Missourians are internationally known for their slogan, “I’m from Missouri—show me.” What happened in the state to African-American teenager Michael Brown last August has resulted in two sharply differing versions of what occurred. Significantly better race relations for residents of Missouri and America as a whole will require both sides to show a new willingness to reconcile and an iron determination to avoid similar tragedies in future.
The protester view is that the unarmed Brown was shot and killed by Darren Wilson, a white policeman, while his hands were held up. His body was left in the street for 4.5 hours. The outrage was compounded when a grand jury refused to indict Wilson for any crime.
The other side said that Brown had stolen cigarillos from a store just before being confronted by the officer. When ordered to walk on the sidewalk instead of the street, he charged and was attempting to seize Wilson’s gun when the officer fired in self-defense.
In the background are Trayvon Martin and other victims of alleged reckless policing across the country. As Pittsburgh journalist David Shribman notes, the Justice Department is now looking at whether the police department in the Ferguson suburb (two-thirds black) has a culture of racial prejudice. The Financial Times reports that on the day of Brown’s death, there were only three black officers on duty out of a force of 53.
Wilson’s recent resignation from the police force came as residents were leaving on a seven-day march from Ferguson to Jefferson City, the state capital, to protest the killing and the grand jury’s decision. The marchers are calling for a reform of police practices, a new police chief in Ferguson, and a national law to prevent racial profiling by police.
Brown’s death has already resulted in months of protests and simmering tensions across Ferguson and has reignited the national debate over race relations and the use of police force across the United States, particularly the tactics and tools used by some law enforcement agencies.
