[quote=ASTA]Police are nothing more than filthy animals with ever-increasing stockpiles of military-grade hardware and a superiority complex.
[/quote]

This is the underlying attitude that is responsible for the riots in Ferguson. Race has nothing to do with it, and the specific situation in question has very little to do with it either. The salient issue here is that a large demographic of people have a complete lack of respect for officers of the law, and are either still inside of or never bothered to leave their adolescent rebellious phase. The shooting of Michael Brown wasn't the reason for the protests, it was the excuse for them.

To all of the people complaining about the involvement of riot police: what is the appropriate response to an angry mob burning down a gas station and looting streets full of businesses? Should the police have instead sent sternly worded letters to the mailboxes of the rioters?