The recent flare-up in Ferguson, Missouri, has brought race to the fore again. A young black man, Michael Brown, suspected of a robbery at a convenience store was later shot dead by a police officer. The ensuing protests have turned violent, with opportunists burning down stores and looting others. Riot cops and the National Guard have been called out to quell the mayhem, with mixed results. Predictably, Al Tawana Brawley Sharpton has gone down there to stir his Forever Selma base, Jesse Jackson has shaken off the dust to add to the hysteria and the MSM has trained its laser focus on the police brutality storyline sure to sell more ad space.
First, at this point, it is unknown whether Michael Brown's family has a cause of action against the police. There are conflicting stories as to whether the policeman used excessive force or engaged in self-defense. Details are beginning to emerge that would suggest the latter, but not all investigation results are in yet. It's very simple, actually: If Mr. Brown assaulted the officer, the officer was justified in the use of deadly force. If not, the officer should be charged with a crime.
But that's not the point of this blogpost. I'm experienced enough, patient enough and smart enough to wait for the process to run its course. The White House, however, collectively lacks these attributes. Either that or its agenda trumps them, because it has no business getting involved in this issue at this point. Just as it did in the Trayvon Martin death, the White House is weighing in out of personal and political self-interest. I don't think it's too far-fetched to declare that because the President is biracial, he's viewing this through his personal and not his presidential lens. At the same time, invoking the Emanuel Edict of never letting a good crisis go to waste, the POTUS is using this to energize his base for the upcoming mid-terms.
Call me a cynic. I dare you. But at least wait until after this blogpost is completely read.
Again, as with the Martin case, if it's proved that the shooting of Mr. Brown was racially motivated, there should be charges commensurate with the crime. By no means am I arguing that the shootings were justified simply because a young black man was shot. Far from it. I'm cautioning patience.
Still.
Isn't it interesting that the White House can find the time to comment about these two shootings yet, when an innocent white man is the victim of murder at the hands of black youths, no outcry is heard from the White House? No statements from the podium, not third autopsy conducted by a federal agency, no visit by Eric Holder to the site of the crimes. Nothing. Bupkes.
Take, for example, the heinous, cold-blooded shooting of the Australian exchange student in Oklahoma by three youths, two of whom were black. The youths were quickly apprehended, the investigations conducted to reveal that at least one if not two of the youths had demonstrably rooted hatred for whites, yet not only was no hate crime charged, the White House, as far as I'm aware, never even commented on it. It didn't even send the Australian government condolences. A quick search on Google reveals no reports that the White House uttered a peep about the murdered Aussie, who was shot by the youths because they were bored. It can be argued that he was also murdered because he was white. Despite this, the deafening silence from the White House gives an indication of how it feels.
As if that weren't enough, later last year an eighty-eight-year-old World War II vet was beaten to death by two black youths. The black youths have pleaded not guilty. Delbert Shorty Belton served his country honorably, only to lose his life in one of the most undignified ways possible. Again, the White House did nothing. No hate crime charge, no Department of Justice involvement, no comment from the President. Imagine if the outcome would have been different if racist white youths had murdered a black Korean War vet. To imagine a different reaction isn't terribly difficult.
Whether the President should get involved at all is one issue. Unless something akin to the Watts riots or the aftermath of the Rodney King trial verdicts were to occur, I believe the President has much more pressing matters on which to concentrate. But if he's going to get involved, he should get involved on behalf of every decedent where there's a question of racial hatred. If the President is the leader of the entire country, he should pay attention to cases of racial injustice no matter which way the injustice flows.
Then again, last week the funeral of the highest ranking general to be killed in action since Vietnam took place. Major General Harold Greene was killed in Afghanistan in a case of green on blue murder. Somewhat shockingly, not only did the President not attend the funeral, he didn't express publicly his condolences to the family.
Then again, Major General Greene was white.
(c) 2014 The Truxton Spangler Chronicles
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