Victim’s death illuminates modern-day racism
When 24-year-old Jonathan Ferrell stepped out his front door on a Saturday morning in North Carolina, he never expected to run into a chain of bad luck. He never expected to damage his car in a car accident, become the victim of a vicious manslaughter event, nor end up dead at the hands of an official whose duty was to protect white and black men alike. Unfortunately, when Jonathan Ferrell kissed his fiancée goodbye on that gray morning, he didn’t know much at all.
Yiwen Fu | Daily Trojan
The nationally reported case that has drawn attention from both “post-racial” conservatives and liberals alike began with a frantic 911 call from Sarah McCartney, 32, who claimed that a black man was attempting to break into her home. After the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department arrived on scene, they were faced with a young man, matching the correct description, stumbling towards them, unarmed and helpless. And instead of acting with rational cause, officer Randall Kerrick used excessive force against Ferrell. And unbeknownst to the public, Kerrick, and many other officials, are not being rightfully punished for the crime.
The recent release of a 911 tape is the latest twist in a case that has gathered controversial views from all sides of the political and social spectrum. According to the latest police reports, Ferrell, still in shock from a car collision, was in need of urgent assistance.
Whatever the case might be, we now know the answers to some of the most contentious questions surrounding Ferrell’s death. Was Ferrell armed? No. Was he believed to be dangerous? No. So why murder an innocent man without just cause? It is this unrelenting concern that leads many to believe that Kerrick was predisposed to murdering a black man. When asked to comment on the case, local Charlotte Mecklenburg NAACP President Rev. Kojo Nantambu said the killing “smells more of hatred and rage” than any valid cause which would justify an officer pointing a gun at a man who was pleading for a helping hand. Some activists repeatedly contacted the city’s review board, discovering numerous other shootings involving the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department that resulted in four deaths.
Social psychologist Claude Steele’s book Whistling Vivaldi: How Stereotypes Affect Us and What We Can Do revolutionized today’s view of racial preconception, and the cognitive means of intolerance. Many leading social theorists have called one particular idea “respectability politics,” a proposal to resolve many of our generation’s social issues.
This very concept of respectability politics relies on the idea that a person of color would act according to the predetermined standards of a middle-class white man or woman, and would ‘signal’ respectability. This notion has manifested itself in Jonathan Ferrell’s case. In an MSNBC interview, Ferrell’s family attorney remarked on the kind of man Ferrell was, and stated: “He’s engaged to be married, he has a dog and a cat, he was driving a Toyota Camry, he survived an accident, had 3.7 GPA and he was a chemistry major. This is not someone who posed a threat to the officers or anyone else, this is an everyday American.”
The shooting itself came just months after a national conversation regarding racial profiling was sparked by the trial of George Zimmerman, who was tried for the murder of Trayvon Martin. Since President Barack Obama was elected, many journalists, television personalities and social critics have claimed that we are now living in a “post-racial society.” When the term was first introduced, the idea sounded absurd. But it was not long before this concept became the new mainstream of a culture which had forgotten all the work Martin Luther King Jr., Betty Friedan, and more have done in history.
This case proves the idea is just not true. In a ‘post-racial society,’ a policeman put in charge of protecting our citizens would have asked questions. He would not have killed a man whose intentions were questionable. As Obama said in his speech to the American public on July 19, there is a “history of racial disparities” in the execution of our criminal rulings. Moreover, it remains unclear whether society has moved past racial bias, or worked in any way to eliminate it.
If Kerrick were to explain his actions on that Saturday night, he would allude to uncertainty, fear and safety procedures. What he wouldn’t dare mention is the predisposed thought that a black man is a serious threat.
When Ferrell stood on one side of the door of a complete stranger, he was looking for a kind soul to answer. On the other side was McCartney who slammed the door shut and shattered the last remaining hope of one man’s American Dream.
Jacqueline Kruglyakova is a sophomore majoring in biological sciences.
Follow Jacqueline on Twitter @jkruglyakova
An interesting writing written from one side based on hindsight and a view of what happened independent of the moment and through the lenses of what is wrong with the US. What happened was a tragedy but with little consideration for the point of view of the officer.
Playing devil’s advocate but: A report of someone attempting to break in someone’s resident (is he armed, is he dangerous, did he escape from somewhere), allegedly the cop told him to get down but Mr. Ferrell continues to charge (multiple articles states that he had one hand behind his back. Is he going for a weapon, am I or the residents around me in danger?). One cop fired a Taser but this person who hasn’t said anything (deduced) is still advancing, (I don’t know if the cop realized if the Taser missed or is there a concern that he is still advancing even after hit by the Taser).
This is not a case where a guy in a suit, is standing around saying, “Hey Cop, I was in an auto incident down the road and would like some assistance. I’m disoriented and concern I may need some medical assistance” before the cop pulls out his guns and fires. Hindsight is nice in the safety of our offices, but at the moment of incident and with the information provided to the officer previously (how much more information do we not have). Sometimes a bad situation just happens ( ie sometimes a cigar is just a cigar).
One final note, although there is racism in the world still today. I truly wonder, do we see racism all around us because we are looking for racism to prove that it still exists and in order to endeavor to prevent it.
“And unbeknownst to the public, Kerrick, and many other officials, are not being rightfully punished for the crime.”
It is my understanding that Kerrick has manslaughter charges filed against him. We can wait until after a trial to punish, can we not? But no, you have already made up your mind that this was a race based incident without hearing the officer out. And what other officials? Kerrick pulled the trigger. It’s my understanding no one else fired. So what are “many other officials” to be punished for?
Brilliantly articulated. A vastly insightful piece that illuminates the ever-blurring lines between racism and public safety in this complicated era. The author’s lucid and poignant analysis works in tandem with her astonishing writing ability to put into perspective what could be one of the most important developing issues of our time.