My first dose

This blog is inspired by my reflection on previous events. Once such event was the murder of a young black teenager named Jamahl Jones, who happened to be my brother's friend. These high school aged kids were at a party, the character of the party was typical for high schoolers (excessive drinking, boredom and general idiocy). Following the get-together, the young man and four white teenagers began to fight. In the midst of the fight the Jamahl was killed.
People were angry. We had so many questions we had so many frustrations and we had so much hostility towards these cowards. The tension of the times was palpable the local gazette published an article about the incident and cited a conversation with "Black community leaders". These so called leaders who were unnamed in the article urged the community to "be calm". CALM? Why calm? there are many things the community should be when a young person is killed by four assailants: outraged, hurt, afraid and maybe even contrite.but calm is one reaction that has no place in a tragedy such as this. Four white brutes murder an unarmed black teenager and the best plan of action is... tranquility?
Sure the Black spokespeople got to show up on tv and express their belief that this was a crime of hate. Sure all four of the young murderers were eventually arrested and sure they all went to trial. Sure I took that sedative the media had pitched to me and I didn't act. I watched and I waited. Sure enough, those four white boys were tried before a jury of 12 white peers and were swiftly acquitted without as much as an assault charge after extinguishing that child's flame. Who do we blame?
Perhaps i am biased because I am familiar with many of the players in this event and I feel Jahmal had more potential than the sum of those redneck children but someone should have done something. The courts did nothing, the press did nothing, the community did nothing...I did nothing. I don't condone mob violence or vigilantism but when its all said and done, which is the lesser of the two evils? And who are the black community leaders because I don't see or hear any real action on the ground.
In California, When the community feels that an injustice has taken place they community riots. In the Baltimore metro area when the community feels an injustice has been done they take a sedative and wait for the situation to blow over. Eastcosters retort "how does the destruction of the private property of innocent people solve anything?" Think about the vast changes to the LAPD and the Oakland PD following events like the King beating. I'm sure the offices became no less racist but after the massive community response and national exposure, following a man being beaten by four police officers, they know they better think twice before deciding to serve as judge jury and executioner. What lessons were learned after these four killers were awarded freedom for their efforts?