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MICHAEL BROWN's SHOOTING: Racial Divide in America

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MICHAEL BROWN's SHOOTING: Racial Divide in America News in Review – October 2014 – Teacher Resource Guide MICHAEL BROWN'S SHOOTING: Racial Divide in America Note to Teachers The classroom must promote a safe place for students to discuss sensitive issues such as violence and death. Prepare students for the topics that will be discussed. Allow for individual reflective time in addition to small group activities where students can safely process their thoughts and emotions. MINDS ON Jaywalking happens when a person crosses the road or walks in the street with little or no regard for vehicle traffic. It is considered a minor or nuisance offence. How would you expect a police officer to respond to an incident of jaywalking? What penalty should a jaywalker expect to receive? SETTING THE STAGE Tragedy struck after a white police officer saw two black men jaywalking in Ferguson, Missouri. According to Darian Johnson, he and Michael Brown were just walking down the middle of the street when the police officer tried the street in Ferguson, Missouri, a suburb just to strong-arm Brown into submission before outside of St. Louis. Wilson told the two to get shooting him to death. According to the police, off the road and a struggle followed. According Michael Brown went for Officer Darren to Darian Johnson, the friend who had been Wilson’s gun while he was resisting arrest, spending the day with Michael Brown, Wilson compelling the policeman to shoot Brown. was overly aggressive from the start, pulling his cruiser so close to the two men that, when he got No matter whose version of events you believe, out to confront them, he was able to open his what became clear within hours of Brown’s door into Brown. This is when the struggle death is that the racial divide between blacks and started. According to Johnson, Wilson tried to whites is still a grim reality in the United States pull Brown toward him into the cruiser. of America. According to the authorities, Brown manhandled Wilson and went for his gun. Sometime during What happened? the skirmish, Wilson shot Brown and the 18- There is only one conclusion that all parties year-old made a run for it. Wilson pursued him, agree on: Wilson shot Brown to death. Around firing more shots, until, according to Johnson noon on August 9, 2014, Officer Wilson reports and several other witnesses, Brown stopped, seeing two people walking down the middle of turned around, raised his hands and told the News in Review ∙ CBC Learning ∙ newsinreview.cbclearning.ca 22 OCTOBER 2014 – MICHAEL BROWN'S SHOOTING: RACIAL DIVIDE IN AMERICA WOMEN officer to stop shooting because he didn’t have a the suspect officer. Finally, on August 15, weapon. A private autopsy later revealed that six Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson named shots went into Brown, all of them fired into the Darren Wilson as the officer who shot Michael front of his body and two of them into his head. Brown. However, the chief also released a surveillance video that appeared to show Brown A volatile situation stealing a box of cigars from a local convenience What followed was a series of events that saw store. Later the same day, reporters asked Chief law enforcement inflame an already volatile Jackson if Wilson was pursuing Brown in situation. Investigators combed over the crime connection with the “strong-arm” robbery he scene for over four hours, all the while leaving described at his news conference. Jackson Brown’s body lying, uncovered, on the spot revealed that the officer was simply stopping a where he was shot. Understandably, this upset pair of jaywalkers and that he had no knowledge the community, turning shock over the shooting of the convenience store incident. This really of a young man into rage over a lack of respect angered people because it appeared the chief for the victim. And once word got out that was trying to blame the victim for what Brown was unarmed, and that he had attempted happened to him. Accusations of a police smear to surrender to the police, the vigils and protests campaign began to fly, reigniting people’s rage. took on a new level of intensity. More riots and looting occurred later that evening. Protesters vs. Police Initial non-violent demonstrations were greeted It should be noted that the overwhelming with a multitude of police personnel from a number of protesters did not take part in rioting number of jurisdictions adorned in riot gear and or looting. For the most part, protests were perched atop armored vehicles with guns at the intense and emotional, but non‐violent. ready. The peaceful protesters marched past police chanting, “Hands up! Don’t shoot!” By For over two weeks, Ferguson was the centre of the evening of August 10, community anger — a conflict