Soap Box

The recent sordid events in Ferguson, Missouri are troubling enough, but it could well be that they are merely a harbinger of much worse things to come.

Ferguson, at least in my opinion, is a conundrum, a �damned if you do, damned if you don't� situation that has allowed outside forces to paint it into a corner of potential violence regardless of how the grand jury decision on the killing of Michael Brown turns out.

Every fair-minded person in this nation is hoping that this situation can be concluded in a sane and peaceful way, but in my opinion, if and when this pot boils over, the way it is dealt with by law enforcement will set the parameters for future situations, and the wrong response could establish a volatile premise.

Too weak of a response could well encourage the hot heads, anarchists and the bunch who are just along for the ride to show up to cause trouble at every racially charged incident across the country while a too heavy response would bring down thunder from an already adversarial press and provide fodder to the camera hogging camp followers whose existence depends on being able to stir up enough trouble to attract the media.

From what I understand, the legal system has bent over backwards to create a fair process by making sure the ratio of jury members exactly reflect the racial makeup of the area and that all sides of the evidence have been laid on the table for their examination in making their deliberations in deciding whether or not to bring charges against Officer Darren Wilson.

Regardless of what decision the grand jury brings down, one side or the other is going to be disappointed and therein lies the bigger problem.

What will happen if the grand jury's finding is that the evidence shows that Wilson was justified in the use of deadly force?

Ferguson has become a focal point for not only racial unrest, but for those who hate the police and those whose purposes are served by chaos in the streets and a finding of no indictment could well give them the excuse they are waiting for to cause a riot of major proportions.

Remember the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles?

The laws of this nation are designed to settle disputes between individuals or groups and Grand Juries are called together, not to try a case, but to decide if there is sufficient evidence to institute a full blown trial where actual innocence or guilt are decided by a judge and a panel of ordinary citizens.

The grand jury system is not perfect but it so far superior to any other system of justice in the world and, left to its own devices it works amazingly well. Without the power of verdict or punishment, but only to decide whether or not a trial goes forth, based on the evidence at their disposal.

Our laws are designed to hold everybody to the same standard, regardless of race or social status and it's the job of the grand jury to see that it is meted out without prejudice, favoritism or partiality by people whose only interest in the case is to see that justice does not slip through the cracks for either side of the equation, if the preponderance of the evidence points to charging a person with a serious crime or if there is not enough evidence to do so.

The police motto across the country is "to protect and serve" and, as one who has met literally thousands of law enforcement officers across this nation, I can say that they take that charge quite seriously and do a good job of living up to it, but they can't do that when their hands are tied by federal officials and higher ups, as in the case of Attorney General Eric Holder's interference with the enforcement of immigration laws in Arizona.

If things should go badly in Ferguson, the decisions made and the actions taken by law enforcement could well have national ramifications in letting the outside trouble makers know just how much they can or can't get away with, and let's all hope it can be handled on the local level without the Feds setting the ground rules and politicians trying to grab headlines.

As I write this piece I am sitting a few miles from St. Louis and the problems in Ferguson. It�s hard to look across this peaceful, midwestern landscape and imagine the scene taking place just a short distance away.

The grand jury decision could well come down before this piece hits the Internet, or it could take days, weeks or hours more, but regardless of when it happens and whichever way it goes, I hope and pray that the cooler heads will prevail and the good people of Ferguson, Missouri can get on with their lives, they deserve it.

What do you think?

Pray for our troops and the peace of Jerusalem.

God Bless America

Charlie Daniels