Ferguson 2 - 12/5

       Ferguson has been in the news once again, but this time, not because anybody got shot. Last week, a St. Louis grand jury did not indict Darren Wilson, who shot and killed Michael Brown. They could find no reasonable evidence to pin Wilson with any charge, ranging from first-degree murder to involuntary manslaughter. Nobody with a brain (legal analysts) really expected for Wilson to be indicted, but the people of Ferguson wanted this man d-e-d dead. The kind of shooting that happened normally would have led to an internal investigation with the police department that Wilson worked for, not a grand jury national event. But, the rioting, looting, and arson called for a bigger case. The city of Ferguson has been like a real-life “Hunger Games” scenario, with people stealing what they can to survive.

       Michael Brown’s family is no exception. His father and mother wanted peaceful protests, but his step-father made some interesting comments. His most “famous” one, “Burn this [bad word] down,” has led to being nearly charged with inciting a riot. President Obama responded by attempting to calm the people of Ferguson, saying “First and foremost, we are a nation built on the rule of law. And so we need to accept that this decision was the grand jury’s to make. There are Americans who agree with it, and there are Americans who are deeply disappointed, even angry. It’s an understandable reaction. But I join Michael’s parents in asking anyone who protests this decision to do so peacefully. Let me repeat Michael’s father’s words: ‘Hurting others or destroying property is not the answer. No matter what the grand jury decides, I do not want my son’s death to be in vain. I want it to lead to incredible change, positive change, change that makes the St. Louis region better for everyone.’  Michael Brown’s parents have lost more than anyone. We should be honoring their wishes.”

       I still stand by my original stance, which is that more peaceful protests are the answer, and that rioting is just making it worse. It’s good to know that one of the most powerful people in the world shares my stance. Maybe Obama’s not so bad after all!