Darren Wilson not indicted: Justice system has failed us once again

Over 23 years ago — March 1991 — I sat stunned in my parent’s living room with the rest of America, transfixed by a grainy, homemade video of the vicious police beating of a 25-year-old black Los Angeles man, Rodney King.

The video revealed a dangerous reality faced by black people every day in America, capturing the attention of an entire nation and fueling outrage that only grew when justice was not delivered.

Today, I sit with a similar feeling of frustration. Despite a groundswell of outrage and months of protests from multitudes of black folks and their allies, Officer Darren Wilson will not be punished for the murder of 18-year-old Michael Brown.

But make no mistake, we’ve now fully entered the age of participation.

Unlike the days of the Rodney King video, we no longer have to wait for mainstream media to validate our stories. A new generation of activists has emerged, adept at using tools like cellphones and social media to amplify issues of police misconduct in Ferguson and nationwide. Their voices, stories and unwillingness to remain silent have made this a national moment for change.

To be sure, our justice system has failed us once again. And the serious problems plaguing law enforcement — “broken windows”-style policing, a lack of accountability, insufficient training and failure to root out racist and rogue officers — puts us all in danger. There are likely more of these moments to come.

But that is precisely why, in moments like these, our resolve, passion, and commitment are needed most. All of us — folks of good faith of all races, nationalities, and creeds — must stand together and continue to demand a better, safer tomorrow for our communities.

(From the: Daily News)