Steven Singer knew that he had to say something the day after the grand jury verdict in Ferguson. He looked out at his students, mostly black and brown, and asked for a moment of silence.
In that moment, they and he understood one another.
“So we bowed our heads in silence.
I’ve never heard a sound quit like this emptiness. Footsteps pattered in the hall, an adult’s voice could be heard far away giving directions. But in our room you could almost hear your own heart beating. What a lonely sound, more like a rhythm than any particular note of the scale.
“But as we stood there together it was somehow less lonely. All those solitary hearts beating with a single purpose.”
There was one question he could not answer:
“One boy asked me, “Why does this keep happening, Mr. Singer?””
Diane Ravitch's blog 
I heard somebody…a rapper from St. Louis….T Dubb O….on Ed’s msnbc show about 4:15 central time……I did not know what to think about the interview. calm, matter of fact, this happens all the time……..he was undersurveillance by stl police for the last five days due to being an organizer…..he and his two friends, one a single mother, were not even participants in any event, just having lunch at tgif…..they were followed, stopped, and had guns held to their heads……T Dubb O told Ed all they could do is take his life….I do not think he was playing Ed…..it was kind of jarring to listen to, even though it was a non story.
Why indeed? Some call this a “Christian” nation. Some things do not sound that Christian to me. The history of the U. S. is dotted with injustice. The great ideals we were taught to love seem to have been lost way too often. I LOVE the ideals of this nation. I do not love the way those ideals have been trampled in the dust too often. It is up to ALL of us to right those wrongs, to seek justice for ALL. To emulate those great ideals in our own lives and to stand tall for those ideals which we all, or mostly all, love.
As Gandhi said, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”
Im so mad about cause they are the future killing some and scaring the other im a mom of 6 dark skin and I never.wannq be in brown mom’s shoe
Reblogged this on V-Hypnagogic-Logic and commented:
Why does this keep happening?
Because hatred is real, and it is deep, and it springs from fear and guilt. Where an apology was never made, nor any reparations for centuries of suppression, there springs fear and hate, because, deep down, they know it, as close to their blood, that they are WRONG!
All the valid hate and racism rhetoric aside … it keeps happening because many of these kids don’t follow simple instructions; they are bull-headed; unreasonably defiant; outright and unapologetically disrespectful; and often prone to violence if they don’t get their way. The police office gave a command that needs to be complied with IMMEDIATELY … no question asked … that is the authority of the badge and uniform. Now if he had complied with ALL he was asked to do and the police officer went on to take his life, then, the same witnesses that saw it all go down will testify at the grand jury and the officer will be indicted. I am an African American … and a teacher (one who has worked in the juvenile court system and has witnessed and experienced a lot with a wide range of student personalities.)
Officer***
Ah, yes, respectability politics. If only those animals would behave themselves and act like respectable human beings, they’d be treated like respectable people. I can see you’re a fan of Booker T. Washington. Maybe you should give W.E.B. DuBois more attention.
We live in a “law and order” society. Disrespecting the law and disorderly conduct for no valid reason other than to be defiant is frowned upon.
Oppression should also be frowned upon.
A Law and Order Society
That is a good one!
It certainly depends who you are and which laws you are violating.
Reblogged this on National Mobilization For Equity.
He robbed a convenience store and then attacked a cop, trying to get his gun. He was 6 ft. 4in and 300 pounds. Am I missing something? This wasn’t a kids with a book under his arm going to the library. Many of you have drunk the liberal Kool-Aid and lost all touch with rational thought. Human beings have a right to defend themselves. There are good and bad in all races and groups. If you attack a stranger on the street (any stranger), then you may die. It is simple as that. If you don’t like that, then don’t attack people. If you don’t want to be arrested, then don’t commit crimes. If you don’t want a policeman to shoot you, then do what they say. It’s not too hard to understand. Even at age 13, I knew that if I attacked a cop with a gun, then I could die. That is big boy stuff.
It does seem like some law and order issues are getting overshadowed by race issues.
I think the real answer is that maybe cops should have guns that don’t kill; like a stun gun.
??
Joanna… I agree with you here!
