By David Stillwell

The death of Michael Brown seems to have become a focal point for many things, including the civil unrest. Does this have to be about blacks vs. whites? No, not really. Despite the premise that Michael’s death was racially motivated there seems to be more there about which people are not willing to talk.

What about how we live as people? Each a member of the family, that family a member of the community. It stands to reason then that how each of us lives our lives impacts the community in which we live. If you want to live in a better community, become better citizens. Yeah, easier said than done, but the premise is still there.

How do the people of Ferguson or other communities with racial tension live their lives? It seems hard to believe that a white police officer would just randomly stop and kill a black teen simply because the boy was black. Even the dullest of people must realize that there would be consequences, which makes me ask if there not a long history of racial policing and if so, where are the complaints? On the other hand, if small crimes are constantly being committed so that the police have to become more involved with the “community” then we end up back at the building a better community objective again. Live a better life if you want to build a better community.

While the city burns, one has also to ask if that was not the brightest move possible? Where are people in that community going to work? Where are they going to buy groceries? Do they expect that the government will just increase public aid to a community that basically poops where it eats?

Like many people, I am saddened that Michael Brown died. It seems a senseless loss of life. I feel equally sorry for the officer who shot him. We will never know, exactly what happened there. We will never know if there was motive or opportunity. What we do know is that this is not a simple case. Given that, how do people move forward? The only place to start is with ourselves as individuals. Instead of looking at how others can become better people, look at yourself and ask the same question. Judge your friends by the people they are. Be humble enough to recognize your own failures. This is not going to bring back Michael Brown, but it may prevent another Michael Brown.

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