I have been so offended and angered by what some of my friends on Facebook have said about Michael Brown and the situation in Ferguson (he was a thug, he deserved it, black people destroy their own communities, blacks are criminals, all the police officers in Ferguson should quit because blacks don’t appreciate them and more). I feel as though I don’t know some of my former classmates. You would be shocked if I gave you the quotes, believe me—so heartless and sometimes flat-out racist.


To be honest, my heart is already heavy for Michael’s family and the Ferguson community and for the way we are seen and treated in this country, so sometimes I don’t have the strength to respond, but I’m both hurt and frustrated, not to mention angry. What to do? —Anonymous


Letter and response here


http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/08/how_to_deal_with_friends_racist_reactions_to_ferguson.html


a snippet of the response below

Sure, you could let these people know privately that their views offend or hurt you (predicted response: "You're too sensitive"). You might even get in some really good zingers, as actor Jesse Williams did when he told followers who were upset about his Ferguson tweets, in a now viral response, "Please disabuse yourself of the notion that my purpose on earth is to tuck ignorance in at night."


But here's the thing: Each and every person making comments that rub you the wrong way has access to the entire Internet, live feeds from Ferguson, materials on the entire history of American racism generally and violence against unarmed black men specifically. They are choosing to think the way they do because it works for them and makes them feel good.

I have been keeping up with this. It is said that we are being portrayed this way. All of this reminds me of the Watts Riots in Los Angeles, Rodney King, etc. Our people were poorly portrayed there too as they were also during the Viet Nam War Era. The only people who can stop this ignorance are the people themselves. I feel for this young man's family. I see the anger and Frustration of all of this. I see people who come over here from foreign countries help each other and work together and get what they need. Our people need to work together, re educate themselves and stop misrepresenting themselves or this stuff will never end. Self education and more knowledge is the key.

more sound advice,, ty

there is more than one way to skin a cat,, so to speak

it is such a terrible thing that the choices some people make lead to
their own detrimental issues

it is easy to sit somewhere and say what a shame they should not have
done that

it is a different feeling when you are the one being attacked or
either physically or financially

if people want respect they need to be respectful

if groups want respect they need to hold members of their group
responsible for their actions ----- no matter what group they are

religious --- race --- or --- fraternal order to name 3 but all groups are subject to this including political groups

I agree with all this.

I can say, for instance, that a woman walking naked in an ally has some RESPONSIBILITY for inviting a rape,, but that wouldn't excuse the rape or mean the rape shouldn't be investigated and charged because rape is WRONG


likewise, I can say that a teens acting like bullies have some responsibility for their victim becoming fed up enough to show up and commit a mass shooting,, but that wouldn't excuse the mass shooting or mean it shouldn't be I investigated and charged,,,because it is WRONG

Brown shoplifted and acted like a bully, and for that he deserved prosecution,, not execution,,,

he was not executed for the store issues he was shot by someone that
happened to be white and an officer that he attacked

YES, I agree

he was not shot for the shoplifting,, so why does it keep being mentioned?

he was not shot by the person he 'attacked' by pushing away from him, so why does that keep being mentioned?

he was not even shot during the 'attack' on the officer

he was shot AFTER all that was over,,,while trying to get away.

The problem I see that we as a human race don't really see the "Big Picture". This is where most of the fault in all of this lies. I read a book called " The Mis-education of the Negro" by Carter G. Woodson. This book was written in 1933 and he is talking about a lot of this stuff that is going on right now. So, he knew this before we were even born. Knowledge is Power and Ignorance is Punishment!!!

he violently attacked an officer

doing so shows that if anyone did anything he did not like is at
high risk of losing their life

if you attack a cop with a gun how safe is the average person from
being attacked by him

it was the officers duty to take him off the street if he would have
complied he would not have been shot

if you do not want to get shot do not choose to do things that are
likely to lead to that end

he acted violent and was treated in the same manner

Thank you for making me think. I know I have to go back a little ways to see these experiences in the light of being a child or young adult. Our world is growing up fast and time is also passing fast. Our people will not exist at the rate this stuff is happening and that will be a sad state of affairs.

I think a basic issue here is "If Brown was white, would he have been shot in the same way?"

I don't think it made one whit of difference what Brown's skin color was. I think he would have been shot in exactly the same way.

If this assumption, based on what I have seen, is true. There is no "race" issue to the Brown incident at all.

There is however many race issues leading to what would cause an 18 year old to behave in the way that got him in this situation in the first place. There was obviously a lack of respect for the law involved. There is a break down in the family and community that is the root of the problem.

Your welcome. Glad I can shed some light.

really? how many people 'lost' their life to Brown?

the average unarmed person who 'attacks' a cop(they all have guns) is often restrained and charged with resisting or assault on an officer

If he had complied, he would not have been shot, and if a rape victim didn't drink on a date they may not get raped

but if they ARE raped,, something should be done about it,,


it seems logical to not 'choose' things that will get you shot,, but the problem is in this ever growing paranoid gun loving society,, the list of things that will 'justifiably' get you shot are growing,,,,


knocking on doors too late at night, making too much noise in a car, trying to flee from justice, and the list keeps on going,,,

all that is necessary is 'fear' right?,, a lot of people are fearful of just about anything, and dare I say, even more intensely if it involves a black male,,

he acted illegally, he shoved someone, but he didn't die from someone shoving him back

he possibly punched someone(no one can know since no evidence of the actual damage has been released) but he didn't die from being punched

he was not treated in a SIMILAR manner, he was treated in an excessive manner

there is also a 'race' issue specific to THIS community if there is a history of such reaction,,,,,

disproportionately aimed at one race over another,,


there was, I agree, a lack of respect of others property or space,

which is not uncommon amongst modern young people of any race, but is worth addressing

Perhaps with me, I just see all of this as just plain ignorance and some bad decisions thrown in. This is like a lightning rod as all of these type of subjects are. The stuff has already happened, and we will have our suppositions and arguments. I still say the people as a human race is causing all of this. Reeducation, realization, and more knowledge is the key. Time has already passed on these events and we just need to leave it alone because things will play themselves out as the people and media see fit that it should.

and most intelligent people know reaching in a cop car and going for the cops weapon and attacking cop is one of those things



i dont know and neither do you for sure



and what were they doing any time an officer is involved in a shooting even if no one is hurt said officer goes up before a review board

that takes time the way you make it sound the cop should have been
put up against a wall and shot

maybe if they would have held everyone responsible for their actions
and permitted a proper investigation instead of looting and rioting
everything would have been different

mr heartfelt, I love how you think

I do feel that often times, leaving it to others wont work.

I feel that often times, we have to keep a spotlight on things to influence change,,,,

lol , that's true

I don't know how many people you may have killed either, for that matter.

I don't know how many offenses the officer may have committed and had covered up , for that matter.



But I would still feel the outrage if a police officer shot you dead after trying to flee from him/them with no weapon...

the sad thing is society is to blame for these shootings

why you ask

because being a criminal is glorified and not punished properly

you commit a crime you go to jail and have medical coverage watch some
tv

get to work out in the gym

educate yourself to be able to be smarter for the next crime you
commit

go out in the yard and pla various games

criminals need to be treated like criminals

then maybe our young people wouldnt want to act like them