RIGHT, WRONG, RIDICULOUS

Based reports in the media, this is what police already know about the Michael Brown case.

 

  1. Michael Brown was 18 years old.  He was 6’4”” and weighed 300 pounds.
  2. He pushed a store clerk around in the process of stealing cigars about 10 minutes before the encounter with Officer Wilson.
  3. There was a physical confrontation with Officer Wilson.
  4. Officer Wilson suffered a fracture to his eye socket as the result of being struck by Michael Brown.
  5. Michael Brown was shot 6 times.
  6. Michael Brown is dead.
  7. There is no video of the event.

There is are unconfirmed reports that police have12 eye witnesses who confirm Officer Wilson’s account of the incident.

Local officials and the police knew most of this from day one.  They were afraid to report this because they knew such a report would have been met with outrage.  So instead, they released only partial information in the worst way possible.  The result is even more anger at least partially fueled by a wildly inaccurate narrative.  There is wide spread speculation that Officer Wilson must be arrested and charged with something.

This is not only the opposite of right.  This is worse than wrong.  This is ridiculous.  There is a desperate need for someone in authority to step up to the plate and say something like this:

This is not the way we do things in America.  We will not turn this case over to a lynch mob.  Everyone, regardless of race or social position, deserves equal treatment under the law.  That applies to Michael Brown.  That also applies to Officer Wilson.  Everyone has a right to their opinion, but we will not allow the rule of law to be distorted by public outrage.

Sadly there does not appear to be a single public official with the courage to do what is obviously right.  The real choice here is whether cases like this will be handled by the rule of law or by an out of control mob.  Are we really going to define justice based on the irrational rants of an Al Sharpton?  If we do, we can expect more and more of this in the future.  We can expect a violent response to any police shooting, regardless of circumstances.

I do not know if Officer Wilson deserves to be indicted or not.  I do know that he deserves better than this.  My guess is that he will be indicted, regardless of the facts, because officials are too terrified to do anything else.  That does not mean that he will be convicted.

We will be lucky if no one takes a shot at Officer Wilson or his family.  If something like that happens the backlash will be unprecedented.  Incredibly the main stream media provided directions to his home.  That is beyond irresponsible.

This whole situation is absurd.  I am tired of irrational and irresponsible malcontents being allowed to shout down anyone who dare disagree with them.  I am angry to see people getting away with wild inflammatory accusations that are not supported by the facts.  I am dismayed by the assumption that any time a white police officer shoots a black male it is racism.  I am furious about patently false claims that police routinely shoot unarmed black teenagers for no good reason.  The reality is that these kind of incidents are extremely rare.   Police shootings of any kind are rare.

It is a sad day when we allow irrational rage to trump reason.  At some point, someone is going to have to stand up to those who would subvert the rule of law.  We will pay a terrible price in the future if we continue to reward irrational and irresponsible behavior.

TDM