Tags
anger, Ferguson, injustice, Michael Brown, police officer, political action, racism, social justice
I am so angry at the outcome in Ferguson, that there was no indictment to allow a court of law to settle the matter of guilt or innocence in the killing of an unarmed young Black man. It seems this tragedy was bungled from day one in every way imaginable. At the very least a special prosecutor should have been brought in rather than allowing a district attorney that the community did not trust lead the investigation.
I do not know, now does anyone, whether Officer Wilson was justified in shooting Michael Brown. If he was truly so in fear of his life that he shot an unarmed man who in self-defense–a man who some witnesses say was surrendering and that others say was charging him. No one will know now, because the case will not go to trial to determine that guilt. It was a small thing for a grieving family to ask for–a trial. How could such a simple thing be denied?
I feel for the family of Michael Brown, for a community that lives in fear of the police, who seek justice for their dead sons. I can’t imagine what that would be like–to raise a black son knowing that any kind of brush with police could end in his arrest or shooting or death. And that it was far more likely for my son than for the son of my white neighbor, or the son of a police officer, or the son of a mayor.
When I look at how angry this injustice makes me–when I am so removed from the situation–I can fully understand how the anger of those who are intimately affected could turn into a rage that would upturn police cars and set them on fire. I can understand, without condoning, because anger, unchanneled, is wild and destructive.
My prayers now are that this justified anger is channeled into action, into changing an unjust system of law that allows community oversight of police departments, that requires body cameras for police officers, that ensures members of law enforcement represent demographically the community they serve. And that channels that anger into political action that unseats mayors and governors who are as tone-deaf as these in Ferguson, Missouri, were.
Today I am trying to channel my anger into action by writing this blog post. I know that not all my readers may feel the same as I do about the outcome of that Grand Jury, but I hope that all can sympathize with the mothers of Black sons the way that I do. And pray for the day when all our sons and daughters, whatever their skin color or economic status, will be treated equally in the eyes of the law, with justice and restraint and compassion.
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but deborah, all the evidence is released. Micheal was no innocent ”child”. You’ve been hoodwinked by the media and race industry. Now you harbor anger. Un healthy for you. No justice there, either. Only when you read the evidence will you find out for yourself what I have written. Michael’s mother morns a son, but a son who was a bulley, a thief, and a man who attacked and threatened a Peace Officer. Would tbat the media had done its job of investigating instead of stirring it all up for ratings.
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True, Michael Brown was not simply the innocent “unarmed black teenager”. But this story is so much bigger than a young frightened white police officer and a big teenage bully. The justice cried for was to hear the whole story so that we could begin to see fully the wrong in the system that is so normalized for us we are inured to it. Derrin Wilson may now be off the legal hook, but our society is not, our country is not. A friend of mine has two adopted black sons, two good boys about Michael Brown’s age who are on track for successful lives. She lives in fear every day for the racial bias that could change either of their lives at the drop of a wrong-place word. No mother should have to live with that kind of fear.
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Z, I am not angered by your response. The evidence has been shared with the public. Said killer did not sustain the injuries he lied about in his statement. Michael Brown’s killer was freed by a kangaroo court who knew what they were going to do before entering the deliberating room. The killer stated Michael looked like a demon to him and that Michael’s expression was one of anger. So, his killer decided he had to die. The innocent, frightened, blue eye blond pale killer thought his life was in danger. This is an unending scenario. No hood winking going on here, just the continued murder of Black mothers sons.
Bully? Thief? These are words shared with the public by a media paid and constructed to criminalize victims specifically non-whites to justify the criminal acts of racist thug cops and citizens. Based on America’s racism and system of white supremacy. No white person has the right to sit on a jury where Blacks are on trial. The descendants of slavemasters sitting injudgement of the descendants of the enslaved. What a farce!
Instead, of sticking with the facts of the case. The media sought, as it always does to investigate the lives of victims for a history of negative behaviors. Michael
Brown was a kid. How many kids have taken gum or candy from a grocery store?
Justice is separate and unequal when it comes to non whites. The scales always tipped in favor of whites. Whites who enter the world with privileges based on skin and entitlement.
What peace officer? Cops in Black communities do not respect residents and believe their uniforms entitle them to disrespect, harass, abuse and kill residents. They do not come to work in Black communities and communities of color to serve. They bring
their stereotypes, racism and prejudices. They do not come as paid servants. They
come as a form of intimidation and threat. I feel safer with a criminal than a cop. I know the criminal will face prosecution if harming me. I know the cop will
get away because of his/her uniform. The uniform has replaced the white sheets.
