Hundreds of American citizens of all racial backgrounds took to the streets of Ferguson, Missouri this week following the death of 18 year-old Michael Brown at the hands of a police officer. Protests and riots were violently countered by the state police using tear gas, rubber bullets, and smoke bombs (BBC News), further fuelling the public outrage towards the police state and its perceived racial discrimination towards the minorities. There is but one question: just how can the shooting of one boy ignite state-wide unrest?
The incident occurred on August 9 in Ferguson, Missouri, where an unarmed Michael Brown was gunned down by a police officer following an apparent struggle between the two. Bystanders claim that Michael had surrendered and had his arms above his head when he was killed. The officer responsible was admitted into a hospital for facial injuries.
After the shooting was made public, riots erupted and people were seen looting stores and destroying government property to protest the suspected racial police brutality. In response, the police arrived to combat the civil unrest, donning gear that would otherwise fool us into thinking that they were American soldiers, if not for the police cars (ABC News). Criticism struck both sides of this conflict, as President Obama condemned the reactions of the Missouri police to the mass riots; while shaming the Ferguson residents for their unruly behavior during the protests (International Business Times).
“There is never an excuse for violence against police… nor is there an excuse for police to use violence against protesters.”
In light of the shooting and the following police brutality in Missouri, it is evident that racism and discrimination is still alive and well in parts of the U.S.. In a town like Ferguson, where African Americans make up the majority of the population and other races are the minority, it is very easy for prejudice towards both sides to develop. For example, after the shooting, many news and media sources began circulating this picture of Michael Brown, with his hands forming an apparent gang sign (CTV News).
This was met with immediate backlash by the African American community, as they claim that the media handpicked this photo in order to incriminate Michael and to make him look more guilty. This kind of “nitpicking photo” is all too common unfortunately, as Twitter users brought attention to this by posting two pictures side by side, one of which is their graduation photo, the other often depicting them in a suggestive and compromising situation. One of these tweets that stood out from the rest was by a lawyer named CJ Lawrence, containing a photo of him at his graduation ceremony with former President Bill Clinton behind him, while the second photo was of him dressed up as a rapper for Halloween with a prop gun and whiskey in hand.
In the aftermath of this tragedy, we are forced to recognize the existence of deep-rooted racism in our society. Although countries such as Canada share a more modern and respectful perspective on the issue of racism, it does not mean that we are free of it. Our hearts go out to the Brown family, who are currently mourning for the loss of their son, Michael.