Thousands of St. Louisans came together for what were expected to be peaceful demonstrations to call attention to the death of Michael Brown. That peace was forcefully interrupted by looters who issued deceptive claims of seeking vengeance for Brown’s death.
More than 15 local businesses were impacted, leaving employees from all walks of life unable to report to work on Monday. A St. Louis native and human rights advocate, I watched the horrific reactions unfurl 1,800 miles away in Portland, Oregon and was moved to reach out to business owners, many whom my family has proudly patronized.
After hearing from a former classmate and single father about the turmoil that caused his employer to close, I was urged to pen a letter to business owners on behalf of her community. It reads as follows:
On Saturday, August 9, a tragedy of immense proportion rocked our shared North County community, reshaping the discourse on safety, race relations and peace forever. A young, African-American man by the name of Michael Brown lost his life to a Ferguson police officer following an alleged struggle.
As the news spread rapidly throughout the St. Louis community, the frustration and disappointment cast a spirit of restlessness around the loss of this promising young life.
Across the country, community advocates and activists like me noted a similar pattern of continued violence towards young, black men. Media depictions of black youth have misled many of us to believe that black-on-black crime is more prevalent than police brutality. While both atrocities are deplorable means for humanity to live, we’ve all taken note of the apparent disregard for young life. I call notice to this not in an attempt to blame or build empathy, but rather to provide the historic context for the events that transpired Sunday, August 10.
While community-minded leaders worked to harness the shared disappointment to honor the memory of Mike Brown and support his family, a senseless minority infiltrated those peaceful intentions. The looters and their violent disruption were ill advised byproducts of their selfishness. Acting in a manner that dishonored Mike Brown and the landscape of our community was not reflective of the wishes of Ms. Lesley McSpadden (Brown’s mother). As a result of their ignorance, looters impacted business neighbors who work to maintain the economic viability of North County, providing jobs for many in our community and a sense of pride for where we live.
In order to recover from these tragic events, an apology must be extended to you, our neighbors and the family of Michael Brown. Anyone who comes in the name of peace only to deceive of our community by destroying credibility and reputation is not welcome, nor will they be considered part of peacefully organized demonstrations.
Please accept our community’s shared sentiment of sincerity and know that we are grateful that you’ve chosen to operate your business in North County.
As we strive to emerge from a dark time in our community’s history, I would encourage you to use this opportunity to reflect on why Ferguson and Florissant are still viable communities to thrive, work, and play.
Together, we can emerge stronger, more supportive and committed to making our communities reputable for the quality of life that all people can enjoy. It is equally important for us to continue to pray for the Brown/McSpadden families during this difficult time. Caring for his family’s wellbeing and that of our community has to be at the center of our work to live harmoniously.
Sonji R. Young, a St. Louis native, chairs the Human Rights Commission for the City of Portland, Oregon.
