by Jack
Today, Sunday, the 9th of August, marks the one year anniversary of the shooting death of teenager Michael Brown. His life is being celebrated by many in the black community of Ferguson, Mo. and their supporters. Since his death, Brown’s image has morphed from a person who robs stores, into the status of a martyr for civil rights…it was an amazing transformation from suspect to victim.
Since that fateful day the City of Ferguson has fired three top white people and replaced them with a black Chief of Police, a black Mayor and a black Judge. Allegations of racism still abound from within the black community, but protest organizers are hopeful that a “Michael Brown” college fund will ease some of the pain following his death. His bereaved mother said, “He just went to the store and he never came home.” This gross mis-characterization underscores the sort tunnel vision found in Mr. Brown’s supporters.
During the height of the civil unrest, Michael’s stepfather, Louis Head, an ex-con and former gang member with a lengthy rap sheet, jumped on top of a car near the protestors and told them, “Lets burn this bitch to the ground!” His actions triggered looting and arson during a night of violence. It was caught on numerous news videos otherwise he might have been remembered as delivering a “Martin Luther King” style speech for racial harmony.
Mr. Head was eventually charged with inciting a riot because several thousand criminals and looters did loot and burn a number of businesses. One person died during the night of violence. Ironically, the destroyed businesses were mostly owned by blacks in the community. Mr. Head’s trial is still pending…justice delayed is not justice.
Omitted from Brown’s mother’s selective comments about just going to the store, was the part about robbing that store and manhandling the store owner. Also not mentioned during the today’s bizarre ceremony was how Michael Brown resisted Police Officer Darren Wilson and made a grab for his gun, which discharged inside the police car and wounded Brown in the thumb.
Brown fled the scene and was pursued by Wilson and according to eye witnesses, Brown suddenly turned and ran at Wilson with his head down, as if to tackle the officer. Wilson shot at Brown and the fatal shot went through the top of his head, which is consistent with witness statements. Brown was never shot in the back as was alleged by his friend who was also stopped by Wilson, nor did Brown ever raise his hands and say don’t shoot as was alleged by Brown’s male companion.
The average person taking into consideration all the facts of this case might think Michael Brown was behaving like a criminal and ultimately his misbehavior is what got him killed. However, others obviously see it quite differently. They think his death is worthy of a day of a memorial and they honor him by setting up a college scholarship fund in his name. Candlelight vigils across America are reminders of this day with the events and facts recalled as different as black and white. There are no events honor Officer Darin Wilson, who was pressured out of his job by death threats to himself and his family.
The peaceful protest occurred with the usual trappings. But some messages weren’t so peaceful. A large group of protesters marked the anniversary with a roasted pig with Darren Wilson’s name scrawled on the side. The animal also wore a police officers hat for pictures. Later the mob marched the pigs head to the police station where they mounted the head on a barrier outside. There’s a message for you.
Read more here
In addition, a black protestor/rioter opened fire on police, but this time the police fired back. Shooter is critical and has not yet been identified.
No sympathy here. He must’ve gotten his cities mixed up and thought he was in Baltimore . . . .
Officer Wilson was innocent, and Brown was the wrong guy to protest over. Liberals jumped to conclusions in this case. While a lot of unarmed black men have been unfairly blamed for their own shootings, in this case it seems that Brown really was at fault and Wilson acted in self defense.
Still, the DOJ did find a pattern of racist practices among police in Ferguson, and Wilson’s grand jury was handled by a prosecutor who was clearly biased in his favor. It’s a shame that it took this shooting to stir up so much unrest; this problem should have come to light earlier. It was unfair to put Wilson on trial for systemic racism as many liberals did. He became a convenient symbol and the nuances of the individual people in this case were completely ignored.
Chris, I appreciate your comments on this and I agree for the most part, which is always nice. However, my one caveat is… if you look hard enough at anything you are likely to find exactly what you wanted to find. Racism was alleged – racism was found. But, was racism all that rampant in Ferguson’s government or was it more mismanagement of a difficult dominant population? Of course there could have been widespread racism just like DOJ has alleged. I think its unlikely given the racial awareness in this nation, but its still possible. And I’m sure they (DOJ) found some examples of individual racism, however I’m just saying a lot of things get labeled racism that aren’t. Was there a study done of the racist attitudes in the black community? Of course not, it would not be politically incorrect to think there was any racist attitudes motivating anything problematic in the black community! Any rational person knows otherwise, but they (people of Ferguson) get a pass. Can’t look at them!
However, if we dared to look a little deeper into Ferguson, and we get beyond the statistics of traffic citations or arrests, and we look as social issues, its my bet that it gets a bit more complex than mere racism. There’s often a lot of blame to go around when there are so many problems in one community.
I like to think of the police are a litmus test of the overall health of a community. Clearly Ferguson was dysfunctional, but was simply all about racism? I don’t believe it was, I think that answer was too convenient.
Will all their problems from crime to unemployment be fixed because they now have black administrators? I doubt that too, but I wish them well. If you look at cities with black administration they are not doing very well. In fact I have yet to see one that has improved because of black administration. That’s not racist, its a statistical observation and its a baseline for probable outcome…still, we can hope it will get better and I do.
