FERGUSON BURIES MICHAEL BROWN, ANY GOOD FROM THE TRAGEDY?

As Ferguson inters their police-killed young black American male, Michael Brown, Icheoku asks is there any possibility whatsoever that at least some good will come out of the tragedy that was his avoidable killing? Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes of Pompeii, can something palliative inure as a result of his death to assuage hurt feelings and light the way forward in American race relations? Michael Brown's killing is not the first nor would it be the last nor the beginning of the end of police shooting to death of unarmed black males in America; but Icheoku's prayer is that it should be a watershed in fixing a broken institution which is unfairly tilted against black people. Although the one noticeable thing about his death is the colossal life it took that pivoted it into a global event that saw major television houses and newspapers and other media worldwide, making it their headline story and for a long time. Now to the gist that was Michael Brown's killing.

It is  becoming increasingly very clear that unless  some speedy and meaningful intervention is taken to stem the tide of disaffection and disillusionment which black people hold against their white counterparts in America, an uprising or even an outright revolution is in the very near future of America? The only question is when will the bottled-up tension rip the seams open and spill over or even explode and engulf the country? The projected outcome does not look good and forebodes of grave danger to the United States of America; as its unintended consequences will make Detroit race riot, Chicago race riot, Martin Luther King riot and even Rodney King riot appear ordinary and like a mock up rehearsal in comparison. This bleak forecast is avoidable and will definitely cost less now to prevent, than it will cost to pursue the bull once it had bolted from the barn. The scenario looks ugly and America the beautiful would rather remain beautiful.

Every black person you talk to or listen to, in every city, in  every county and in every state in America, the story is the same. The feeling is also the same that - 'these white folks are not treating them right and things have to change for peace to reign!' To say that there is palpable tension and mistrust between the two Americans is understating the situation. Any white person in doubt should find him or herself stranded or lost in any black neighborhood and see how the story goes. The same goes to black people who happen not to pace themselves out of "sundown" suburbia neighborhoods, cities and in some cases even states. Admitted that in most cases, while black people will literally take the matter of avenging their 'persecution' on any such stranded white person, in their hands; their white counterparts have the telephone numbers of their hatchet-men police and sheriff officers ready on a speed-dial. In some white neighborhoods, a black person may find himself explaining to the enforcer why you are "loitering and casing a joint for commission of crime" or why you are "racing away from a crime scene" depending on how fast or slow you were found walking in "their neighborhood"? Remember this was the reason Martin Trevon was shot and killed in Florida because he 'strayed" into their neighborhood? Just recently too in Michigan, a black lady who got a flat tire in the middle of the night and walked up to white man's door for help, was shot and killed for being a "nuisance?" 

However, it seems that black American people are gradually getting tired of being treated with levity? They are becoming tired of being ignored and marginalized? They are frustrated that their problems are being given little or no attention whatsoever? They are getting tired of a future that is bleak and which is neither certain nor guaranteed? They are tired of burying their children, some of whom are shot and killed by the police that is meant to protect them? They are tired of being treated as sub-humans when they are even so acknowledged and not totally looked down and looked through as though invisible? They are also tired of hopelessly praying and waiting in vain for the elusive new dawn and are beginning to complain and their complain is getting louder. This gathering of storm is what was rehearsed in Ferguson and the echo is reverberating throughout America as well as the entire world. 

Black Americans are complaining. They are growling in pain but unfortunately, their cries for help are equally falling on the same deaf ears that have refused to listen to their concerns all these past centuries? Like in a chemistry experiment, when you force too much gas into a container, over and above its psi holding strength, it will explode. This appears to be the future assured fate of America where black Americans are nearing their saturation point when they cannot take it any longer and are hissing loudly for some relieve. All the world witnessed in Ferguson Missouri is a continuation of this cry for help, a continuum of the Rodney King's Los Angeles riot as well as Oscar Grant's Oakland riot. These protests are precursors or rather micro-rehearsals of what the great upheaval will look like when it eventually makes a touch down. Icheoku prays it never makes a landfall and that some sensible resolutions of the myriad of problems facing black people of America and in America will take place to preempt and abort it. Black people in America are tired, they are despondent, they are despaired, they are disillusioned and they are nearing a state of hopelessness that their concerns will ever be addressed. Such state of anomie begets desperation and the lack of desire to go on living and its attendant unfathomable consequences. Icheoku says the situation is reaching a crisis point and may God forbid a total meltdown.

Any rational observer knows that all is not well in America between blacks and white communities; a result of years of perceived and discernible continuing oppression of the black minority by their oppressive white "majority?" In practically every sphere of life, be it employment, good-education, life-opportunities, economic empowerment, choice-neighborhoods, other privileges, law enforcements as well as in other social climbing-ladder structures, everywhere you turn there is a roadblock mounted against you if you are a black person in America. 

In America, the white people and other light skinned people are far more privileged than their dark skinned counterparts. But the sad part of the situation is that some people choose to pretend that racism does not exist in America or rather would swat the story away as not their problem since according to them, they are not themselves racists? Then you confront them by asking them how many black people do they have in their employ, NONE. How many black people live in their owned apartment or neighborhood, NONE. How many black people attend the same school with their children or how many of their children attend a black school, NONE. How many black people do they have as friends, NONE. How many of them go to a black church or how many black people attend their church, NONE. Ask them how many black people they know and they reel out that OBAMA is black, Micheal Jordan is black and Oprah Winfrey is black, how about that? 

So tell Icheoku what other definition of racism exist short of these situations as described and the story is practically the same among some of them if not most of them. But unfortunately for this type of "selective amnesia(ed) unaware racist" white people, they forgot that revolutions are usually blind. They forgot that revolutions are also irrational to know who did what to provoke or perpetuate the situation, provided they share the same skin color? In William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Cicero the poet was mistakenly killed by the mob for being Cicero the conspirator, admitted his killing was later 'justified' because "he wrote bad verses anyway?" Revolutions also could be literally 'deaf and dumb' and often times illogical as was with the French Bastille's, where the mantra was just take them to the lamppost and if you cannot hang him or her fast enough, just chop off their heads; which macabre orgy led to the invention of the guillotine to push forward the process faster. Ditto the Bolshevik revolution and the list goes on ad infinitum.

Icheoku says it is about time the white folks of America started looking inward, to do some serious soul searching introspection and begin addressing the underlying reasons why "black folks of America are angry?" Instead of perpetually being on the edge, concerned for their safety, because of these 'gorillas in their midst' are horn-mad angry,   these white folks should apply their energies proactively in understanding the root causes of this 'anger in black Americans' and try to address them. Icheoku bemoans a situation where these white folks are complaining about the symptom of a disease rather than diagnosing the disease itself and properly treating it and with it will go the symptom. Complaining that a whole race of people are "ANGRY" without caring a hoot to understand why they are ANGRY is rather not solution orientated mindset. How can you kill my child and expect me to love your own child? How can you not give me job and expect me not to help myself with your stuff whenever I can? How can you not let me provide for my child and expect me not to seek ways or other alternative to buy diapers and milk for my own kids? Icheoku strongly believes that there is some elements of human being's survival instinct in black crimes in America.

The other unnerving thing about the situation is that these "angry black people" are embedded with the 'happy white people' and cannot be easily isolated for any "decisive" action to be meted against them, such as a "complete annihilation" or shipment back to Africa, which some of them had canvassed in the past. Also unlike those 'terrorists' Al Queida or ISIL or Boko Haram or Magrebs or Yemeni or Talibans, whom  drones and bombs can take care of in some God forsaken desert countries overseas, these "angry black folks" are here in America and number in several millions and droning them will be extremely very difficult if not impossible? The reason being that there will be millions of white people who will share in the fate as collateral damage and no American wants to entertain such nightmarish thought. Icheoku says a more superior argument and more appropriate line of action would be for the white folks to open a dialogue with these "angry black folks" on why they are "angry", and then do something about it to assuage their anger. 

The growing fear in America which Icheoku shares is that while past generations of these "angry black folks" approached the problem with stoic perseverance and prayers, with occasional outbursts which were easily contained by the brute force and intimidation of the white police, the present crop of 'APP' generation "angry black folks" might decide to approach the problem more differently? They might become more militant and with it world terrorist organizations would have a pool of disaffected and disenchanted "angry black people" to harvest in their trade of terror? Icheoku says may God forbid and forestall such ugly outcome and may God also soften the hearts of these white people to understand that their dreams of happiness are also shared by these "angry black folks." May God also persuade these white people to make necessary and needful accommodations accordingly for these "angry black folks", so that they too may also become happy and partake of the American happiness which is currently almost exclusively enjoyed by their "happy white counterparts".  

