Ferguson Residents On Rising Tensions As Grand Jury Decision LoomsGov. Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency Monday afternoon as the city of Ferguson, Missouri awaits a grand jury decision in the case of the fatal shooting of Michael Brown by local police officer Darren Wilson. And despite dozens of demonstrators gathering outside the courthouse in Clayton, Missouri, and local businesses boarding up their storefronts in anticipation of potential violence, Ferguson residents insist the tension throughout the community isnt as tense as it may appear in various media reports. “Thats going to be anyones feeling towards anything thats been publicized like this, because of the stuff that has happened in the beginning,” Ferguson Connection member Bassem Masri admitted today to HuffPost Live host Marc Lamont Hill. “But you gotta really look at what weve done since the beginning to prevent that type of stuff. Weve really took the steps on our side to prevent everything, but we dont know what theyre doing.” “Everything has really been a response to police…Really in essence, as long as people can just keep their emotions in check… and when the violence comes out, you dont want to get in the middle of that stuff if anything like that happens, but no ones trying to make that type of effort at all. Its tense, but its not like that. Not at all.” Pastor Renita Lamkin of St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church, underscored Masris comments on how the city is dealing with racial and community tension. “People are nervous, people are anxious. Mostly were ready to just move to the next phase of healing and community empowerment,” she said. “And we cannot do that with this decision just hanging out there. So were very much looking forward to this decision being announced and letting whatevers going to happen, happen.” “It is tense, but I agree with Bassem, people are not talking violence and are not planning violence. And its very much a community whos ready to move forward.” Check out more of Pastor Renita Lamkin and Bassem Masris thoughts on the rising tensions in Ferguson in the clip above. By Brennan Williams Gov. Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency Monday afternoon as the city of Ferguson, Missouri awaits a grand jury decision in the case of the fatal shooting of Michael Brown by local police officer Darren Wilson. And despite dozens of demonstrators gathering outside the courthouse in Clayton, Missouri, and local businesses boarding up their storefronts in anticipation of potential violence, Ferguson residents insist the tension throughout the community isnt as tense as it may appear in various media reports. “Thats going to be anyones feeling towards anything thats been publicized like this, because of the stuff that has happened in the beginning,” Ferguson Connection member Bassem Masri admitted today to HuffPost Live host Marc Lamont Hill. “But you gotta really look at what weve done since the beginning to prevent that type of stuff. Weve really took the steps on our side to prevent everything, but we dont know what theyre doing.” “Everything has really been a response to police…Really in essence, as long as people can just keep their emotions in check… and when the violence comes out, you dont want to get in the middle of that stuff if anything like that happens, but no ones trying to make that type of effort at all. Its tense, but its not like that. Not at all.” Pastor Renita Lamkin of St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church, underscored Masris comments on how the city is dealing with racial and community tension. “People are nervous, people are anxious. Mostly were ready to just move to the next phase of healing and community empowerment,” she said. “And we cannot do that with this decision just hanging out there. So were very much looking forward to this decision being announced and letting whatevers going to happen, happen.” “It is tense, but I agree with Bassem, people are not talking violence and are not planning violence. And its very much a community whos ready to move forward.” Check out more of Pastor Renita Lamkin and Bassem Masris thoughts on the rising tensions in Ferguson in the clip above. ift.tt/1gB4pon
Posted on: Mon, 17 Nov 2014 23:23:34 +0000
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