IDENTIDADES 1 ENGLISH IDENTIDADES 5 ENGLISH | Page 56

The police became so scared of the
large number of protesters they tried to
contain the crowd by the use of tear gas.
It was like a war zone in the streets of
Ferguson. Social Media carried photos
of tear gas filled streets and people protesting around the world. People in Ferguson started receiving Tweets and text
from people in Palestine, telling them
how to deal with tear gas, to use milk to
wash their eyes. This one incident in a
line of many, we can say broke the
camel’s back. By watching the world
news you heard the tone and attitude in
journalists voices, they all called on
America to do something about their
race problem, about their violent and
mistreatment of Blacks citizens. It did
not amaze me that other countries see
America for what it really is, a racist,
oppression and militarized state.
President Obama released a statement
two days later, saying they will review
police tactics. The people of Ferguson
and the Black people of the United
States did not want to hear that submissive statement, they want action, they
want to be able to walk out their doors
and not worry about the police shooting
them.

The mayor and the police chief were on
television asking for peace, no one
wanted to hear that. They even brought
in Rev. Al Sharpton, truth be told most
Black people I know feel Sharpton is
the last person who can speak for our
community. I watched television and
the internet and around the clock were
broadcasts from Ferguson, showing
young people marching protesting for
justice. They were not afraid and they
were not threatening violence. Their
voices and their anger showed in their
commitment to march all day and
scream for justice. They were not backing down the police are not use to the
citizens standing up for rights. The entire nation demanded justice, the Michael Brown killing coming on the cusp
of New York City police placing a
chokehold on Eric Garner and killing
him (July 17, 2014). Eric Garner who
was standing up to the police telling
them that he was tired of them harassing
him. What do you think will happen and
continue to happen when the oppressor
press his foot on the neck of the oppressed?

Ferguson. Protesters
stand in the middle
of West Florissant
Avenue in Ferguson,
Mo., early on Aug.
16, refusing to leave
despite police orders.
(Photo: Robert Cohen, St. Louis PostDispatch, via AP)
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