Ferguson: Of Race Relations and the Persecution of Michael Brown!

Why we need to address race relations in a thoughtful, provocative way!

"But the perfection of the metaphor is soon blurred by facts. The gentle giant, Michael Brown Jr.–nicknamed Bodyguard by his friends–seems pretty intimidating in a surveillance video, in which he is seen taking cigarillos from a convenience store, tossing the diminutive clerk into a snack display as if he were a bag of Doritos. The alleged robbery occurs 10 minutes before the confrontation with the cop. The inevitable Rev. Al Sharpton says the video is an attempt to “smear” the young man. Then more facts emerge, and other eyewitnesses allegedly describe a more aggressive Michael Brown–more like the fellow in the video. An autopsy, requested by Brown’s parents, shows six bullet wounds; the kill shot is into the top of the victim’s head–which raises another possibility, that the officer, Darren Wilson, fired in self-defense. And now we have a metaphor of a different, far more difficult sort: about the uncanny ability of Americans to talk past each other when it comes to race relations, and also about the struggle between facts and metaphoric truths." "Beyond a Simple Solution for Ferguson" by Joe Klein:TIME

A Common Sense Analysis of Michael Brown's Shooting Based on Eye Wittiness Accounts:

In the words of Mr. Joe Klein, "An autopsy, requested by Brown’s parents, shows six bullet wounds; the kill shot is into the top of the victim’s head–which raises another possibility, that the officer, Darren Wilson, fired in self-defense." Is Mr. Klein saying that, if a shot is fired to the top of a victim's head, it can only be explained as been fired in self-defense? Where is the nexus between "... the kill shot ... into the top of the victim's head" and the "...fired in self-defense?”  Mr. Joe Klein, I think you ran out of words or ideas to justify your self-defense proposition. The second poser, which Mr. Joe Klein did not address is with respect to the height of Michael Brown. One is at loss, going by Mr. Joe Klein's theory, as to whether Michael Brown was diminutive; thus, making it possible for Officer Wilson to shoot him right on top of his head? How could that have happened! Michael Brown was a Six Footer; much taller than Officer Wilson. Or is Mr. Joe Klein insinuating that Officer Wilson extended his hand and gun above Michael Brown's head before firing the "kill shot" at the top of his head? How? 

How was it possible for Officer Wilson to fire at the top of Michael Brown's head, when it is quit obvious that Michael Brown was not diminutive. Mr. Klein, you are not making any sense here in your piece. You alluded to a self-defense possibility, without actually providing ascertainable facts to buttress your suggested possibility that the Officer acted in self-defense. How could a shot to the top of the victim's head be interpreted to result from the Officer's intent to defend himself? You are trying to justify a clear case of murder in cold blood as being a product of self-defense.

Where was the threat or imminent threat of infliction of bodily harm or injury? Where was the attack with a deadly weapon? By the way, where was "The Officer" - the training, the maintenance of peace and order - in Officer Wilson during the encounter with late Michael Brown?

Besides, where are the facts? And at what point in the investigation did they start to blur the "perfection of the metaphor?' That he was not shot? That he had a loaded gun? Or that he was a gentle giant who dwarfed the store owner? Are these the facts that vitiate the crime; thus, blurring the "perfection of the metaphor?" You are simply playing with words.

Mr. Joe Klein (The Anonymous), Officer Wilson fired the killer shot, while Michael Brown was going down or already down. If Officer Wilson had stopped firing when Michael Brown was collapsing (that is after the first four or five gun shots), "the kill shot" to the brain would not have happened, and Michael Brown would not have died.

It is very disappointing seeing how some of you in the news media are laboring strenuously to create a compelling, but false narrative for justifiable homicide - talking about "other eyes witnesses" in the abstract, when you cannot mention any name to buttress or substantiate your subliminal hogwash.

