The Trust Gap Between White Officers and Young Black Men

I just got to watch and read the different accounts of what happen to Mike Brown who was shot dead Mike's accomplice in the conveniencestore robbery minutes before they got approached by the police officer Darren Wilson differs from the accounts of the officer who shot Mike told by his friends. And a third account what I consider is the most insightful piece recorded by accident (because it seems there is no motive to alter what he witnessed and was casually explaining what he saw in the background of a video.  Another cue is Mike’s friend Darian did say, the officer said "I will shoot" and a shot goes off in the car…this could be possible if the officer was feeling under threat physically. If he was completely under control of his gun and no one was reaching out for his gun I don't know how a shot would go off in the car. All in all the biggest questions is what was the reason/cause or motive behind the trigger? What is hard to understand is, 

in Ferguson MO.  The accounts told by Mike’s friend Darian Johnson,

A, If it is true Mike was in fact running away, why would the police officer shoot him or why would he fire a shot towards Mike? 

B, If Mike was in fact rushing (coming at the officer at full speed as the officer says) why would Mike charge at an officer who has his gun withdrawn already, it goes against common sense? 

C, Is it then possible that Mike fought the officer, possibly reached for the officer's gun, shot goes off...Mike & his friend run, the officer chases & fires a shot, Mike then decides to surrender and turns towards the officer. Then the officer remembers he was told there was arms robbery and convinced Mike might be rushing at him and might shoot him, so he fires shots in fear? The problem with that is, the officer would probably have known by then Mike didn't had a gun.  

It is tragic to lose a precious life at such a young age at the hand of a law enforcement agent. May the young man’s soul rest in peace. It is also important to seek for the truth nothing but the truth, for the public to have the patience for the facts before reacting and have the discipline to be guided by reason over emotions. What else is important? Remembering the law is important, but equally important is understanding when in the middle of heated argument or confrontation people don’t think of what is the appropriate law to apply. They react based on what their inner intuition is driving them or communicating to them. We are talking about split of seconds. At that stage the brain doesn’t have the luxury to think of the law and what you are supposed to do and not do according to the law. That is why although perhaps some felt it is character assassin to release the account of things what had happened in the store where Mike was allegedly rubbing Link (it however brings invaluable insight as to what might have been in the mind of the officer) just like it is important to know if the officer is racist or not.

We have to give the law enforcement agents the benefit of the doubt when it comes to the general theory that they are indeed out there to keep law and order and not out there trying to gun down young black men. I just sincerely believe in that, I have been stopped many times by both black and white officer while driving. Sometimes I knew why I was being stopped sometimes I am clueless. Sometimes I am humbled with their caring reactions and advise, sometimes I get warnings, or appropriate tickets, sometimes not so much).  What is the most important thing out of it all is that, our first interaction with the officer engaging us. If your first perception is, shoot what did I do (what law did I break) vs. here it goes I am being profiled it could have world of difference on how everything else ensues. And yes I am aware and sure our previous experience has its own trigger that it plays in such situations…

 One can ask if let’s say the law enforcement agents are out there to keep the safety of the citizens why then are there one too many young black men dying at the hands of white law enforcements compared to white young men? Is the life of a young black man not as precious as that of a white young man? I am sure every one of us would respond of course the life of a young man is equally valued as of that another young man.

If we wish to solve the problem we need to first ask the hard question “why?”, from more of a psychological angle.  Why and where does the problem emanate?       

1. Is there a perception in the subconscious mind of the white officers that young black men’s life isn’t valued as of their own or white young men’s?
2. Is there a perception in the subconscious mind of law enforcement officers that, young black men do not value life as much, therefore they feel threatened and fear for their own life during a confrontation? Hence, officers’ reactions tend to shoot first believing that they could end up being killed.
3. Is there a perception in the subconscious mind of young black men to fight or flight in the presence of confrontational situation with white law enforcement agents?

Based on our perception & intuition of things we make sense of our surrounding and our presence in them. Our actions or the lack there of are driven accordingly. In order to bring meaningful progress, we have to be in touch with our biases and perceptions, yes we all have them. Demanding and asking for justice is always appropriate and righteous. But justice isn’t really a solution. Justice is reactive. We need to work on the bigger problem, which is giving more focus not on specific accounts, but rather identifying the cause of the subconscious perception that drives the action to pull the trigger.

May the family and the community find the strength to deal with such terrible tragedy.