Staying Vigilant in Ferguson

Too often, injustices garner short-term attention, only to fade from the news cycle days later. Against the odds, the protestors in Ferguson and St. Louis have reversed that trend. It is inspiring to see people from all over the country organize demonstrations this past weekend in Missouri.

The demonstrations are part of the continuing reaction to the murder of 18-year-old Michael Brown by police officer Darren Wilson on August 9, 2014. The movement has grown to encompass not just this specific tragedy, but also the ongoing tragedy of racial injustice in America.

It is heartening to see people join the protests in Missouri under a variety of banners. As these protestors remind us, workplace discrimination and harsh immigration laws are issues that disproportionately face people of color. Black people, specifically black men, are disproportionately punished by the American criminal justice system.

Unfortunately, these are longstanding problems. People’s attitudes often cannot be changed overnight—or even over the course of centuries. The fact that many Americans still inhabit racially bigoted mindsets was made painfully clear a few nights ago in St. Louis, when a predominantly white crowd taunted peaceful protestors with racist and classist language. As long as this behavior is tolerated, racism will remain a major, pernicious force in American public life.

Instances like these can be discouraging, because they remind us that race relations remain a site of deeply entrenched tensions in America. We are reminded that fixing race relations in not simply a matter of changing a few policies. Decades after the Civil War, decades after the Civil Rights Era, we still haven’t found a truly post-racial America.

That being said, it would be remiss to give up hope without demanding short-term changes, including from American police forces. Such changes will not solve the fundamental problems of racism in America—but they can make headway by reining in the most heinous examples of prejudice.

After the police force of Rialto, California required its officers to wear cameras while on patrol, the city saw a drop both in police brutality and civilian complaints. Other cities have started to follow suit, especially in light of the tragedy in Ferguson. Rolling out cameras for police forces nationally is well worth the cost of equipment if it means saving young men’s lives.

Other short-term solutions could include educating police forces about the injustices of racial profiling, and bringing an end to the bigoted practice. Recently, the ACLU has revealed the prevalence of racial profiling right here in Boston. Scraping away at these examples of institutionalized prejudice is a way we can make small—pitifully small—improvements in the lives of our fellow people.

We hope that peaceful protests continue, and that they push society toward reform. These demonstrations should serve as a reminder for us not to forget how far this country still has to come.