Unsolicited Advice for Ferguson

(Cartoon/Courtesy of www.investors.com/cartoons)

Protestors were in the streets of Ferguson last night,

Angry at the failure of Grand Jurors to indite 

Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown.

Some began to riot and set fire to the town.

Liquor stores were looted; there were rocks and bottles thrown

And, despite the pleas for peace, the anger's only grown.

Shots were fired, highways blocked, with multiple arrests.

Tear gas filled the streets patrolled by guys in Teflon vests.

Unlike this Grand Jury, I do not have all the facts.

I just know there are too many senseless, violent acts

Where a young, black man is killed for looking like a threat.

They don't get the benefit of doubt that white kids get.

"He looked like a demon," is what Darren Wilson said.

Now, because that's how he saw him, Michael Brown is dead.

Young, black men know they're perceived with deep mistrust and fear.

How we change those attitudes is not exactly clear.

One thing that I guarantee won't help is rioting.

Fueling racial prejudice will not fix anything.

Criminals demanding justice? That seems pretty strange.

Peaceful demonstrations are the only way things change.