Certainly there are many people who do not care one way or the other but for those of us that do follow the news, and have followed this story, and do care, the divide runs deep.
I have found several posts, Tweets, and articles on the internet that basically amount to insults and pointing to other events as some sort of justification for the riots.
If you agree with the Grand Jury you are to be considered a racist and that is the final word from these folks. Some even go so far as to advocate that if you have a friend who doesn't support Michael Brown, you really need to get these people out of your life because they are backward-ass people who deserve none of your time.
It is also being suggested that anyone who supports the law, who supports the Jury's decision not to indict Wilson are all people who are not progressive and do not believe in racial equality.
Call me intolerant, but my view is that, if someone's reaction to an unarmed black teenager being killed is to announce that he probably deserved it, that person is not someone I'm interested in being associated with, and I won't miss him or her a bit after I hit "block." There are too many compassionate and smart people in the world for me to waste even a fraction of my social media scrolling time on interactions with people who are either racist or unintelligent and insensitive enough to appear so.
But that's easy for me to say. Thanks to the luck of the draw, I happen to have been surrounded for most of my life by people who are progressive, thoughtful, and/or interested in racial equality and justice.
Okay, so this is according to, JENÉE DESMOND-HARRIS, from The Root.
So, let's break this down a bit.
First of all, I have indeed seen some posts and Tweets on the internet that are overtly racist and NO, I absolutely do not support that type of reaction. While many of them are intended to be funny, (yes, I do believe joking about race can be funny), others are distasteful and should indeed be ridiculed and/or simply not tolerated. I have no problem with some race-jokes. I think it really depends on the person delivering them and the context in which they are told. However, concerning those people who have serious problems with being racists I also do not have tolerance for.
I find it quite funny when blacks make fun of whites and Mexicans make fun of blacks, or even some whites making fun of Mexicans, Asians, and vice versa. There's nothing wrong with humor! We need some comedy now and then and laughing at each other and ourselves can bring people together. What I find distasteful is when people have such a large stick up their lower posterior and it prevents them from seeing the humor in jokes, so they immediately become "sensitive" and "offended" in order to justify their hatred and call you a racist.
I do consider myself to be discriminating in many way. I'm not going to hang around people I feel uncomfortable with, people who are criminals, people who are morally bankrupt, people who are rude and insensitive, people who like to cause drama, etc, you get the picture - however, those flaws can be found in ALL races and have nothing to do with the color of a person's skin. Unlike previous generations, I was taught to look at a person's character and not their skin color.
I'm also not stupid. I do realize that racism has long been a problem in this country. Yes, history does show a torrid affair with race relations but can we at least agree that many things have improved? I have gone to school with blacks, I have friends who are black, I have had managers who were black (some of the absolute best managers and nicest people I've ever known), and I even lived for a short time in Baltimore - where blacks are the majority of the population. Could any of these things have happened if I had been born 30 or 40 years earlier? No, not likely.
Let's agree that we are integrated, that we do go to school with one another, we work together, we are friends, we even share families together, and some of our children are now of mixed races. I am of mixed races. This IS a different world we live in and it's because nobody wants to go backwards. We DO indeed want to move forward and that movement requires that we recognize our progression. We should all be very proud of this progression and not wallow in it.
Let us also ponder these thoughts...
Not ALL liberals think one way, just as not ALL conservatives think another way.
Not ALL blacks think one way, just as not ALL whites think another way. This pertains to any race.
No. The opinions about Ferguson and what happened that day between Brown and Wilson are not necessarily tied to left vs. right or even black vs. white. Yes, this is the narrative the media wants to feed you but it's not the truth; it's not the reality.
It boils down to who is looking objectively at the facts and who is not. Who is viewing Brown and Wilson as mere human beings and who is viewing them as a black person vs. a white person.
Just because someone doesn't agree with you, it does not make them a conservative, a racist, a whitey, an evil person, an Uncle Tom, or a person who is advocating racial inequality. No, we are not agreeing with the narrative that the Al Sharpton's and Jessie Jackson's of the world are peddling because the facts simply do not support them.
I do not support the mob mentality. I do not support this desire to put a man on trial when there is no evidence that establishes probable cause. There was so little evidence that the Grand Jury could not even indict on involuntary manslaughter.
Equal Treatment Requires Equal Standards
The law of this land states that a person is innocent until proven guilty. In order to even go to trial, it must first be established that there is probable cause. In this case, none was found.
A cursory review of the evidence should indeed reveal to anyone who possesses a bit of common sense that Wilson acted appropriately. However, this doesn't stop people from believing otherwise.
