Ten years ago, on August 9, 2014, Black Lives Matter was born in Ferguson, Missouri. On that day, Michael Brown became a holy social justice martyr, and “hands up; don’t shoot” became a rallying cry. Brown was no martyr, he never had his hands up, nor did he say: “don’t shoot,” and Ferguson and America have never recovered from the “mostly peaceful protests” and racial hatred accelerated that day. Just as with George Floyd, few are less worthy of praise, emulation and remembrance than Michael Brown.

Graphic: X Screenshot

A recent high school graduate, Brown, 6’4” and nearly 300 pounds, was  an unemployed, shiftless, daily drug user. His social media presence featured thug and drug themes. Brown and his pot-smoking pal, Dorian Johnson, walked to a convenience store, where Brown stole handfuls of blunts, cheap cigars they’d hollow out and fill with pot. Brown roughed up the clerk, committing strong armed robbery.

Graphic: Screenshot of surveillance video released by police.

A short time later, Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson found them walking down the middle of a road and asked them to use the sidewalk. They refused and as Wilson stopped, Brown slammed the door of Wilson’s vehicle and reaching through the open window, beat Wilson and tried to get his handgun. Wilson, who fully cooperated with the investigation and later said it was like fighting the Incredible Hulk, barely managed to retain his weapon. During the struggle, several rounds were fired inside the vehicle, slightly wounding Brown’s hand and sending him and Johnson to flight.

Wilson got out and ordered Brown to stop, but instead of continuing to flee, he turned, put his head down and made a berserker charge at Wilson, who reasonably believed if Brown got to him again, he’d be killed. He repeatedly ordered Brown to stop, and fired ten rounds, the last of which hit Brown in the top of the head, dropping him essentially at Wilson’s feet.

This was the Age of Obama, the Holder DOJ. The FBI was immediately involved, as was racist, ambulance-chasing lawyer Benjamin Crump, who made his bones with the Trayvon Martin case.  Dorian Johnson invented the “hands up: don’t shoot” lie, which Crump and the media spread like wildfire. 

Numerous witnesses came forward, anxious to lynch a racist cop as Ferguson burned. Unfortunately for them and the narrative, their statements were quickly found to be lies. Virtually all either were never there, were not in a position to have seen anything, and/or eventually admitted they were lying. Several honest, honorable black residents who did see what happened in whole or part told the truth. 

I’ve been covering the case since it began, producing to date some 30 articles.  

Many of the perjured witness statements, taken by the FBI, are low comedy. One witness, when it became clear she was lying, even tried to destroy the FBI’s tape recorder! One unassailable fact became clear: Brown never raised his hands in surrender, nor did he ever say “don’t shoot” or anything like it.

A famous legal maxim is a prosecutor can get a grand jury to indict a ham sandwich. The local prosecutor empaneled a grand jury, and rather than presenting only evidence of possible guilt, gave them all the facts, all the testimony, and they did not indict Wilson, who has been in hiding since the day Brown attacked him. The prosecutor also released all evidence to the public. So solicitous of Johnson were all the investigators and prosecutors involved, they allowed him to perjure himself, but did not prosecute him for perjury or as an accessory to strong armed robbery.

The Holder DOJ, who surely would have loved to have prosecuted Wilson for murder or civil rights violations, had to admit there was no evidence of wrongdoing. He acted in defense of his life, and entirely in accordance with the law. Consider how clear and unassailable the evidence supporting Wilson must have been for the most racist DOJ in history to drop the case.

PBS was among the media outlets upholding the narrative. They came up with a bizarre statistical analysis that alleged if 51% of witnesses said something, it must be true. What actually matters is whether witnesses were actually present and could have seen something, and what degree of credibility they might have. In this case, more than 51% had no credibility whatever.

On this 10^th anniversary, there are a few lessons young Americans of any race can take to heart: excel in school, be honest, responsible, respectful, stay away from drugs and the destructive cultural trends of the day, and don’t rob convenience stores or try to kill police officers. 

Had Michael Brown done these things, we would never have heard of him, and he might be living a productive life in a town better for his efforts. Instead…

Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor.