Just Thinking

Everyone is getting tired of hearing about Ferguson, Missouri and the issues surrounding the death of Michael Brown. Maybe now is not the best time to sound off. If not now, then when? Michael Brown was shot to death by police officer Darren Wilson. The facts beyond those remain a question in the minds of many. For those who like conspiracies we can add this one to the list that includes the following. Who killed John F. Kennedy? Who killed Jimmy Hoffa? Where the hell was Barak Obama born? Whatever happened to baby Jane? Where's Waldo? In the 24 hour news cycle rush to report anything and to be the first, far too much incorrect information has clouded the conversation. News has gone from reporting facts to spouting opinions, feelings and rumors. Far too many cannot distinguish those things from facts. There are many questions about what happened in Ferguson. No facts tonight from me just questions.

Officer Wilson stated today the he felt justified in his actions. That race played no part in his decision to pull the trigger multiple times killing Michael Brown. He contends he acted in accordance with procedure, the rule of law and his extensive police training. Those are all things he should be saying. The federal government is conducting an investigation to determine if he violated Michael Brown's civil rights. If he stated something other than what he did then he opens the door to a charge that he violated those rights. What seemed interesting in what he said was that the area where he was working was not seen as police friendly. When unarmed young black men are shot to death in the street by police perhaps the feeling is deserved. The problem it would seem to me is community policing. If the police were out of the cars more, on the streets, interacting with the public it would be a better system. If the officers wore body cameras there would be a record of the encounter that went beyond what the officer claimed happened. Clearly in this case we don't have he said vs. he said. Michael Brown lost his voice back in August. Officer Wilson was not carrying a taser. It would have provided the opportunity to use a nonlethal method to resolve this confrontation. He claimed the taser was too bulky. Michael Brown might be alive today if Officer Wilson had been willing to carry one.

Did race play a role in this confrontation? When you look back at what has happened in the last year you have to wonder. There was a well publicized confrontation in Nevada between Cliven Bundy, a group of armed white men and women and the Federal Bureau of Land Management. The armed group pointed weapons at and threatened federal agents. No shots were fired and no arrests were made. Put the same scene in Ferguson, Missouri only change things around just a bit. Now the people holding the guns and refusing to obey lawful orders from law enforcement are persons of color. Are shots fired by law enforcement? One would almost surely expect that to be the outcome. Are the police more likely to fire their weapons at a person of color? Studies indicate they are more likely to arrest them. Shoot them? You be the judge of that.

Why was the grand jury result released after dark? It seems that the prosecutor was just looking for trouble. Announce after dark when you know folks have had all day to plan what they would do if there were no charges brought. They had time to work themselves into a frenzy. It in no way excuses their actions. It just seems the situation would have been easier to control during the day. There were those who argued that children would be out during the day. School had been cancelled with the expectation that there would be trouble. Probably better the kids are home at night listening to gun fire, smelling tear gas and watching the fires light the night sky. It is also unfortunate that a criminal element is always willing and able to show up to take advantage of any situation. Destroying and looting businesses in your home town seems like a poor way to protest the death of a fellow citizen and the failure of the authorities to find anyone responsible.

Something needs to change. It won't. It needs to, it should, but it won't. We are Americans. Our history is full of mistrust, of oppressed minorities. Of killings with guns. Of a system that seems less focused on determining the truth than it does on maintaining the status quo. The real issue isn't that Michael Brown was shot to death by Darren Wilson. It started a long time before that happened. It will exist a long time after both those names are a footnote in a history book. As long as we are willing to see other through a lens of skin color these kinds of things will continue to happen. Maybe Officer Wilson is telling the truth. Maybe his actions would have been the same if Michael Brown had been white. The problem is that no one on the other side believes that to be the case. Is it possible Officer Wilson is right and all of them are wrong? The truth is that it doesn't matter. Perception is reality and that is how the confrontation is viewed by the majority of those living in Ferguson. Until we are able to change the perceptions on both side-- well, nothing changes but the names of the shooters and the victims.