Ferguson: Police Kill 18yo Black Male; Fire Gas/Rubber Bullets Into Protesting Crowds

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Better Decisions Through Diversity
http://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/better_decisions_through_diversity

Expanding diversity in the workplace is often seen as a good way to inject fresh ideas into an otherwise stagnant environment, and incorporating new perspectives can help members tackle problems from a number of different angles. But few have looked into exactly why or how this is so. New research finds that socially different group members do more than simply introduce new viewpoints or approaches. In the study, diverse groups outperformed more homogeneous groups not because of an influx of new ideas, but because diversity triggered more careful information processing that is absent in homogeneous groups.

The mere presence of diversity in a group creates awkwardness, and the need to diffuse this tension leads to better group problem solving, says Katherine Phillips, an associate professor of management and organizations at the Kellogg School of Management. She and her coauthors, Katie A. Liljenquist, an assistant professor at Brigham Young University, and Margaret A. Neale, a professor at Stanford University, demonstrate that while homogenous groups feel more confident in their performance and group interactions, it is the diverse groups that are more successful in completing their tasks.

Stifling Situations
Though people often feel more comfortable with others like themselves, homogeneity can hamper the exchange of different ideas and stifle the intellectual workout that stems from disagreements. “Generally speaking, people would prefer to spend time with others who agree with them rather than disagree with them,” Phillips explains. But this unbridled affirmation does not always produce the best results. “When you think about diversity, it often comes with more cognitive processing and more exchange of information and more perceptions of conflict,” Phillips says. In diverse settings, people tend to view conversations as a potential source of conflict that can breed negative emotions, and it is these emotions that can blind people to diversity’s upsides: new ideas can emerge, individuals can learn from one another, and they may discover the solution to a problem in the process. “It’s kind of surprising how difficult it is for people to actually see the benefit of the conversations they are having in a diverse setting,” observes Phillips.
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Trail Guide said:
I think it's pretty damning that the police department needs a PR team in the first place because it shows they lack the capacity to communicate with the people whom their supposed to be serving.
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Hey man the best police departments have PR firms helping them ensure peace!

LAPD
NYPD
Ferguson just wants to be among the greats.
 
Homeboyd said:
Should probably just go out and hire a black guy just to avoid this situation, right?
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You're missing my point. It's not just the PR issue. It's the problem that the local government is supposed to represent the community's diversity, and in no way does so. And this government chose to hire a firm to represent them that lacks that same diversity.
 
People are really defensive over the fact that shit is predominantly white and that's a glaring problem because of the lack of perspective on issues?
 
Jado said:
No to the first question. Yes, insensitive to hire all-white PR reps in a town that's by and large represented and run by white people.
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But you didnt say that.

I googled pr firms in that area. Out of the front page, companies that have "team photos", 3 had zero black people working their. And other pr firms with no pictures at all of their team. Maybe the should never hire local pr firms and scout out of town pr firms.
 
From Ezra Klein at Vox: Why Obama won’t give the Ferguson speech his supporters want Great read on the policial/social realities facing him.

Takeaway/conclusion from the piece:

If Obama's speeches aren't as dramatic as they used to be, this is why: the White House believes a presidential speech on a politically charged topic is as likely to make things worse as to make things better. It is as likely to infuriate conservatives as it is to inspire liberals. And in a country riven by political polarization, widening that divide can take hard problems and make them impossible problems.
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Ganhyun said:
From my understanding the media is being sequestered basically into a media zone mostly well away from anything happening and anyone who tries to go out and report is/was being attacked/arrested as well. Afterall, most of them will stand in line since they know they will be targeted too, like the Al Jazeera reporters were.
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There were reporters at the front of the protests who didn't see any cocktails being through either tho. The one reporter on Tim Pool's livestream even showed us the beginning via recorded. No Cocktails, just police firing tear gas in a way that made it difficult for the protesters to disperse without running into it.

I'm not saying there weren't any molotovs, but it is rather suspicious. Especially because last time someone threw them, we got images and first-hand reports.
 
pompidu said:
Ok so why is this picture an issue? There was intention behind posting it.
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Because like it or not, ideals or not, most black people in the US and after this incident probably all black people in Ferguson have a different experience from white people. And thus an all white PR team without any black perspective when this entire situation is so racially charged is...insensitive
 
Homeboyd said:
Should probably just go out and hire a black guy just to avoid this situation, right?
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Well, this and others. PR is heavily dependent on being able to speak to a specific audience from a place of experience. There is evidence that in this case, yes, a black person would be better suited to the role because they're more familiar with racism.
 