This enveloping fear environment has led to the constant strong-arming and quelling with crushing force, of any scintilla of resistance in form of protest by a heavily militarized state security agents. Icheoku says the American police force today is so well or even over-equipped that they can successfully take on so many countries' army.  Afraid of their misdeeds, the white folks are constantly upgrading and arming their police to intimidate and quash with brute force, would be agitators and provocateurs and to protect themselves, their children and their properties from any harm from these "angry black vandals" from the  African jungle? But human short memory makes these policy-wonkers to forget that all revolutions world over were wrought against oppressors with large army and armament. From the most recent North Africa's Orange revolution to Soviet Union 'Perestoika' Revolution led by  Boris Yeltsin to French Bastille revolution to Bolshevik revolution, just name it, all are living proof that sometimes armored tanks and battalions of soldiers and heavily militarized police are not often sufficient to protect the oppressors when the oppressed finally reaches their tipping point. Icheoku says rather than wait for this barrelling-down showdown to take form, it would be better a conversation is started between these two communities, to at least reduce the pervading tension that leads to such result that thrust Ferguson in the front page. White Americans can and should find ways of addressing all or at least some of these recurring complains that seem to lack traction in redressing thus far. 

What happened in Ferguson Missouri and the resultant protest did not just drop from the blues like a bolt of lighting. Majority of people protesting there were probably not protesting simply because a Michael Brown was shot and killed. No, they were protesting their own experiences as black people in America in the hands of the police as well as other areas. They channeled their frustrations through the vent provided by the killing of Michael Brown, who merely provided an outlet for them. Icheoku says the story is the same from coast to coast and from cape to cape. From north to south, east to west, blacks in America are constantly being marginalized, oppressed, denied of opportunities, treated as second class citizens and when they complain, are forcibly shut up. Icheoku makes bold to also state that the young black man in America is increasingly becoming  an  endangered species that somewhat needs some special protection in order to survive and thrive. It also does not matter which part of the country he is in - if the gang does not get him, the drug turf war will; if the prison system does not get him, the police and other law enforcement agents will and so goes the ever fluidly life of a young black American male. A life of perpetual perdition, caught between the rock and the hard place on one side and the devil and deep blue sea on the other simply because he was born with the wrong skin pigmentation. 

The white racist police killed Michael Brown and the whole world is glued to the television coverage, unaware that within the same period, they have also killed many other unarmed young black men in America. They strangled Eric Garner, the "I can't breathe" guy, a black man to death in New York on July 17th and it was captured on video. On August 5th, another black man John Crawford was shot and killed in Ohio. They shot and killed another black man Ezell Ford in Los Angeles California on August 11.  Few months ago another black-man was shot and killed while laying on the pavement face-down and already handcuffed or piggy-tied in Oakland California by another one of these racist white police man. In Florida, their vigilante wing member shot and killed another unarmed black man for straying in their white neighborhood.  On August 20th, in Saint Louis Missouri just four miles from Ferguson, they increased the tally of black men killed by white police by yet adding another trophy to their bag as they killed yet another black man. Just like the days of their 'skin-heading' of American Indians, today, hunting down of black men in America appears to be the newest trend. It is in session and because non of the past killers received adequate justice, it now seems OK to just continue to hunt them down. Their strategy seems to be, just keep depleting their numbers and in that way when they eventually revolt they would be more easier to contain? 

The fact of the matter is that "some" of these white police are very mean and do not care about black people. Imagine pumping six hot leads into an unarmed young black man in the middle of hot summer afternoon in Missouri and the victim was not an apparent danger to the police man? Query, couldn't the police have used other less lethal means to thwart the "danger" since Michael Brown was not armed or obtrusively threatening? Couldn't the police have called for back up since he had time to do this,  afterall the victim was not armed or an immediate flight risk? If worst came to worse and the police man must shoot a black person that day, why didn't he at least shoot to disable him him by firing below the waistline? But no, he shot to kill him, firing targeted shots at his head, eye, arm and upper torso. Worst still, the police did not immediately call for ambulance or summon help for his victim, but left him dying and lay dead on the pavement like a dog and uncovered? 

