Wither Responsibility?

The great current debate over the amount of institutionalized racism we may or may not have is intriguing. We don't doubt that there are racists and that that will at times influence the decision making process adversely. We see that argument applied to the Michael Brown case and others involving individuals and the police. The point is worth considering, and indeed commands consideration: if a broad societal influence is adversely affecting justice, the issue must be addressed as a matter of justice itself. Yet the question remains: how much injustice is the fault of society, and how much of the individual?

At the risk of oversimplification, the trouble here is that too many folks insist on grand background theories which purport to explain everything while actions themselves are essentially individual. This doesn't mean that the twain shall never meet, nor that we should not examine the big picture. Surely a root cause of crime is poverty, for example, and we should strive to eliminate it. Yet poverty can never excuse crime; a mitigating factor no matter how relevant can rarely fully absolve an individual of responsibility for his acts. At the end of the day, if we truly believe in individual freedom and responsibility (indeed of the dignity of the individual), then we have to be careful about blaming society more so than the person when the person does something wrong.

When all is said and done, what we are left with as each individual action occurs is little but to study that action on its merits or lack thereof and go from there. As to the institutionalized questions which may lie nearby, whether racism, poverty or the like, the best we can do is discuss them freely, openly, and without rancor, and as such work towards freeing the individual mind from biases (on either side of the divide) which hurt rather than help human understanding and the search for justice. If talking about the underlying issues which may or may not lurk beneath the Michael Brown tragedy will help us prevent similar problems in the future, then let's talk about them. Yet they cannot, no matter how deep one may feel they may run, absolve Mr. Brown of his own ill thought out actions.

That's the bottom as we see it. We truly hope it helps rather the hurt the ongoing debate over society, the person, justice, and freedom.

Hands up, Don't shoot an ineffective racism fighter

Hands up, don't shoot, has become a catchphrase now to the point of distraction. The trouble is that it's an attempt to make a statement about something which belittles the very cause it portends to support.

That there are longstanding troubles between police and black communities is almost without question. The causes are myriad, and we don't know what to make of them. We're skeptical of the blanket charge of institutionalized racism (by all the evidence it really doesn't apply with the Michael Brown case except to left libertarian zealots) but are not so naive as to think racism has been eradicated in these United States (or anywhere else for that matter) and neither so naive as to believe it can't in fact be institutionalized. Sometimes police forces and government agencies fail to represent the community but for reasons which aren't racially motivated in any direct sense. Some cities such as Highland Park, Michigan here locally saw the makeup of the communities change so relatively quickly that, due to public service contracts and such, there was no way that the makeup of their police, fire, and civil service workers could have been expected to keep up with the demographic changes. If those changes were racial, and it seems unlikely that they weren't, then at least the charge of racism wouldn't necessarily reflect upon government structure or policies. Still, to where racism borne both of individuals or civil units exist, we must all strive to reign it in.

But that cannot be done successfully if a less than sympathetic character should become the symbol of the movement.

Like it or not, the Grand Jury looking into the issue has made up its mind, and the decision is in favor of Darren Wilson and the Ferguson Police. There is little compelling evidence that Brown acted properly within his rights, and no obvious reason to cry racism over the troubles. As such, raising the banner of 'hands up, don't shoot' to fight racism must be seen more as a group seeking a cause rather than as a group of concerned citizens who desire justice. They will be dismissed as extremists who see racism everywhere, as they should.

What we need in America today is a mentality which wants justice for everyone, not any one group. This means studying the issues with a blind eye which, should it see racism, call it out. But should it it see simple and offensive criminal acts, call them out too. Without that as our guideline we will have little but mob rule. And we should not want to be ruled by either the pro or anti Michael Brown rabble.