NFL Players Raise Hands to Support Michael Brown and Ferguson

It is not the first time black sport figures have displayed their support for some cause. During the 1968 Olympics, some of the medal winners raised their arms with clenched fists when the American anthem played in support of the, then, Black Power movement in the USA. The salute was mostly typical of the radical Black Panther Party.

Today, the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson by a police officer is all about race. MB was black and Wilson, the police officer, white. Such a cocktail is volatile. Not an issue at all if the police officer had been also black, or, if MB was shot dead in the store that he had robbed for cigars by the Indian store owner. Had either of these occurred, there would be no discussion at all about it. No riots. No businesses looted and destroyed by those angry. No news media spinning it against the police.

However, that is not what happened, yet, even after the grand jury confirmed the white officer's story based upon a thorough examination of the evidence and eyewitnesses, where they did not indict him, many remain angered and suspect some sort of "white" conspiracy or cover up. OMG.

Now, some of the St. Louis Rams and other black sport athletes enter sporting games with their hands raised up in support of MB and basically saying-the grand jury is corrupt and Wilson is a murderer. The raising of the hands has now become a fad, of sorts. If you support the grand jury or Wilson, you may be swarmed or attacked. No freedom of speech or expression on this issue. Worse, over half of the witnesses clearly stated MB did NOT have his hands raised trying to surrender and Wilson shot him dead, as most of the protesters believe. What happens if some of the NFL players start to refuse to play or if the police officers at NFL games refuse to go to the game (or, are not deployed)? What if fans took offense to this expression, or, are encouraged for more violence by it?

Is it right for these players express support for MB during a nationally televised game? Should the NFL punish these players to some degree? Should players not display such support to prevent problems?

President Obama has walked a fine line on this one, and rightly so. He actually should make no comment about it but did so because he is half black, no doubt. The very bottom line is that none of those who raise their hands in support of MB will ever be satisfied unless Wilson goes to trial and convicted of murder or manslaughter. This is sad because they are no worse than the KKK and as racist. For some, even such a conviction will not satisfy them, only Wilson's death would which would compound the tragedy.