On Thursday, October 9th, Baltimore native Shawn Burnett was on a bus headed to Ferguson, Missouri—something that he had never intended to be on just a week earlier.
Exactly a week prior, he was asked by Joe Jones, Founder and CEO of the Center for Urban Families, if he would be willing to take his place in Ferguson October. “I jumped on the invite,” Shawn said, and the next thing he knew he was en route to St. Louis.
During the week of Ferguson October, the protests had an explicit agenda, and law enforcement seemed to have an agenda of their own. “I am not sure I had any expectations, but what I saw when I got there, was not the likes of images depicted through the media.” According to one protestor who was there since the second day after Michael Brown’s death, the police were on their best behavior during that weekend. “I believe this to be due to the presence of many outside individuals and the ability of them to report back on what may have occurred, had the similar gorilla-like tactics used in earlier protest been used during this period.”
On Saturday October 11th, Burnett and over 3000 protestors participated in the main march in downtown St. Louis. A march which ultimately culminated into a rally. In a separate march for Vonderritt Myers Jr., the second young man who was killed by police in the St. Louis area, Burnett reported the use of a swat team and “bogus police tactics utilized on peaceful protestors.” The protestors intended on marching from the convenience store that Michael Brown reportedly robbed, to a Quik Trip gas station several miles away. “As we marched, it was silent and quiet at first, and then out of nowhere, St. Louis police came in armored vehicles and in cars with riot gear. Mind you,” he continues, “we had not reached the gas station yet and this was not a previously designated area to stop at. Over seventeen peaceful protestors from Burnett’s march were arrested. “The police chief said that someone threw a baseball sized rock at him, that’s why they used force. But I can say that I was there and with my own eyes saw nothing of the matter occur.” While there have been instances of questionable police tactics, there were also instances where, according to Burnett, “The protestors stood their ground as well as the police but no one was arrested, things weren’t thrown and both groups respected each other’s space.” Ultimately, over 48 protestors (including Cornell West) were arrested by law enforcement during Ferguson October.
Since the shooting of Michael Brown, Ferguson has been under scrutiny for various things, including the long-standing tension between law enforcement and its residents. Burnett described it as, “Very evident that there was disconnect between those sworn to protect and the residents. I noticed and was told that the St. Louis area itself is mostly white and those in positions of “authority” don’t have the same or similar life experiences that minority constituents do. In my eyes, that would cause major instances of misunderstanding, possible stereotyping, and a lack of compassion or empathy on both sides.”
This is where the Center for Urban Families steps in. The Center for Urban Families is a Maryland-based group that “seeks to strengthen urban communities by helping fathers and families achieve stability and economic success” (Read more here). “There is no legitimate buffer organization that has the respect of the institution and system, and a rapport with the community” Burnett notes. “While I was there, I noticed that there are a million [exaggeration] voices on the side of the community, but no unison within them.” In order to have a more effective agenda, Burnett believes that, “An organization such as CFUF here in Baltimore, is a much needed entity here. Someone, an entity, who can advocate for and check both sides of the spectrum.”
With the impending results of Officer Wilson’s indictment left unresolved, tensions in Ferguson still remain high. “Overall I would say that there is an extreme disconnect between the minority community and those sworn to uphold the law…At the end of the day we are all ‘Americans,’ no matter our skin color, or ethnic makeup. Ferguson,” Burnett quips, “is just another national symbol of what takes place every day in all of our cities, counties, suburbs, etc.” Whether here in Baltimore, or in St, Louis, Missouri, it seems the fight at Ferguson is far from over.
