Mainstream media deliberately encouraging murder of Missouri police officer

(NaturalNews) As racial tensions and violence escalate in Ferguson, Missouri, following the police shooting of 18-year-old African American youth Michael Brown, there are a number of elements working to inflame an already volatile situation.

In addition to the usual race-baiting hucksters and opportunists, the media is also guilty of keeping emotions raw, even to the point of potentially contributing to the murder of Ferguson P.D. officer Darren Wilson, who shot Brown as he allegedly assaulted him.

As reported by the blog The Gateway Pundit, just about the only coverage that the media has had of Wilson has been bad. Indeed, CNN -- in a video report titled "Who is Darren Wilson?" (as though he is some sort of shady, dark character worthy of an in-depth "investigation" by a large news company) -- went so far as to reveal where he lives.

It its broadcast, CNN showed Wilson's house, including the street number; Wilson, perhaps anticipating such disgusting news judgment, has been in hiding since the shooting. Wilson's name was released to the public by his department on August 15, and CNN's report aired shortly after on the same day, following no small amount of pressure by the community and "activists."

Deliberately endangered the officer

In the video report, CNN reporter Ed Lavandera is seen walking in the street where Wilson lives. The video goes on to show a wide view of Wilson's house and eventually pans around the street to show its relative position in the neighborhood.

"While Lavandera does not name the street, he gives its approximate location," The Gateway Pundit reported.

The Atlanta-based news broadcaster was far from the only one demonstrating such poor judgment. Yahoo! News named the community where Wilson resides while publishing a photo of him from Facebook:

The officer's modest ranch-style house in the Crestwood suburb southwest of downtown was quiet on Friday. Neighbors told reporters that the area had seen a heavy police presence all week and that Wilson apparently left a couple of days ago.

Britain's Daily Mail newspaper also named Wilson's community, posted photos of him, gave a description of his house and disparaged his mother, calling her a "con artist" in a naked attempt to paint her son as a racist who is guilty by association:

Wilson is 28 and currently lives in Crestwood, a suburb of St Louis which is 94 per cent white and 1.6 per cent black. ...

He grew up in St Peters, another majority white suburb of St Louis, where his family were popular and well thought of - until his mother's deception was exposed.

Other press outlets did much the same thing. USA Today named the community where Wilson lives and reported on the local police presence.

The Washington Post also named Wilson's street.

Virtually every news agency reports that neighbors have said Wilson has not been at his home for many days -- which is like an invitation to criminals and thugs alike.

Media should be held liable

The Gateway Pundit further reported:

A version of the video being aired by CNN affiliate Newschannel 13 in Orlando, Florida (and likely other affiliates around the country including the St. Louis market) shows a brief close-up of the house number by the front door such that someone could freeze and enlarge the image to get the address.

St. Louis-based TV station KDSK, which is owned by Gannett, the same media company that owns USA Today, issued an apology after airing video of Wilson's home:

Yesterday KSDK showed the video of the Ferguson Police Officer's home in our 5 p.m. news but did not mention the address of the home. KSDK immediately felt using that video was a mistake and pulled the video of the home from future newscasts and from our web site. We have not used the video since then and do not intend to do so. We apologize to our audience, to the surrounding neighborhoods, to the greater St.Louis [sic] community and to the officer for our mistake.

Some apologies are simply too little, too late.

Should something awful happen to Officer Wilson, especially before any finding of guilt -- if he is even guilty of anything -- any media organization that invaded his privacy by divulging where he lives should be held liable.

Sources:

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com

http://www.cnn.com

http://www.dailymail.co.uk

http://www.washingtonpost.com

http://news.yahoo.com

http://www.usatoday.com