Mike, you are missing something. Have you ever felt like an authority figure ( a teacher a boss) didn’t like you or was just picking on you? Black people especially youth, feel this way regularly from police in their communities. From the outside looking in the answer is meek compliance. The reality is that there is no trust and a lot of frustration. It’s a complex issue.
Authority figures (teachers, cops, bosses, etc) are told not to stereotype or profile people. This goes both ways. Why are cops, teachers, etc profiled by others in the schools and on the streets. Ride with a cop and just listen to what they have to take from “innocent” people on the street and they may be excellent cops. Respect has to start somewhere and it has to be both sides.
Mike,
You are 100% correct.
Thank you for stating the obvious. I too was thinking, “Am I missing something?” This kid robbed a store, assaulted the clerk and then defied a policeman’s order. There is evidence that he attacked the officer, who had never used his gun before. What was he supposed to do? I think it’s interesting that the store clerk, a complete innocent in this situation, got no notice or apologies that I know of.
Of course, I understand that this whole tragedy is really about deep seated anger, resentment and powerlessness. When impoverished people are herded into neighborhoods and denied the opportunities the rest of us take for granted, there will be trouble for the whole country. We all lose.
Instead of scapegoating a police officer who killed a strong-armed robber, we need to come up with solutions. I’d like to see a type of job corps in many cities and towns across the country as these impoverished youth need opportunities. But turning a probable felon into a “gentle giant” isn’t going to help anyone. In fact, when people make a hero out of such a person, you get an idea of how difficult their lives are.
Well, cops used to have billy clubs, or black jacks and those worked fine against most unarmed people. Now cops go to guns too quickly. Cops in the 1960s and 1970s wouldn’t have shot this kid, they would have pummeled him with a billy club, black jack, or brass knuckles. Cops also had “partners” so two people can usually beat or subdue one person no problem. Now to save money these cops are patrolling alone. Crazy! Old time cops used to walk the beat and got to know their communities. Now they just cruise around alone (in their cars), and don’t know or talk to anyone. These are all societal changes.
I think this whole thing is crazy. Forensic evidence shows the officer was telling the truth. The friend of Brown was a known liar. Other witnesses corroborated with the officer. He just robbed a store, high on marijuana and tried to take othe officers gun, which is basically a death sentence. NEVER take a cops gun. Attempted murder right there. I feel the shooting is justified and everyone making this a race issue are the ones who are rasicst themselves.
As for officers in general treating blacks differently. That may be a valid issue but so wrong to use this case as the rallying point for it. Such a shame and I feel bad for the officer.
If really is so obvious that the forensic evidence supports Wilson’s story, then why didn’t they let it go to trial so that everything could be made public? Why did they use the grand jury to hold a secret trial with the prosecutor essentially acting like the defense attorney?
There was no evidence to charge the officer. The prosecutor did the grand jury route so he wasn’t blamed for making the decision himself. Pointless having a jury since there is basically no evidence to suggest Wilson murdered anyone.
As for Steven Singer, trying to win brownie points with your black students will only get you so far … it is a short-lived futile effort make your black students think that you are down with them even though you are white. You are whitie to them and they will turn on you in a split second if you say the wrong thing to them. You KNOW why you did your moment of silence after a JUST and CORRECT grand jury decision. Michael Brown .. I keep on saying … is a THUG! Don’t make him a martyr. He was a bully, thief and dope head too and was trying to get away with a crime he had committed that day and escalated the situation that eventually cost him his life. Simple as that!
Such a sad question, with numerous answers and with no answers. Because people who have not been harassed by cops and security guards as they walk down the street and through stores cannot believe that there can be, and are, irresponsible and unstable cops. Because people must believe that those who are there to serve and protect could not possibly use their vast experience with grand juries and evidence to tailor testimony to what is being presented. Because it is virtually impossible to indict a cop; just check out the statistics. Because it makes people feel safer when they hear a cop, despite feeling “as small as a five-year-old” against “Hulk Hogan” was man enough to consider every conceivable option before resorting to his gun. even an option he did not have (a TASER). Because people conflate the poor behavior of the few with the instigating action. Because people make ridiculous analogies between one situation and another. Because the media shows the worst and most headline-grabbing visuals and sound bites, and encourages the more divisive aspects of the divide, rather than critical discussion and examination. Because in our 24-hour news cycle and Internet open to all, the same person can be molded to be a complete innocent or a full-fledged monster, within links of one another. Because it is easier to blame and scream for all-or-nothing solutions, beliefs, etc., rather than looking closely at the factors which recreate the same or similar scenarios, tragedies, questions, and arguments again, and again, and again.
