As I’ve watched the Ferguson, MO protests on the major news networks on TV over the past week or so, I’m left with a plethora of questions that are burning in my psyche. To my own surprise, these questions have to do more with those who are protesting instead of the police investigation and other details concerning the case. Now do I believe that the protests are necessary? Yes I do. There are some real issues with police brutality against the public in general, but especially against Black Americans. People are tired of hearing the same story about unarmed people being shot down like dogs in the street. The details that have been released thus far suggest that college-bound, unarmed eighteen-year old Mike Brown was gunned down execution-style, even after surrendering to the cop with his hands raised in the air. I think the six bullet wounds to his body (and two in the head) indicate more than a cop “defending” himself. The issue of race has once again surfaced and I hope that we can finally have an honest conversation about it. Many of us, including myself, are of the belief that had Mike Brown been white, he wouldn’t have been shot. We have the right to protest, but the condition of our communities seems to adversely affect the credibility of these protests from the eyes of outsiders…
However, as I said before, there are some very serious questions that are burning in my soul…
1. How many of these protestors actually vote? And not just in the presidential elections, but also in their local elections for city councilmen, congressman or state senators? Or are too many of them convicted felons and thus cannot vote? Do they really care about this tragedy to the extent in which they are demonstrating? Or are they just caught up in the HYPE because their town is now the center of national attention? Truth be told, some of these folks are probably posting selfies and other stuff related to this case on social media. Everybody needs their fifteen minutes of fame… (Sigh)
2. How many “baby mamas” and “baby daddies” are represented in these crowds of protestors? I ask this because too many people in the black community continue to bring kids into the world that they can’t raise properly. The fatherlessness has almost single-handedly caused the break-down of the family unit over the past forty years, and so I wonder how many of those young men out their protesting are actually absentee fathers? I know this might seem unfair, but the breakdown of the family is a MAJOR contributing factor to why lower income neighborhoods are riddled with drugs, violence, prostitution and utter hopelessness.
3. How many of the people protesting are involved in their local churches and/or do community outreach? Granted, the church has become irrelevant and has no power or authority, but that’s a whole separate topic altogether. However, I still wonder how many of these folks are actually involved in bettering their local communities in any sort of way. How many of them are investing their time, money and energy in curbing the violence in their neighborhoods, or mentoring the next generation? How many of these individuals are productive, tax-paying citizens who contribute something of value to society? Are they doing anything constructive for the community in which they reside? I recognize that the “powers that be” won’t invest time and money into these communities based upon statistics and stereotypes, so it seems to me like we have no choice but to rise up and take back our communities.
4. How many of these folks protesting still uphold the “no snitching” policy whenever crimes and murders occur in their communities? Doesn’t it seem hypocritical to protest for justice when you DENY justice to your own neighbors? I know that there is the fear-factor of retaliation from gangs and so on, but it appears that nothing has really been done to help stop the violence in these communities. It seems as though having “street credibility” is more important than people’s very lives. What has happened to us??? People all over the Internet are saying that blacks don’t care about black-on-black violence, and now I can understand why. Chicago is practically a war zone with tons of UNSOLVED murders and drive-by shootings. From the outside looking in, it doesn’t appear that the communities are being very proactive in stopping the out-of-control violence. Yet, we are the first to protest whenever the issue of race or the police seems to be involved. And while I recognize the issue is a lot more complex than what people may think, we still have to do better.
5. With all of the rioting and looting that has occurred, what message do they think this sends to the rest of the country? Or do they even care? The people in this country who are already racially bigoted now have more ammunition and reasons to hold on to their beliefs about Black Americans. Why the hell would you tear down your own community? Granted, I also realize that the local and even outside criminal element is largely responsible and they are a MINORITY. But how do you think this looks to the rest of the world that is watching? I wonder if there were any protestors who were trying to stop the rioters and looters. To me, it’s funny how a bunch of no-good, trifling-ass folks (not all the protestors fit this description) want to act like their civil rights are being violated when their own lives are JACKED UP. Sit down somewhere!!!
I’m going to close with these thoughts. I know that there is more than meets the eye when it comes to breaking down the issues surrounding this case and even more so with the larger issues at hand, but I think I have covered the bases pretty well. I too, am more than tired of seeing unarmed Black Americans being shot down by the police. I just wish that our communities would come together again because there are endless possibilities to the many positive changes that would likely occur. Unfortunately, as I said earlier, the protesting doesn’t appear very credible in the eyes of many outsiders. I understand why, to a degree… But I also understand that we need to speak up and be heard when it appears like we are treated like second and third class citizens. I wholeheartedly believe that there are systems and laws in place that work against people who are stuck in the lower socioeconomic status, as well as certain ethnicities because of bigoted belief systems. However, it is time for us to RISE UP and take more responsibility!
Nathan Allen Copyright ©2014
Socially Conscious Nuggets 
Indeed…We must be accountable for our actions. The world is watching us during this tragic situation. We need to do better.
However, I would be remiss if I didn’t say that the media has unfortunately focused on the ignorant few who’ve taken advantage of a tragic situation in order to “turn up” and act a fool. The majority of protesters are peaceful. And the overreaction/excessive force by the police (who many, by the way, are not wearing badges in full view, which is a travesty in itself). Two wrongs don’t make a right. And regarding black-on-black crime: FBI statistics show that 85% of crimes committed by African Americans are against other African Americans, and the percentage of whites who commit crimes against other whites are almost identical.
There is so much that needs to be done on everyone’s part. I only pray that it’s not to late for real change.
I agree with you about the media. My point is that our communities lie in shambles and the people are doing nothing about it. Many of the protesters are likely contributing to the problems in our community, but now want to get involved because the spotlight is on them.
Well posed questions which deserve honest answers. As a community we have suffered from many things we have brought upon ourselves with incidents such as the one recently in Missouri only compound our problems even further. We have to get to a place of healing, reconciliation and responsibility among ourselves so we can better address the issues that plague us as a whole. We don’t know how to work together. There’s so much jealousy, animosity & fighting among ourselves that we can’t fight the battles waged against us on a more powerful level. We have the ability but not the willpower or desire. It seems the only time we worked together was during the civil rights movement. Now it’s every man for himself. There’s no sense of community or family anymore. We have to address our issues with just as much intensity & demand as we do with racism, police brutality or other issues.