In Search Of Emmett Till
On the heels of last week decision by the grand jury in Ferguson not to indict officer Darren Wilson for the shooting of black 18 year old Michael Brown, the country is once again in a state of unrest. A New York grand jury also failed to indict a police officer in the death of a black man. Last August, Eric Garner 43, died due to a police choke hold while they attempted to arrest him for allegedly selling black market cigarettes. The coroner determined the cause of death as a homicide. The officer who administered the choke hold, which is against NYPD policy, officer Daniel Pantaleo was immediately relieved of his gun and badge-essentially ending his career. Protesters immediately gathered in New York and other cities with the typical chants no justice, no peace. Although it is my personal view that the death of Mr. Garner was indeed a tragedy that should not have occurred and it also should have gone to trial. These incidents, are compounded by similar other media driven events.