What happened during the Rodney King riots was a desperate attempt by a people who had long been deprived of due process in courts of law. For a period of time, African Americans were hopeful that police violence would be dealt with fairly in criminal and civil courts. That has not been the case. Therefore, the possibility of riots might indeed exist if Wilson is acquitted, but only because the justice system has failed to deliver on its promise of equal justice. In the event that the grand jury fails to indict, I certainly hope that there is no property damage and that no more people are hurt or killed in Missouri or elsewhere. I believe the best course of action if Wilson is acquitted is to press the U.S. Justice Dept. to levy federal charges, as was done in Rodney King's case, and that further demonstrations while tempers are high would be counterproductive.
Whereas Zimmerman was not a government employee, and the police had reportedly told him to stand down, that is not the case with Wilson. Federal prosecution should be the response to an acquittal by the Ferguson grand jury, should an acquittal occur.
There is a time for all things. Ferguson is going to the United Nations, and the Justice Department has a job it should do to protect the right to life in the USA. Meanwhile, I caution protesters to be cognizant that in December 2011, the president signed the NDAA law, which permits the USA to detain citizens indefinitely without trial or any opportunity for defense. Many of us fought this law from coming to be, and we still oppose it. I perceive this law as a threat to the very idea of liberty and justice for every American, but particularly for the group that has the highest rate of incarceration presently, often without fair trials: African Americans.
Michael Brown was young and inexperienced, and so he died. I am convinced if he had known Officer Wilson would kill him, Brown would have obeyed Wilson immediately without words. The Ferguson protesters are not ignorant like Brown was about the viciousness of militarized police. At least two more young black men were killed in that area since Brown was, and a black woman is hospitalized with a gunshot wound to her head reportedly delivered by Ferguson police. Therefore, I implore Ferguson protesters to "go nowhere with an angry man," as the bible instructs. We have other options, the most important of which is to let tempers cool before embarking on any course of action should Officer Wilson be acquitted. History should teach us that any excuse would do to disregard the human and civil rights of African Americans, and there is a law that says "anything goes." Be angry, but exercise patience.
We have been concerned for some time about Martial Law and people being interned in the concentration camps that are waiting in America and foreign countries. It appears that the powers that should not be do not attempt to justly remedy wrongful deaths such as Brown's and my brother's and many other blacks endured in hopes that African Americans will give an excuse to institute Martial Law and use the concentration camps that are reportedly prepared, staffed, and stocked with supplies. How we respond to Ferguson if Wilson is acquitted could have eternal ramifications for all of us - meaning everyone in America. We have the ability to chose peace, which is really the only reasonable choice when opposed by such a formidable foe as this country can be if a people threatens its security.
Unless you want to be a suicide warrior and completely destroy this troubled peace we have had in this country since slavery officially ended, I advise everyone to STAND DOWN.
MaryLovesJustice Neal
Director of "Human Rights Demand" channel at Blogtalkradio
MaryLovesJustice@gmail.com
(678)531.0262 or (571)335-1741
Director of "Human Rights Demand" channel at Blogtalkradio
MaryLovesJustice@gmail.com
(678)531.0262 or (571)335-1741