Chris: “…the DOJ did find a pattern of racist practices among police in Ferguson”
That would be the same DOJ that jumped to conclusions before the facts were known and inserted itself into a local matter because of protesters.
This DOJ has been biased from the start; I wouldn’t trust their word as gospel without an independent investigation to back it up.
Ferguson became a target due to the President and DOJ ginning up anger.Shameful! Many of the burned out businesses will never return.Many of them were black owned.
Ferguson has become the poster child of the protesters against police having the ability to enforce laws.
Not saying everything Police do is above the law, considering how their hands have become tied now.
But these recent out breaks of shootings and the need to declare a state of emergency is pure activism BS.
If you are to believe the organizers who planned this this memorialization of a criminal act, and underwrote it with a scholarship to give Brown posthumous street credit, then at least give the scholarship a name that represents Browns action on the street, like the “Scholarship of “Hard Knocks”
Here’s a few paragraphs the last article I read about Ferguson,
“St. Louis authorities declared a state of emergency Monday as they prepared for a second night of protests marking a year since a police officer killed Ferguson teen Michael Brown.
The move was announced by St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger, who cited the violence that marred protests Sunday night in Ferguson.
“The recent acts of violence will not be tolerated in a community that has worked so tirelessly over the last year to rebuild and become stronger,” Stenger said in a statement.
Violance why? oh, yes the Rahm Emmanuel quote of, ‘never let a good tragedy go to waste’….
Just let this town of Ferguson heal, why bring in the outside (suggested) agitators?
This police director’s eulogy should be heard by every human being of every race.
Memphis Police Director in Eulogy for Slain Officer: ‘We Are Not the Enemy’:
“In a moving tribute on Thursday—both to murdered Memphis police officer Sean Bolton and to law enforcement officers across the country, who increasingly find themselves under fire from the media and anti-police activist group Black Lives Matter—Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong repeated the message that police “are not the enemy” and “all lives matter.”
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/08/08/memphis-police-director-in-eulogy-for-slain-officer-we-are-not-the-enemy/
Re #4 & #5 : Jack and Tina get it. They always do. It is a left wing liberal knee-jerk thing to always cry
wolfracist. Obama’s DOJ is a disgrace.A minor league Yankee team held a “Blue Lives Matter” fundraiser to support the families of slain officers and were criticized for it because it happened to fall on the Ferguson anniversary date. The team’s general manager explained, “There was never any intent to connect the days in any way. We just wanted to provide a space like any other group looking to fundraise at the ballpark.”
We live in a free country but more often than not these days people are acting as if they own certain dates or have an opinion for which everyone MUST agree.
Blue lives do matter. Good going Yankees organization!
Ditto’s good for the Yankees.
Tina: “This DOJ has been biased from the start; I wouldn’t trust their word as gospel without an independent investigation to back it up.”
You don’t have to “trust their word as gospel;” they proved their allegations of racism in the Ferguson PD, Tina. You don’t know this because right-wing blogs didn’t cover it. They were happy to cover the fact that the DOJ cleared Wilson, but they ignored the DOJ’s findings of racism within Ferguson.
You can read about it here.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2015/03/04/the-12-key-highlights-from-the-dojs-scathing-ferguson-report/
Chris: “they proved their allegations of racism in the Ferguson PD, Tina.”
Using what measure, their own bias? They have shown themselves to have an agenda to prove guilt (systemic guilt) in police forces.
Example from your article: “African Americans are impacted a severely disproportionate amount.”
Are they also disproportionately guilty of criminal behavior? Apparently that wasn’t part of the so-called investigation.
“The report included racist e-mails sent by police and municipal court supervisors”
Racist emails don’t automatically translate to behavior on the job. What is determined to be racist is also subject to the new PC notions of racism. this isn’t “proof” of wrongdoing.
I do not trust Eric Holder or his cronies in the Justice Department…period!
The left wing media would report anything that supports this administration’s agenda. The report is called “scathing” for a reason and it ain’t evidence of racism or guilt!
“You don’t know this because right-wing blogs didn’t cover it.”
You couldn’t possibly know if they did or not!
There’s that smug attitude again!
“Using what measure, their own bias?”
You read the article, so why are you asking this question?
“Are they also disproportionately guilty of criminal behavior?”
Yes, but not to the extent of the punishment. For example, the report says African-Americans accounted for 93% of arrests in Ferguson from 2012 – 2014. I highly doubt that they are responsible for 93% of the crime.
“Racist emails don’t automatically translate to behavior on the job.”
Sending racist emails through ones work email IS “behavior on the job.” What you do via work email is considered on the job behavior. And while this alone doesn’t prove disparate treatment, it’s certainly a red flag.
“What is determined to be racist is also subject to the new PC notions of racism.”
Did you read the emails? Which did you see as being not really racist, merely violating “PC notions?”
“I do not trust Eric Holder or his cronies in the Justice Department…period!”
That’s nice. I don’t trust you, but I still make an effort to try and disprove your false claims; I don’t just jump up and down yelling “Nuh uh!” as you are doing here.
“You couldn’t possibly know if they did or not!”
You’re right! I have no ability to know whether or not right wing blogs reported on the findings of racism in the DOJ report. I never visit any right wing blogs! I’m not even here right now, nor have I been here the past seven years; I’m just a figment of your imagination!