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 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

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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, 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

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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?

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OCTOBER 2014 – MICHAEL BROWN'S SHOOTING: RACIAL DIVIDE IN AMERICA WOMEN

VIDEO REVIEW

Pre‐viewing

In February 2012, , 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 , 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?

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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?

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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. Why do you think the shooting deaths of the two young men generated so much emotion and controversy?

4. Do you think a police shooting in Canada would create the same focus on racial differences?

Followup

Research the shooting death of Trayvon Martin and take a second look at the post-viewing questions. Did your answers change? Did your additional research add more clarity to the situation?

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OCTOBER 2014 – MICHAEL BROWN'S SHOOTING: RACIAL DIVIDE IN AMERICA WOMEN

RACIAL DIVIDE IN ST. LOUIS COUNTY

The Gateway City [St. Louis] is, by any measure, one of the most depopulated, deindustrialized, and “deeply segregated examples of American urban decay. – Colin Gordon, University of Iowa historian,” Mapping Decline: St. Louis and the Fate of the American City Many people living in Ferguson wonder if it was reflection of life in the greater St. Louis area. just a matter of time before racial tension exploded in the town of 21 000. Located 18 The statistics that really tell the story of unrest kilometres from the city of St. Louis, Ferguson waiting to happen relate to law enforcement in is one of St. Louis County’s 91 municipalities. Ferguson. The Ferguson Police are made up of The city itself is composed of mostly lower- 53 officers — 50 are white and three are black. middle class people with a fairly stable business In other words, a police force composed of 95 community and a generous amount of work per cent white officers serves a community that available either in the community itself or in is 67 per cent black. Theoretically this can work surrounding jurisdictions. The main problem lies but in practice the administration of justice in the fact that county itself has become seems stained by . Blacks are the fragmented between the affluent and the poor subjects of 86 per cent of traffic stops in the city with a clear racial divide between the mostly with many complaining that this is a form of black communities of the north and the white routine harassment by police. communities of the south. Meanwhile, city planners report that fines and Urban historians note that Ferguson is a case court fees are the second highest revenue stream study in the social and economic trends affecting in Ferguson. In fact, in 2013, the courts issued St. Louis County. In 1980, the town was 85 per more warrants (24 532) than there were people cent white. Over time, black families moved into living in the city. Regardless of whether more the area and many white families moved out. blacks were charged with offences than whites, Subsequently, the demographic shifted so that, the fact that fines and court fees were so by 2014, 67 per cent of families living in important to the city’s finances shows the social Ferguson were black. While the economy of stress experienced by the people of Ferguson. Ferguson remains respectable, there has Sources: definitely been an economic decline since 1980. This can be explained by a number of factors, Coy, Peter (August 15, 2014). The county map that explains Ferguson’s tragic discord. Bloomberg including: an overall trend in the U.S. economy Businessweek. toward lower paying jobs, neighbouring communities luring businesses into their areas Levy, Pema (September 12, 2014). Ferguson prosecutor Robert P. McCulloch’s long history of siding with police. with tax incentives, and the shifting Newsweek. demographics mentioned above. This trend is a

To consider

1. Why did the economy of Ferguson decline between 1980 and 2014?

2. What disturbing statistics suggest Ferguson was a crisis waiting to happen?

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OCTOBER 2014 – MICHAEL BROWN'S SHOOTING: RACIAL DIVIDE IN AMERICA WOMEN

THE MILITARIZATION OF THE POLICE

Minds on

The sheriff of McMinn County received a shipment of 161 “hand-me-down” weapons from the U.S. military in 2013. They included M16 rifles and .45-caliber pistols (71 of each weapon). McMinn only has 31 officers. What does this suggest about the militarization of the police in the United States?

Source: Balko, Radley (July 18, 2014). Police militarization roundup. .

The army or the police? Just over a week after the shooting of They were dressed in camouflage, perched atop Michael Brown, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon armored vehicles, assault rifles at the ready just called in the National Guard to contain the in case things got out of hand. This isn’t a description of a scene from U.S. military action protests. In this way, the police — who looked in Iraq or Afghanistan — it’s a description of the like an army unit — were joined by an actual police presence in Ferguson, Missouri, during army unit. the days of protest that followed the death of Michael Brown. As protesters approached police Under government review barricades in the immediate aftermath of the Images from Ferguson of police officers who shooting of Brown, they were left to wonder if looked exactly like soldiers worried U.S. the police had given way to the army. They also government authorities so much that they vowed had to wonder if they really posed a threat that to review laws pertaining to grants and warranted such an intimidating show of force. transferring of surplus equipment. As Senator Tom Carper put it, “The question is whether Military grade gear what our police receive matches what they truly The equipment was in fact military-grade gear need to uphold the law.” Meanwhile President either purchased by local authorities or posited, “There is a big transferred to the police by the U.S. army. In the difference between our military and our local aftermath of the terror attacks of September 11, law enforcement, and we don't want those lines 2001, the U.S. federal government began to blurred. That would be contrary to our issue billions of dollars in grant money to over traditions.” Many wonder if the review is 8 000 jurisdictions in all 50 states. Local police coming a little bit too late. departments were to use the money to buy equipment to bolster their respective forces. The Source: federal government also transferred surplus Savage, Luiza Ch. (August 28, 2014). Surplus military gear military equipment to police departments moves from battle to U.S. police forces. Maclean’s. nationwide. This process has transformed the image of the friendly beat cop into that of a paratrooper waiting to take his next target.

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OCTOBER 2014 – MICHAEL BROWN'S SHOOTING: RACIAL DIVIDE IN AMERICA WOMEN

To consider

1. What potential drawbacks are there to using military equipment in domestic situations like the one in Ferguson?

2. How could the use of military equipment and dressing police in army tactical garb potentially inflame what might otherwise be a peaceful situation?

3. What do you think of the comments made by Senator Tom Carper and U.S. President Barack Obama? Do you agree with them or do you believe they are showing a lack of support for police forces?

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