Was Ferguson,….. America’s Tiananmen Square?
by Dr. Samori Swygert
America has historically been at odds with the political philosophy of communism. As a nation, the American government has either been at military odds or competition with Cuba, Russia, and China. However, like the sport of boxing, each fighter adapts to and adopts the style of their competitor if they fight long enough.
I would like to summate the fusion of the events in Ferguson, Missouri and the 1033 military surplus program with the American school system and local police, and China.
The last few weeks of American media has placed its onus on the “militarization” of the police departments and school districts. This was a byproduct from the fallout in Ferguson, Missouri.
American citizens were in shock when they saw military-grade weaponry being used against legal tax paying citizens. Questions began to surface about excessive force and the origins of such weaponry.
Time progressed and news sources began to furnish official government documents about a program called “1033.” This program allows local authorities to procure surplus military grade weaponry. Scrutiny increased and it became apparent that police departments, local schools, and universities were equipped with mine resistant tanks, M16 assault rifles, grenade launchers, and a vast array of other munitions.
The public is now curious as to how the budget and allotment of weaponry has transitioned into our local backyards. Who endorsed, authorized, cosigned and approved this program? Clearly this was done without the consent of taxpaying citizens, and then exercised on tax paying citizens.
Are our Federal, State, and local governments using our own tax-based revenue to invest in methods to oppress us and suppress our feelings at the end of an M16 assault rifle?
I think Ferguson, Missouri can answer that fairly.
Whenever these authorities or local government feel that there may be an insurrection, rebellion, revolt, or perceived threat, the powers that be, can summon these war weapons at the behest of the local police chief or higher.
This is what happened in Ferguson and somewhere else that I’ll discuss further below.
What message is conveyed when our First Amendment rights are met with supreme firepower and deadly intimidation?
Treading dangerous waters
Various cities nationwide have become the benefactors of this military surplus program. Who are the targets of this weaponry, and when will this weaponry come into use?
Power is like a disease
America will cast aspersions at China for their political ideology of Communism. However, let’s look at this like a disease. Some people with HIV are asymptomatic, meaning they will not manifest all the trademark signs and symptoms of the disease. Yet, they are still infected with the same virus. Some people with HIV will display each sign and symptom that is characteristic of the disease. Ultimately, whether you display symptoms or not, both patients arrive at the same prognosis and fatal results.
America may not display each trademark sign and symptom of Communism in China. However, does that mean there isn’t some latent and dormant infection that is silently brewing, fomenting, and waiting for the opportune time to manifest?
Was Ferguson America’s Tiananmen Square?
I would like everyone to remember and research the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 in China. In June of 1989, almost a million Chinese protestors (students and non-students) had gathered to march in protest for a myriad of reasons.
Some of the reasons encompassed the integrity, validity, and freedom of press, freedom of speech, employee rights of industry, fairness of wages, labor conditions, government accountability, “corruption of political parties by the elite,” and economics. This was also underscored by the death of Hu Yaobang, a political reformer, that the younger Chinese demographic developed a sort of adoration or affection for.
The students conducted hunger strikes, speeches, marched, and performed other forms of civil disobedience. What happened next was a benchmark struggle between governmental power and human rights.
The government eventually decided to crush the protestors, literally and figuratively. Thousands of military troops descended into Beijing and other parts of China. Hundreds of tanks were dispatched, heavily armed soldiers were sent. The student protestors were shot at and some were even trampled by tanks. This led to the iconic historical photo known as “Tank Man.” Tank Man was one individual that stood in front of the military tanks to impede the progression of the tanks into the crowd. He literally moved inch by inch in front of this behemoth of a man-made killing machine until fellow protestors grabbed him in fear of him being crushed.
The Chinese government had censored the media stream, kicked out foreign journalists, declared martial law, arrested the young protestors for demonstration, and removed government officials that empathized with the protestors.
Now Tiananmen Square is an event unto itself that doesn’t parallel directly to Ferguson, when you look at it numerically. However, when you examine and analyze the strategy, tactics, and willingness of the use of force by authorities on citizens, it starts to resemble Tiananmen Square.
America must be very cautious of our criticism and the sanctimonious disposition we espouse as a global leader. Ferguson, Missouri began to eerily resemble the trademark signs and symptoms of Tiananmen Square. Ferguson was about the unjust murder of Michael Brown, but it spoke to other social ills that many Americans feel daily.
The use of military weaponry as a response to Free Speech, petitioning of accountability, and reform is unethical, immoral, and unacceptable.
Let’s not be blinded in our ethos of liberty and justice for all. The same way a couple reaffirms their vows, America needs to reaffirm our vows, so that we’re not quoting empty historical phrases but actually practicing a true humanitarian doctrine for all. Otherwise, we can easily adapt, morph, and transform into the very system we’ve critiqued and ridiculed for ages.
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Check these links below:
1033 Program PBS Documentary on Tiananmen Square Protests of 1989