Having pored through reams of material on this particular incident, it is inconceivable to me that there will be no trial. There is much amiss here. There is much amiss all about us. But as usual, it is easier, the to take the lazy path of least resistance, demonizing and pointing blame, shouting over each other, and declaring oneself right at all costs.
I am a black man who has experienced everything you’ve alluded to WHILE I WAS INNOCENT AND HAD NOT COMMITTED ANY CRIME! Michael Brown’s situation was different … he was a THUG … a CRIMINAL … a BULLY who could have disarmed the officer and used the gun on the officer. Bet we won’t be having this conversation if he had managed to kill the white officer during the struggle … then EVERYBODY will describe him as the lowlife relentlessly defiant and dope head thug that he is. I refuse to get into any discourse that will pain Michael Brown as an innocent kid victimized by a white police officer. In this case, he was a criminal. Simple!!
Excellent. Then Darren Wilson was the judge, jury, and executioner. Perhaps we should have more of him.
I found this editorial fascinating.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/25/opinion/simmons-ferguson-grand-jury-complicated/
It is sad what happened. But the Brown person did appear to strong arm a store clerk and rob the store. And he did attack the officer. Stun guns do not always work. Even bullets do not immediately stop someone, particularly a large individual. Police do have a right to protect themselves. The grand jury decision is not an excuse to burn and loot stores. One store was owned by a single mom with two kids who scraped up the money to start her business through bake sales. Brown’s stepfather incited the crowd to burn her store, and they did.
In Cleveland, a 12 year old was brandishing a realistic toy pistol at a playground and shot by police. The boy removed the red tip and drew on police. In Marion, deputies shot an unarmed man in his bedroom 14 times when he was distraught over marriage problems. I do not see massive protests over these incidents. Maybe the idea of body cameras on police is worth consideration.
Look at the surveillance tape from the Cleveland shooting. Believe your eyes, not what you hear on FOX.
There have already been some protests over the Cleveland event and will probably be many more.
I asked my son (a cop) how should I respond when pulled over. He said put lights on and put hands on steering wheel. With all the guns around now and all the shootings, police are on edge when pulling anyone over or confronting anyone. Look at some of the rapper videos, and watch the news, and how media depicts black men with hoods in shows and newspapers. It’s a wonder when a black man wearing a hoodie over his head is confronted. One would have to expect it if they wear it. Yes profiling is wrong but it may keep you safe and alive.
That was really interesting MathVale! Thanks!
Brown made a bad judgement when he picked a friend who was a known liar. He should have found just an ordinary liar. I am being facetious. Twiceborn is using loaded words, and appears to be buying Wilson’s carefully coached testimony, which lasted for four hours, with no pressure from the prosecutors who made it possible for him to testify under the gentlest conditions possible. We are not supposed to know how the vote went….it only took four to block an indictment. It might have been 12 to zero, but I have my doubts, given the shaky testimony. Four white guys fed up with having their drinking privileges interfered with for too many months could have been sufficient.
How am I using loaded words? Either the forensic evidence is correct and Wilson is innocent or there is a big cover up, which includes President Obama and Holder. After all, isn’t there a parallel investigation with the DOJ? Have you forgot about that Joe Prichard? Wanna bet the DOJ comes back and doesn’t charge him? I bet you a million bucks, if I had that money. They know he is innocent too. Just watch. When that happens, perhaps you should look in the mirror to understand what that means because either Wilson was always innocent and you supported a wanna be cop killer, or Obama and everyone in the DOJ is in on protecting Wilson.
