Racist Darren Wilson groupies, apparently not satisfied with the level of unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, have decided to magnify it many times over by poking a stick in residents’ eyes.
The unrest, of course, followed the shooting death on August 9th of unarmed teenager Michael Brown at the hands of police officer Darren Wilson. The stick-in-the-eye takes the form of a billboard that will say “Pants Up, Don’t Loot.”
The racists are playing on whatever stereotypes they can.
The phrase is an obvious reference to whatever stereotypes could be drawn out of the situation. It implies, first, that all the protesters wear sagging pants; second, that all the protesters loot; and third, that all the protesters are black.
The phrase makes a mockery of residents’ heartfelt cry of “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot.” That cry came out of peaceful protests over Brown’s death.
This deliberate attempt to stoke racial hatred is being organized by a Tennessee man, Don Alexander, of Brentwood. Apparently, there isn’t enough racism in his own state to satisfy the man’s needs.
Interestingly, an online search of who Alexander is brings up “Brentwood Neighbors,” the Facebook page of a real estate agent. In the page’s RSS/blog tab, agent Lucy Bottorff has posted links to articles about Alexander and his billboard. It appears that having a racist agitator as a neighbor is a selling point in Brentwood.
The object of the groupies’ adulation, Darren Wilson, is also the object of a current grand jury investigation. The town is tensely awaiting the verdict on whether or not the jury will indict Officer Darren Wilson for Brown’s death.
The goal of Darren Wilson’s racist groupies is the intentional agitation of conflict.
Governor Jay Nixon has activated the National Guard in anticipation of the local reaction when the verdict is announced. Alexander and his ilk seem determined to intensify any reaction and keep it going — for months.
A drive to fund the billboard was initiated by Alexander on Indiegogo. It has exceeded its stated goal of $3,000, given by supporters who largely list themselves as “Anonymous.” However, the ultimate goal is much vaster than that.
Although the text has been removed from the fundraising page, according to Salon, it originally read:
This crowdfunding campaign is for the purchase of a billboard in the Ferguson, MO area. The billboard will display black text on a white background with the text “#PantsUPDontLoot”. After some initial confusion we are working with other, undisclosed companies in the area that are willing to create and display this image. The funds collected from this campaign will be used to purchase this billboard for as long as possible. Lamar originally quoted us ~$2,500 for 1 month but others have come in under that amount. Whatever funds we receive will go directly to keeping the billboard campaign up as long as possible. If we come to an agreement with a company and can fund it for 3 months, 5 months, 7 months…, we will.
In keeping with the anonymous nature of many of the donors, Alexander is withholding the name of the billboard company, too. Obviously, if it were known what company is cooperating with this vile effort, the business would be the recipient of feedback about its participation.
Alexander, himself said:
… we have to keep the exact billboard/company undisclosed because the companies we choose are being targeted with the intention of shutting us down and making it impossible for the project to move forward.
The message is really a racist warning.
The motive behind keeping the billboard up for months is an intent to broadcast an obvious, heavy-handed, and racist message to Ferguson residents. That message is: “The white racists in this country are in charge and we’re going to stay in charge, so STFU.”
It’s time for Ferguson and the rest of the nation to prove these Neanderthals wrong.
Featured image from “Pants Up Don’t Loot” Facebook page.
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