I have read the frustrations elsewhere and on Facebook, so I am going to add my two cents.
I put this up in response to a post on Facebook, but I am going to put it up here on my blog because I now see that a lot of people feel the same, exactly the way I do.
I don't think anyone is saying they condone what happened to this kid in Ferguson--who was no choir boy like he is being made out to be by some, including, of course, Mr. Rabble Rouser himself, the Rev. Al "I just love to get involved in these things because it keeps me relevant" Sharpton.
I think what a lot of people are saying is that the behavior of some people in Ferguson--and those who have come there looking for some "fun"--is atrocious. You do not rob, loot, pillage and steal if you disagree with something. I do believe Dr. King is turning in his grave not only for what happened, but what is happening as a result. This is not what he stood for.
And where is the Rev. Al in the recent Florida incident, where the Orthodox Jew going to synagogue was gunned down by thugs who probably shot him because he wasn't carrying any money on the Sabbath? They refuse to call this a hate crime, haven't apprehended anyone yet, but remarkably, the people there haven't torn up the town to take out their aggression.
What I am saying is that there is a right way to do something and a wrong way, and businesses that are destroyed for no good reason won't come back, which will make the problem in Ferguson even worse.
For once, I agree with our President. The actions taken by some in Ferguson is making matters worse. The family of the young man have pleaded for the violence to stop, and it should, and should immediately.
There is nothing wrong with peaceful protest.
However, there is something wrong when protests have morphed into riots and are leading not only to looting, but to carnage--and that carnage has nothing to do with the police there. Shots rang out on Monday night, and they did not come from police guns.
Nobody has been killed as part of these protests, but the window is growing short for civility to ensue.
I heard one woman on the evening news yesterday say that while she did not condone the violence, she said that it was because of the violence that people were sitting up and taking notice.
That might be true, but just think of how many people would take notice if the protests were peaceful? I think many more would feel comfortable participating if things were civil.
So many facts of this case are still out, or at least are not being told to the public, that to make assumptions is simply the wrong way to go now.
We do know the kid was shot several times by a white officer.
We don't know what precluded the shooting; the officer said that the kid was skirmishing with him and going for his gun. The kid and his friend were stopped for some reason, and whether it had to do with a robbery that they committed a few minutes before is unclear.
That is pretty much all we know.
Until that time, you want to protest, fine. You want to destroy, not so fine.
Keep the peace until all the facts are out, and then, still keep the peace.
You want to honor this kid? Act like adults.
'Nuf said.
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