A rare moment of silence

A moment of silence was observed yesterday in Seattle in memory of the teen that was shot to death last week in Ferguson, Missouri.

This time President Obama hit the right notes and maintained neutrality in proclaiming that (1) the shooting was not a justification for looting and violence and at the same time maintained that the right to protest (over the responsibility for the tragic incident*) was inalienable.

Before the facts from both and even multiple sides of the argument are in, many Americans rush in to make judgment.

No one can say with certainty at this point what the young black man was doing the night of his death.   Was he about to commit a burglary?  Was he attacking or threatening someone else?   Or was he mouthing off at the police officer?  Or was he just standing on a corner minding his own business?

I note that as Seattle is a hypocritical if well-meaning city at heart, no moment of silence was ever observed for Kristopher Kime, James Paroline, Tuba Man, the four Lakewood police officers shot in cold blood, and others...and their families.

In the interests of equality, which we all ostensibly believe in, I would like to dedicate this posting to those whose deaths/murders were all but ignored in the press and by popular opinion.




* MIA amidst all the furor is the fact that 96% of all murders of African-Americans are committed by other African-Americans.