Ferguson

Here are some great ideas. Seriously, they're great.

First, let's group all black people together.  That way, we can grow together as a community. Don't forget about my son, he's only a quarter black.

Next, we need a cause. It doesn't matter what the cause is, because we're a community. Let's just pick one. Ok, I'll pick. Snow sucks. It should never snow again in Chicago. That's my new cause. It doesn't matter if it's a rational cause. It's mine. I chose it.

Oh, crap. It's snowing. 

Now that we have a cause and it's snowing anyway, I think we should get angry. We should vent on social media now. I express my anger on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, and via text message. You should do the same, community.

Our complaints have not been responded to in the last ten minutes. How dare they?

Since we've been ignored, I say we fight. We can start by cursing out people that have nothing to do with our issue. Next, I suggest we punch walls and kick things that, also, have nothing to do with anything. After that, I say we go outside. We can shoot guns into the sky. Or we can flip a car over. Or light something on fire. All of these things sound productive to me.

Oops. I got arrested for doing all of that. I don't know why the police have to pick on me, a half black man. I was just expressing my displeasure.

I honestly don't understand people that react to injustice by acting the fool. I don't know what happened with Darren Wilson and Michael Brown. I wasn't there. It was probably stupid behavior by both parties. But that's not the point. 

What does anyone gain from acts of violence? At best, the whole world pays more attention to Ferguson, MO. At worst, more people get hurt or possibly killed. The nation is watching. Racial tensions increase. An overly zealous cop shoots someone. An overly zealous protester shoots someone. All bad.

I get it. People are pissed off. Hell, i'm pissed off, if only because I thought this case merited a trial. But I'm not a grand jury, I don't get to make that decision. Shooting a pistol into the sky doesn't change that decision, nor does it give me the Klingon Rite of Vengeance. We are lucky enough to live in a country that (except for Obama) abides by it's rules. Just because we do not agree with a rule, or decision, does not mean we have a right to break other rules, or cause another person to be in danger.

Protest. March. Picket. Do your thing. But don't endanger lives. Especially, my son's. Do that, and I come after you with my sand wedge and a hammer. I'm a badass with them, except for hammering things, and golf. Be responsible.

-J