# BlackLivesMatter: A Zine

Intro

I dont know on which side you stand. Whether youre Black

or White or Brown. Whether you are protesting for Michael
Brown or whether you think Officer Darren Wilson was just
doing his job or whether youre not really sure what the
hell Im talking about. I hope this zine gives you a better
understanding about why Black Lives Matter and why
everybody is making such a big deal about it.

Whats All this Ruckus about Mike Brown?

1.

Mike Brown was an 18 year old black man who was

killed by Police Officer Darren Wilson.

2. Mike Brown was shot dead, even though he was

unarmed.
3.

Not just shot dead, but shot 6 times.

4. And then his body was left in the street for 4.5
hours.

Following is an excerpt from an interview with Mike

Browns friend, Dorian Johnson, who was with Mike Brown at
the time of the incident. [1]

Whats the deal with Darren Wilsons Indictment?

After this horrific shooting, people called out for justice.

The next step was for Officer Darren Wilson to be indicted.

The two walked and talked. Thats when Johnson says they saw the police
car rolling up to them.
The officer demanded that the two get the fk on the sidewalk,[]
After telling the officer that they were almost at their destination, Johnsons
house, the two continued walking. But as they did, Johnson says the officer
slammed his brakes and threw his truck in reverse, nearly hitting them.
[] Johnson says the officer attempted to thrust his door open but the door
slammed into Brown and bounced closed. Johnson says the officer, with his
left hand, grabbed Brown by the neck []
Hes [Mikes] pulling away, thats when I heard, Im gonna shoot you.
[] I seen the barrel of the gun pointed at my friend, he said. He had it
pointed at him and said Ill shoot, one more time.
A second later Johnson said he heard the first shot go off.
Eyewitness reports are conflicted about what happened next,
exactly.
Some say Mike Brown was shot while kneeling, his hands
raised up in the air, pleading Dont Shoot. Another says
his last words were I give up. Yet another says he was
not kneeling, he was standing.
None of that changes the fact that Mike Brown, an unarmed
black man, was shot six times.
His body was then left in the street, uncovered, for 4.5
hours.
You can read a complete guide of every eyewitness account here:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/10/31/1340611/-The-complete-guide-to-everypublic-eyewitness-interview-in-the-shooting-death-of-Mike-Brown

So what is an indictment anyways? Basically its a way for

someone to be formally charged with a crime in front of a
grand jury. If the jury decides there is enough of a case,
the defendant is then put on trial.
Typically, its easy to convince a grand jury to indict a
suspect. In 2010, U.S. attorneys prosecuted 162,000 federal
cases. Only 11 of those did not result in an indictment. [2]
However, Wilsons case was thrown out based on conflicting
evidence. This is absurd, but not unexpected since police
almost always get preferential treatment when faced with
indictment. [3]
This injustice pissed off a lot of people, who believe
Darren Wilson should be tried in a court of law, not let go
under the assumption of innocence.
Darren Wilson has not really helped his own case since
then. Not only does his version of events conflict with
those of most eyewitnesses, but he is remorseless. He has
refused to apologize to Browns family, and bluntly stated
that his conscious is clear and that he would not have done
anything differently. [4]
There is still a chance that Wilson may be brought before a
grand jury again and indicted. National Bar Association
President Pamela J. Meanes expresses her sincere
disappointment with the outcome of the Grand Jurys
decision but has made it abundantly clear that the National
Bar Association stands firm and will be calling on the U.S.
Department of Justice to pursue federal charges against
Officer Darren Wilson. [5]

But He Was Just Doing His Job!

If a police officer grabbing you by your neck and choking

you before so much as saying hands in the air, and then
shooting you dead in cold blood without any attempt to
disable or stop you in any other way, is just an example of
a job done right then we need to seriously question
police officers jobs.
Is the polices job to protect us? Or provoke & attack us?
Too often police have gotten away with murder with the
excuse that they were just doing their job. Only 6.5% of
cops are ever brought to trial after killing someone
through excessive use of force. [6]
According to the FBI, over 400 people have been killed by
police just this year. However, this is based on
incredibly incomplete data (only 4% of agencies actually
report officer shootings), so volunteer organizations have
been researching and compiling more accurate statistics.
They report that upwards of 1,000 people are shot and
killed by police each year. [7]
You can get a good visual of how many people are killed by
cops each year by visiting
http://www.fatalencounters.org/.
All officers except one did not serve time for these deaths:

Full Infographic: colorlines.com

Why Is This About Race? White People Get Shot, T oo!

This is true. White people are shot by cops. Police
brutality should freak everybody out, no matter their
ethnicity or skin tone.

