It has been six months since Ferguson, Missouri first became the name of a national movement grown into a world-wide one. Since that time and now, people, organizations and some elected officials have heeded the call to lance some of the festering corruption, prejudice and ignorance which has stymied communities and oppressed people.
Most of the activity has been well-intentioned, some better than others.
Recently, one of the organizations to which I belong sponsored the program "Community Policing: Where do we go from here?" Two speakers shared both their first-hand experiences and predictions for the future.
One speaker was a career police officer who since retirement has become a training consultant for police departments in the region. The other was chaplain to a number of police departments in the area.
Both spoke of the aftermath of Ferguson demonstrations, protests and plundering of properties.
They described the breakdown of systems and people, men women and children's outrage. They told of the lack of respect for laws and the people entrusted to enforce the laws in our communities.
Both speakers were articulate, honest and forthright in assessing our ability to resolve long term issues. They said the issue of lack of respect for police will be with us for a long time and both gave their reasons for their assessment.
Both spoke of the lack of leadership of the protestors. Both spoke of the issues of race and religion, the lack of opportunity for education, and the disparity in wages for work, while describing conditions found in impoverished to well-to-do neighborhoods.
Mentioned too was lack of parental supervision, the communication value of electronic equipment, the press and media, pornography and lack of qualified people to work in our communities whether as teachers or as police officers.
Neither the police chief nor the clergyman seemed able to connect the dots between the anger of the protestors and society's double standards set by elected officials, institutions and individual disregard for law, life and fair treatment for all.
After the presentations, I found myself wondering how our country became so hardened to accepting debtors prisons to punish people rather than supporting education to help people learn?
How had we gone from providing families with financial help for the elderly and disabled to wanting to disassemble plans now in place?
How had we gone from a nation that was inventive and productive for many, to one that is selective for a few?
How had we gone from a country where trains ran on time to one in which the tracks were in disrepair?
How had police departments become military fortifications and why?
How had we as a people forgotten about the importance of our civil participation in the political process?
There is no quick, simple or slick answers to any of this, but until we begin to understand how these issues relate to Ferguson and Ferguson relates to these issues unrest will be with us for a long time to come.
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Forgive me, but this reminds me of an old legislative trick--By throwing all the problems in the pot, you're sure not to make any substantial change. It's called, " How to make sure nothing happens", just give it "TLC-- Tender Love and Care". While everyone of the questions/issues? is critical and important, there is no doubt that "fear" of the police exists, more so or greater in the black community than in the white. However the police have been known to call it "respect". So lay aside a national movement to "change America" with all your "issues", let's just start with training, better and clearer rules and operating procedures, "getting out of their cars" to "Walk and Work" with their communities, increase numbers of police and making use of new communication technologies. Just for starters. Then leaders and communities can spend the rest of their lifetimes, addressing your other issues. Shelly Weinstein
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