I do not know what happened between Officer Wilson and Michael Brown in the car. What we do know is that there was a contact between Michael Brown and Officer Wilson in the car. Michael Brown walked away from Officer Wilson and his car. As he was walking away, Officer Wilson came out of his car and fired at Michael Brown. And from all the eyes witnesses' accounts, Michael Brown was still backing Officer Wilson, when the first gun shot was fired. Hearing the gun shot - a possibility that the first gun shot hit Michael in the hand - he turned around to face Officer Wilson. At that point in time all the eyes witnesses said Michael Brown had his hands up in the air - fearing for his life and in total surrender. But it was too late.

Officer Wilson did not budge; he continued firing. Then, again, according to all the eyes witnesses, Michael Brown jerked. And as he was collapsing to the ground or already on the ground, Officer Wilson fired "the kill shot" straight to his brain - that is on top of his head, according to Mr. Joe Klein's own analysis. So, where is the self-defense possibility theory? How could a guy with his hands in the air, going down in hail of bullets, pose a threat to Officer Wilson to elicit a self-defense theory? How?

It is practically impossible, under the circumstance, for Officer Wilson to have fired "the kill shot" to the top of Michael Brown's head, while Michael Brown was still standing. From all indications, the guy was already down or going down before the fatal shot - the shot to the brain. There is no fact in the case to support your theory of "possibility" that Officer Wilson was acting or acted in self-defense. Shame on you, Mr. Joe Klein; this is a disappointing act. If you have no fact, stay away from theory or hypothesis.

Mr. Joe Klein, with due respect, you cannot possibly be talking about the "need to address race relations in a thoughtful, provocative way", and at the same time (1) finding grace in justifying a racially influenced callous act (murder) and (2), laboring to discredit an impugn the integrity of those who have sacrificed their lives and time in service of oppressed black men and brown men in the larger society. Who vouch for the Trayvon Martins? Not you and your fellow media commentators. Some one has to do it. How he or she attained such status is immaterial, as long as the voice of the voiceless is heard.

MOVING FORWARD:

In spite of everything, I am vehemently and unequivocally against disrespecting, shooting or killing of Police Officers by any one. There is no homicide that I consider as reprehensible or egregious as the killing of Police Officers, children and pregnant women. They deserve our unconditional support and protection. Every profession has its own bad eggs, and the Police Force is not an exception. To ensure cordial and peaceful relationship between the civil society and members of the Police Force, it is required that those at the receiving end display unconditional level of cooperation, when dealing with Police Officers. It is that simple. But first, you MUST love yourself and value your life. If you do, chances are that you will eliminate, or at least, reduce the chances of being shot at by the Police.

BROTHERS, PLEASE NEVER RESIST ARREST - ANY ARREST. The "all we are asking for is justice" as most bereaved families are fond of telling news men/women after every fatal shot by Police Officers is not good enough - no amount of justice, imprisonment of the killer or compensation to the family of the victims can take the place of the victim. There is no alternative to a living. 

The situation in Ferguson City paints an ugly picture of Black realities in present day America. For a City that is almost 70% African American to have only 3 Officers out of a Police Unit of 53 Officers is slavery reincarnated. Ferguson is not alone. There are other cities and communities all over the United States, where African Americans, though in majority, are completely left out in the political system. On this very issue, African Americans do not have any one to blame, but themselves.

In addition, there is no excuse for voter fatigue. People fought and died for you to be able to vote. The more pronounced voter apathy is, the more unrepresented African Americans remain in the power game. In other words, the more African Americans are disconnected from the political system, the more of the Ferguson experience and the more isolated African American will remain in the distribution of offices and wealth.

Indeed, there are entrenched social inequities, poverty and disillusionment within the black communities,  but you cannot make a break-through without taking action at family, local and community levels. It's all about education and organization.

A Million Man Match should be a yearly affair. It is disgusting seeing a picture of a sane and grown up man, ready to go to college, taking something that does not belong to him by force, and threatening the store owner in the process.

Booker T. Washington, in spite of the overwhelming uncertainties that accompanied his growing up, never wavered on his dream to acquire the advanced education he eavesdropped on some men talked about inside of the mine where he was working as an unlettered adolescence.

