Now in the morning light (or cloudiness, in Lansing’s case),
I’ve had the opportunity to catch up on the news, read the Facebook posts, read
the angry tweets and so on, I can finally address this ugliness that’s taken
place in Ferguson, Missouri…all of it.
One thing we must accept and deal with, is that the grand
jury has handed down their decision. It’s
a done deal and we cannot do anything about it.
We’ve been down this road before and it would be irresponsible to think
that it won’t happen again. Injustice rears
its ugly head in every corner of this otherwise great nation. This injustice is an even tougher pill to
swallow when its perpetrated by the very individuals that are tasked to protect
and serve all citizens. Justice is a
consequence of a revelation of truth, whether the truth hurts or not. Justice can only be achieved when all the
facts are taken into account. We will
only know what we were told. There are
only two people who knows what happened and one can no longer speak for
himself. This is not justice.
Second, the violence has got to stop. While peaceful protests began to sprout all
over the country this morning, business owners, schools and residents of
Ferguson, MO have to deal with the destruction that has ravaged their community
overnight. What does looting, setting
fires and destroying local businesses solve? Nothing. If one person loses their life in this madness,
Michael Brown would have died in vain.
Finally, the media is not our friend in this instance. Millions of Americans watched their TV
screens, checked their phones, and trolled social media with baited breath with
all focus on a small suburb of St. Louis.
We were lead on and on and on, all day and all evening, being fed all
kinds of banter and analysis, panel discussions and so-called experts on race, justice
and whatnot. The news coverage was absolutely
overwhelming, leading me to make my previously mentioned decision not to watch
or partake. Admittedly, I caught myself
checking my Facebook page to see what was posted, but I did eventually put my
smartphone down.
Now that its over, where do we go from here?
First things first, pray for
Ferguson, MO, the family of Michael Brown, and yes, Darren Wilson and his
family. Pray for peace in this great
nation. Pray for wisdom. How do we deal
with this? How can we grow together? How
can we make this country a better place than how we found it? Pray over these
questions and ask for the courage to answer them.
Next, take action. This can be just about anything that will
advance the mission of justice and peace.
Some will protest peacefully.
Some chose to boycott so called Black Friday. Others, such as myself, chose to offer to
type of insight by sharing my views on this blog. Whatever you decide to do, make sure it
creates a better community around you.
Volunteer to mentor young people to provide them with alternate,
constructive ways of expressing anger besides setting fires and rioting. Teach others around you to support and
appreciate local business owners so they will think twice about looting. Encourage your fellow citizens to vote and
get involved in the political process.
Talk to your kids. There is at least one thing each and every one
of us can do to further the cause of unity and justice.
Create an open dialogue with your
local law enforcement. Remember…we
cannot vilify and stereotype police officers.
There are way too many good cops in the world to let Darren Wilson and a
few unfortunate others become the face of law enforcement in this country. Take a moment to learn about your local
police department. Learn their names. Know how to reach your police chief and local
precinct. And above all else, let good
police officers know that they are appreciated.
The goal is to alleviate the fear that is constantly perpetuated by the
media. I realize that this is difficult
for many. I’ve had a couple of
unfortunate experiences with police officers myself. However, if I let those instances dictate my
opinion of law enforcement, I would not have appreciated the police officer who
helped me look for my lost dog, or the state trooper who convinced a judge to
dismiss my speeding ticket or the young officer who spoke to all the kids in
the neighborhood when he drove through.
I’ll lead by example by personally thanking Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero
and Lansing Police Chief Michael Yankowski for fostering the spirit of
community and communication. Both have been
diligent in keeping the Lansing community involved and making sure our voices
are heard.
Right now, at this moment, all we can do is move forward. We can only look back to learn from our
mistakes. Looking back and doing nothing
solves nothing. Take a stand. Make a
difference. Think. Make your question of the day ‘What can I do
to create a better place for me and my children?’ This should be your question of the day…every day.
