

raging against the machine is something i'm over... been there done that. if all the people protesting would put that energy back into the community... there would be a lot more self-policing like black folks did back in the day... but coming out of your house every 12-24-48 months when something goes down between "the man" and "the people" just to make some noise and then you go back in your house... well that doesn't really help anyone... when jesse was done with his little song and dance he went to the blazers game... how's that helping black folks? it's not. will he be coming back anytime soon for a follow-up, since he's so concerned with how we're doing? hell to the NO. the next time he rolls into town will be for another blazers game or the next time some racist white cop shoots a black guy (or gal)...

so yeah. like i said. white cop shoot black guy. community is outraged blah blah blah *yawn*

"but here's a clue for you... i'm not white..."

Well i didn't say you were, i just said you SOUNDED like one (e.i. whinning out-loud about the fact that others call racism whenever a White cop shoots an un-armed Black man). THAT'S what YOU sound like.

"i was looking for a movie time and i was assaulted by the headline on the homepage..."

Oh, POOR YOU! Maybe we ought to summon Rev. Jackson back to advocate in your favor.

"yes. i did address it."

No, you really didn't. You simply whinned about the fact that OTHER people were addressing it, whinned that the Merc. saw fit to give it proper coverage, & basically down-played the entire issue by saying,: "Meh, big deal. Like the same doesn't happen in other cities".

"yo bro. i've seen your postings here and there... typically in response to other articles about race and or racially charged issues. i choose to focus my time and energy elsewhere. like volunteering at self-enhancement inc. or coaching or otherwise donating my time and reaching out to the community..."

Not just that, i also try & post on articles regarding religion & political matters. You can also find my comments in the film section.

"raging against the machine is something i'm over... been there done that."

Well since you've conceded defeat & accepted your place in the Matrix, good luck mister. More room for those of us who still give a damn about something.

really. ALL CAPS. like the madvillian song. whatever bro. i'd type more but i think they call that "feeding the troll." word. peace.

neighborhoodobserver, i find your comment a powerful indictment. i am saddened by the pessimism, but feel a good deal of cynicism myself. cynicism, however, does not exclude optimism, and i believe that we can work to change the culture we otherwise create and reinforce. it may be true that we won't see the effects in our lifetimes, but we are all agents in the reification of culture. you have your own way of 'raging against the machine,' and that is by turning your energies to constructive projects. but there are other ways just as vital and legitimate, which deserve your support.
what i'm trying to say is that i wholly agree with you. you make a most powerful observation. but try to have some optimism too. i recognize that there are a great many 'well-meaning-but-naiive-white-liberals' who have no understanding of your experiences and the wisdom you have come to through them, but we are all in this together. and try to help those 'well-meaning' types to broaden their understanding through critical thought with patience, guidance, and willingness to engage in 'dialogue' (cf., p. freire). you would benefit too from helping others to 'get it.'

I'm really sick of everyone ASSuming that the ENTIRE PPD is Racist. I happen to know a few people who work for the PPD and related organizations and I know that are deeply troubled by these events. REASONABLE questions to ask are: Do our officers need better training and equipment to deal with crises? How the hell were they supposed to know that the man was unarmed when the girlfriend called 911 hysterical and said that her boyfriend was threatening her and anyone that came near him? Perhaps more questions should have been asked, but again to ASSume racism on the part of all those involved who put their lives on the line to protect us every day is wrong. Yes I said WRONG. Attacking in this manor is completely unproductive and won't get the problem solved.
And I am a liberal so all you sheltered ivory tower trust fund assholes can nix your ASSumption that I am some red-necked uneducated white trash asshole. I normally am not a person who blindly supports the system. This time I see things differently. If you are a black person you are entitled to question the system, but the rest of you should rethink your line of questioning, unless you don't know who to have your own thoughts. Then you should just shut the hell up.

@ weenie

Noone is ASSuming(sic) that the ENTIRE PPD is racist... just MOST of them. It's also clear that MOST cops are mysoginistic & mask their major security issues with thinly-veiled homo-erotic gang-chants & rituals

("Rah, SERT team! Where every man's a tiger, a big fucking tiger, a big fucking tiger with a dick this big!" "a form of discipline in which SERT members would force an officer to the ground while another officer would sit naked on the officer's face,")

But more than anything, cops are just abunhca fucking jerks with impunity to do [prettymuch] what ever the Hell they want. And since women & (albit poor/homeless/ill) White men have also been targeted/murdered by Portland cops in recent years, we ALL have a stake in these issues!

Btw, does anyone know where to find photos of Ronald Frashour, Ryan Lewton, or any of the OTHER cops who took part in Campbell's murder?

I think the reason the *Portland* Mercury devotes so much space to racist violence from police in *Portland* is that the *Portland* Mercury is a *Portland* newspaper, based in *Portland.*

No officer can get away with anything that stripes and brass don't condone. Street police take their cue from front-line supervisors, such as sergeants, who follow the tone set by their own superiors. I haven't the time or energy to elaborate, but interested parties may read Samuel Walker's "Policing in America," now in its 6th edition.

The question are you willing to be responsible if an officer dies is kind of a ridiculous one since cops basically never die in portland and most if not all of these people who are being executed by the cops are unarmed. We have had something like 2 officer deaths in the last 30 years and they are killing people several times a year. I am fully willing to be responsible for shifting that balance away from unarmed people being executed.

just a thought; if you don't want your friends and relatives shot by police don't call police with information that your friend or relative is armed with a gun and dangerous. further when said friend or relative acts in a manner consistent with pulling a weapon don't get all whiny and judgemental when police act on information you provided and shoot your friend or relative