Initially Icheoku did not want to do this story because the frequency of such senseless killing by police and vigilantes are just overwhelmingly too many that writing about another one would be akin to preaching to the choir. Such killings and the lack of deterrent prosecution of those perpetrators have become somewhat a recurring decimal in America that it is no longer a big deal or seriously news worthy.  But surprisingly though, the Ferguson killing took a life of its own and the world witnessed a little snippet of a long festering and simmering racial animosity in America.  

Icheoku says every black man in America is a Michael Brown; every city in America is Ferguson Missouri and every police department in America is literally policed by the same type of people as the department whose police fired half dozen shots into unarmed Michael Brown. The only difference is in the optics - if it is not headline news, sweep it under the rug; hose off the blood and brain matter and hunt for the next victim?  That is the assured life of the black-man in America, who is always predetermined guilty until either killed or proved innocent; who is imprisoned for decades for a crime that needs to be solved quickly until DNA evidence finally proves him innocent? The story of their travails is know to many, forcing one Dominican Republic retired judge, who fell in love with a white American lady, to say, on why he cannot marry her because she had insisted on their living in America, 'that it is not good to be a black man in America.' To readers who may say how about President Obama? Icheoku responds that he is in power but has no real power and cannot do anything to change the misfortunes of the black man in America. 

Everywhere you go the story is the same - a black man cannot in certain neighborhoods be seen walking fast because he must be hurrying off or is likely trying to escape from a crime he just committed? A black man cannot be seen walking slowly either, because then he must be casing a joint for robbery or to commit a crime? Then you wonder what template exists that stipulates the pace at which a  black-man in America should walk or is allowed or authorized to use in certain neighborhoods? White people hate black people and do not care about them - a case of use and dump, one may say? They captured and enslaved their forebears for their free slave labor and now that they have invented machines to do those slave jobs, they no longer have a need for their brute sinew; they are now more of a nuisance that must either be got rid of or contained? Their line of attack is three pronged - first make their families dysfunctional by not giving them jobs and force them to steal and then lock them up in prison. Second - on the slightest provocation just shoot and kill them and just end it there and thirdly, confine them in camps called Hoods and let them get so frustrated that they take it out on each other? Either way their objective is being met - reduction of black population in America, where 1 in every 5 black man is locked up behind bars and where a mere 30% of the population now make up more than 75% of American prison population of over 3 million? Needless to add that majority of black children are being raised by single mothers or grandmothers or aunties and have no clue who their father is, either he is homeless crack-head or dead or slowly dying in prison locked up for life.  

Icheoku asks is there anyone out there who still needs proof why black American males are angry and then ask yourselves, who wouldn't be, faced with similar circumstances? One final note, Icheoku concurs that what unfolded in Ferguson is not the end, nor is it the beginning of the end but the end of the beginning, as America and the world await the final episode of the undeclared but ongoing war between black and white Americans. God save America and thereafter bless those that see reason to address the searing problem that is racism in America. Imagine a police force for a predominately 63% black Ferguson community is 97% white, with only 3 black members? This is a reflection of practically every establishment in America and someone please tell Icheoku this is just and not racism and that there can be peace without justice. 

Anyway, today the black community in Ferguson Missouri buried one of their police-killed dead, Michael Brown. It was not really a news that a white police man killed another unarmed young black man in America as such has become almost a routine-occurrence in the United States of America. Icheoku says what will indeed be newsworthy is if by Michael Brown's killing, the much desired change in race relationship in America sees the light of the day. Icheoku says also if by Michael Brown's death, white police stop killing black people and finally if his death brings about a c-change in black people of America, compelling them to unite for a common purpose and against their common foe. Were these or any of them at least to happen, then Michael Brown's death would not have been in vain. It would have been meritorious and productive in a case of some good coming out of a tragedy. But if peradventure, when the outpouring of grief ends and the situation defaults to the status quo ante, including black people committing unspeakable crimes against each other, then his death would just become another statistics of a young black-man shot and killed by white police in America. Adieu Michael Brown!