Now that five members of the St. Louis Rams offense have embarrassed their team after a 52-0 win (psst, Jeff Fisher and Les Sneed, fines, suspensions and benching are all acceptable in the fans’ eyes), always sensible, if not borderline classy, NBA great Charles Barkley used one word to describe the lunatics who are tearing apart Ferguson, Missouri, a little suburb of St. Louis.

SCUMBAGS

No argument here as it is my hometown being dragged through the mud on a daily basis on national TV.  (I’d say it’s really not that bad, but we are seeing increased police patrols in my neck of the woods, and all the good shopping malls have been closed due to college students “dying-in” in the last week.)

“The true story came out from the grand jury testimony,” Barkley said, adding that he was made aware of “key forensic evidence, and several black witnesses that supported Officer Darren Wilson’s story…” He continued, “I can’t believe anything I hear on television anymore. And, that’s why I don’t like talking about race issues with the media anymore, because they (the media) love this stuff, and lead people to jump to conclusions. The media shouldn’t do that. They never do that when black people kill each other. “

He also called those who rioted after the decision was announced “scumbags,” and said “There is no excuse for people to be out there burning down people’s businesses, burning down police cars.”…

“[W]e have to be really careful with the cops, because if it wasn’t for the cops we would be living in the Wild, Wild West in our neighborhoods,” he said. “We can’t pick out certain incidentals that don’t go our way and act like the cops are all bad…. Do you know how bad some of these neighborhoods would be if it wasn’t for the cops?”

If the rioters and looters won’t listen to the Ben Carsons and Allen Wests of this country, maybe they will listen to Sir Charles.  He’s been there.  He’s done that.  He knows.  And he’s right.

Thanks, Sir Charles.

The full interview can be heard on the 97.5 Philadelphia website.