Ferguson letter becomes call for justice

[Baitball Blogger]

As Michael Brown is being buried today, a letter composed by black clergy in response to the racial unrest in Ferguson, Mo., has become an international call for justice.

“In light of the long and bloody trail of lynchings, deaths, and killings of African American youth from Emmett Till, to Trayvon Martin, to Michael Brown, and scores of others throughout our nation, we call for action, justice, and the transformation of our society,” the letter reads.

The statement, composed by veteran civil rights activists Rev. Otis Moss Jr. and Rev. T. DeWitt Smith, urges black churches to memorialize Brown who was killed by a white police officer on Aug. 9.

It also calls for greater voter participation and the replacement of elected officials who “represent the preservation of life in ethnic communities where a disproportionate amount of killings, unsubstantiated sentencings, and jail time, are unwarranted means for perpetuating racism and bias against ethnic minorities,” writes Adelle M. Banks for the Religion News Service.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/os-ferguson-letter-becomes-call-for-justice-20140825,0,980727.post

[malaise]

1. Where are the white churches

Where are the political leaders from all sides
Where is Civil society
Where is the media

[Baitball Blogger]

2. I was startled to find this article in the Orlando Sentinel.

They're usually on the other side of the spectrum.

[jwirr]

5. THAT was what I was thinking.

[pipoman]

3. Do we automatically classify any black person arrested or shot

A victim? Do the circumstances matter? Do we always canonize or do we side with justice and support law and order when they are in the right?

[Baitball Blogger]

4. When you're dealing with human behavior, absolutes will never do.

I think if you're honest with yourself, you know that. But it's time to point out the source of the problem. Societies that do not remove racists from the police department and then give police total support in their decisions are a big part of the problem.

Let's take that another step. Are the police only playing off of the perceptions of the people they serve? If that's the case, if these people assume that every black person who runs from the police is guilty, then it's time to admit that it's racist perceptions which are setting the standards.

That's how we have to call it when we can cite examples where white Americans have pointed guns at law enforcement without suffering any consequences.