Ferguson Facebook Conversations: Dear Ferguson…
Nov. 25th 2014
Dear people of Ferguson,
I feel your anger. And I get the frustration that is leading some of you to riot. I heard that some are attempting to respond by not shopping on Black Friday in an effort to “hit them in their pockets”. No. Just no. That’s a distraction. Let’s consider a few things that may or may not include rioting…
1) New prosecutor: Whether or not you went to polls in November your prosecutor, Robert P. McCulloch, got re-elected… he ran unopposed. And he will be there for the next 4 years. How can you team up with community members, local universities etc, to identify another prosecutor to run in 2018? McCulloch has been in office since 1991…Yes, over two decades.
2) Riot (or not) for a special prosecutor: If another Mike Brown situation occurs, fight for an outside prosecutor to handle the case. And figure out who that person could potentially be.
3) Raise money: The fight doesn’t have to be over. Raise money for the Brown family to get a good lawyer to fight the case in civil court. Having a successful case has a lot to do with having the time to build a case and lawyers’ time is purchased.
4) Let’s all generally learn more about what a grand jury does and how they are chosen. I know I need to learn…
This is also applicable to Cleveland, Florida and everywhere else…
RIP Victor Steen, Tamir Rice, Oscar Grant, Ronald Madison and James Brissettet, Tanesha Anderson, Orlando Barlow, Kimani Gray, Timothy Russell, Ervin Jefferson, Rekia Boyd, Aiyanna Jones, Amadou Diallo, Patrick Dorismond, Pearlie Golden, Tarika Wilson, Miriam Carey, Shantel Davis, Tyisha Miller, Kendra James, Shelly, Frey, Aaron Campbell, Wendell Allen, Shareese Francis, Shulena Weldon, Erica Collins, Adaisha Miller, Ousmane Zongo, Alesia Thomas, Darnesha Harris, Delores Epps, Heather Parker, Ramarley Graham, Timothy Stansbury Jr., Sean Bell, Jacqueline Robinson Culp, Karen Day Jackson, Laporsha R. Watson, Mackala Ross, Melissa Williams, Monae Turnage, Steven Eugene Washington, Travaes McGill, Alonzo Ashley …
- Facebook conversationRebecca: AMEN!!!!!!Lisa: Brilliant, Soror! Thank you so much for this. Your words gave me life. I was so burdened for Ferguson this morning, mostly because I want to do something and feel helpless. Your suggestions are wonderful ways for us to channel our anger in a positive direction.Melissa Crum Thanks to all the knowledgeable folks who commented on my previous post! I learned so much today! It takes a village…Julie: This is wonderfully written! Well done, Soror, well done!Ah’Malah : I agree with your post. However, in order to focus on the above…shopping on socalled Black Friday will be the utmost distraction. It always has been regardless if their is a shooting, loot, riot or not. In order to save money for the Brown family which is a phenomenal idea folks need to not run out over the next fee days, weeks and even months to participate in unnecessary shopping. Thanks for an articulate post. I love you beautiful And I support you on this! Peace and Love Melissa CrumMelissa Crum I hear you but I feel like those are two totally separate issues and people are trying to conflate them which is a distraction. If people want to make connections to stores or businesses that have supported particularly elected officials, lobbyists, etc who have supported issues that are not in our best interest, then we can specifically boycott those businesses. And if that’s done, it has to be a large sustained boycott that affects their quarterly profits. Which means it has to be four to six months minimum. But even if we do that I don’t see the connection between that and decision in the Mike Brown case.Ah’Malah : Oh no..two separate issues but both are highly relevant, much loveJocelyn: Thank you for pointing out the distraction. I am proud of you and your scholarship. I appreciate that you took the time to learn and process instead of just being a social media activist. I’m glad you are pointing your rage in the right direction. I expected this from you.V : Boycott is a legitimate tool of protest. Why not let the country know that our dollars make a difference. if we do not shop on Black Friday our dollars will depress the total shopping and it will be a flop. That is a significant statement to make. We will not take up arms but we can take up economics. I do not see it as a distraction. Boycotts have always been a weapon.
Melissa Crum : Dr. V, I’m not clear in the direct connection between not shopping on Friday and altering the judicial system. Woolworth sit-ins and the Montgomery Bus Boycott, for example, were directly connected to specific laws regarding those establishments: desegregation. They were both sustained efforts in targeted areas by people who were prepared to do so long before the actual event. I do not see the connection between Ferguson and Black Friday. I believe, at best, there will be sporadic pockets of individuals who won’t shop on Friday but WILL shop tomorrow or Saturday. At worse, it will continue to be a bunch of social media talk and a significant amount of people will not change their spending habits or use their efforts to make legislative change. Either way, I don’t think boycotting Black Friday will be effective in the judicially arena especially if a significant amount of people aren’t already prepared to not shop at specific store for at least 4-6 months (thus effecting a corporations quarterly profits).
V: The nature of boycott as protest is not necessarily to directly impact the institution boycotted. It is to demonstrate the power of a group to impact another group. Boycotts are a means of non-violent protest and they are effective in many ways. Drawing attention, demonstrating solidarity, exercising power relative to an issue. Mr. Brown’s murder is bigger than the judicial system, the empowered police force and/or the prosecutor. It is about an entire society’s devaluation of a group of people to the extent that they can be jailed, killed, shot, beaten, miseducated, undereducated, and discounted systematically in every facet of our society. Black Friday is the marker of the strength of the economy for retailers for the entire Christmas season. If people (of any race) who are appalled by this society’s dehumanization of African Americans do not shop at all this Friday, it will impact the numbers and it will create an event that will generate attention and make a statement.Melissa Crum But what does it mean if people demonstrate power that isn’t directed towards specific solutions? In this case, what does solidarity look like in regards to change other than a group of people gathering to demonstrate/voice their anger/frustration? What are the practical steps? Let’s say no one shops Friday. Attentions is on “us”. Then what? Who is the “us” that gets the attention? Who’s ear(s) specifically are we aiming to get? Once “we” (whoever that is specifically) get their ear, what are we requesting? What CAN we request? Do the people who choose to not shop on Friday know how to connect not buying Christmas presents this week to reshaping an empower police force? I don’t really think so…Meghan: Melissa Crum I agree with you. I find this talk nonsensical and impractical. On top of the fact it doesn’t connect to a real defined cause. I won’t be doing anything different this weekend. And I’m hoping this weekend is a big success in particular for the brands I support at work everyday.Melissa Crum I just want to be clear. I am NOT anti-boycott or anti-protest. But I am anti-disconnected/random action. For example, people choosing not to shop at Walmart is in direct connection to the mistreatment of their labor force. To me, that makes sense. But how effective and realistic is it for people to not shop at all on Friday or for a sustained amount of time? And I’m willing to admit it if I’m missing something…Meghan: It’s not realistic. I wish people felt driven to mentor a young child. Now that could save a life. I’m sorry I just think this boycott talk is silly.Melissa Crum A potential connection, if you (Congress) continue to block the vote to limit/ban military-style weapons for local police departments then we will not shop at Home Depot because they are anti-Obama care. Or we will not patronize Goldman and Sach, Comcast, GE, or Monsanto products because they corrupt democracy through lobbying http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…/police-demilitarization…WASHINGTON — The only Congressional response to…HUFFINGTONPOST.COM


