We Can Do Better
For the past four months, the people of Ferguson have been standing up for the very oldest American ideal: democracy, a say in the decisions that affect their lives. Just now, I was shocked to learn that the state of Missouri will not pursue a trial over the killing of Mike Brown. This latest miscarriage of justice shows that our democracy is still haunted by the oldest American reality, present at our nation’s creation: a belief by many in power that not all of our voices, and lives, truly count. We can, and must, do better.
The failure to indict—to even try Mike Brown's killer for any form of homicide—sends a terrible message to the thousands of citizens who have suspended their daily lives for the past four months to plea for accountability, and to a nation of youth who are watching to see whether their lives matter to a system that claims to pursue justice.
The Department of Justice has the power to pursue federal charges against Officer Wilson, and to ensure that a full investigation takes place. Given accusations of prosecutorial bias and irregularities in the grand jury process, we believe that our national leaders can and should step in where Missouri's system has failed.
Tonight, members of the Demos staff will be joining thousands of other Americans at one of the many rallies around the country. Join us as we channel our moral outrage to demand meaningful, systemic change—both justice for Mike Brown and an end to the daily event of Americans losing their lives at the hands of police.