And when the DOJ decides not to charge him, you won’t hear a peep from anybody. Obama will keep it on the down low, just like the Zimmerman case cause if he advertises the DOJ thinks there isn’t enough evidence or the evidence that does exist exonerates Wilson then that will make the African American community look bad for all that just happened.
Obama and Holder are into the “post-racial” narrative that says that racism is dead (it’s how Obama got his job). We’ve known from day one that they would do nothing to seek justice for Michael Brown.
Dienne, Obama did NOT get his job through some “post-racial” narrative (whatever that means) that says that racism is dead in America. Obama faces, deal with, and confronts racism as the President EVERYDAY he is in office. There is no justice to seek for Michael Brown. He was a thug, a thief, a liar, an arrogant and disobedient kid that lacked home training … He did not deserve to be shot dead for all those things BUT he and the “parents” that did not raise him well could easily have prevented his death. We won’t be having this conversation if Michael Brown had gotten shot and killed that day by a fellow black thug! Would we?
Listen to Obama’s messages to the black community – just pull yourselves up by your bootstraps, pull up your pants, keep your knees together and everything will be jim dandy. That’s post-racial, the assumption being that racism is dead, whatever negative effects blacks are feeling is a result of their own bad behavior. If Obama said anything else, he never would have been allowed to get the job in the first place, and if he said anything now, his overlords would find a way to “fire” him (ahem).
The thing is, respectability politics have been shown over and over throughout history to be a sham. No matter how “respectable” blacks are, they are still discriminated against, profiled, arrested, charged and even killed simply because of being black.
The assumption being STOP BLAMING racism for everything … It is well and alive but you must rise up to the challenge of making it a non-issue. If Obama had truly believed racism was dead, he would have moved to start declaring law that protect against racism, unconstitutional. Dienne, it is people like you that one should be very wary of in America … the hidden meanings in your words are quite visible. So what should blacks do? Stop being respectable in the American society and go rogue because their efforts have gotten them no where?? We know what will follow after that … don’t we?
I am treating THIS as a Michael Brown issue. He was a thug, thief and bully who had just victimized a store owner (who mind you could have probably justifiably shot him in the store and we will NOT be here) and continued behaving like a thug in the presence of a “uniform and badge of authority.” Kids like Michael Brown WILL continue to escalate the situation regardless of the police officers attempts to deescalate the situation as was evidenced here.
Twist this any way you wish, Dienne … I speak honestly and truthfully as a BLACK man. Read what a young BLACK man (professional football player one of, the stereotypical black role models) not that much older than Michael Brown said:
Obama is a person of privilege. He has done nothing for the poor and downtrodden in our society. What racism does he daily face?
Justin Bieber arrested on DUI, resisting arrest charges – CNN.com
http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/23/showbiz/justin-bieber-arrest/
Jan 24, 2014 … Justin Bieber was charged with drunken driving and resisting arrest after police … officer who pulled him over just after 4 a.m., according to the arrest report. Bieber, 19, was released from a Miami jail an hour after he made a …
A hoodie? Drugs? Alcohol? Cursing? Challenging a cop? It is a good thing that Justin left his melanin home that night. Who knows what might’ve happened?
But then: the Biebs isn’t really threatening: he is just a little white thug wanna be.
Only the real, dark skinned thugs who act nasty with the cops should be killed.
Here’s a thought: perhaps our militarized police force should lay waste to Ferguson, given the behavior of several of the opportunists over there. Just clean those thugs out; after all, they are going to wind up in our criminal justice system anyway. Think of all the money we will save.
deals***
Wake up everyone. Back to reality. A cop killed a hooligan who was charging him to kill. Police cruise areas where there are high crime rates. People in prison committed crimes. Reparations? 360,000 Northerners, mostly white people, died for an end to slavery. The civil rights struggle? Minorities won, remember? Like, 50 years ago? So, stretch out, put on your shoes, drink some coffee, join the world, and get over yourselves.
NJ Teacher, you said “Obama is a person of privilege. He has done nothing for the poor and downtrodden in our society. What racism does he daily face?”
What planet do you live on? Do you watch and read the news at all? The constant daily attacks on his person by whites who refuse to accept that a “black” man is residing in the “White” House. What do you call that if not racism?