The initial reports had many people concerned - even myself. A white cop fires upon a unarmed young black man for no reason. The black man had his hands up and was surrendering to the cop and was gunned down anyway. It was horrifying to even think about. Surely this case will be handled immediately but the cop was not immediately arrested, so this begs the question, "why?" This was the original narrative that was pushed by the media and others who were vested in blaming racism as the core reason for Officer Wilson's actions.
Yet, as time went by more information surrounding the event was revealed. For instance, just before the shooting occurred, Brown was discovered on surveillance tape at a local convenient store, stealing cigars.
Surveillance: Michael Brown suspected in 'strong-arm' robbery
As we can see, Brown is a very large man and absolutely can be described as having a hostile demeanor. Later we learned that a gun shot did occur inside of Officer Wilson's vehicle. This seems to support the story that Wilson and Brown did indeed get into an altercation inside the vehicle rather than Wilson simply getting out and shooting Brown for no apparent reason.
Michael Brown's friend Dorian Johnson told his story claiming the officer told them to get "the f@ck off the sidewalk" and proceeded to open his door while hitting both of them.
If Dorian were walking next to Michael, it would seem to me, the person who is closest to the door would be the one who would be hit, not both. Michael was much larger than Dorian and would have blocked the path of the door. The very idea that a cop would just mouth off to two people walking down the middle of a road and cursing at them seems a bit far fetched but, then again, why were they walking down the middle of the road and why wouldn't they immediately get up on the sidewalk when they saw a police officer? The behavior itself speaks of defiance and general disregard for police and/or authority.
Then, of course we also have the video where a witness clearly states Brown charged back after the policeman, which clearly indicates his hands were not up and he was not surrendering.
The odd story-telling from Johnson did not seem to sway anyone's mind. It didn't matter that witnesses told different stories (some told different stories at different times); it didn't matter if Brown's hands were likely down, or if he was charging the officer. It also didn't matter that the autopsy showed Brown was not shot from the back, nor did it matter that Brown was high on marijuana. No, they were sticking with their story, no matter what. There was no way to falsify their theory since it was all based on fantasy anyway.
Benjamin L. Crump, a lawyer for the Brown family, said Brown’s family and supporters will not be persuaded by the autopsy report or eyewitness statements that back Wilson’s account of the incident…
Even worse is the idea that many of these people actually believe an unarmed man can somehow not possibly pose a threat. The very idea that people think this way is pure ignorance and nothing more.
No, these people are not interested in the truth. Rather they were interested in going after a man in order to "prove" a point or win some ideological argument. Confirmation bias indeed.
Protesters React to Michael Brown Robbery Footage
Look, I have seen some blacks say their standards of behavior are different because this country is racist and run by white folks therefore they don't want to adhere to the same standards. I don't know; it doesn't make any sense to me. Why would a black person consider walking down the middle of the street acceptable behavior, especially after being told to get on the sidewalk by a police officer? Shouldn't we all know this is poor behavior reflecting poor manners? What does skin color have to do with anything here?
Defending the Indefensible
Could it also be that Brown and Johnson did not want to listen to the Wilson because HE was white? Did anyone consider that? Awwhh, yes that conclusion will typically be responded with, "blacks can't be racists because this is a racist nation where blacks are systematically killed by white police." Fine. Let's assume this is correct. Please show me where this is happening? Why is it the media only covers stories that ultimately lead to a person not being killed over race but being killed because the other person was defending themselves? If killing over race is so systematic, then why is it so hard to find a clear-cut case?
This case clearly had nothing to do with race. It had to do with a young man who just robbed a store and decided to attack a police officer; he got himself killed.
It Doesn't Matter Who Brown Was or What He Did
People do not seem to care about who Brown was, what his actions were or if any of the witnesses were lying. When challenged, they seemed to just move the goal post along, stating this was about racism and a bigger issue, calling anyone who disagrees with them racists.
We also heard this line when the story about Trayvon Martin came out. It didn't matter if he was high, or even if he did backtrack his steps, nor did it seem to matter that the state's star witness who was on the phone with Travon, admitted that it was Trayvon who approached Zimmerman. It was Trayvon who punched Zimmerman repeatedly.
If it doesn't matter what a person's character is, or what a person does, then I have to ask, why does it matter when it applies to whites? Why should any black person ever adhere to the law or learn to develop a moral character if it doesn't matter? These are two conflicting values. The people protesting are not seeking truth or equality but rather they are demanding that they receive some sort of special treatment - just because they are black. Yet, I'm the racist? Interesting indeed.
Having a good character IS important. On one hand we have a decorated police officer and on the other hand we have a young man who robbed a store that day, rapped about thug life, barely got through high school, and had a general disrespect for the law. Yet, it is being demanded that we ignore these facts and we also ignore the facts of what occurred that day because there are people who have made up their minds about an issue, facts be damned!
