The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King once said, “Rioting is the language of the unheard.” His words still ring true as I look at the violence and devastation that has engulfed the city of Ferguson and surrounding areas of St. Louis County. Today, we have all heard the language of the unheard coming from our televisions, radios, computers and even from outside our front doors. The shooting death of Michael Brown by a Ferguson police officer has ignited a firestorm which has engulfed a city, region, nation and world.
For many years, racial profiling has been an issue that has been prevalent in American society. Racial profiling in St. Louis County has been legendary in the black community with traffic courts being filled with African Americans each week. For the past 13 years, African Americans have been more likely to be pulled over in traffic stops than any other race in Ferguson, MO. Last year in the State of Missouri, blacks were more than one-and-a-half times more likely to be pulled over than any other race. The killing of Michael Brown was the last straw for a black community that has long been harassed by police officers. That the Ferguson Police Department allowed Michael Brown’s body to remain outside for up to four hours was just more salt in an already festering wound.
The resulting rage that occurred after the fact has been magnified on the world stage because of its intensity and staying power. Although the methods that the rioters have used to express their anger are inexcusable, it is up to all of us to find a peaceful solution to this matter. By releasing the police officer’s name alongside a video of the deceased allegedly committing a “strong arm” robbery, the Ferguson Police Department continues to incite rage in the community while revealing its unrelenting unfairness and partiality. By revealing the convenience store tape, the Ferguson Police Chief gives the community the impression that he is more concerned with protecting his own (officer) than seeking true justice in the case.
The people of St. Louis County, the nation and the world are looking for justice in the killing of Michael Brown. For far too long, young black men such as Trayvon Martin of Florida, Eric Garner of New York City and Ezell Ford of Los Angeles have been killed with no justice given in return. Today in the Show-Me State, we are demanding justice for Lesley McSpadden and Michael Brown Sr., Michael Brown’s parents, and the citizens of Ferguson. It is important that police officers respect the citizens they are sworn to protect and serve. I encourage the St. Louis County and Ferguson Police to openly cooperate with the federal investigation and not try to protect their own (officer). We are grateful to President Obama, Attorney General Eric Holder and the Justice Department for conducting a federal inquiry to ensure that a fair and impartial investigation takes place and that the constitutional rights of the demonstrators and the media are protected. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
