Behind the Eight Ball in Ferguson

Michael Brown was no angel.  His behavior in the convenient store is one of an angry, frustrated black man.   On the other hand the predominantly white police force would not be accused of being angels either, Are Our Sins Coming Home to Roost in Ferguson?

It's typical of many cities in the south for the majority population to be black and/or Hispanic and the power structure to still be white. This is in my opinion a strong indicator that racism is not dead in that community.

Among many other problems, we have created a welfare system (We Created the System, Chicago Gang Violence) that does not encourage growth and families, nor does it support individuals in getting education and/or job training to move out of poverty.   And we selectively enforce laws against the minorities (A War on Black People that Do Drugs) that continue to keep the brown and black man in this country behind the eight ball. And yes, the problem extends to all poor people, but here again blacks are disproportionately represented.  (Its beyond the scope of this particular blog to address all the why's.)

And actually, the problem is even broader than discrimination against minorities, there is a systematic destruction of the middle class in this country that accentuates the black man’s struggle.  If the number of chairs in the middle class are decreasing, it is much harder for those not already having a seat at the table to get representation.  

There is something called the Gini Coefficient and it rates the income equality/inequality of a country.  Small numbers say 0 to 30 represent countries where the wealth is spread around.  China for example has a Gini Coeff. of 42 to 47 depending on who is doing the rating. The U.S. gini coeff. is 45 to 48.   That’s not how you see the U.S. is it?  That our wealth inequality is about the same as China’s.  Even worse, they are getting better we are getting worse.  For comparison Denmark’s Gini is 24, Germany’s is 30.  This is just a statistically method of saying what we already know, the middle class is becoming a dinosaur in America.  It will be much worse for our children the way this is headed.  There simply are not enough jobs (If they don't work, Neither Shall They Eat) -- the results will be growing unrest and possibly violence (another time, another blog).

The problems in Ferguson are just a subset of the bigger problems in America.  There is a loss of opportunity and fairness for the little man in America.  Our country is run by the elite, for the elite (Wolf Pac: Our Democracy is at Stake).  Perhaps the only way to reclaim America for the people is what is happening in the streets of Ferguson? Do you see another way?