The Ends Justify the Means
What we are witnessing are people who simply do not care about truth or justice. They care about getting what they think they deserve. They have convinced themselves it is still 1960 and they have convinced themselves that no matter what the facts are, the Officer should be considered guilty. If an innocent man loses his life, oh well, sometimes you have to crack a few eggs right? The ends justify the means for these people and unfortunately there really is not much reasoning with that sort of attitude.
Racists! We're All Racists! If You're Black You're an Uncle Tom
Point out that Officer Darrin Wilson was defending himself from a criminal - you're a racist.
Try to discuss the type of character Brown was and bring up the robbery - you're a racist.
Mention that the witnesses confirm the Officer's story - you're a racist.
The worst about all about this name calling is when I see a black person come out and say, "Hey, take some damn responsibility! What Brown did was stupid and wrong and he got himself killed!" The immediate response from people is pure hate and accusations that the person is an "Uncle Tom."
Now how the hell can the black community progress when many will not even take the time to listen to the logic of the other side? How can anyone move forward when instead of addressing the points, they simply resort to name calling?
It breaks my heart that there are many people in the black community who cannot be honest about how they feel for fear of being cut off from their fellow brothers and sisters. The black witnesses who came forward and supported Wilson's story had to be anonymous because again, the protesters are not concerned about truth - they are looking for an excuse to commit crime.
There are many people who live in black communities who do not agree with rioting over Brown getting himself killed. While they may feel the system can be against blacks at certain times - we ALL realize this - this is not one of those cases.
Black Lives DO Matter
I'm not trying to say, "he deserved it" or, "he had it coming." I think these typical-trash phrases are quite harsh and unnecessary. Brown was someone who apparently grew up in a violent home and he seemed to have an entitlement-type attitude. He clearly did not have respect for the law or the police. Yes, he did some bad things and made some bad choices. That doesn't mean he was evil but, none of this has to do with the color of his skin however. There are plenty of white people who act the same and do similar stupid things and yes, they too end up getting killed by the police.
Of course black lives matter! To utter this phrase as a response to those who support the Grand Jury is downright insulting. It's intellectual laziness for a person to make this underhand remark, insinuating that those who believe Officer Wilson somehow do not think black lives matter. If ever we are to release the pains of racism, we must stop trying to accuse everyone of being a racist, especially when race is not a factor.
I absolutely do NOT consider myself to be a racist. I know that it doesn't matter how much I try and protest my position. In fact, I don't have to prove this at all. I will allow those who know me to judge for themselves. I do know that I cannot be afraid, nor should anyone be afraid, to tell the truth and call the facts out as we see them.
Do Police Lives Matter?
I have to wonder if some of these people protesting care about police lives? I didn't hear any of these people speak up and riot over Jersey City Officer Melvin Santiago when he was executed by a cop killer - Lawrence Campbell. In fact the community even set up a memorial for the killer while his widow, Angelique Campbell, stated, "he should have killed more cops."
Are the protesters suggesting we should not have police at all? I would hope this is not the case however, a police officer seems damned if he/she does or damned if he/she doesn't. If the police are not there, they are accused of not doing their job but, if they are forced to make a split-second decision where they find themselves having to defend themselves, they are demonized.
I'm not suggesting that the police force is filled with Jack Webb's who all have impeccable characters. I would never believe that police do not make mistakes or go too far at times. I can however see why a police officer would cross that line in certain circumstances. I'm quite sure I could not handle dealing with rapists or those who abuse children and/or animals. I think I would find myself compromising my moral character and even the law if I had a chance to get one of those bastards in a room alone. So, yeah, it's good I'm not in law enforcement. I don't envy these people at all. I admire them for having the courage to do what they do. I give them the general respect that they deserve and if and when they do mess up, I want them to be held accountable. I also want them to have a fair shake just like everyone else.
The laws in this country are designed to protect the people. For the most part, we have a great legal system. There are times when the system does fail and these failures need to be corrected. Again, I'm not saying that racism doesn't happen, I'm not suggesting that it never happens in police forces. I am saying it didn't happen in this case.
Whites Riot Too!!!
This is yet another horrible argument often asserted by those supporting criminals who are looting in Ferguson. It's obviously a fallacy to point to another wrongdoing in order to support a wrongdoing. Aside from that, where did anyone say it was okay for white people to riot?
Yes, there are lots of examples of stupid riots done by mainly white people who get worked up over a football game - win or lose, this seems to be an excuse for mobs to tear things down and burn things up. All equally stupid and completely unjustified.
Nobody is defending these riots, nor would anyone - certainly not myself - believe that whites are not capable of doing very dumb things. Again, that's the point! This isn't about race. All races come complete with criminals and idiots.
