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Ferguson riots beg for change

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The American justice system was meticulously designed almost 238 years ago in order to protect the people of the 13 Colonies. There has always been tension and distrust between Americans and law enforcement; the Red Coats forever traumatized our pre-teen country.
Rather than seeking therapy after revolting against the mother country, we ran away to build our own great nation with our own democratic system where everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Every so often there is a new case reminding the public that these cops who serve us do so by poking their batons in our lives.
Our criminal justice system stands for true justice. As we all have heard, the court system found Darren Wilson, the officer who shot and killed Michael Brown earlier this year, innocent. The jury did not find Wilson to be guilty of murder: just an officer acting in self-defense. Wilson fired 12 rounds in the direction of Brown during pursuit, but it was only in “self-defense.”
Riots and looting ensued right after, and they are clearly problems. But they’re just a symptom of the continual distrust and tension between law enforcement and the people they serve.
Protesters and rioters are not people going crazy. They are the metaphorical ooze from the wound inflicted upon them. It is not only people in Ferguson who feel that they have suffereddue to the decision of the jury and “apparent racism.” There are people in New York, Philadelphia, Oakland, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and more, protesting to show the magnitude of this case. The riots and looting are there to show the need for change.
Riots are not a new trend. People have used riots for centuries to ensue change. As ancient of a practice as it might be, there is always change after. There are a lot of holes in our social constructs that allow for it, but we are not fighting the mother country here. We are fighting each other. We are fighting our neighbors and our coworkers. These riots are worth listening to.
Riots are awful. People get hurt and even die. The riots in Ferguson have cost people their businesses. Let’s not allow this to continue. Americans should not have to cuddle with a gun at night because they are afraid of their neighbors. Instead of allowing this to go on, we need to change things.
Our founding fathers were bright men, but no one can design a nation that lasts this long without drastic change. This country is ever changing. Civil liberties are what this country has always been seeking, so let’s stop resisting them. With every great change that has made this country, it always begins with resistance. This rioting is resistance. People dismissing these incidents is resistance.
Instead of just dismissing these people as criminals, try to see where the problem began.
People are not burning each other’s businesses down because someone got shot, they are burning them down because a cop shot him. More than that, because they do not trust the system.
People are dismantling the system. Maybe it’s time our country goes to therapy and realizes that the monster under the bed is not wearing a badge, and that a mutual understanding is to be reached. The badge is here to protect us and serve us. There is no Paul Revere. The British aren’t coming. I would also like to remind officers of the law that you’re here to keep us safe. Please keep your batons to yourselves.
This country may be at the young age of 238, but that doesn’t mean we need to rebel and prove our mother country right. Let’s come together to provoke change through comradery instead of violence.

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  • T

    Tommy EdwardsDec 11, 2014 at 10:29 am

    He was not found innocent, it was found that there was not enough evidence to justify a jury trial for murder by the grand jury. Grand jury’s look at the evidence and rule on if its sufficient for a trial. A jury rules guilt or not guilt, they never rule innocent.

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  • T

    Tommy EdwardsDec 8, 2014 at 10:20 pm

    He was not found innocent, it was found that there was not enough evidence to justify a jury trial for murder by the grand jury. Grand jury’s look at the evidence and rule on if its sufficient for a trial. A jury rules guilt or not guilt, they never rule innocent.

    Reply