But, white communities are not targets for police violence

and harassment.

And studies show that police officers are more likely to

shoot at unarmed black men.

For example, consider the image & language the media used
to portray Mike Brown after his death:

The participants play a simulation where they press shoot

if they think the white or black suspect holds a gun.
Consistently, psychologists have found the students more likely
to shoot the unarmed black person over an unarmed white
person.
[Police Officers Are More Likely to Shoot Black Men, Studies Suggest
ht t p://w w w .new republic.com/]

Here are some other statistics to think about [8]:

Black people are four times as likely to be killed

while in custody or arrested than whites

Depending on the year, black people are anywhere

from twice to eight times more likely to die at the
hands of law enforcement than whites.

Compare it to the language used to describe mass shooter

James Eagan Holmes, who shot 12 people dead and wounded 70
when he attacked a movie theater with an assault rifle.

If you still need more proof, just search racist cop on

YouTube and youll get playlists worth of disturbing
footage of cops abusing people of color.

How Could That Be For Real? Isnt Racism Over?

From the outside, it may appear to be that way. We no
longer drink from separate water fountains, and schools
have officially been desegregated. We had the civil rights
movement, and now all is good, right?
Not quite. There is still a lot of systemic racism in our
society. That kind of stuff doesnt go away in a
generation.
A lot of people dont even realize that they are thinking
racist thoughts because seeing the world through a racist
lens has become so normalized.
Just think how often black men are portrayed as thugs,
gangstas, and criminals. We see those images everywhere:
pop music, movies, the news. This causes people to then
have a very one-dimensional idea about the word black
male.

Find more examples of this double standard on Huffington Post:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/14/media-blackvictims_n_5673291.html

Or would you be really pissed off at all the racists who

are harassing you, your community and your children?

I Feel Really Uncomfortable Because I m White And I Dont

Understand Why Black People Hate Me / It s Not My Fault
When people get angry about white privilege or systemic
inequality, its not about you personally. Its anger
directed at the fact that there are certain advantages to
being white in the world that black people just do not have
access to.
If you are white, no matter whether you are rich or poor,
male or female, there is a good chance you get to
experience these benefits:

If I am in a university classroom, I am surrounded

by other people of my own race who understand my
point of view
If I curse, dress in thrift store clothes or sag my
pants, it is not used as proof that I am an example
of the bad morals, the poverty, or the illiteracy
of my race
If I speak eloquently, people do not look at me in
surprise, or congratulate me on acting white
My race is overwhelmingly represented in all media,
whether its books, movies, T.V., or politicians
I dont really spend time thinking about race
because it doesnt impact my daily life

I See Your Point But Violent Protests Dont Solve Anything

First of all, lets not get distracted from the real
perpetrators of violence. The people who are responsible
for violence are cops like Darren Wilson and vigilante
racists like George Zimmerman. Not anti-racist, antipolice brutality protesters.
With that being said, these CRAZY violent protests are a
myth. When people take over streets and freeways, it is
not an act of violence.

There are many more examples listed in Peggy McIntosh's

essay, "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack."
which can be easily found via google search.
These are issues that black people can never escape.
Whether they are rich or poor, male or female, or how they
are dressed, they must face racism in their life every day.
Sometimes, as was the case for Mike Brown and Trayvon
Martin, this can even result in death.
If you were black, would you feel like racism was over?

Its a way for voiceless people to be heard. Sure it might

inconvenience your commute. But do recognize that your

life is not going to be ruined because you had to sit in

extra traffic.
Too often injustice in the world is allowed to continue,
and other people continue to suffer, because we are too
busy to pay attention.
Activists participating in these actions are using their
bodies as a megaphone to communicate to the world. Use the
moments stuck in traffic to allow yourself to think about
and be aware of what would cause people to be so
passionate that that they would shut down a street over a
cause they believe in.
Also, lets remember cops in riot gear are pretty
terrifying. Most people are not going to charge at a man
with a taser in one hand and a gun in the other.
Protesters may seem violent because they are loud, they are
a large crowd, and they are speaking out angrily about an
injustice. But they are not hitting, punching, or shooting
at people.
Do you know who is?

But What About The Riots?!

First, I encourage you to take another look at the photo on

the previous page. If somebody was beating the shit out of
you, wouldnt you fight back?
Anyways. MLK spoke better than I could on this topic:

It is not enough for me to stand before you tonight and condemn riots. It
would be morally irresponsible for me to do that without, at the same time,
condemning the contingent, intolerable conditions that exist in our society.
These conditions are the things that cause individuals to feel that they have
no other alternative than to engage in violent rebellions to get attention.
And I must say tonight that a riot is the language of the unheard.
And what is it America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the
plight of the negro poor has worsened over the last twelve or fifteen years. It
has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been
met. And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more
concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice and
humanity.
Protesters Deserve What They Get: Theyre Breaking the Law
Protesters who occupy or take over streets are using the
tactic of civil disobedience.
This is the same tactic that Martin Luther King Jr. not
only advocated for, but actively participated in.
Back when black people were occupying diners that shit was
ILLEGAL.

