By Ashly Schmitt
Contributing Writer
The problems in Ferguson, Mo. have yet to die down since the Michael Brown incident took place on Aug. 9, 2014. The news has been filled with endless stories of riots and disturbances that have dispersed attention throughout the United States. The shooting has been such a popular topic since then, to the point where you have to live under a rock not to hear about it. Everybody has their different opinions about how the Ferguson Police Department handled the situation; the officer, Darren Wilson, stated it was self-defense against a criminal. Throughout the months there has been protesters setting fires and protests in other major cities such as Philadelphia, Chicago, Minneapolis, Boston and more. Of course most of us saw these protests on the news and social media.
Just weeks ago two, police officers were shot after a protest in Ferguson. Twenty-year-old Jeffrey Williams was arrested with having a handgun matching the shell casings from the shooting. The first officer was shot under his eye, the other in his shoulder. Fortunately, they were both released from medical care the following week. This disturbance puts the Ferguson Police Department in a horrible situation as they support a protest that is nonviolent and peaceful, but this disruptive act may set the acceptance back.
All of these events have large impacts on Ferguson. The town’s residents live feeling uneasy about their safety. Businesses have been on the downfall or even destroyed by the endless protesters. Police officers are obviously not safe in their everyday lives. The popular slogans for the uprising are “Black Lives Matter” but also “Cops’ Lives Matter”. Both sides of the matter are extremely persistent. It’s hard to see an end to all the protests anytime soon.
Do you find this situation ironic? This protester was marching against police brutality and saying stop killing us, yet would kill an officer. Some protests are even ruining the chance at making a living for their neighbors with business in an area that is chosen for demonstrations. We are all rooting for a quick solution, but we will just have to wait and see the outcome over time.
All lives matter. Not any one more than any other. From the 100 year old dementia patient, to the 20 year old McKendree University student, to the fetus who has yet to see the light of day, we all matter.