Protests in Ferguson spark debate
By: Evan Shaub – Opinions Editor
There’s no doubt that the most controversial topic in the United States of America right now can be found with the protests occurring in Ferguson, Missouri and around the country.
As most people know by now, the protests started after Ferguson policeman Darren Wilson shot and killed 18-year-old Mike Brown while on duty.
The details of what really happened that night can be debated, but the effects of the protests cannot.
All over the world, people of all races have started to protest.
These gatherings span from San Francisco to London and beyond, and they don’t appear to be stopping anytime soon. What the protestors are calling for is not that complex: they want the police, whose salaries are funded by the taxpayers, to stop shooting and killing the citizens they have a sworn duty to protect.
The most unfortunate part of the whole Ferguson debate is that it has turned into a race issue when it shouldn’t be. All lives matter.
It doesn’t matter if you’re black, white or purple – you’re life matters and has value.
That’s the main idea that should be taken from the Ferguson protests, but the reality is that it’s not.
This is an issue that has become almost as polarizing to the American public as political elections themselves.
On one side of the coin you have people angry that Darren Wilson wasn’t indicted and given a true trial by a jury of his peers, and on the other side you have people angry that protestors are looting and rioting.
Whether you agree with the protests are not, they have succeeded in getting our attention on the issue.
The media has also played a role in perpetuating the protests by giving them a good amount of coverage.
At the heart of this issue is the basic principle of constitutional rights.
The family of Mike Brown would like to see Wilson indicted and stand trial.
Wilson would also argue for his constitutional rights, stating that he felt the need to defend himself.
The bad part about these protests is that they’ve grown to affect local people in a negative way who might not have ever known Brown or Wilson. People have had their entire livelihoods ruined by others who made careless decisions.All throughout Ferguson, people have seen their small businesses looted and burned down to the ground.
It might not be fair that Darren Wilson wasn’t indicted, but it’s also not fair to burn someone’s business down who has done nothing to deserve it. That’s the issue at play in Ferguson right now.
None of us can know what’s going to happen next, but we can hope for one thing – the safety of everybody involved.