I am all against the militarization of the police force and the atrocities they commit with impunity. I am also, on the other hand, all against people burning out each other, stealing shit that is not there, hurting the small business people who are willing to set up shop in their neighborhood, or punishing other people who have nothing to do with it.
There needs to be a clear line drawn between "protest" and "looting" - lawful protest and criminality. I am not talking criminality as defined by an overzealous police force, the kind that is "follow my orders or get beat", but the kind that is clear criminality, as noted above (burning out your neighbors, looting private business. That is not protest, and most hopefully is not going to garner support for one's cause.
You see, its like the events surrounding the Rodney King verdict and the experience of Reginald Denny. The man was beaten because he was white. The man was beaten for revenge. the man did nothing wrong except end up in the wrong place at the wrong time. That was not protest. It was lawless and paints a picture that feeds stereotypes and stereotypical reactions from police.
I do not know the truth of the death of Michael Brown; chances are we will never know, because each side has a reason and a bias toward their own facts, their own truth. But I do know that acting lawlessly, with disregard for others, fulfills the stereotype that some would suggest. Indiscriminate anger is not righteous, it does not buy justice; It is child-like, immature.
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