August 9, 2014

The Death of Michael Brown

Unarmed, 18-year-old, African-American Michael Brown was shot and killed by Ferguson, Missouri police officer Darren Wilson, who fired a total of 12 bullets. Brown's body was left he street for hours. In his testimony, Wilson, who is the same height as Brown, said he felt like "a 5-year-old" in comparison to "Hulk Hogan" Brown. He also described the teenager as a "demon" and "capable of running through bullets." Wilson was not indicted.

HOW DOES THIS CONNECT TO STRUCTURAL RACISM?:

The cultural representations that helped paint Michael Brown as a monster are an expression of the history of dehumanizing blacks in the US.

For more on the death of Michael Brown, see, " Why Was Michael Brown Shot ? "