On Nov. 24, the decision regarding the indictment of Officer Darren Wilson was released. Many gathered at the steps of the Clayton Courthouse and in the heart of Ferguson to hear the announcement by Robert McCulloch, St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney. It was announced that no charges were found against Wilson and that he would not be indicted. This did not mean simply that a man was not going to court. No, this meant so much more.

Soon after the decision was announced people began protesting in anger at not only the grand jury decision, but also the justice system. In the hours following the decision over 80 civilians were arrested, tear gas was used by police officers, cars were set on fire, two highways shut down and 12 buildings burnt in Ferguson. However, in the days to follow, peaceful protesting in several states helped people send their message.

Some responded to this saying it was hopeless to protest against a decision that was set in stone, but what they didn’t quite understand was that the issue was no longer an unarmed teenager being shot to death by a police officer. It was now so much bigger than that.

Mike Brown’s death shot the world into a frenzy of realization about not only racism, but more directly how law enforcement officers unjustly treat those of color or lower class. This has led to widespread protest of the systematic oppression of minorities by way of our country’s justice system. People fear that this grand jury decision proves that police officers can get away with almost anything. They have total control over civilians and their fate. This is especially an issue for people of color as it is statistically proven that African Americans are targeted by police officers.

As we grow up, we are taught that the police are here to serve and protect our community. However, many people feel that police officers instead inflict fear and prove to be a source of harm in our society. This issue has been touched on in the aftermath of the unrest in Ferguson with the suggestion of placing cameras on officers and their cars to record not only the people they arrest but their actions as well. It seems that people are not quite satisfied with this option and further question why we should fear those put in place to protect us. Instead, people are wondering why they hurt us and in some cases, such as Mike Brown’s, kill us.

Seemingly, it is not just corrupt officers that are responsible for the misfortune of African Americans in the criminal justice system, but it appears that the institution itself may be inherently racist and also at fault for unjust arrests and deaths. Our fear derives from the fact that law enforcement is capable of injustice and that the criminal justice system fails to respond appropriately.

When Wilson fired his gun, he also fired off a revolution against the oppression of African Americans in today’s society. His killing brought to light the racism of America, a nation that boasts of its equality and freedom. With this killing, more people realized the monumental problems of racism we have in our country. On Aug. 9, a boy was lost to death, but in his death we rediscovered an age-old issue that can no longer be ignored. With the tragic end of Michael Brown’s life we hope this incident will provide inspiration to end oppression and institutionalized racial discrimination. Incidents like the shooting of Michael Brown have happened before, but the anger has always died down before any major reforms are made. Let’s hope that this time we can find the inspiration to create lasting changes.