Days and days of protest and violence in Ferguson MO. have resulted in a better understanding of racial prejudice and intolerance in America...or not.
What I have witnessed over these last two weeks is a wild media frenzy and a widening gap between the parties in the confrontation. Each side blames the other for transgressions–supposed “proof” of police brutality or “proof” of the culpability of the dead young black man surfaces almost on a daily hour. Videotapes furnished by both sides demands attention and these tapes are dutifully offered for public scrutiny by a hungry press corps, eager to hand us the next “major break.”
The Chief of Police of Ferguson releases a store video revealing someone who “looks like” the dead black man, robbing a convenience store. There was no choice but to release the tape, he tells the press. The carnival rolls on. Al Sharpton is already in MO. “helping” the family of the dead man. The Governor of MO. has already apparently decided where the blame lies.
And the process of investigation has barely even started. Isn’t this the time for everyone to step back a pace and let the truth bubble up to the surface? Do any of us really know yet what happened that terrible night in Ferguson? Do any of us really want to know? Or are we all too busy pushing our own agendas? It’s time to let the process play out and see where it goes. That just might be satisfying to some. Or it might lead to even more confusion. But we owe it to the facts to wait and see where this goes.
What I have witnessed over these last two weeks is a wild media frenzy and a widening gap between the parties in the confrontation. Each side blames the other for transgressions–supposed “proof” of police brutality or “proof” of the culpability of the dead young black man surfaces almost on a daily hour. Videotapes furnished by both sides demands attention and these tapes are dutifully offered for public scrutiny by a hungry press corps, eager to hand us the next “major break.”
The Chief of Police of Ferguson releases a store video revealing someone who “looks like” the dead black man, robbing a convenience store. There was no choice but to release the tape, he tells the press. The carnival rolls on. Al Sharpton is already in MO. “helping” the family of the dead man. The Governor of MO. has already apparently decided where the blame lies.
And the process of investigation has barely even started. Isn’t this the time for everyone to step back a pace and let the truth bubble up to the surface? Do any of us really know yet what happened that terrible night in Ferguson? Do any of us really want to know? Or are we all too busy pushing our own agendas? It’s time to let the process play out and see where it goes. That just might be satisfying to some. Or it might lead to even more confusion. But we owe it to the facts to wait and see where this goes.
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