Pictures, Thoughts, and Prayers in Ferguson, MO [graphic][updated]

[update] I am encouraged by pictures and reports coming out of Ferguson tonight.  From the reports I read, the Governor called off local police and instead sent in state highway patrol troopers who, in civility and without riot gear, joined their fellow citizens to peacefully march and protest.  This is a victory for freedom and an answer to prayer.  Now let's pray that other officers and prosecutors will do their job well and gather the evidence for seeing that justice is done.

[original story]
When the small St. Louis community of Ferguson witnessed the death of an young black man at the hands of the police, it is appropriate to respond like this to such a tragedy:

When the teen was unarmed, and witness seem to indicate this was unjust, even murder, and you feel this is symptomatic of a wider systematic problem with police, violence, and race, this response is appropriate:

However, justice, true justice, must look like this:

Not like this rioting, vandalism, and looting that took place in Ferguson:

In response to that kind of rioting and violence, this seems like an appropriate way to keep a watchful eye for troublemakers:

And although the following seems like unnecessary, mean spirited instigation toward cops who are mostly just trying to do their jobs until they can go home to their family, making them understandably on edge and worried for their lives:

This kind of militarized response by the police

is absurd, over the stop, dangerous, scary, and should be very concerning to us all. This is Missouri, not Iraq. These are protesters and a few dozen violent opportunists, not ISIS.

The answer to all of this (besides Jesus) is the rule of law.  Not rule by mob. Not rule by force. Rule of Law. A young man died, which is a tragedy, and it may be murder, even racially motivated, which is profoundly unjust.  It is right to be upset, to be angry, and seek grievances and justice. You're right, I don't know what it's like to be a black man or woman, haunted by years of personal and systematic racism. But I know this: the same Constitution which protects one's first amendment rights to speech and assembly, to march, protest, and demand change, is the same Constitution which protects the right to due process and the right to trial by jury.  You can't hold up the first amendment while ignoring the fifth and sixth.  Calling someone a murderer, demanding his name and for justice before you know the story or even before he has been officially accused, is irresponsible and dangerous. Justice does not look like torches and pitchforks, it looks like blindfolds and fair scales. If Mike Brown was murdered, let there be trial, let evidence and witnesses be presented, and let the person guilty be sentenced by a jury of his peers.  Being white doesn't change that truth.  While society still stands and Constitution still holds, there must be a trial. 

At the same time, one's right to speech and assembly is a God given right that should not be infringed and intimidated by tanks and machine guns because a few people may turn to violence. Those kind of weapons have no place on American streets to address some looters and vandals, mostly opportunists I'm sure anyway.  The militarization of local police has been a growing problem for some time now and I hope that these images will wake Americans up to the serious threat to freedom that it, and big government in general, poses.  Yes, freedom is sometimes messy or disorderly and for those who love order and safety, really scary. But to squash freedom because of threat of violence, to silence opposition for the sake of protection is the definition of tyranny.  This is the same thing our federal government is doing through the NSA, holding citizens indefinitely, and so much more. Make no mistake, this is the danger of a standing army that our Founders warned about.  When tyranny comes to America, it come at the hands of a militarized local police, just following orders.  

In the face of the ongoing situation, I pray that there are enough good people and leaders in the Ferguson community to show civility and restraint in the face of outcry and injustice, that they would seek it through the rule of law and the courts rather than the mob.  Rather than cry for blood, an eye for an eye, and vengeance, I pray they would fundamentally show love and forgiveness in the name of Jesus that would heal their community even as they seek justice under the law.  I pray there are enough good people in the police force in Ferguson that they would stand down even when pushed, to protect life even when afraid, and disobey orders when unjust.  I pray for police captains and leaders, that they would pull back their show of force and intimidation and make wise decisions to protect life and property while also protecting freedom of speech.

I am heartbroken for this injustice and division. So help us God.

Seth

edit: What was incorrectly thought to be a rioters throwing a molotov cocktail was actually a protester throwing a tear gas grenade back at the riot police, so I removed it.  Considering the overreaction by police, I probably would have done the same.