Elizabeth Lee
On November 24, 2014, officer Darren Wilson was not indicted for shooting Michael Brown, a black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri.
Once the news broke out, riots in the town ensued. Stores, even local businesses, were looted and set on fire. The people were outraged at the non-indictment. However, several protestors were participating for the wrong intentions.
“I think they riots were brought upon by foolishness. People were just trying to take advantage of what’s going on in Ferguson, especially the looting…Peaceful protests brought us through women’s rights, civil rights…riots don’t need to start now,” said sophomore Justin Franklin.
Although many people in Ferguson believed that Wilson should have been indicted, there are others who believe otherwise.
“I feel that he shouldn’t. He was only doing his job, and if Brown cooperated, then things would have been different,” said senior Jeffery Houston.
Some believe Wilson’s actions were justified because of the situation he was in.
“I think that the calling was fair. I don’t think his decisions were wise because they’re trained not to shoot on instinct; however, if you strip it down to what it was, it was a police officer shooting a person…Putting race aside, I think he was doing what he was instructed to do as an officer when faced with that situation,” stated sophomore Rachel Ware.
However, some students agree with the residents of Ferguson and other people outside of the town who feel Wilson’s actions were based on his own racial prejudices.
“I believe he should have been indicted simply because of his actions after the shooting…If it was simply in self-defense, he wouldn’t have referred to Michael Brown as a ‘demon’ or an ‘it,’ said junior Apurva Kanneganti. “His actions after the shooting show that it was done out of pure racial profiling. I can’t judge about what went on because I’m not going to act like we’re informed on the correct information, but based on his actions after the shooting, I think he did do it with a motivation other than self-defense and therefore should have been indicted.”
The situation has brought to light another problem other than racism. In the case of Ferguson, some view it as a case of misuse of power on Wilson’s part.
“Yeah I think he should have been indicted. But the reason is because I don’t think it’s necessarily a race issue…one shot could have gotten Brown off of him, you know? But that fact that he shoots him five more times…I just don’t think it’s right,” said sophomore Kennedy Harris. “…even if Michael Brown was a white man, you shouldn’t shoot someone that many times…I don’t think it’s necessarily a race issue. I think it’s more about police brutality.”
Along with the question of police brutality comes racial profiling by officers. Misled assumptions and stereotypes may have had an influence in the shooting.
“Racial profiling is a very controversial thing and for police officers it might seem like the way to go simply because people of a certain race might be more of a threat in different fields rather than those of another race,” said Kanneganti. “Basing your decision solely on the fact that there’s a young black man or a young Hispanic man walking down the street and thinking he’s a threat is wrong. They should go off the fact that he is a young man, not a black man, not a white man, not an Asian man."
No matter the motive, the Ferguson decision has brought to light the issue of racism.
“I think it’s been a long time since people have paid attention to racism in our country. Since the 70s, I think people have become very apathetic to the fact that we still have a lot of racism. Just because there aren’t signs separating the races doesn’t mean it’s not here,” said senior Amoriana Davis.
However, others believe race has been used in this case for other purposes.
“I don’t think race had a part in the shooting itself. I think media outlets took advantage of the situation and turned it into a race thing for their own selfish goals,” stated junior Keith Mattix.
Despite the disagreements between the people, most agreed with one thing.
“Even if Michael Brown was white, black, Asian, green, or even yellow, he should not have died,” said Harris.
On November 24, 2014, officer Darren Wilson was not indicted for shooting Michael Brown, a black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri.
Once the news broke out, riots in the town ensued. Stores, even local businesses, were looted and set on fire. The people were outraged at the non-indictment. However, several protestors were participating for the wrong intentions.
“I think they riots were brought upon by foolishness. People were just trying to take advantage of what’s going on in Ferguson, especially the looting…Peaceful protests brought us through women’s rights, civil rights…riots don’t need to start now,” said sophomore Justin Franklin.
Although many people in Ferguson believed that Wilson should have been indicted, there are others who believe otherwise.
“I feel that he shouldn’t. He was only doing his job, and if Brown cooperated, then things would have been different,” said senior Jeffery Houston.
Some believe Wilson’s actions were justified because of the situation he was in.
“I think that the calling was fair. I don’t think his decisions were wise because they’re trained not to shoot on instinct; however, if you strip it down to what it was, it was a police officer shooting a person…Putting race aside, I think he was doing what he was instructed to do as an officer when faced with that situation,” stated sophomore Rachel Ware.
However, some students agree with the residents of Ferguson and other people outside of the town who feel Wilson’s actions were based on his own racial prejudices.
“I believe he should have been indicted simply because of his actions after the shooting…If it was simply in self-defense, he wouldn’t have referred to Michael Brown as a ‘demon’ or an ‘it,’ said junior Apurva Kanneganti. “His actions after the shooting show that it was done out of pure racial profiling. I can’t judge about what went on because I’m not going to act like we’re informed on the correct information, but based on his actions after the shooting, I think he did do it with a motivation other than self-defense and therefore should have been indicted.”
The situation has brought to light another problem other than racism. In the case of Ferguson, some view it as a case of misuse of power on Wilson’s part.
“Yeah I think he should have been indicted. But the reason is because I don’t think it’s necessarily a race issue…one shot could have gotten Brown off of him, you know? But that fact that he shoots him five more times…I just don’t think it’s right,” said sophomore Kennedy Harris. “…even if Michael Brown was a white man, you shouldn’t shoot someone that many times…I don’t think it’s necessarily a race issue. I think it’s more about police brutality.”
Along with the question of police brutality comes racial profiling by officers. Misled assumptions and stereotypes may have had an influence in the shooting.
“Racial profiling is a very controversial thing and for police officers it might seem like the way to go simply because people of a certain race might be more of a threat in different fields rather than those of another race,” said Kanneganti. “Basing your decision solely on the fact that there’s a young black man or a young Hispanic man walking down the street and thinking he’s a threat is wrong. They should go off the fact that he is a young man, not a black man, not a white man, not an Asian man."
No matter the motive, the Ferguson decision has brought to light the issue of racism.
“I think it’s been a long time since people have paid attention to racism in our country. Since the 70s, I think people have become very apathetic to the fact that we still have a lot of racism. Just because there aren’t signs separating the races doesn’t mean it’s not here,” said senior Amoriana Davis.
However, others believe race has been used in this case for other purposes.
“I don’t think race had a part in the shooting itself. I think media outlets took advantage of the situation and turned it into a race thing for their own selfish goals,” stated junior Keith Mattix.
Despite the disagreements between the people, most agreed with one thing.
“Even if Michael Brown was white, black, Asian, green, or even yellow, he should not have died,” said Harris.
