On Saturday, August 9, policeman Darren Wilson shot and killed 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. Michael was unarmed. After placing his hands up and telling the officer this, Wilson proceeded to shoot him at least six times.
Since the murder, protests in Ferguson and many other parts of the country have been unstoppable. In the week following the murder, Ferguson residents took to the streets in hopes of peaceful protests, only to be met by armed police, tear gas, and even the National Guard.
Meanwhile, Darren Wilson has been in hiding, with all of his social media accounts deactivated.
What we know is that “he’s on paid administrative leave while state and federal prosecutors investigate. For now, no charges have been filed. If he returns to the job, he must undergo two psychological evaluations” police told CNN.
It has now been more than two months since the shooting, but protests are still underway. Recently, on October 11, protestors took to the streets of St. Louis, demanding Darren Wilson be charged with crime.
As the protests and demonstrations continue, it is important that we realize the seriousness of this ongoing situation. Mike Brown’s death conveys the continued racism that lives on in this country. It is something that desperately needs to be fixed.
“Our country can no longer deny the epidemic of police violence facing black and brown communities,” the movement’s website states. “Mike Brown is now part of a long list of people like John Crawford, Ezell Ford, Eric Garner, Oscar Grant and countless others who have been unjustly killed by police. Their lives mattered.”
If we allow ourselves to move on from this event, we allow racism and police brutality to remain an issue in this country. In the wake of Mike Brown’s death, it is inspiring to see how the Ferguson citizens continue their protests for justice. It is unclear if these protestors will ever win this fight, but the fact that they are not giving up conveys to us that they will work to become the winners in this battle.
As an American, I cannot stand another moment watching innocent youths be shot down for no reason except their skin color. Although we are far away, we can help as well. By keeping this issue alive–whether this is through conversations on campus, with family, or supporting the protestors miles away–we can fight for justice as well.
With the protests continuing this month, I hope we can also continue to raise our voices in the hopes of finding justice for Mike Brown and all other victims of racism in this country.