I'd like to believe that, but it could just as easily not be the case. In fact, statistics suggest that the smart money is on the fact that they did not. Justice in the US is not guaranteed. Justice in the US for black males is particularly scarce. The data bears this out. No doubt, there is the possibility that the grand jury acted in a manner that any one of us might have agreed with had we been part of it; however, IMHO we have little reason to trust that this was indeed the case. I feel badly for the jury and for officer Wilson if this was in fact nothing that we fear it was, but I feel far worse for all those that live with the fact that in most cases, it is exactly what we fear that this was. I have no confidence that the decision was appropriate, because I have little evidence that supports such faith in these matters.
The thing is, for the black folks, activists, and their supporters in Ferguson and around the country, this whole deal was about waaaaaaaaaaay more than Mike Brown almost immediately after his killing. It's about overly aggressive use of force by police killing and arresting minorities disproportionately coupled with a justice system designed to incarcerate them instead of giving them a level shot at justice. That's what the grievances on the ground actually are if one digs down and talks to folks there. Dig is the wrong word because it's right there if you just ask. They aren't wrong. The optics on this are terrible for those consumed with black pain and rage and wonderful for white people who will bend over backwards not to see what it's about and point to the riots as proof of what's wrong with 'those people'. Happened here in Detroit. "A riot is the language of the unheard" -Martin Luther King Jr.I feel badly for the jury and for officer Wilson if this was in fact nothing that we fear it was,
There is also the attitude that the people at these protests represent one homogeneous group, rather than a collection of individuals with varying opinions on a topic. The community organizers may advocate peaceful protests, but CNN is going to broadcast the angry people and the inevitable riots will often be started by the violent fridge. At my undergraduate institution, I saw a number of protests co-opted by outsider anarchists who had the time to sit in longer than most students and were more than happy to be the loudest voice in the room, throw rocks at police, and derail a message with ridiculous claims.The optics on this are terrible for those consumed with black pain and rage and wonderful for white people who will bend over backwards not to see what it's about and point to the riots as proof of what's wrong with 'those people'. Happened here in Detroit.
For anybody in the media who cared to know, for months now there have been peaceful protests in Ferguson with organizers actively speaking out against and mitigating agitators with all of their ability. In fact, even if you include the riots last night, the public protests have been overwhelmingly peaceful. Some of these reporters need to get some Black Twitter going in their feed mixed with some of the organizers that are actually on the ground. They might learn something.
i've said this on here already and directed people to those sources. Black Twitter is amazing