There and then, young Booker T made up his mind to go to school and acquire that education. First he had to save the stipends he is earning working in the mine, not for the anticipated school fees, but for transportation to the unknown land where the institution was. He did that for one year, using his Step-Father as his Bank. When the time came for his Step-Father to give account, he had nothing to offer the young man. Booker T persevered and  continued to save again for another year. At the end of the second year, he embarked on the journey that would change his life and those of African American of later generations, starting with Tuskegee Institute. Please see "Up From Slavery" - The Autobiography of Booker T. Washington." It is a good read, and I recommend it for every American Teenager. 

My brother, love yourself. If you are a High School dropped-out, GED is an alternative. Ask 50 Cent (Mr. Curtis Jackson) how to do it. High School is not enough. If the late TUPAC wasn't a voracious reader, he would never have been the prolific songwriter that he was. Also, take a look at the children of African immigrants in your classrooms; they are college bound after high school graduation. There is no better alternative. 

Brothers, learn from President Obama; at his adolescence, his Dad was a no show. His Mom was there, but far far away. At Occidental College, he knew he has to make a move to stay alive and better his life. After just two years, he transferred to Columbia University in New York City, and later, to Harvard Law School. Today, he is American First Black President. His Mom and Dad were not there when he took that decision to say bye bye to Occidental College. Guys, you can do the same. Stay out of the streets. Stay at School and get your High School Diploma and a Bachelor Degree. You will like the experience.

Policing With Human Face:

At this juncture, I would like to add that given the circumstances surrounding the killing of Michael Brown and another young black man in the same State of Missouri few days ago, it is high time those responsible for the training of Police Officers in the United States of America, shift focus from how to kill black men during confrontation without going to jail or getting indicted. It is my humble suggestion that focus should be on how to demobilize the potential victims, if the need be, without killing them.

In other words, the training shouldn't be on how to kill "them niggers" - knowing full well that you have plethora of laws to defend your killing - but on how to eliminate the danger and save lives in the process. For instance, shooting Michael Brown in the legs would have successfully demobilized him instantly, without posing any harm to Officer Wilson. He was not in possession of a deadly weapon, and Officer Wilson was certainly not in any shape or form faced with imminent threat of bodily harm, injury, or death.

The fact that Michael Brown was walking away, and in fact, had his hands up during the shooting, reinforces the widely heard view that African American men are nothing but disposable objects in the minds of Police Officers in America. At this point in time, empowerment of grand jury doesn't really make any difference, whether or not Officer Wilson is indicted, tried or convicted. Whatever the outcome of the ongoing investigation, one thing remains clear: the parents of Michael Brown will never see their son again. That is the saddest part about gun violence and Police shooting of unarmed black men in the United States of America.

(I want to make this clear: none of the eyes witnesses alluded to the fact that Michael Brown was shot and killed from behind. What they have been saying on record was that, when the first gun shot was fired, Michael was backing Officer Wilson. They didn't say he was shot and killed while backing the Officer or that he was shot and killed from behind. I am making this declaration in light of the series of reports by some of the reporters at the scene talking about some inconsistencies in the eyes witness accounts.  CNN Chris Cuomo take note: the first gun shot came while he was walking away - backing the Officer. That's it. Not that he was shot and killed from behind as you reported several times that the eyes witnesses said. Again, they did not say that. That was your creation, in order to create inconsistencies where there are none).

Finally, trying to impugn the integrity of Mr. Al Sharpton by making reference to the Tawana Brawley case as Mr. Klein did somewhere in his piece is totally repugnant to say the least. If I may add, how does discrediting Mr. Al add value or substance to your essay, when you are calling for the need to address race relations? You don't have to like Al; he speaks for millions of oppressed Americans out there who do not have or enjoy the kind of unrestricted access to the news media that you enjoy every day. The Brown family needs a voice. The Trayvon Martin's family needs a voice. The Amadou Diallo family needs a voice. And they know who their friends are in the face of Police brutality. You cannot deny that. That's our reality as black people in the United States of America.

See the "The Trial and Conviction of Trayvon Martin: A Common Sense Analysis", posted on July 20, 2013.