The Issue With Benjamin Watson's Ferguson Post

Benjamin Watson, evidently a player of sports ball to those who follow that sort of thing, gave his thoughts on Ferguson via his Facebook page on Tuesday. His thoughts, broken down into a list of sorts, details how frustrated and angry he is by the continued preying upon of black citizens in the United States. This is good. He also, however, makes an attempt at condemning the riots, sympathizing with Darren Wilson and scolding Michael Brown for disobeying a policeman. This is bad.

Look, Watson has more right to speak out about the issue than I do. He is, after all, a black man living in a country that still views him as a threat. He understands better than most what it's like to walk down the street and draw the gaze of trigger-happy cops. This is why it confuses me so much to see someone like Watson speaking on this issue so ignorantly. Admittedly, he understands the base issue that black men are being unfairly (and disproportionately) gunned down by law enforcement. But he fails to recognize the full picture and, in doing so, perpetuates the larger issue of racism. For example....

I'M EMBARRASSED because the looting, violent protests, and law breaking only confirm, and in the minds of many, validate, the stereotypes and thus the inferior treatment.

Sure, looting stores, lighting cop cars on fire and generally causing havoc and mayhem aren't exactly the most effective ways of endearing yourself to the powers that be. That being said, fuck the powers that be. Why the hell should people who have been shat on their whole lives sit around and play the peace bongos until someone in power comes by and asks them what's up?  The idea that violent action by oppressed masses is somehow confirming stereotypes is just the sort of racist tripe that assholes trot out to confirm their own racism. It invalidates the cause if they can attach it to the idea that "HUR DUR BLACK PEOPLE STEAL SHIT" and, thereby, weaves a narrative of mindless brutality in the minds of terrified white people watching CNN.

Certainly, I feel for the shop owners who are dealing with countless acts of vandalism and damage to their stores. I really do feel bad. But I feel worse for a sect of the population that has to accept the fact that there is absolutely nothing they can do against a system that treats them like animals and "demons." They aren't breaking shit because they just like the idea of chaos. They're breaking shit because it's the only way they can fight a system that is richer, more powerful and turns a blind eye to their cause.

I'M CONFUSED, because I don't know why it's so hard to obey a policeman. You will not win!!! And I don't know why some policeman abuse their power. Power is a responsibility, not a weapon to brandish and lord over the populace.

It's hard to obey a policeman because some people aren't content with bending over the table and spreading their cheeks open wide. Sure, you probably should obey policeman (especially if you're black) because you run the risk of getting shot in the face if you don't. But I am sympathetic to those young black men who draw the ire of law enforcement just by walking while black. Yeah, you're better off just shutting your mouth and letting the asshole search you, but that doesn't mean it's any less demeaning and tyrannical. When do we say enough is enough?

I'M INTROSPECTIVE, because sometimes I want to take "our" side without looking at the facts in situations like these. Sometimes I feel like it's us against them. Sometimes I'm just as prejudiced as people I point fingers at. And that's not right. How can I look at white skin and make assumptions but not want assumptions made about me? That's not right.

This stinks of "reverse racism" bullshit. All forms of prejudice are bad, yes. But pointing fingers at white people isn't even nearly on par with pointing fingers at black people. First of all, it's easier to be white. In every aspect. I could walk to the store right now and if a cop stopped me, it would be to ask if I had an iPhone 5 charger or if I could help him with his taxes. I don't run the risk of being shot.

On a more realistic note, you can't really be racist towards white people because in order to do so, those carrying out said racism have to be in a position of higher authority and power. As white people are currently sitting on the top of the heap, racism only ever amounts to shouts from below. And sometimes it can be pretty darned offensive. But being offended does not amount to being oppressed. And that's the crux of the problem. Assumptions being made about white people certainly does suck, but it's not worth addressing that issue in the wake of major racist assumptions and actions directed towards young black men. Let's fix the heart before we fix the foot, shall we?

I'M ENCOURAGED, because ultimately the problem is not a SKIN problem, it is a SIN problem. SIN is the reason we rebel against authority. SIN is the reason we abuse our authority. SIN is the reason we are racist, prejudiced and lie to cover for our own. SIN is the reason we riot, loot and burn. BUT I'M ENCOURAGED because God has provided a solution for sin through the his son Jesus and with it, a transformed heart and mind. One that's capable of looking past the outward and seeing what's truly important in every human being. The cure for the Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice and Eric Garner tragedies is not education or exposure. It's the Gospel. So, finally, I'M ENCOURAGED because the Gospel gives mankind hope.

The rest of Watson's post is religious drivel that, while well-meaning, removes the important focus of the issue and turns it into a Jesus-thon. This is, perhaps, the biggest problem of his post. In proclaiming the debacle a "sin problem" and not a "skin problem," he effectively removes blame from everyone and makes us all feel warm and fuzzy inside because it's just the Devil up to his old tricks. But in blaming Satan for our worldly ills, we can't effectively fight the problems. It reduces us to praying masses of inaction that sit around and wait for the problem to fix itself.

God is not going to fix this problem. At least not without acting through some very well-organized and inspired humans. This is not about reading the gospel and this is not about Jesus. This is about human beings that are stuck on this shitty planet together until we inevitably die (some of us by the hands of gun-toting cops). Harmony, perhaps a pipe dream, will not be achieved if we continue to divert our attention from the real issue of inequality and exasperatedly proclaim that "we just want everyone to get along." Don't blame black rioters for this problem. Blame a society that has, for hundreds of years, pushed black men and women into the ground and stomped on their dignity with the iron boot of white supremacy. Blame a history of white imperialism that drew arbitrary lines in the sand all over Africa and the Middle East in an attempt to proclaim the sacred gospel and civilize the "heathens."

Watson, you seem like a nice guy, but you are contributing to institutional racism with this post. You have nice intentions, but this won't be solved if people with as much media reach as you do keep speaking ignorantly. Truly educate yourself on the details of modern racism and you'll see that your advice falls short in a world where even the most polite black man is looked upon with disdain and suspicion. I would love for everyone to get along, but we won't get there by telling the oppressed peoples of this nation to quiet down and stop messing up our nice comfortable lifestyles. It's going to take rioting and, yes, it's going to take fire.