Protests have been one the basic rights of Americans since before the Revolutionary War started. The Sons of Liberty protested against the unfair taxation by the British government, one of these was the famous Boston Tea Party where they dressed up as Indians and dumped tea into Boston Harbor to protest the unfair taxation of this drinking staple. Now you know why we drink more coffee than tea as they substituted coffee for the taxed tea.

What I suspect what has been happening in Ferguson is that people feel that they are not being heard and sometimes it boils over in violence because of this feeling of disenfranchisement. Other times a small but violent group within a larger peaceful group subverts the purpose of the protest for their own purpose(s). It happened in the riots of the 1960s and whole sections of impoverished areas were destroyed much to the detriment of those who lived there.

One of the problems that is still around in the 21st Century is the perception that those of Color are treated by those in authority differently than White people. And those who are White assuming that those of Color are being treated fairly by the authorities. Unfortunately racism still lives and the fight must against it must go on. But, differences of perception of the same (similar) facts can and has been interpreted differently by one group of people to another. Which is why it is important as to how you perceive a situation without all the facts can and does tend to distort (color) the truth.  No pun intended.

As of this date the prosecutor in the Ferguson shooting has released to the public all the facts that were presented to the Grand Jury, which returned a No Bill (Indictment) verdict. Unfortunately the Federal investigation is not as yet completed and we the public have no idea of what the outcome from their investigation will be.

One of the questions that has to be asked of those who try to shutdown stores, interrupt parades and generally cause others to be inconvenienced just to try get attention for their cause is why do you do it? Do you really think that by being what I would call being a bully really helps your cause or you just don’t care because everyone should be protesting with you?

It seems no one has told you that it is one thing to protest and try to get the attention of those around you. And another to try to force the people who are ignoring your protesting to join you by shutting down a store, street, etc. I am all for you protesting, but not trying to tell others around you what to do. After all this is the United States of America and you can make a difference by staging a peaceful protest.

So get out there and protest, just don’t expect for everyone to join you! Sometimes they will and other times you might not have gotten them to join in, but instead have triggered a thinking process that results in a changing of their mind(s).

Protesting is somewhat of an American tradition, the public support of the Vietnam War was eroded by the protesting started by the Peace Movement. If you really care about something and want to protest about it remember the following- While you have the right to protest, you don’t have the right to disrupt others lives while doing it. You can’t make everyone see your point of view, so accept that as a fact and try to peacefully present your points.

That is my opinion – Jumpin Jersey Mike