President Obama and the Real Lessons of Ferguson

by Newt Gingrich: The gap between reality and President Obama’s left-wing ideology was never more vivid than during television coverage of his statement about the grand jury decision in the Michael Brown cast last Monday night.

The self-delusion surpassed even his statements on the Obamacare website, the Syrian red line, the Crimean ultimatum, the IRS scandal, and a dozen other examples of maximum incompetence. The speech captured the symbolic core of this hopeless administration, which consistently says and does things that bear little relation to reality and are intended only as vague gestures of good intentions.

Callista and I watched at home as President Obama was saying on one side of the screen, “I appeal to the law enforcement officials in Ferguson and the region to show care and restraint in managing peaceful protests that may occur.” On the other side of the split-screen there were violent protesters and cars and buildings burning.

As in so many other cases of the administration constructing its own imagined reality, much of the news media reinforced the President’s false narrative of peaceful, justified protests even as they stood on the street covering the violence and the burning. They then reported on every available demonstration around the country over the next few days even though in most places there were very few people involved.

The real lessons of Ferguson begin with facts this left wing President and the left wing media choose to ignore.

It is a fact that the whole incident began with Michael Brown stealing from a store. The theft is on video tape. One lesson is don’t steal.

It is a fact that in the process, Michael Brown bullied and shoved a small man of apparently Asian descent who was half his size. One lesson is don’t pick fights with innocent people.

It is a fact that Officer Wilson was responding to a call about someone who had broken the law. One lesson is when you commit a violent crime, the police are justified in showing up.

It is a fact that when the police tell you to do something, they reasonably expect you to obey. One lesson is do what the police instruct you to do in the service of their jobs. This left-wing belief that the police are wrong to issue orders to carry out their duties is an attack on the very structure of law and order.

It is a fact that if Michael Brown had obeyed Officer Wilson (or had he even disobeyed but not attacked the officer), there would almost certainly have been no shooting. One lesson is don’t assault police officers.

It is a fact that outside the Brown family, the African Americans most hurt by the Ferguson incident are not those whose psyche and sense of alienation are heightened. The real pain and damage caused by the Ferguson riots was largely to businesses owned by African Americans and to African American employees.

The St. Louis Dispatch published a partial list of the businesses burned, looted, or trashed by the rioters. None of them deserved to be destroyed by nihilistic thugs spending their Monday night hurting people and the community. Here is a partial list of suffering businesses:

• Beauty World, heavily damaged on South Florissant Road.
• Cathy’s Kitchen, restaurant on South Florissant.
• Cose Dolci Bakery, on South Florissant.
• El Palenque, Mexican restaurant damaged on South Florissant.
• Faraci’s Pizza, on South Florissant.
• Little Caesar’s, burned down North Florissant.
• Natalie’s Cakes, local bakery damaged on South Florissant.
• Dellwood Conoco, gas station burned down on West Florissant Avenue.
• Fashions R Boutique, women’s boutique burned down on West Florissant.
• Ferguson Market & Liquor, shop repeatedly looted and damaged on West Florissant.
• Flood Christian Church, church attended by Michael Brown Sr. burned on West Florissant.
• Sam’s Meat Market, local market repeatedly looted and damaged on West Florissant.
• Solo Insurance Services, on West Florissant.
• STL Cordless, mobile phone shop looted and damaged on West Florissant.
• Hidden Treasures Antique Shop, on North Florissant.

None of these businesses had anything to do with the problems of policing but all of them suffered from Governor Nixon’s failure to call out the National Guard in a timely manner.

These were the buildings being destroyed as President Obama prattled on about peaceful demonstrations.

It is a fact that a grand jury that included three African Americans refused to indict Officer Wilson because they concluded he should not be charged with a crime. Virtually no one who promptly dismissed the grand jury’s findings has actually read the thousands of pages of testimony. Most did not even listen to the press conference describing them. One lesson is facts matter.

The best thing I have seen written about this tragedy was a Facebook Post by Benjamin Watson, the tight end of the New Orleans Saints. It is so powerful and so clear, and, sadly, such a strong contrast with President Obama’s destructive comments that I want to close this newsletter by quoting all of it.

He wrote:At some point while I was playing or preparing to play Monday Night Football, the news broke about the Ferguson Decision.

After trying to figure out how I felt, I decided to write it down. Here are my thoughts:

I’M ANGRY because the stories of injustice that have been passed down for generations seem to be continuing before our very eyes.

I’M FRUSTRATED, because pop culture, music and movies glorify these types of police citizen altercations and promote an invincible attitude that continues to get young men killed in real life, away from safety movie sets and music studios.

I’M FEARFUL because in the back of my mind I know that although I’m a law abiding citizen I could still be looked upon as a “threat” to those who don’t know me. So I will continue to have to go the extra mile to earn the benefit of the doubt.

I’M EMBARRASSED because the looting, violent protests, and law breaking only confirm, and in the minds of many, validate, the stereotypes and thus the inferior treatment.

I’M SAD, because another young life was lost from his family, the racial divide has widened, a community is in shambles, accusations, insensitivity hurt and hatred are boiling over, and we may never know the truth about what happened that day.

I’M SYMPATHETIC, because I wasn't there so I don’t know exactly what happened. Maybe Darren Wilson acted within his rights and duty as an officer of the law and killed Michael Brown in self defense like any of us would in the circumstance. Now he has to fear the backlash against himself and his loved ones when he was only doing his job. What a horrible thing to endure. OR maybe he provoked Michael and ignited the series of events that led to him eventually murdering the young man to prove a point.

I’M OFFENDED, because of the insulting comments I've seen that are not only insensitive but dismissive to the painful experiences of others.

I’M CONFUSED, because I don’t know why it’s so hard to obey a policeman. You will not win!!! And I don’t know why some policeman abuse their power. Power is a responsibility, not a weapon to brandish and lord over the populace.

I’M INTROSPECTIVE, because sometimes I want to take “our” side without looking at the facts in situations like these. Sometimes I feel like it’s us against them. Sometimes I’m just as prejudiced as people I point fingers at. And that’s not right. How can I look at white skin and make assumptions but not want assumptions made about me? That’s not right.

I’M HOPELESS, because I've lived long enough to expect things like this to continue to happen. I’m not surprised and at some point my little children are going to inherit the weight of being a minority and all that it entails.

I’M HOPEFUL, because I know that while we still have race issues in America, we enjoy a much different normal than those of our parents and grandparents. I see it in my personal relationships with teammates, friends and mentors. And it’s a beautiful thing.

I’M ENCOURAGED, because ultimately the problem is not a SKIN problem, it is a SIN problem. SIN is the reason we rebel against authority. SIN is the reason we abuse our authority. SIN is the reason we are racist, prejudiced and lie to cover for our own. SIN is the reason we riot, loot and burn. BUT I’M ENCOURAGED because God has provided a solution for sin through the his son Jesus and with it, a transformed heart and mind. One that’s capable of looking past the outward and seeing what’s truly important in every human being. The cure for the Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice and Eric Garner tragedies is not education or exposure. It’s the Gospel. So, finally, I’M ENCOURAGED because the Gospel gives mankind hope.----------------
Newt Gingrich is a former Georgia Congressman and Speaker of the U.S. House. He co-authored and was the chief architect of the "Contract with America" and a major leader in the Republican victory in the 1994 congressional elections. He is noted speaker and writer. The above commentary was shared via Gingrich Productions.

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