Greetings.
By now, it's almost old news, but the town of Ferguson, MO, this past week, was brought to within one errant bullet (or other hostile action) of being engulfed in a full-scale riot.
Here's what we know: Michael Brown, an 18-year old young man, was shot and killed by an officer of the Ferguson Police Department after he was suspected of robbing a convenience store. From there, things snowballed as outrage and peaceful protests materialized in some areas of town while non-peaceful looting and destruction of property took place elsewhere.
Police squads were soon called upon and then proceeded to repel the peaceful crowds with tear gas, rubber bullets, and other brutal tactics...all while being decked out in full military gear.
As of last night, it has been reported that Missouri Governor Jay Nixon, a Democrat, has appointed the Missouri Highway Patrol to oversee the peaceful protests even as law enforcement continues to prevent further destruction to private property in the area.
Now for some observations:
1) We will likely never know what really happened concerning Michael Brown and Officer Darren Wilson, who shot him. Speculation about a video, allegedly containing footage of Brown robbing a store, has been rampant, as have plenty of other rumors. The only facts about the initial incident that anyone can be sure of is that a young man is dead and a community has been outraged as a result.
2) The Ferguson police department and other departments called in to assist them in the immediate aftermath should be investigated; both for use of excessive force and for violating the First Amendment rights of the very citizens they have been sworn to protect. Clear video footage of police officers, decked out in full military gear and riding in what look like military assault vehicles on American streets, is in no short supply; nor is footage of these same police officers firing tear gas, rubber bullets, and using other brutal measures in seeking to repel the peaceful crowds of protestors. The citizens of Ferguson would thus do well to file a lawsuit against every department that participated in such actions and see to it that justice is done on their behalf.
3) At the same time, every thug that participated in looting, destruction of property, and any type of physical assault during the Brown aftermath should be arrested and prosecuted as well. There's plenty of blame to be shared here. Any undue violent action perpetrated by law enforcement is absolutely NOT a justification for private citizens to engage in the same behavior against their neighbors. Raising one's voice in peaceful protest and solidarity with a community is one thing; violating the property of a private property owner who is innocent of any wrongdoing is unacceptable, unlawful, and indecent. And it should be punished.
4) Governor Jay Nixon, Captain Ron Johnson, and the Missouri Highway Patrol deserve credit and praise for seeking to bring a peaceful end to the threat of destruction of their city. Governor Nixon, a Democrat, made the announcement last night that he would authorize the Highway Patrol to oversee security of the peaceful protests happening in and around Ferguson. In doing so, he essentially eliminated any further threat posed by an over-militarized police force and ensured that the State police, headed by Captain Johnson, who grew up in Ferguson, would ensure that their neighbors didn't hurt each other. THIS is how law enforcement should be done; locally and with an eye toward individual communities caring for and protecting one another as they exercise their civil rights. Kudos to Governor Nixon.
Oftentimes, it is truly amazing how one violation of life, liberty, or property leads to so many more on such a grander scale; when, all the while, common sense dictates the opposite. Thankfully, however, it appears at least for the moment that common sense and cooler heads have prevailed in Ferguson, MO. Hopefully, a return to normalcy will soon be on the horizon for the peaceful citizens of this small town.
For those of us who are serious about essential liberty, we must always be vigilant and ready to raise our voices in solidarity with those whose liberty is put in peril in any way, shape, or form.
Praesant Libero!
-Warren Brisbane
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