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| Photo used with permission from SplitShire. |
One of my students said this yesterday when I asked our class to consider the rhetorical implications of comparing pictures of militarization (armored tanks, cops in riot gear) in Ferguson with similar images of war zones (see this "Ferguson or Iraq" Mashable piece from August).
We discussed how images are used to manipulate and argue, and how they set the tone for public debate and courtroom proceedings.
And last night, as images of looting and protests and violence flooded the media, I thought about my student. A cheeky and cheerful young man who brings joy to the classroom, I thought about how earnestly he checked the clock in class, waiting for the Ferguson grand jury to announce its decision.
Last night, I could not stop thinking about how disappointed he must be after learning police officer Darren Wilson won't go to trial for killing Michael Brown. And all today, I've been ruminating on how so many people aren't disappointed. How so many people are saying things like "Well, he shouldn't have attacked a police officer," how it's "not about race," and how "classy" it is for Ferguson residents to be razing and looting local businesses, as if somehow that justifies any of this.
I'm disgusted by the tone of "conversation" about events in Ferguson, the totalizing and ugly comments about "blacks" and "whites" as if people can possibly be defined by one identity category. I'm bowled over by the complete and utter lack of empathy about the people involved.
The thing is, I'm sad for Michael Brown's family and Darren Wilson's. I'm sad for the community of Ferguson and how the political maneuvering in this case demonstrates yet again, institutionalized racism in America. I hoped against hope that there would at least be a trial so people could have more answers and information.
And I'm especially worried that the aftermath of this situation--the looting and rioting, the unfettered online outrage--will only serve to stymie important conversations about race, privilege and inequity that our country seems so bent on avoiding.
I wish things were different. I wish people like Bryan Stevenson from the Equal Justice Initiative didn't have such a grim picture to paint about injustice in America (watch his incredible TED talk "We need to talk about an injustice" right now). I wish black teens were not 21 times more likely to be shot to death by police than white teens. I wish people would listen and think reasonably about racism instead of shutting down or lashing out because the topic is so uncomfortable. I wish I had more solutions than just a few words of solidarity.
xoxo,
shawna
Related:
I didn't care about Trayvon until Ferguson: Why we need more empathy in America
Why the lack of indictment for Mike Brown's shooting is a devastating blow
The independent grand jury that wasn't
Self-segregation: Why it's so hard for [white people] to understand Ferguson
Explaining white privilege to a broke white person
As a former student of yours, I am shocked that you're so out of touch about what is going on in Ferguson. This issue has nothing to do with race, yet the mainstream media and academics like yourself are quick to make it about race and it's sickening. Skin color doesn't matter when you're attacking a police officer. Forensics show that Brown was shot within 12 ft of the officer. That is close enough to show that Brown was within striking distance of Wilson, which is consistent with officer Wilson's story. No matter one's race, one cannot simply reach for an officers gun and expect to not get shot and killed. You mention the lack of empathy involved in your post. The only empathy I have is for the business owners and residents of Ferguson who have had their cars and businesses destroyed. I'm not going to empathize with a bunch of hooligans who could care less about Brown's death and are only causing chaos because they are criminals. Institutionalized racism is a narrative that has got to end. Everyone who is born in this country has a chance to be successful. What you do with your opportunity is what defines you. Conversations about race should not be stymied, but let's not kid ourselves, we are not living in the 1950's anymore. The narrative that all White's are bad, especially white men and that all African American's are the victim has been blown way out of proportion. Figureheads such as Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson come out when a white cop is involved in shooting a black teen, yet they are silent when a black individual kills a white person or blacks are killing blacks at alarming rates in Chicago everyday. Sharpton and Jackson need to perpetuate the myth that we are living in the 1950's to get the masses to react so that they continue to stay relevant. The real issue is that 72.3 % of African American children are born out of wedlock every year. With this comes single parent homes, poverty, and lack of a fundamental understanding of what family is. Let's talk about a culture that glorifies violence and objectifies women. The stat about blacks being 21 times more likely to be shot by police than whites is pure speculation. According to the Washington Post, there is no comprehensive database which shows police shootings. These shooting have to be reported by the cop themselves. At the end of the day, white privilege isn't causing blacks to shoot blacks, which happens at a higher rate than any other violent crimes involving blacks. White privilege isn't causing blacks to have kids out of wedlock, white privilege isn't stopping blacks from educating themselves. The sad part is that I have many African American friends who are looked down upon by their community. They are referred to as Uncle Tom's because they speak proper, are educated and successful. The woe, is me attitude and the tearing down of those who are successful in their own communities are what is holding the African American community back. It's all a mindset.
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