Who's Protecting Whom?

The narrative in the ongoing Ferguson show appears to be solely coming from the "black lives matter" story, hence the based-on-a-lie "hands up, don't shoot" gesture that is, of course, something that never happened in the actual incident.  Well, black lives matter, as do white, Hispanic, Asian, Polynesian and all humanity.  Equally.

So if, indeed, someone is worried about protecting the next Michael Brown from being shot by a policeman in the performance of his duty, we should talk about the relative equality of humanity, and what actually tips the scales of that equality in terms of the protection of life.

To me, one's right to protection is basic, essential -- and fragile.  You lose the sanctity of that protection when you violate the law and, yourself, pose the threat to society that is what requires the institution of a police force in the first place.

Michael Brown committed at least five crimes that day in Ferguson, according to the evidence -- he committed assault on a citizen (the convenience store owner); he robbed the store; he possessed marijuana which was found in his system; he committed assault and battery on the police officer; he resisted arrest.

As a result of the actions of that day, the not-innocent Michael Brown is dead, which is unfortunate but self-driven -- essentially, by charging a policeman who had already shot him, he committed suicide-by-cop.  The other actions are not pleasant, but in a way, even more unfortunate because of the impact on the innocent.  The owner of the store, who did nothing at all, no longer has a business.  Over a dozen businesses owned by black residents of Ferguson are now destroyed.  Their owners did nothing.  The policeman is out of a job in which he followed his training to the letter, and did what any officer of any race would have been forced to do.

There is a simple question to ask from this, and it isn't whether or not black lives matter (hint -- they do).  In the aftermath, with businesses destroyed, innocent lives ruined, Al Sharpton no doubt richer (somebody has to be paying him to stir up the troops), it is not at all appropriate to ask who should be protecting the Michael Browns of the world.

Let us ask the correct question: Who will protect us from the next Michael Brown?

Copyright 2014 by Robert Sutton