“Another one in a long list”

You ever wonder how much the scale can take before it breaks? I am in that place right now as I try to recover from listening to the outcome of the grand jury investigation into the Fergusson Missouri policeman’s fatal shooting of yet another unarmed young black man. The announcement of their decision was like a weight just continuing to get heavier and heavier while all the mechanisms the springs, levers and gears inside squeak pop and make ominous noises of imminent failure. 

Listening last night to the grand jury decision on the Fergusson shooting as it went on and on about the way that grand juries are charged to do their work; how police are authorized to use deadly force in “certain kinds of situations” I kept waiting to hear what situations those were, what the guidelines were in regards to taking another human life? What was the call for the use of deadly force in this situation? But it never came… 

They went on about all the conflicting eye witness reports, the retractions of some of them and changing of others, as if for some reason that had any bearing on the question at hand, which should have been ‘what are the guidelines for using deadly force in a connivance store robbery of property valued at less the $20, by an unarmed individual?  Instead they spent their time talking about the grand jury and all the evidence it had to look at. How that was so difficult  and key to make a decision as to weather to bring charges. Never even mentioned the question, “Was there justification for shooting an unarmed man once while at the patrol car, then six more time after pursuing them. All over the theft of a hand full of cigars?”  

Sadly it was what I had expected from such a long song and dance with very little substance reflecting the actual situation at hand. It was a scripted announcement filled with pointless crap to attempt to soften the impact of their decision of ‘No grounds for charges’. One day this is not going to work so neatly as the tactic. And that day may not be so far off as these kinds of killings seem to be growing not diminishing.  Our so called “justice system” will be called to the floor by a very angry populace for what it actually is if this continues. 

OK I’m an adult and live in the real world. I know that the grand jury engaged in real work here trying to deliberate what their decision was going to be. I have no doubt that among those twelve people there were at least some who were unbiased and working to do their job the best they could. I can’t in good conscious dismiss all of them as having decided the outcome before entering the process. Some of them I certainly believe did, but not all. But from the report that came out last night what is clear is that our justice system is severely broken. If the important question about this incident is, was there any criminal actions on the part of the police who cares if the people interviewed on the scene have identical stories or not. The real question that was not asked was “Is there clear and indisputable evidence that deadly force was the appropriate and only action that could have been used in this specific situation.” 

Everyone who is paying attention and being honest about what they see here should agree that had this incident happened in a white suburban part of any city in the US, involving a young white male well dressed and acting out in inappropriate ways, the outcome would have been different.  

                                                                   

1. 

Nov 4, 2014       
9:00 AM 
                                 “I’m not looking at the election news, yet.”
                                Commentary by Chip Wright


I had thought that I would wait to write this blog until after the elections. But then decided it was not something which I wanted tempered by that outcome, whatever it may be. All I have heard during this midterm election cycle has been that the Senate is going to go to the Republicans. Granted that is a heart-skip-a-beat statement, and it may drive folks who generally don’t pay much attention to midterm elections to do so. But on the other hand I hear nothing about the millions of US citizens who now have health care available without it being denied due to PEC or “Pre-existing Conditions.” No one is talking about how Wall-street is posting its highest levels ever and that the world markets are responding in kind. That the housing market with the input of sensible lending practices has recovered in many parts of the country and in some areas is even showing higher property values and lower unemployment numbers than in 2007. All of this has happened with a President who has struggled against a Congress that has snubbed him at every turn. A conservative leadership that has publicly acknowledged that their bottom line is “If the President wants it, we don’t.” What is even more disturbing is the number of voices in this camp denying not only the best science of the day but basic common sense. It makes me look at the Islamic state situation we are facing and see all kinds of parallels with our own right wing here in the US and that is worrisome to say the least. 

So here I am a confirmed and proud liberal, way beyond what is now called progressive, sitting here in another round of ‘how in hell is this happening?’ It feels to me eerily like the last two Bush elections. Neither of which can be indisputably show that they were not fraudulently manipulated to assure their outcome; and in fact most the evidence would say they were. But evidence not withstanding does not seem to matter all that much. So it is not surprising we’ll likely see another Bush on the ticket in the not-too-distant future.

I just don’t get it. Look at what conservative folks are always saying they want, strong markets, smaller government, less controls, etc. Wall Street is at record highs regardless, while government has for the most part been neutered by the Republican party’s refusal to operate beyond obstructionism as long as there is a ‘darky’ in the white house. Of course they would never admit to that as their motivation but all one needs to do is look and listen to know it is the ‘Big’ unspoken issue.

I remember thinking when Obama got elected both what a marvelous and far reaching step my nation had made. I was proud and full of hope. And even then I thought he might not make it past the first few months without someone assassinating him. And had that election been in 1968 I’m quite sure that would have very possibly been the outcome. But putting aside the racism that is clearly playing a lead role in the political right and its motivations towards this President, I wonder about the strategy they have used to catch their Republican base and draw them to the poles. How anyone can even want to push back against an ongoing call for shifting our government towards a more enlightened and contemporary expression…towards establishing an important place in a new more tightly packed world population. What is it that makes people want to revert to enabling a reactionary Fascist oligarchy?

I truly hope the clear minded, bright and caring population of this nation who voted this administration in twice, steps up and makes a clear and solid statement about what they want and will support today. That after all the votes are counted we still can see the people through the smoke and not just the corporate feeding frenzy that is poised to happen if Congress goes to the right.