The civil rights movement would not have succeeded if it

wasnt for the brave men and women making noise, causing a
scene, and refusing to back down.

More Questions? Heres More Answers.

I m Neither Racist Nor Radical.

Lets Find A Middle Ground.

"Over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white
moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the
Negros great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the
White Citizens Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white
moderate, who is more devoted to order than to justice; who prefers a
negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which
is the presence of justice; who constantly says: I agree with you in the
goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action;
who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another mans
freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly
advises the Negro to wait for a more convenient season.
-Martin Luther King Jr., Letter from a Birmingham Jail
This is a historic moment. And when we eventually look
back on moments in history, we can usually differentiate
between the right and wrong and there are few moral
grey areas.
During the Civil Rights movement there were people with
all sorts of opinions about whether or not black people
should have equal rights to public/private spaces but now
society for the most part recognizes that there was only
one right answer: yes.
Today a major question is: do black people have the right
to be able to walk down the street without getting harassed
and shot at by police officers? Do Black Lives Matter?
There are people with all sorts of opinions on this topic,
from the mind-blowingly overtly racist to passionate human
rights activists.
Choosing not to take sides is a choice to avoid difficult
conversations in order to silently accept things the way
they are.
Which side of history do you choose to be on?

Full disclosure: Contributors to this zine benefit from

white privilege. We created this zine in an effort to
answer common questions that people ask have been asking
since the death of Mike Brown. However, there are people
who can speak on this issue much better than we can.
If you care about human rights, specifically Black rights,
you must be willing to listen to the voices of Black
people. Here are some places where you can start:
Color Lines http://colorlines.com/
Black Girl Dangerous http://www.blackgirldangerous.org/
Racialicious: http://www.racialicious.com/
The Root: http://www.theroot.com/
Color of Change: http://colorofchange.org/
Black Voices: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/black-voices/

References

[1] Eyewitness to Michael Brown shooting recounts his friends death:

http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/eyewitness-michael-brown-fatal-shooting-missouri
[2] Its Incredibly Rare For A Grand Jury To Do What Fergusons Just Did:
http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/ferguson-michael-brown-indictment-darrenwilson/
[3] Justifying Homicide:
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2014/11/darren_wilson_wa
s_never_going_to_be_indicted_for_killing_michael_brown_our.html
[4] Officer Darren Wilson's story is unbelievable. Literally.:
http://www.vox.com/2014/11/25/7281165/darren-wilsons-story-side
[5] National Bar Association calls for Federal Charges against Darren:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/11/25/1347398/-National-Bar-Associationcalls-for-Federal-Charges-against-Darren-Wilson
[6] Its not just Ferguson: US cops who kill are rarely indicted:
http://qz.com/301968/its-not-just-ferguson-us-cops-who-kill-are-rarely-indicted/
[7] FBI reports 27 cops were killed last year. But how many civilians were killed
by officers?: http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2014/11/24/fbireports-27-cops-were-killed-last-year-but-how-many-civilians-were-killed-byofficers/
[8] Heres the Data That Shows Cops Kill Black People at a Higher Rate Than
White People: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/08/police-shootingsferguson-race-data

Epilogue: What Can I Do?

1. Find Black rights groups in your area.
A
couple good places to start are the NAACP
and black student unions.
2. If you are not Black, then ask how you can
be an ally and then listen. Respect the
voices of the people you are reaching out
to; dont dominate the conversation.
3. Find protests near you and show up. Try
typing Mike Brown into Facebook search
and we bet some events will pop up.

STEP 1. REALIZE RACISM STILL EXISTS.

STEP 2. SEE THAT POLICE BRUTALITY IS REAL.

4. Create an affinity group. That is a small

group of people who you trust. Plan your
own actions and protests either
independently or in conjunction with
preexisting activist groups.
5. Share this zine! Educate and inform people
around you.
6. Educate yourself. Be critical. Have an
open mind. Be inspired by revolutionary
heroes like Martin Luther King, Malcolm X,
Angela Y. Davis.
7. Speak up!! Dont let your voice be silenced.
There are so many infinite ways you can
speak out against injustice: letters, music,
street art, public speaking find your
strength and then DO IT DO IT DO IT!

STEP 3. END IT.