BP #3: The Night St. Louis Went Dark

UPDATED August 14th

Sunday Night, tragedy led to an even bigger injustice. Mike Brown will be missed. And just like any other human being, his memory should be kept sacred and pure, and what went on in our city last night, was anything but honoring to a memory.

St. Louis, which usually sit in the backdrop, was catapulted into the national spotlight. Over 200K tweets were casted about the situation, from all over the country. From New York, to San Fran, the country watched in horror as a band of thieves and idiot went around looting and destroying our precious community. And I want everyone out there, all over the country to know one thing.

THIS IS NOT WHO WE ARE. THIS IS NOT THE GREAT PEOPLE OF ST. LOUIS. IT IS THE FEW REPRESENTING THE ALMOST 2 MILLION OF US IN the ST. LOUIS AREA.

WE as a community think that this is wrong, and a travesty. And as someone who lives in North County, as someone who had been that QuikTrip, and that Wal-Mart, and those shoes stores, it break my heart. Because we have done such a good job over the years to build our community into a grand vision. And it sucks that a few sick individuals don’t know a good thing when they see it. They don’t know that they are only hurting themselves, along with the rest of us.

But I, as a black man, and a soon be college student, can not ignore what incited these events. A young man, not very different than me, is dead. Shot in cold blood. And I don’t care what anyone says, when someone is 30 feet from you, shooting them half dozen times is not necessary.

Its very hard to explain race relations in St. Louis to people who dont live here. But I will try. St. Louis is a very segrated city. Whites live on one side, and blacks live on the other. And while it has improved over the years, it's a slow change. And the racism in St. Louis is VERY deeply rooted. And when it comes to police and black men, its worst than ever. There's a term, Driving While Black, that many of us use.

And thats a tragedy on its own.

The fact that we have a term almost brings me to tears. But that fact that this applies to almost every aspect of a black St. Louisian, makes me angry. And the worst part it, most of the time its not blatant outright rasism, but very stubtle. But that does not make it less of a problem. Racism of any kind is a problem.

And I commend and lift up all of the persons who have been PEACEFULLY standing in the name of Mr.Mike Brown. You all, not the intolerants, should be the ones on news stations across the world.

And I don’t know what tonight will bring. No one does. We are just sitting, waiting, and praying to God, that everyone turns out okay. Because right now healing and recovery seems so far out of reach. But as we have done time and time again, we, as the community of St. Louis, will move on, and move forward.

Thoughtfully,

Eichel

#Ferguson