Recently Leaked Information Does Not Nullify The Protesters’ Cause
With the inappropriate leak of secret grand jury testimony and Michael Brown’s autopsy report, there have been suggestions that the Ferguson protests were for naught. I would disagree with this assertion because the issue here is not just about Michael Brown. It is about the disrespect that the City of Ferguson has for its residents. The shooting of Michael Brown whether justified or not, was handled in a way that disrespected his memory, family and community.
Let us for the sake of argument consider the Ferguson Police Department’s version of this. Then, why did they not have a news conference on that fateful Saturday afternoon with Darren Wilson present to show his face that he claims showed signs of being punched? Why did they not just tell the public that Darren Wilson was beaten trying to apprehend Michael Brown fleeing a felony robbery and that the suspect was shot and killed? Had they done this, though the community would have mourned Michael Brown’s death, there would not have been calls for Darren Wilson’s arrest. There would have been no protests, no riots and no grand jury. The way the Ferguson Police handled this said that Michael Brown’s life did not matter enough for them to give his family and community an immediate account of how and why he died. Regardless of whether Darren Wilson’s actions were justified or not, Michael Brown’s life mattered. “Black Lives Matter.” That is what these protests are really about. The leaks this week do not change that. So let the protests go on until the City of Ferguson learns this lesson and learns to show its citizens the respect they deserve.
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