Black activists and protesters are demanding the name of the Ferguson, Missouri police officer who shot and killed Michael Brown. The name of the officer, at least so far, has not been released (but, as these things usually go, it will quickly be out there anyway). They want him arrested and charged.
I\’m surprised that the Black thugs who have rioted and looted in Brown\’s name have not demanded that name as well. Not to arrest and charge him, but to thank him – because this shooting, whether justified or not, has given them a “rationale” to do what they are doing.
We still do not know why Michael Brown wound up dead. There is – at least so far – no video tape to show the nature of his confrontation with the police. All we have are two stories; one of which makes him out out to be a choir boy shot for no reason other than that he was Black, the other of which makes him out to be an out of control thug who was fighting a police officer and trying to grap his gun, presumably to use it on that officer.
Do we know which of these stories – if either – is true? No we do not.
Do we know whether the incident, regardless of how it came to be, was racist in nature? No we do not.
It most likely was racial, in that Brown and his friend were Black and the officers were probably White (50 of the 53 police officers in Ferguson are White, so that\’s a pretty good bet). But even if they were, it does not mean that race was the reason for the confrontation.
What we do know, or at any rate I hope we know, is that, regardless of what happened, rioting and looting are dead, 100% wrong.
In that regard, it should also be noted that al sharpton traveled to Ferguson and made an incendiary speech there – after which more rioting and looting took place. No surprise there. sharpton has a rich history of sticking himself into the middle of bad situations, and making them worse.
Some people call him “reverend” al sharpton, or “the rev”, because he is a Pentecostal minister (not that he has ever led any church that I know). In my opinion, the only basis for sharpton to have that title is that he revs up angry crowds – and then walks away from the consequences of his doing so.
Let me say, again, that we do not know what happened. We do not know if racism was a reason for what happened. What we do know is that rioting and looting are not acceptable under any circumstances.
And we also know that the blame for what rioting and looting has taken place rests with the rioters, looters, and the people who egg them on. No one else.
There are about 14,000 Black residents of Ferguson, Missouri. A tiny, tiny fraction of them engaged in this activity. To blame all Blacks for this behavior is no different, and no better, than blaming all Whites for what happened to Michael Brown.
Let\’s not do either. Ok?