that pitted black residents against a simmering since the early afternoon of the predominantly white police force. The killing of previous day — boiled over with some Michael Brown sparked nationwide debates on protesters resorting to hurling projectiles at race relations, the use of force by law police and others turning their anger on local enforcement as well as an analysis of the businesses, looting stores and shops. For days, militarization of police forces across the U.S. daytime protests went off without incident, Many wondered if the shooting of Brown could while the nighttime events turned riotous, with have been avoided if Officer Wilson had been police firing rubber bullets and unleashing tear less aggressive and if widespread confrontation gas on protesters and rioters alike. could have been diffused if the police hadn’t rushed to bring out the riot gear and armored Blaming the victim vehicles. More than anything people wondered The show of force presented by police was what lessons could be learned from the tragic combined with a brash unwillingness to share death of Michael Brown. information, which included a refusal to name News in Review ∙ CBC Learning | Curio.ca ∙ newsinreview.cbclearning.ca 23 OCTOBER 2014 – MICHAEL BROWN'S SHOOTING: RACIAL DIVIDE IN AMERICA WOMEN To consider 1. Describe the two conflicting versions of events surrounding the shooting death of Michael Brown. Which version of events seems most believable? Why? 2. What actions by police seemed to provoke the protesters? 3. Why did people think Police Chief Tom Jackson was blaming Michael Brown for what happened to him? 4. Why was the allegation that Brown robbed a convenience store irrelevant in light of the incident involving Officer Wilson? 5. What can people learn from the tragic death of Michael Brown? News in Review ∙ CBC Learning | Curio.ca ∙ newsinreview.cbclearning.ca 24 OCTOBER 2014 – MICHAEL BROWN'S SHOOTING: RACIAL DIVIDE IN AMERICA WOMEN VIDEO REVIEW Pre‐viewing In February 2012, George Zimmerman, a neighbourhood watch coordinator for the gated Florida community in which he lived, followed a young person that he thought was up to no good. Eventually he caught up with the person, a scuffle ensued, and Zimmerman wound up shooting the person from close range. The shooting victim was Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old black boy who lived with his father in the neighbourhood. Martin was unarmed. The shooting inspired mass protests across the United States, reigniting the debate over the racial rift between blacks and whites. A jury later acquitted Zimmerman of murder charges, agreeing with his claim that he was acting in self-defence. Keep this story in mind as you watch the documentary on the shooting death of Michael Brown. While viewing 1. What incident set off riots in Ferguson, Missouri, in the summer of 2014? 2. How does the police account of what happened to Michael Brown differ from the account given by witnesses? 3. What was the rallying cry of protesters in Ferguson? In other words, what did they chant while they were protesting? 4. What does Brown’s friend Darian Johnson say happened that night? 5. a) What percentage of people living in Ferguson are black? b) How many of the city’s police officers are black? News in Review ∙ CBC Learning | Curio.ca ∙ newsinreview.cbclearning.ca 25 OCTOBER 2014 – MICHAEL BROWN'S SHOOTING: RACIAL DIVIDE IN AMERICA WOMEN 6. a) What was Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson implying when he released a surveillance video of Michael Brown at a convenience store prior to the shooting? b) What was the real reason Brown was stopped by police? c) Why was Missouri State Highway Patrol Captain Ron Johnson upset about the release of the surveillance video? 7. What controversial news did the autopsy report reveal? 8. Why did Missouri’s governor call in the National Guard? 9. Why does Brown’s family insist that he was executed? 10. What did authorities fear would happen when another black man was shot and killed just eight miles from where Michael Brown was shot? 11. According to Captain Ron Johnson, what “dangerous dynamic” was at play in the nightly riots in Ferguson? News in Review ∙ CBC Learning | Curio.ca ∙ newsinreview.cbclearning.ca 26 OCTOBER 2014 – MICHAEL BROWN'S SHOOTING: RACIAL DIVIDE IN AMERICA WOMEN 12. What message emerged from Michael Brown’s funeral that issued a challenge and seemed to give meaning to his death? 13. What were civil rights activists like Reverend Al Sharpton looking for in the wake of the Brown shooting? 14. What is a St. Louis grand jury investigating regarding the Michael Brown shooting? Post‐viewing 1. Why do you think the death of Michael Brown inspired protests similar to the ones following the death of Trayvon Martin? 2. What similarities are there in the two cases? What differences do you notice? 3.
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