Gaz_RB said:
You're missing my point. It's not just the PR issue. It's the problem that the local government is supposed to represent the community's diversity, and in no way does so. And this government chose to hire a firm to represent them that lacks that same diversity.
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Nah, I'm not missing it the point. Perhaps this a good firm with a good track record dealing with these types of issues? You'd prefer more diversity, regardless of the quality the firm offers...? That way it will "look" better regardless of the actual outcome.
 
pompidu said:
Ok so why is this picture an issue? There was intention behind posting it.
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Are you feigning ignorance or can you not understand how an all white PR staff in a town that's majority black is odd? Not saying that was their intention, I'm saying that the lack of diversity in the hires should have struck anyone with a brain as a potentially bad idea as we've seen in multiple studies diversity in staffing is advantageous, and especially so in a situation like this where a lot of the conflict is from racial divisions
 
Sophia said:
There were reporters at the front of the protests who didn't see any cocktails being through either tho. The one reporter on Tim Pool's livestream even showed us the beginning via recorded. No Cocktails, just police firing tear gas in a way that made it difficult for the protesters to disperse without running into it.

I'm not saying there weren't any molotovs, but it is rather suspicious. Especially because last time someone threw them, we got images and first-hand reports.
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Oh, I agree that no evidence of molotovs is suspicious. Afterall, its not like our government would hide stuff from us or lie to us purposely... (I hope my sarcasm is shining through there)
 
Devolution said:
People are really defensive over the fact that shit is predominantly white and that's a glaring problem because of the lack of perspective on issues?
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It's obvious, right?

But this is the same reason that things like this happen to begin with. This whole thing is about a lack of perspective; the inability for people to see that black folks aren't some kind of boogeyman that should be looked at with a critical eye all the fucking time.

And then we've got the "it's not about race!!!!1111" people who always come out to shut other people down who just want to have the conversation.

It's amazing to see these things happening in real time, even in a place like GAF where I'm removed from face to face interactions.
 
The Technomancer said:
Because like it or not, ideals or not, most black people in the US and after this incident probably all black people in Ferguson have a different experience from white people. And thus an all white PR team without any black perspective when this entire situation is so racially charged is...insensitive
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BeatResetsTheWorld said:
Are you feigning ignorance or can you not understand how an all white PR staff in a town that's majority black is odd? Not saying that was their intention, I'm saying that the lack of diversity in the hires should have struck anyone with a brain as a potentially bad idea as we've seen in multiple studies diversity in staffing is advantageous, and especially so in a situation like this where a lot of the conflict is from racial divisions
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So they should call every pr firm in the area and ask if they have black people working there?

If you see this as a big issue, that's fine. I don't see it as such, specially when more important things need attention.
 
Homeboyd said:
Nah, I'm not missing it the point. Perhaps this a good firm with a good track record dealing with these types of issues? You'd prefer more diversity, regardless of the quality the firm offers...? That way it will "look" better regardless of the actual outcome.
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Nah, you're still missing my point and putting words in my mouth

pompidu said:
So they should call every pr firm in the area and ask if they have black people working there?

If you see this as a big issue, that's fine. I don't see it as such, specially when more important things need attention.
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I don't think it's a big issue, but it piles on to all the other issues regarding Ferguson and the other areas around and in STL.
 
kirblar said:
From Ezra Klein at Vox: Why Obama won’t give the Ferguson speech his supporters want Great read on the policial/social realities facing him.

Takeaway/conclusion from the piece:
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As much as people like to harp that Obama's presidency has signaled some great end to the racism in America, all it's done for me is show that our country (more specifically Republicans) were not ready for a non-white president.

teslersterling1.png


I mean I didn't even think 12 years should win the Oscar, but this gap is crazy. Now I just imagine a bunch of republicans having convulsions at the thought of a slavery movie winning awards
 
pompidu said:
So they should call every pr firm in the area and ask if they have black people working there?

If you see this as a big issue, that's fine. I don't see it as such, specially when more important things need attention.
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Yes, if they give a flying fuck about actually dealing with their problems they should find people who are better suited to the situation based on their experiences as black people. You don't make inroads by ignoring the glaring problem that started this whole mess: ignoring black people.
 
metalslimer said:
As much as people like to harp that Obama's presidency has signaled some great end to the racism in America, all it's done for me is show that our country (more specifically Republicans) were not ready for a non-white president.
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If Obama gets out there and starts taking sides and becoming emotional then Rand Paul is gonna retract that article he put out just so he can tell primary voters in 2016 he never agreed with him on anything.

The article really does make a good point. Anything he supports will become unsupportable by Republicans who fear the tea party and it will just divide and polarize things further.
 
pompidu said:
So they should call every pr firm in the area and ask if they have black people working there?

If you see this as a big issue, that's fine. I don't see it as such, specially when more important things need attention.
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Their job us public relations so...yes? Because it might help establish better relations with the public
 
pompidu said:
But you didnt say that.

I googled pr firms in that area. Out of the front page, companies that have "team photos", 3 had zero black people working their. And other pr firms with no pictures at all of their team. Maybe the should never hire local pr firms and scout out of town pr firms.
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I never suggested they hire an all-black firm. Do I have to explicitly point that out for you? I just know that situations like this play out better when diversity is included.
 
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