A Failure of Leadership, Part I

With regards to the shooting of Michael Brown by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon had this to say: "a vigorous prosecution must now be pursued." Such a comment is completely contrary to the way our legal system works. An investigation into the facts must be done before any decision is even made as to whether or not to prosecute. Does the Governor not know this? Of course he does - he was the Attorney General of Missouri for 16 years before becoming Governor. So what is going on here?

The Governor made some other equally ridiculous comments, such as the fact that the shooting occurred in "broad daylight." The relevance of that is what exactly? Police officers may only fear for their lives after the sun sets? The Governor added: "We have a responsibility to come together, and do everything we can to achieve justice for (Brown's) family." No justice is anticipated for the police officer - he has already been tried and convicted by the Democrat politicians and the mainstream media. What the Governor should have said: NOTHING!

These comments reflect the worst type of pandering - not just to the Democrats' black base (Nixon is a democrat), but to a mob. Obama was not to be outdone as he sent the US Attorney General Eric Holder to Ferguson. Holder added to the race baiting by saying he did not come to Ferguson just as the Attorney General, but as "a black man." He should have stayed in DC. It was entirely premature for the feds to be involved; yet Holder said he brought the most experienced team of investigators and prosecutors with him. These comments by these democrat politicians serve only to enhance the notion of 'victimhood' in the black community.

As it turns out blacks are victims, but mostly of other blacks. As reported in the 8/22/14 IBD (article by Brent Bozell and Tim Graham) blacks are only 13% of the population but are 50% of the homicide victims. That is a disturbing number. But it's not white police officers who are responsible for most of those deaths - 90% of those homicide victims are killed by other blacks.

The City of Chicago has been experiencing a terrible jump in violent crimes. The same IBD article notes 89 homicides in Chicago so far this summer. It is reprehensible that Holder did not go to Chicago with his best investigators and prosecutors. But I guess the life of a single black man killed by a white cop is worth far more than the many blacks killed by other blacks.

The black family in America has been hurting ever since the Democrats decided that blacks needed the government's help - with welfare. The 8/20/14 IBD reported that in 1950 only 9% of black families were headed by a single parent. But today, 72% of black births are outside of marriage. Jason Riley, a black man, has a book out entitled "Please Stop Helping Us!". In an interview with Forbes, a Mr. Peter Greer (described by Wikipedia as a Christian advocate for the poor, and who said that Church foreign aid programs make things worse) referenced a Bob Lupton, who said something to this effect: when you give something the first time there is gratitude, the second time there is anticipation, the third time there is expectation, the fourth time there is entitlement, and the fifth time there is dependency.

I am not going to say that no police officer has negative racial attitudes. But which problems are affecting the most blacks? A culture of dependency that has negatively impacted the black family? An extremely high rate of homicide by blacks on blacks? Or the white police officer?

The media has been despicable in this matter, with the likes of CNN actually showing the home and street address of Officer Wilson. Are they trying to take over where Charles Manson left off - trying to start a race war? All for the purpose of ratings and selling papers? You see, the evidence is not as cut and dry as Governor Nixon and the media would have you believe. The autopsy suggests that Mr. Brown was not shot in the back while running away, as originally suggested. The video from the local market taken prior to the shooting showed Mr. Brown and his friend stealing. Because force was then used (Brown was seen grabbing and then pushing the store clerk) it became a felony. While Officer Wilson may have been unaware of that, Mr. Brown was very much aware of what he had done, and may have thought he was being stopped for that reason.

While one media outlet was reporting that Officer Wilson's eye socket was fractured in the altercation with Brown, others are reporting no fracture, but apparent swelling of the face resulting in the officer going to the hospital. It is unclear as to why the Ferguson Police Department was so slow in releasing accurate information. The withholding of important information may be important for the investigation; unfortunately, it also gives those predisposed to thinking the worst about the police an opportunity to do so. I have little doubt that many blacks cringed at the site of looting and destruction by other blacks. Others (Al Sharpton?) tried to justify it.

So what now? What if there is no indictment coming from the grand jury? What if there is, and the officer is found not guilty at trial? What if Obama, Holder, Nixon and the mainstream media stop the race baiting and start advocating for the criminal justice system - it's not a perfect system, but it's what we've got. And you are not likely to find a better one.