Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon says Ferguson is a test. It’s a test he and his administration are in danger of failing.
by Ed Button
In last week’s article concerning Ferguson, I said it would be a long week.
I severely underestimated things.
So what have we learned in the week since the initial shooting? Not much more than we knew originally.
We know that Michael Brown was shot and killed by the now-identified Darren Wilson and he was roughly 35 feet away from the police officer’s vehicle when he died. We know that there was some sort of struggle at Wilson’s window on his vehicle. We know that Mike Brown was unarmed during the entire incident. We know that Wilson did not know Mike Brown was a suspect in the previously announced burglary. We
know eyewitness accounts and police accounts don’t add up. And we know that people are pissed.
Since the first protest on August 9 and this past Sunday night’s clash, only one night has been chaos free: Thursday, after Highway Patrol Captain Ron Johnson, who is from the Ferguson area, took control of security and the St. Louis County Police Department, who supplied most of the military hardware during the week, was dismissed. Thursday’s protest was peaceful. Reports on the ground indicate that people who were looking to start trouble with police were turned away by protesters.
Then Friday comes along, and the much sought-after name of the officer involved in the shooting is released by the Ferguson Police Department, along with a surveillance video showing two men matching the description of Mike Brown and his friend, Dorian Johnson, reportedly stealing a box of cigars. The timing of the surveillance video, which was released against the wishes of Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon and Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster was seen by many in the community, including Gov. Nixon, as an attack on Brown’s character, and as a justification for the shooting.
Any goodwill earned by police on Thursday was now destroyed. Things were white knuckle once again. Now seems that the armored para-military police force seen earlier in the week is back, and with a vengeance. Reported explosions on Sunday night, which turned out to be fireworks, triggered more tear gas and rubber bullets for peaceful demonstrators, which included children, and the enforcement of the midnight curfew started around 8:30 PM.
Monday morning, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon said that due to the “extraordinary circumstances” surrounding Brown’s death, he is activating the National Guard to attempt to keep the peace in Ferguson.
Things seem to be getting worse day by day. Why?
A seemingly constant thorn in the side of those in Ferguson seems to be their police chief, Thomas Jackson, who thought it was a good idea to release the surveillance video and police report of a theft allegedly involving Mike Brown at the same time the name of the officer involved in the shooting was released. As if stealing cigars from a gas station some how justifies the shooting of an unarmed man six times, including twice in the face, as an independent autopsy shows.
After a peaceful night on Thursday, the release of the surveillance footage and the police report just happen to coincide with the release of Darren Wilson’s name. It’s almost as if Jackson was hoping to agitate the situation and keep tear gas wafting into Ferguson’s air. Does he? I don’t know, but his department’s complete and utter mishandling of this entire incident certainly begs the question.
One of the new “justifications”, if you will, that’s passed around currently is that Brown attempted to bum rush Officer Wilson, forcing Wilson to shoot him in retaliation, which is also Wilson’s story as to what happened in the case. Despite a new witness on Monday saying that’s not what happened and others saying that he stopped with his hands in the air, coupled with the body being 35 feet away from the cruiser, the facts don’t seem to add up. Despite this, this line of thinking is becoming more and more prevalent with people in the pro-Wilson camp.
Another egregious error committed by the authorities in charge of the Ferguson operation is the arrest and threats focused on members of the media, who were threatened with arrest and violence if they didn’t do what the police demanded, including stopping their video cameras and other reporting. Granted, no charges were filed against members of the media, however, this hawkish attitude toward basically anything that moves and isn’t wearing camouflage is abhorrent and is running dangerously close to First Amendment violations if it isn’t a violation already.
There’s an old saying that goes something like “never pick a fight with someone who buys paper by the ton and ink by the barrel”. Apparently, law enforcement officials in the Ferguson area never heard this saying.
One sad thing about the unrest in Ferguson is that law enforcement doesn’t believe it’s the residents of Ferguson that are the ones stirring up trouble. If that’s the case, then why does law enforcement seem perfectly fine with shooting tear gas and using sonic weapons in residential areas? Why does the state feel enacting a curfew on law-abiding residents is a good idea, when they know it’s not community members doing the looting?
And yet, the powers-that-be seem to think that MORE law enforcement presence is somehow necessary. All of this in Ferguson, a town that is roughly 2/3rds African-American. Meanwhile, Bundy Ranch happened earlier this year with absolutely no recourse for anyone involved.
Unfortunately, the violence in Ferguson is overshadowing great things being done in the face of adversity: citizens cleaning up the streets from the chaos the night before. Churches opening doors to people who are looking to avoid conflict. People opening their homes for protesters to scream or cry or just talk. Restaurants offering free WiFi and coffee to members of the press.
This story has grown beyond the shooting of an unarmed black man by a white police officer. This has morphed into something that is more important: the role of police in a society, the role of government in a society, the reasoning behind the militarization of police forces in the United States, how officers are trained and a lot more.
So what will fix the problem in Ferguson? As I said last week, I don’t know. However, I think a good start, as we saw Thursday, is a de-escalation of the police equipment. How can people feel safe in their community if there is a consistently heavily armed police presence lobbing tear gas canisters into their yards? I think that what we saw Thursday was a good indication that if people get respect, respect is returned. I also think that another good step is a shake-up in the Ferguson Police Department, starting with Chief Wiggum himself. On Monday morning, with the announcement of the National Guard’s involvement, Nixon said the curfew in Ferguson is expiring. I think that’s a good start, too.
Some people I’ve spoken with in person fear that the officer involved in the shooting, if he is found justified in his use of deadly force, will still be convicted just to assuage the crowds. As I mentioned last week, I hope justice prevails. Some see that as being impossible at this point.
Gov. Nixon stated at the press conference announcing the curfew that “This is a test. The world is watching”.
This is a test, Governor. And with everything that’s happened thus far, you and the state of Missouri are not passing.
Ed Button is an award-winning broadcaster based out of West Plains, MO. You can find him on Twitter @edb87.