A very sad loss of life and accompanying negative events occurred in America's heartland (Ferguson, Missouri) where a young eighteen year-old 'Black' young man was murdered in daylight by a 28-year old 'White' police officer. The predictable rioting, protesting and chaos followed and continues to erupt and simmer. Once again all the expected accusations and racial-laced rhetoric surfaces with the same old finger pointing.
The 'root' of the problem, in these too frequent detestable events is multi-faceted. There are deep-seeded racial issues buoyed by profound regional economic woes.
The raw emotions are anchored in the reality of a young lad dying at the hands of a police officer's pistol when lesser force could likely sufficed. The facts will slowly come forth but the obvious haunts all who witnessed a young man with hands in the air (posturing a surrender) was shot and killed. Many supporters of the slain victim and protesters expressed immediate anger suggesting the police department was withholding information, stonewalling and failing to be transparent. The police finally released the name of the officer who shot the youngster and at the same time released video of the victim who was involved in a robbery act minutes before the shooting. Some protesters are angered by the video being made public by the police. That scenario reminds me of the movie, "A Few Good Men." In that movie, Col Jessep (Jack Nicholson) is asked by Attorney Kaffee (Tom Cruise) "I want the truth!!" Col Jessep responds, "You can't handle the truth!"
When we beg for truth, we must accept that which helps and that which hurts...it is the only way which HEALS. If our nation is ever to have 'THAT' racial-healing conversation, the masses of rainbow colors must check all ethnocentric attitudes at the conference room door; seemingly, "The Impossible Dream." We cannot heal by evaluating other's cultures based upon our own standards.
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