Mac-Coleman

26 August 2014 –

A sad day in Ferguson; a sad day in America. 

Monday was the funeral for 18-year-old Michael Brown, who was shot during a fight with a policeman on 9 August in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson, Missouri.   Brown was African-American, as are two-thirds of this town’s population of 21,000.  The policeman who shot him, 28 year-old Darren Wilson, is white, as are 50 of the 53 policeman on the local force.  Sadly, these facts seem sufficient for many to promote more turmoil around this tragedy.  What is worse, there appear to be no trustworthy leaders guiding us out of this maelstrom.   

The dead man’s family and many members of the local community have been solid, responsible players through these explosive two weeks.  Mr. Brown’s father immediately asked for calm from all who demonstrated in the streets.  The local NAACP also asked for a calm and resolute response to events.  The requests didn’t work.  Local police were soon overwhelmed and replaced by state police and Army National Guard forces.  These parties, government and private, acted, for the most part, with courage and composure. The rule of law should now play out in an equitable and just manner, right? 

Nope.  Contention and disruption arrived almost immediately in the form of  professional political agitator, Reverend Al Sharpton, who descended upon Ferguson, and with predictable combative fervor, ranted about police brutality .  Juan Williams, a black political commentator, criticized his antics as “monetizing the civil rights movement.”  Sadly, Reverend Sharpton’s eulogy at Mr. Brown’s funeral continued the agitation; apparently, rather than lead, the Reverend had some monetizing to finish.

Also quick on the scene were outside criminals who rioted, looted, and burned Ferguson.  Of the several hundred people arrested for rampaging and looting since 9 August, fewer than twenty have come from Ferguson itself.  The looting has recently subsided, probably because it is no longer profitable. 

Most government leaders have responded poorly to the situation.  Generally, the higher the level of government, the more leaders abused the due process of law and abandoned courageous leadership.        

Local law enforcement’s biggest mistake was the release of a video showing a 6’4” 290 lb. Mr. Brown robbing a convenience store and assaulting a small store clerk just hours before Brown’s death.  That decision exacerbated unrest and seemed like a deliberate way to influence any future jury pool.  The Ferguson district attorney did quickly call a grand jury to determine if any charges should be filed against Officer Wilson, and it is supposed to deliberate until some time in October. Sadly, however, that extends the time for other political monetizers to exploit the process.   

Soon after Mr. Brown’s death, Missouri’s Governor Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency and then cancelled it.  His indecision and political weakness further added to the unrest.  Missouri Highway Patrol Captain Ron Johnson was called to restore security in Ferguson, but the outside criminals continued to loot.  This was probably because Captain Johnson’s efforts focused on calming the members of the Ferguson community, most of whom were already obeying the law.  Johnson’s help was indeed needed, but it was applied poorly. 

The scores of FBI agents sent to Ferguson have been professional and impartial.  They have interviewed witnesses and reviewed local police and legal processes for possible civil rights violations; they have operated well within federal law.  At least they are not the problem. 

Unfortunately, the Department of Justice and President Obama have turned this process on its head.  Attorney General Holder’s personal appearance in Ferguson troubles anyone looking for an impartial leader who could convince all parties that civil rights for everyone would be honored fairly.  His public account of being a black man humiliated by bigoted policemen, and his meeting with Mr. Brown’s family to express his personal regrets, are profound displays of bias that already may have corrupted the local legal process.  

President Obama also showed disregard for the local Ferguson legal process by sending three White House emissaries to Mr. Brown’s funeral.  The President effectively stamped his prejudice on the yet-to-be proven contention that Mr. Brown was the victim of police brutality.  Such pandering to specific support groups should be beneath a president.  

Both the President and his attorney general should stay out of Ferguson.  Without comment they should watch while the facts are established and allow justice to run its course.  That is what the leader of all Americans and his top cop are in office to do.