[Teh_Bandwagoner]

I agree that the shooting isn't the issue here. If a man is claiming to have a gun (regardless of any mental illness) and I had a gun in my hand, and the guy comes at me, I'm gonna try shooting him first. The main controversy comes from the victim being black man in a poor neighbourhood.

I think a lot of people up here in Canada badly underestimate the difference in classes between the general white population and general black population in the US. It is severe! And unfortunately, it probably won't change anytime soon. I think if this incident were to occur up here, the fact that the victim is black would probably not come into play very much. But down there, the moment a poor black man gets shot, regardless of the situation, all hell breaks loose.

It's really sad and frustrating because like hulkrogan was saying, it's all pretty self-perpetuating. Poverty and lack of education in the black community seems transfer from generation to generation, and it seems like the longer it happens, the more willing the remaining population is to sweep it under the rug and pretend the problem doesn't exist. I have no idea where you would start fixing the problem.

It's like a really really sad episode of Boondocks, really :P