The Central Oregon Social Justice Center will hold a vigil in solidarity with Ferguson, Mo., at 4 pm Friday at the corner of Wall Street and Newport Avenue (the “Peace Corner”).
In an email to members and supporters, SJC Coordinator Bruce Morris said that the timing of the protest happening across the country in response to a grand jury decision not to indict the police officer who shot and killed unarmed black teenager Mike Brown is particularly poignant when contrasted with the upcoming holiday season.
As often happens in the human condition, we are in a time of paradox. Tomorrow (Thursday) is a day when most of us gather to feel and express our gratitude for family, friends, and community. We are entering a season, however flawed, in which we take time to celebrate, to adorn ourselves, our homes and public spaces with color and light during the darkest days of the year.
And these are not just literally dark days. Our nation is dealing with a tragedy of humanity and a tragedy of justice in the fatal police shooting of the unarmed, 18 year-old Michael Brown: shot dead in the street, denied justice in an aberrant process, and demeaned, without any opportunity to defend himself, in a gratuitous public statement by a callous prosecutor. All along traumatized local people were met with militarized suppression of their fundamental rights to assemble and protest. These cumulative tragedies have moved people all over the country to take action, to harshly question our legal and justice systems, and to demand change.
What’s your take on the events in Ferguson? Share your thoughts in the poll (and comments) below.
This article appears in Nov 19-26, 2014.
MAKE LOCAL JOURNALISM HAPPEN
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
Reach into a police car and grab a gun you should expect to get killed. Simple common sense.
Okay Mitch. Let’s assume Michael Brown did reach inside the cop car. And lets assume that he then ran away. If he indeed did turn around, while several feet away from Wilson, and put his hands up…in your world “common sense” says he deserved to be shot several times?
Since the grand jury testimony of 8 African American witnesses AND forensic evidence proved his hands were NOT up what’s your point? What if aliens landed and pulled out laser guns I mean if we’re making up crazy stories instead of caring about facts…SMH
While I support your right to assemble your statements aren’t supported by the evidence. Forensic evidence showed Mr Brown’s hands were NOT up, nor was he running away. He robbed a store, assaulting the store owner in the process. He then attacked a police officer when stopped and tried to take the cops gun. After being shot in the hand while fighting with the cop for his gun he ran then turned and charged the cop. As far as people being denied their right to peaceful assembly goes, I don’t consider looting and burning stores or shooting at police and throwing fire bombs peaceful. Do you? While any loss of life is tragic it was Mr Brown’s decisions that day that cost him his life. Not some injustice or prejudice. If you want to protest why don’t you protest the entertainment industry for glorifying “thug life” and violence.
“Thug life.” The new racist code words.
For every black kid that is shot by a policeman (regardless of color) 27 other black kids are killed by a black person. Erin seems to be using some very poorly though out rhetoric to gain exposure. That kind of exploitation is shameful.
Witness accounts are widely varied (see http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/newly-released-witness-testimony-tell-us-michael-brown-shooting/) and yet some commenters here think they know exactly what happened. What does seem clear is that racism is alive and well in Central Oregon.