Ferguson

I don't get it. I simply just don't get it. This situation in Ferguson should not have gotten this far out of hand. I know a young man died, and I'm not trying to minimize his death, but he also attacked a police officer shortly after he apparently robbed a convenient store, and if the stories are right, this young man--this "gentle giant" was also known as being quite the neighborhood bully and would often throw his weight (figuratively and literally) around to get what he or his friends wanted. I don't know if that's true or not, but from looking at the surveillance video minutes before his encounter with Officer Wilson, where he manhandled the store owner, it would sure seem so. However, none of that is the point of this article.

What concerns me is how long this post-shooting violence has been going on and how much its escalated. Shortly after the initial shooting, friends and neighbors came out to protest and express their anger over the shooting. Ok, so far fine. They originally claimed that Brown wasn't doing anything; somehow he was singled out and shot. Then the story changed to where there was some verbal exchange initiated by Darren Officer Wilson wherein Brown attempted to comply, and again, was shot. Meanwhile, each time the story changed, the protests grew larger and more unruly. Finally, it came out that there was actually a physical fight which was----apparently----started by Brown after he and a friend were asked to move out of the middle of the street. Brown supposed smarted off to Wilson and it quickly spiraled out of control at that point. At some point, Wilson became aware of the robbery, and quickly backed up to question Brown and his friend. Now, we're told that Brown assaulted the police officer in his patrol car and even made several attempts to grab Officer Wilson's weapon. Certainly the bruises on Wilson's face indicated "something" had happened. Still, as the story went, Brown regained his senses and, with hands raised, walked toward Wilson in an attempt to surrender and was shot---repeatedly---and killed. However, the progression of shots on Brown's body doesn't quite jive.

Now while I'm not necessarily speaking from personal experience, but if an officer tells me to get out of the middle of the street, and especially after just committing a crime, I would think common sense would tell you to do so; if for no other reason than to avoid bringing unnecessary attention to yourself; that is, unless you're so cocky that you don't care. However, if I'm just full of myself and blowing off the cop, I would think provoking an attack would not be in my best interest and, again, I would comply. But let's say I'm seriously feeling like a badass, and I engage the officer and somehow, he pushes me back. I would think that after he pulled his gun, I just might want to pay closer attention to his requests. But, as I said, maybe I'm feeling especially badass, so I again quickly (or aggressively) approach toward the officer, and he shoots me...once...twice..three times...I may begin to think he's serious and I should stop whatever I'm doing because it apparently isn't working. After that...well...maybe I had made conscientious decision that today was a good day to die after all. Given that Brown was shot progressively up to approximately seven times, that appears to be the decision he made, and that's also appears the same conclusion the grand jury made when they voted not to pursue charges against Officer Wilson. But whatever really happened that day, only two individuals know for sure and one is dead and other's life...personal and professional...is ruined, perhaps forever.

Yet, throughout this entire ordeal, the citizens of Ferguson Missouri grew in number to protest, not so much the death of someone who made some seriously poor life choices, but allegedly mistreatment and abuse at the hands of the Ferguson Police Department with its white Police chief. Perhaps the occasion could be use to bring attention for reform. But, they begin to riot...and burn businesses...and rob their neighbors in anger. Yet, somehow that neither corrected the situation; expedited the legal process (which was just beginning at that point), or brought Michael Brown back from the dead.

The Missouri State Patrol was brought in its black captain, who even tried to sympathize with the protesters. All that it did was to encourage more burning and more theft. Then they had the national guard brought out. It was already bad enough when the local cops were decked out and acting like fascist para-military. Ultimately, the wheels of the legal system quietly and agonizingly slow grinded its way through the process. It heard all the evidence that was available. It interviewed witnesses, checked out the scene, listened to police radio calls, and read follow-up reports, both administrative and medical. In the end, it found that Michael Brown was at fault and that Officer Darren Wilson had acted properly. Indeed, he acted as anyone---regardless of skin color---would have when being attacked. Brown's death was as much a tragedy as it was senseless, but it was on him. He made the wrong choices for whatever reasons---stoned, arrogant, a bully, or simple lack of common sense; maybe he just lacked the mental ability to fully comprehend the situation. I don't know. But I think this ultimately goes back to taking responsibility for your own actions and knowing right from wrong.

Now, however, we're faced with protests in dozens of cities and towns because some individuals didn't get the verdict they wanted, despite the evidence. Tens of millions of dollars in property damage has been incurred, not to mention thousands of dollars worth of clothes, TVs, VCRs, food, and other items stolen, plus the emotional and physically costs of people being beaten, shot or shot at, and robbed. I witnessed on local TV just recently a crowd of protesters walking down the side of a street during rush hour, suddenly cross in front of traffic and stood there...in the middle of road...blocking traffic...holding signs and screaming at people in their cars...people who had nothing whatsoever to do with this and just wanted to get home.

Meanwhile, the police stood by and did nothing. In another town the same day, protesters did the same thing and one enraged motorist simply drove through the crowd, perhaps out of fear or frustration; injuring one of the protesters who just a few seconds earlier had been screaming at the hapless individual stuck in their car. Who's to blame for that? Who is responsible for this? The corporate media perhaps? Certainly they made a bad situation worse with their slanted coverage and innuendos, but then that was needed to divert people's attention away from issues like amnesty for illegal immigration, the Benghazi report, ISSI and more US boots on the ground despite promises----lies----from the White House to the contrary.

In Ferguson, the local police arrested two members of the racist New Black Panthers for planning to build and use bombs. Bombs? Seriously? At night, shots were fired at police officers, and more stores were burned and shops robbed. More protests are planned, some with the intent on disrupting the most cherished day of all...Black Friday, at least for bargain hunters and most retail businesses. Meanwhile, Brown is still dead and the justice system in Ferguson hasn't changed, but public opinion sure has and not in the way some originally had hoped for intended. The opportunity for reform may have slipped from their hands as that first Molotov cocktails went sailing into some store or when the first group of thieves broke into the stores of their neighbors and stole everything they could lay their hands on. Real justice will come for the residents of Ferguson...and both Brown and Wilson...when they put aside their petty...and largely artificial...differences and decide to work together for what's best for everyone regardless of their race or economic class. When the People come together united in purpose, the government has no choice but to comply. Meanwhile, the American People have been duped once again by allowing the corporate media to divert our attention from the events which demand our full attention. That must end.


Report: New Black Panthers Plotted to Blow Up Arch
http://www.gopusa.com/news/2014/11/27/report-new-black-panthers-plotted-to-blow-up-arch-kill-prosecutor-sheriff/?subscriber=1

Ferguson Officer Darren Wilson Not Indicted
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/24/michael-brown-grand-jury_n_6159070.html?ir=Politics&utm_campaign=112414&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Alert-politics&utm_content=FullStory