I just finished watching the documentary “What Killed Michael Brown“. I recommend to anyone that has an interest in police and race relations to watch the movie. WKMB is a much different approach than I expected. It was more subtle and elegant in the way it discusses the issues surrounding the death of Michael Brown. I really shouldn’t have been surprised because the movie has the essence of Shelby Steele. The movie also had a 1970’s type vibe to it. It does not feel dated just a different cinematic vibe. It’s unique and cool.
There is limited discussion about the facts and actual killing of Michael Brown. The movie is straight forward in that account of it. Below are links to official reports if interested in more detail. There are several key concepts about the surrounding issues discussed in the move present below.
First is the difference between Poetic Truth vs Objective Truth. Steele said that Poetic Truth carries with it the history that surrounds an incident like racism and bias. The mere fact that Brown was Black and Wilson was White. Where Objective Truth is the truth that is uncovered by the evidence. The cold hard truth. Poetic Truth is the basis of rumors. Poetic Truth traps a person into solving the wrong problems.
Steele also talks about White Guilt and how White people have to prove they are NOT racists. Steele argues that Liberal power equals White Guilt which means Blacks MUST be victims of racism. White Guilt’s corruption needs Blacks to be Black.
The movie points out Eric Holders visit to Ferguson and Holder’s attack on police was against ALL of the history of police actions not just what happened in Ferguson. Holder made the shooting of Michael Brown an indictment of ALL policing and it’s history from slavery to modern day incidents. Think about it. It is a model, Steele points out, that Rev. Al Sharpton uses all the time.
Steele discusses the conditions of Black a neighborhood and the “Snapshot” mentality meaning that the current conditions at the time dictate decisions without thinking that the conditions will improve. Could this also be that they captured conditions at it’s worst? Before a likely improvement, ignoring the inevitable? Steele also explained how public housing steals “equity” from property (value in home ownership).
Pruitt-Igoe Myth (1:13:45) Steele discusses how when he was raised, he didn’t know it at the time, that he was poor. He talks about how the parents in the neighborhood would monitor and correct the kids if they were behaving badly. The kids were respectful to the adults. Then Steele goes on to say how the Pruitt-Igoe housing complex usurped that authority from the neighborhood in a form of government white supremacy and colonialism. I guess the government taking over the role as community leaders by becoming the sole providers in a neighborhood.
Liberalism – dismisses individual responsibility always defining fault as a systemic enemy – like racism. Bob Woodson states in the movie that it is “lethal to exempt people from personal responsibility” which may be the cause of Michael Brown’s actions. Liberalism makes Blacks invisible. This leads to Black people not having individual problems and Racism becoming the EXCLUSIVE problem.
1:33:00 Good Faith vs Bad Faith Movements
Good Faith Movement was the Civil Rights Movement – it wanted inclusion into America
Bad Faith Movement is the BLM movement – it is against the nuclear family, defund the police, and wants out of America
Discussions about the Movie
The Glenn Show – What Killed Michael Brown Podcast discussion with Shelby & Eli Steele. Excellent!
Link to the Glenn Show HERE
Official Reports
FBI Memorandum DOJ Investigation Shooting Michael Brown by Ferguson, Missouri Police Officer Darren Wilson
https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/opa/press-releases/attachments/2015/03/04/doj_report_on_shooting_of_michael_brown_1.pdf
Ferguson Complaint
https://www.justice.gov/crt/file/832451/download
Investigation of the Ferguson Police Department – Findings Report
https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/crt/legacy/2015/03/04/ferguson_findings_3-4-15.pdf
Ferguson Consent Decree
https://www.justice.gov/crt/file/883846/download
Ferguson Case Summary
https://www.justice.gov/crt/special-litigation-section-case-summaries/download#ferguson-summ
Future of Policing 