Editor: Tef Poe is an artist from the St. Louis area. Through powerful imagery and complicated honesty, he has earned a reputation as one of the best rappers telling the story of St. Louis, which is about much more than one place. Poe has been featured in music publications such as XXL and Urb Magazine. His project The Hero Killer was released on January 2 and was followed up this year by a full-length with DJ Burn One entitled Cheer For the Villain. Follow him on twitter @tefpoe. Get The Hero Killer here.
See also: Tef Poe On Ferguson, His Hometown: "The Mike Brown Rebellion Has Begun"
The Missouri Association of Racially Insensitive Idiots has revealed itself in the form of the unholy trinity of St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch, Mayor James Knowles and Missouri Governor Jay Nixon. With their powers combined, the three have helped turn Ferguson into the 2014 version of Freedom Summer, and I firmly believe each has committed political suicide. Thirty years from now, when this incident is a matter for the history books for its many gaping similarities to the Watts riots, these men will be marked as the people who chose to stand on the wrong side of history.
First, I am absolutely appalled by the fact that Governor Jay Nixon has not visited the Ferguson residents of Canfield Green in person to make a critical assessment of the circumstances. One lingering fact remains forever true: Apparently, to Jay Nixon, black lives and black votes do not matter. World War III was unleashed in the streets of north county under his watch, and all parties involved decided to blindly pass the ball as if they were the old, fat, white version of the Harlem Globetrotters.
Nixon's supreme chess move was bringing in Captain Ron Johnson -- which did not work whatsoever, despite the shallow reports from CNN. For some reason, it seems like white people believe that hundreds upon hundreds of black people are capable of solely listening to one black person in terms of leadership. Ron Johnson is not the Ferguson Jesus the media depicted him to be.
After a failed attempt to enforce a curfew, the community pushed back, the police shot live ammunition at us, and in the blink of an eye the National Guard was on the ground at West Florissant. If this were 1963, then maybe it would've worked. In 2014 all it did was give the protesters another law to resist. Governor Jay Nixon relaxed with his feet up and his toes curled while we were being attacked by a local military force. He could have at least stopped by.
Secondly, when asking questions about the events surrounding the death of Mike Brown, you'll quickly notice there is a serious lack of answers and accountability. James Knowles is the mayor of Ferguson, and his tone-deaf response to the recent unrest has left many bewildered. But I actually appreciate Mayor Knowles, for a surplus of reasons.
Black people in Ferguson are not fanatics about the voting process. Most black people in Ferguson do not vote. Mayor Knowles has gifted us the greatest reason in the modern-day history of black struggle in America to suddenly give a damn about the disparities of the political process. In other words, nothing in the world will make black people fly to the polls quicker than a dead body laying in the middle of the street for four and a half hours, followed by an army of German Shepherds and tanks in our front yards. Knowles has been documented saying Ferguson does not have a race problem. He has also been documented referring to protesters as gremlins. I believe, without a shadow of a doubt, that his political career is over. Say hello to the recall, Mr. Knowles, because this will soon be your reality.
Last but certainly not least is St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch. McCulloch's father was murdered by a black man. We should all assume his judgement will be clouded in this scenario. Governor Nixon passed up his chance to do the right thing and pull McCulloch from the case. McCulloch has repeatedly shown that he is not interested in recusing himself. Nixon is standing on a soapbox, as if the entire city of St. Louis will not be up in arms if Darren Wilson is not indicted for the murder of Mike Brown. Bob McCulloch is sitting on his hands in a idle position, as if he does not realize these are extraordinary circumstances that require extraordinary measures.
I do not endorse violence, but if these idiots don't step up and get it together then I'm afraid the aftermath of the Ferguson resistance will be countywide. These three miserable bastards are the key figures who will be solely responsible for the continued discord in the streets in and around St. Louis if Darren Wilson is not arrested soon. Urge them to do the right thing.
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