Police Officer Darren Wilson — the suburban St. Louis patrolman who killed unarmed teenager Michael Brown in early August – will not face criminal charges in the controversial shooting death, a grand jury has decided. Wilson, who is white, became a national figure after he shot the black 18-year-old multiple times in broad daylight on a residential street….
The decision was announced by prosecuting attorney Robert McCulloch, who discussed the lengthy deliberation period of the grand jury citing consideration of differing witness reports as a one reason for the unusually long session.
(Yahoo News, November 24, 2014)
Even though I accept and respect the grand jury’s decision, I’m among those who are disappointed. Not least because the prosecuting attorney presented enough evidence, during his announcement just moments ago, to warrant indictment on at least one of the five charges.
But I’m far more disappointed in those who are using this decision as an excuse to go on a rampage (vandalizing properties, looting businesses, and attacking the police, among other acts of wanton violence). It hardly mattered to these nincompoops that this might provoke the police to use – to stop them – the very deadly force Officer Wilson used to stop Brown; to say nothing of the utter contempt they’re showing for the plea Michael’s parents (and President Obama) made for peace in his name.
I’m hardly surprised:
Whatever the grand jury decision, it should not be used as an excuse to riot in the streets, which could only result in self-immolating destruction of businesses and public services the predominantly Black residents of Ferguson depend on for their daily sustenance.
(“Is Ferguson Awaiting Grand Jury Decision or Lying in Wait to Riot,” The iPINIONS Journal, November 23, 2014)
Of course the media, whose members seem to outnumber protesters, got what they wanted, namely, the riot they spent the past three months rooting for. Nothing betrays this quite like reporters donning anti-riot gear, giving the (ratings-generating) impression that they’re in the middle of a war zone.
But frankly, given all I’ve already written on this case, I see no point in commenting any further. Therefore, I shall end where I began:
It cannot be overstated that, instead of doublespeak that would make him a saint, those eulogizing Michael would honor his death far more by admonishing young Black men against the deadly hazards of resisting arrest and defying authority … merely as a misguided badge of honor or rite of passage.
That said … notwithstanding his robbery or other bad acts, the killing of Michael Brown, as alleged, was unjustified; and Officer Wilson should be prosecuted for use of excessive force. Because, no matter what a person does to resist arrest, a policeman cannot shoot to kill if that person relents and no longer poses any threat of bodily harm. Period.
(“Why Chastise the ‘Times’ for Describing Michael Brown as ‘No Angel’? The iPINIONS Journal, August 26, 2014)
But, if I hear another political or civic leader calling for a “conversation on race,” I’m going to puke. Because — as I submitted in “Killing of Michael Brown: as much about Resisting Arrest as Police Brutality,” August 12, 2014 — nothing will do more to curb deadly encounters between the police and young Black men than requiring the former to attach cameras to their bulletproof vests and prevailing upon the latter to obey police orders.
On a broader note, I shall take it as a sign of racial progress that we do not have split screens showing Michael’s supporters reacting in consternation to the grand jury’s decision and Wilson’s supporters reacting in jubilation. No doubt you recall the polarizing way split screens showed justice in Black and White when the court announced the jury verdict that allowed O.J. to walk….
On the other hand, split screens showing Obama pleading for peace and people rioting in the streets suggest that there might be a greater gap in common sense among Blacks than any gap in racial attitudes between Blacks and Whites.
There’s no denying, though, that scenes of Blacks vandalizing businesses in their own neighborhood (especially if egged-on by one or two opportunistic Whites) only reinforce racial stereotypes. But frankly, given all I’ve already written on crime in Black America (I even lamented that this case is more about lawlessness among Blacks than police brutality against them), I see no point in commenting any further.
Meanwhile, you know Bill Cosby, who has spent so much time lecturing young Black men about behaving badly, is probably thanking them tonight for taking the media heat off him….
Related commentaries:
Awaiting grand jury or lying in wait…
Killing of Michael Brown…
* This commentary was originally published last night at 10:22 pm
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