Black on Black Crime
Okay, yes it's true that the majority of blacks are killed by other blacks. The same goes for whites- the majority of whites are killed by other whites. Both are tragedies and both should indeed be discussed.
It is not true that black leaders have not spoken up about this issue. It IS true that the main stream media does not typically give these stories the type of catalyst they do when it comes to white-on-black crimes.
If anyone should be complaining about hate-crimes, it should be the Jewish people, who are routinely victims of hate crimes. The numbers are horrifying.
Black-on-white crime is slightly higher than their numbers in proportion to the general population while white-on-black crime is slightly lower then their proportion of the general population. All in all the hate crime factor is pretty consistent with the population numbers. So we can conclude that an equal amount of hate is going around on both sides.
Bringing up the black-on-black crime factor is somewhat of a valid point but it typically falls on deaf ears because the consensus of many - those who support the Brown's and the riots - seem to be that the police are "out to get blacks." It's not correct to say they don't care about black-on-black crime, it's that they view the issue as something else entirely, or some even go so far as to blame black-on-black crime on the whites as well.
It is important for us (supporters of Officer Wilson), to remember that those that view us a racists and enemies, will never respond well when the issue of black-on-black crime in mentioned. It merely comes off as a distraction which is exactly what we complain about them doing all the time. Stick with the facts only as it pertains to this case. The best thing we can do is try and get people to understand that not all cases are the same and the ends do not justify the means.
Some of the Protesters are Peaceful
Yeah, some of the protesters are peaceful but what are they doing? They are still out there supporting a false narrative of what occurred. They are ignoring the Grand Jury and the reasoning behind their ruling. Instead of addressing the facts and dealing with reality, they are insinuating that people who don't agree with them are racists.
Which leads to...
Fake Claims Produce Fake News
Now we are learning that Shawn Parcells, who fancies himself a professor, is a fraud. He is the man who claimed that Brown was shot from the back and was even involved in a press conference that helped push the fake narrative along.
The fact that the media ran with this story about Brown being shot from behind and did not even bother to check out the background of who Parcells was (or who he was not), shows how vested the media is in its quest to divide people.
Again, I say a person does not have to be liberal, conservative, black, white, male or female to understand and support the facts. Do not allow the media to push us further apart. Allow the facts of this case to speak for themselves. Don't create facts where none occur.
To those supporting Wilson, it's very important NOT to post false pictures and false claims as well. If we expect people to look at the facts of this case, it does no good for us to use fake information. Nothing productive comes of this.
Do Unto Others
If you would not want to be facing a trial when there is no probable cause against you, why would you demand that it occur for another fellow human being?
If you want racism to stop, then why would you interject racism into a topic where none has been found? In order for our society and culture to move forward, we must first demand PROOF of racism before insinuating it has occurred. Blacks and whites need to be able to interact without the fear of being called a racist should something bad occur. Brown would have been shot had he been of any other color and I propose that Wilson, had he been a black man, would have acted the same, and he also would not have been indicted.
Who we support should never be based on the color of skin but upon the facts alone. If we do not want to be judged by the color of our skin, then we must not judge based on the color of someone else.
We All Want Peace
Well, MOST of us do want peace. Most of us are not looters or rioters. Most all people want to have decent lives and decent families. We want to be moral and we want others to have a moral character. We know that nobody is perfect but, we also know that certain behaviors are more desirable than others. Certain actions will gain us more respect, whereas unhealthy behaviors and actions tend to create drama and anger.
It really boils down to the individual. Each of us as individuals has the obligation to: learn how to be a generally good person who follows the law, be pleasant to be around, help out others when they can, and being honest.
In order to change, we must first change ourselves. "Burning it all down!" or "Tearing it all down!" solves nothing. In fact, it only creates more problems. With Ferguson in ruins, you can bet that the federal government will be tapped for funds to rebuild and that money doesn't grow on trees. We will ALL pay for what the rioters did in that town and throughout the country.
Personal responsibility is what is needed.
Links for Sources:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/bombshell-evidence-laid-death-michael-brown-article-1.2022689
http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/08/how_to_deal_with_friends_racist_reactions_to_ferguson.html
http://thedailybanter.com/2014/11/grand-jury-testimony-darren-wilson-told-sergeant-mike-browns-hands/
http://www.policeone.com/ferguson/articles/7782643-Why-Officer-Darren-Wilson-wasnt-indicted/
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/nov/25/ferguson-michael-brown-darren-wilson-grand-jury-report?CMP=twt_gu
http://hotair.com/archives/2014/11/29/cnn-michael-brown-autopsy-expert-may-be-a-fraud/
http://hotair.com/archives/2014/10/22/report-at-least-seven-black-witnesses-have-corroborated-darren-wilsons-testimony-before-the-ferguson-grand-jury/
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