Ferguson, MO! No Mo!

No matter how you spin it, it is still violent, lawless behavior.

On the heels of the Grand Jury in Missouri we see what the real issue is in Ferguson.  The people that are burning down car dealerships, blowing up gas stations, looting grocery stores and small business are no less responsible for their actions than was Michael Brown.

I am in no way saying that Michael Brown deserved to die, but his actions prior to coming into contact with Officer Darren Wilson and subsequently his actions and attitude afterwards led to his death.  After robbing a convenience store and shoving, with significant force, the cashier, he was stopped by a Ferguson police officer and there was evidence that he was trying to forcibly take the officers weapon while inside the police vehicle.  Brown was shot in the thumb at close range and blood and residue was found inside the police vehicle and on Officer Wilson’s clothing.

I understand the outrage of the community when the reports first started coming in.  There was a lot of information to investigate.  But the idea that Michael Brown was just an innocent young man walking down the street is just wrong.  What the community saw was a white cop and a black teenager.  That is all they needed to convict.

Where does the blame lie?  Not completely with Michael Brown, nor Officer Wilson.  Blame lies on our society.  On the nurturing of mistrust in both the Police and the youth of this nation (in this instance a Black youth).  We as parents, educators, law enforcement, and social workers have raised a generation of angry, unpredictable children (not across the board, but certainly in pockets around the country).  And those tasked with keeping it in check are asked to do so without ever resulting in deadly force (or so public opinion would have us believe).

I hate to lump the circumstances in one neat little ball, but whether or not an officer was indicted for his actions, the reactions of a community needs to be met with equal disdain.  Thousands of innocent people in the community will now have to rebuild businesses, homes, replace vehicles and perhaps the most difficult thing: trust.

Now in my opinion, the people that participated in the melee that followed the Grand Jury announcement are criminals.  Plain and simple!  The ones that are truly hurting from losing a loved one are likely not involved in the violence (at least it often occurs that way).  It is just an excuse for a group of people to be lawless and blame it on injustice. 

To be clear though…there is a great divide between races and that divide breeds contempt.  It is way past time to fix this, but BOTH sides have to do some forgiving and some healing.