Killer Mike humanizes Michael Brown tragedy

If you read nothing else about the ongoing tragedy in Ferguson, Missouri, where the police killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown has spawned public outrage and a federal investigation, read Atlanta rapper/activist Killer Mike’s heartfelt response.

His Instagram post has been making the rounds online since he posted it on Aug. 11. The photo, credited to Huy Mach of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch via the Associated Press, illuminates the grief of Michael Brown’s parents Lesley McSpadden and Louis Head. Originally published in color, the black-and-white version resembles a leftover exposure from the Jim Crow era.

But it’s Killer Mike’s words that speak loudest. In less than 300 words, he does more to humanize Ferguson looters, protestors, bystanders, and the parents of Michael Brown than the flood of clashing media accounts, cable TV pundits, probing think pieces, and social media outcry that has followed.

The full text of Killer Mike’s Instagram post is below:

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We are human beings. We deserve to be buried by our children not the other way around. No matter how u felt about black people look at this mother and look at this father and tell me as a human being how u cannot feel empathy for them. How can u not feel sympathy for their pain and loss. These are not ‘THOTS, niggas/niggers, hoes, Ballers, Divas.’ These two people are parents. They are humans that produced a child and loved that child and that child was slaughtered like Game and left face down as public spectacle while his blood drained down the street.

Look at the pain of this mother; look into her eyes. Look at the man behind her. Look at that father made helpless and hurt that he cud not defend his seed. Don’t debate. Don’t insert your agenda. Save me the bullshit Black On Black Crime speech and look at these two Noble creatures called humans and look at what govt-sanctioned murder has done. It has robbed them of their humanity and replaced it with pain and shame, suffering and hurt.

I don’t care if others rioted or why. I don’t care that ballplayers and rappers are what they shud be. I care that we as humans care as much about one another more. I care we see past Class, race and culture and honor the humanity that unites our species. Stop talking and LOOK at these PEOPLE. LOOK at these HUMANS and stand with them against a system allows a Human PIG to slaughter their child. Forgive any typos love and respect u all.