First, let me say I agree whole-heartedly with those who are against the looting and violence that happened in Ferguson. And let me also say I am a fan of 98 percent of police officers. After all, it was literally my hometown that was the focus of the rioting after the grand jury decision. If you have never watched the scenes of your childhood and landmarks of your family being burned or looted on national television, its hard to describe the feeling. One of the sad parts for me, however, is the base hatred and, yes, racism, that I see on a daily basis on here and other outlets. I try not to engage in many online debates about it, but I have had a few conversations with people who couldnt find Ferguson on a map or who for years havent been closer than the interstate spout off about how it is and what happened there and what should be done. Its not a simple issue and it is not a Black vs. White issue. I have seen more humanity and personal regard in Ferguson between races than just about anywhere else Ive lived. Are there idiots there? Certainly. But the place is not some super-heated cauldron of discord. I am a 51-yo white man, but I feel perfectly safe going there at any time. Oh, and when you go back and read what was being said about MLK and similar folks in the 50s and 60s, it sounds a whole lot like what some are saying today about the situation in Ferguson. Have your opinions. Talk about what happened. Just dont devolve into pointless name-calling and stereotypes. Its a lot more complicated than that. End of my soap box rant.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 13:14:59 +0000
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