Even If I Stole: One Resident’s View of Police Chief Thomas' Attempt at Transparency

One resident's view of the Mike Brown killing and police brutality in Ferguson, MO.

Michael Brown, Murdered, August 9, 2014

The fact that city of #Ferguson  police  Chief Thomas Jackson released a video today displaying
a man engaged in a "strong-arm robbery", while simultaneously releasing the name of Officer
Darren Wilson as the police officer who murdered unarmed, 18 year-old Michael Brown
(#MikeBrown)  feels to many of us who live in the area and surrounding areas, like yet another
militaristic attempt at combat.

Blaming The Victim

This sort of shameful blaming the victim has got to stop. There has been neither trial, judge, nor jury for Mike Brown. Unfortunately, I fear that Chief Thomas has gotten protesters riled up in the wrong direction once more. It’s time to remove Chief Thomas from any access to a microphone and decision-making abilities regarding this case and any other regarding our community. I personally call for this and many others concur.

#EvenIfIStole

Employing Old Tactics Anew

The stench of this sort of lunacy is much akin to that of the tear gas that police Chief  Thomas ordered upon the citizens of Ferguson, Florissant, and St. Louis. The pain that wells up from the core greatly resembles that of the rubber bullets and bean bags [may as well have been water hoses], S.W.A.T, and militarized environment that Chief Thomas ordered.

Ferguson Military Zone

The fear, anger, and psychological torment that we have all had to endure during this time is reminiscent of what it feels like every day while Black in this area when in the company of the police for so many of us, whether we have stolen cigarillos or not. This is what the world needs to know and is starting to know.

Police Intimidation, Nothing New to Us

Police brutality and threatening behavior in this area is nothing new to us, who live in this area. The fact that Chief Thomas says that he had no idea of the disdain and disconnect between the African-American community and his police force can only be reflective of one of three things;

1. That this is another one of the numerous lies that Ferguson Chief Thomas has become known for.
2. That Thomas is absolutely apathetic to the needs and desires of his constituents.
3. That Thomas is absolutely incompetent and incapable of communicating with, keeping the peace, protecting, and serving a community that has lost both respect and faith in his ability to do his job. 

Old White Elephant in Ferguson and St. Louis

I have never committed a crime, never been to jail, and hold several advanced degrees, yet I become very nervous, uncomfortable, and afraid when a police officer pulls up next to me or drives behind me. Although quite sad, this is not unique. It doesn't matter who you are, if you're Black, you can expect to be intimidated.

This has long been the story in St. Louis. It's the white elephant in the room that many in the African-American community acknowledge. We know what streets to go down and which one's to steer clear of, especially at night, especially for men and boys.

Chief Thomas' announcement today was not only late and displayed one more thoughtless lack of compassion on his part, but it was indeed, another shot in the face to the family of the young, deceased #MichaelBrown and his entire family.  This is a shot in the arm to the African-American community and to the community-at-large. While masked as a move toward transparency, what this really is, on the part of Chief Thomas, is the protection of a murderous police officer who killed an unarmed human-being.

We have seen this strategy employed far too often and as evidenced by the week-long protest, that we, in the #Ferguson-Florissant, St. Louis (#STL) metropolitan areas, and the entire country, are no longer going for this rigamarole.

What We Want Now

What we want and what we deserve are quite simple. Transparency. Real transparency, not mere moot attempts to justify why a trained police officer, #DarrenWilson, killed an unarmed 18 year-old child in broad daylight, execution style, shooting him as many as six to nine times, according to witnesses. It has been made very clear to us who our allies are and Chief Thomas is NO ally of the people.

Even though we are hurting, even though we are angry, we are strong. We are proud. We stand together. It does not matter if Michael Brown stole cigarillos or a snack bar. He should NOT be dead. He should NOT have been murdered.

My question to you is this, even if I stole, should I be dead? #EvenIfIStole



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