Be Your Own Dad (BYOD): Rest in Peace to our future leaders (response to recent killing inFerguson, Missouri)

In this day and age I fear for the youth. What's currently going on in Ferguson, Missouri brings pain to my heart. The young brotha was 18! EIGHTEEN YEARS old! Life was just beginning for Michael Brown. I remember at 18 during the summer time I was just like Michael Brown chillin with my boy. Kicking it (hanging out) as much as I could because we were leaving off to college come the fall time. Thinking I'm 18! Im grown now! But in reality still so young.

The events that have gone down this past week are tragic. Let's forget the fact that he was black for a second. A young man at the age of 18 was gunned down for no reason. Black/white/yellow it doesn't matter! We are killing our youth. We are putting fear in the upcoming generation. When I say "we" I'm referring to society btw. I have a nephew and he is 17. According to society he can't walk down the street now without getting harassed by a cop. He can't wear a hoodie on top of that because I guess that's the "I'm a criminal" outfit. This some bullsh*t. When is it gonna stop?

Then the police have the audacity to release a video of Michael prior to the incident trying to "justify" the officers actions. No!! boys in blue you guys aren't slick. I see right through you! There's a coin with 2 sides here. Side A: Michael committed a crime prior to the shooting and the officer was sent to investigate. Even if that was the truth (which we know is not) that doesn't give a officer a green light to pull out his gun and start shooting at a unarmed suspect. They say "if the officer feels threatened he can draw his weapon"...if you pull up next to somebody attempting to grab them aka starting problems how threatened are you? Sounds like a bully in my book. He probably was trying to make his arrests quoto at last minute for all we know. Let's look at Side B: There was no prior crime committed. Michael and his boy were walking down the street. Once again there is no valid reason to approach these young men or pull out your weapon.

"Freeze! put your hands up! Hands up now!" I think we all have heard a police officer say that command at some point. Whether we heard it first hand or in a movie we know police utter those exact words. Young Michael knew that too because he put his hands up. Reports even say Michael started to get down on his own. Arms raised in the air is a non aggressive stance. Police command us to put our hands up so 1. To show we are complying with their instructions and 2. To show no weapons are available or drawn. So why would you shoot a person multiple times with their hands up?!? I think ill find Waldo before I get the answer to that question.

This post is to help recognize we are killing our future leaders of this world. I'm talking about future role models, future politicians, future athletes, future cure to cancer/ future civil rights leader, future Barack Obama, future Thomas Edison. I can go on for days. The mind is the most powerful weapon on this planet and we are leaving an individual with a badge to make the decision whether a person is going to reach their potential. This isn't a black or white thing....it's a right or wrong thing.

Prayers go out to the city of Ferguson.

Rest in Peace Michael Brown

Rest in Peace Trayvon Martin