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Real discussions of racism will not take place if censureship takes place. It is only when the truth is shared will healing start. We gain nothing by lying to each other.
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Powerful, Deborah, and so well said. Where I sit this afternoon in my safe sunroom only a few miles from the burned out streets of Ferguson, I find an out-raged silence for the moment. I have white and black friends who live in Ferguson who today are grieving for their community, for the impotent rage that stoked the fires last night in response to (again) this injustice. No one expected justice from McColloch, a prosecutor with long ties to the police, who has a reputation for manipulation and political self-interest. There is so much that needs changing in the system here in St. Louis County as it needs changing everywhere. The institutionalized racism in this country is so old and so deep and so insidious in our civic life, the good news will be if Michael Brown”s and Derrin Wilson’s encounter on Canfield Drive one day in August can spark the kind of outrage that will lead to a conversation big enough and long-lasting enough to wake us up and motivate some real difference. Thanks for writing this and for paying attention and for giving voice to your passionate response to wrong.
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I am what you would call “white” … and I do not like at all the outcome from the grand jury … it is unbelievable to say the least. An unarmed man shot some 7 times …. no mace no taser was used..only lethal force. No ONE should be excused from this very act no matter who it is…not in America! Mr Brown’s death did expose a serious flaw in legal matters and I truly hope those skilled in law and organizing will address it…soon. The prosecuting attorney is in bed with the police force (local union and national union) How can the prosecuting attorney prosecute a fellow member of his team .. police bring suspects to him to prosecute in normal process …. now in the case of Ferguson it is the police that need to indicted … is this not a serious conflict of interest? Buddy system? Lastly … the members of the jury are suppose to be kept secret… to protect them? Who knows their names, addresses, where their children go to school etc. the prosecuting attorney and his office…and if the prosecuting attorney is in cahoots with the police…. perhaps that is another reason why it is rare to indict a police officer. I truly hope the public anger gets funneled toward making a change in the memory of Mr Brown as he opened this up to all our eyes.
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It’s hard to know what to do, isn’t it? Pay attention, keep our outrage stoked? There is, tragically, certainly plenty of fuel for that.
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Good article Deborah. Whites know the scales of justice are blind. How many more Black sons and daughters must die? It is not the sons of white mothers wombs killed daily. It is not white mothers burying children. Will these murders cease when white mothers jam police stations and demand an end to it. Does it go on because it is not the sons of white mothers. So, white mothers don’t care because it’s not their children.
While, Black mothers cared for the children of white mothers. During enslavement Black mothers children were sold off. This was our reward. Black mothers could not even breast feed their own babies until after white babies suckled. No, more discussions! White folk need to man and woman up and own up to their entitlement and privilege and organize whites to stop these murders.
Whites have nothing to fear! It is communities of color undersiege.
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HI Deborah, it was good to read your post. i followed this story in patchy detail in Australia. We too have the same institutional racism. My heart grieves for it. Last night the Head of the Australian Defence Force spoke out on national tv about lack of cultural stories around women and indigenous and other nationalities in our culture. He is promoting amongst the defence force a very strong ethos that “white men who have never encountered this racism and sexism” have to be the ones to take up the challenge and move forwards. Hearing him speak raises the level of conversation and so are you.
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I was very saddened to read about the lack of indictment as well… but I can’t say I was expecting less. Rather than charging Darren, in which it would have been too difficult (sadly) to prove excessive force in a courtroom (though I ABSOLUTELY believe excessive, lethal force was used), the community should have brought the whole police department to court. False statements, imagined evidence, etc, all on record due to the nature of the media at the time… that would have at least started a real case.
It’s a very sad day. And our country is flawed. Horribly.
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Thank you, Deborah, for this piece, and know that I share your anger about this whole awful episode. It is those who are not the victims of injustice who feel that the criminal justice system is right.
I have been incredibly upset with those who have judged the vandalism.
Sports fans create as much mayhem after joyous occasions … imagine the destruction when motivated by sadness, injustice or anger.
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Thank you all for your comments here, your passion, insight, and willingness to engage, even though we do not all agree. I chose not to respond individually, as I usually do. The Michael case has been deeply divisive, even among members of my own family. The refusal to indict in the Garner case, which just came down since this one, seems to have a more unified response of outrage. It looks as if the peaceful protests will bring long needed changes. I hope and pray that it does.
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