Letters to the Editor: We are a nation of political violence. Thanks, GOP leaders, for proving it.
I wrote the following essay for “The Daily News,” published June 11, 2014. My purpose was to express my outrage regarding the latest actions in Ferguson, Missouri, involving the death of Michael Brown. I believe the violence is out of control and that the media is trying to portray Brown as a victim of police brutality, when the truth is the opposite.
My anger stemmed from the fact that after Brown’s tragic death, it was only a matter of time before there would be some kind of confrontation or, worse, there would be riots.
To justify such a situation, it was suggested that riots would be a good way to resolve the issue. But the truth is it would not be a “good way.” We have seen it in other countries where riots have been fought over years and, by the way, usually ended in the deaths of innocent people.
But in the United States, we have seen it. When we talk about “the riots,” we do not refer to the killing of innocent people. No, we speak of “riot” riots, which involve attacks on police officers and looting. The facts prove that all these events are part of a larger pattern of violence and disorder. Those same facts also prove that the violence is not “the riots.”
All of the facts have been discussed in print and online. They will always be in print. They will always be discussed online. But the truth has never been discussed and, therefore, cannot be discussed. The truth is that the “rides” began in Ferguson, MO and are still going on.
I will also say that riots are often created and fueled by those who want to control the narrative. That is why so many things are in the news in the United States these days, but are not discussed—because they are not the story. The “rides” in Ferguson have nothing to do with Ferguson. They are out of control events that are a part of a larger pattern of