Application of WEB Dubois Double Consciousness Concept on Ferguson, Missouri Incident - Case Study Example

Application of WEB Dubois Double Consciousness Concept on Ferguson, Missouri Incident al Affiliation Application of WEB Dubois Double Consciousness Concept on Ferguson, Missouri Incident The U.S. is one of the countries with the highest homicide incidences in the world. Most of these criminal activities are committed by thugs. However, the recent killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson was quite different considering that the killing was committed by a police officer who is expected to ensure the safety of citizens (Michael, 2014). The killing of Brown has caused a lot of uproar and protest in Ferguson and most parts of the country with the protesters calling for a thorough probe and the prosecution of the police officer behind the killing. The killing of Brown has since taken a racial angle with the majority of people seeing racial profiling as being the motive behind the killing (McLaughlin, 2014). The case is almost similar to the 2012 killing of Martin Trayvon by George Zimmerman, which was cited to have been caused by racial profiling. However, the only difference between the two shooting incidences is that Brown was killed by a police officer, Martin having been killed by a civilian. Resolving the issue has been very difficult since knowing whoever was wrong between Brown and the Ferguson officer has been very challenging. There has been conflicting report as to what transpired that prompted the Ferguson police officer to shoot Brown the 18-year old African American, who was unarmed at the time of the incidence (Mejia, 2014). One witness account from Jonson, the friend who was with Brown showed that police officers on a patrol vehicle accosted Brown, drew him and shot him after few seconds of quarreling. However, FBI report showed that as the Ferguson police officer was alighting from his vehicle, Brown pushed him back into the car and engaged him in a physical fight, prompting the police officer identified later as Wilson to shoot Brown. Although these were what the public were told and knew about the shooting of Michael Brown, the facts have since been revised causing a lot of confusions. For instance, initially Browns parents said that Brown had just completed his high school education and was waiting to join college; the police officers have since rubbished such claims arguing that Brown was a criminal. Complicating the matter further, the police officers have described Brown as having been a hardcore criminal caught on surveillance cameras earlier on the fateful day committing robbery with violence against a store clerk in town (McLaughlin, 2014). The police officers also argued that those calling the incidence as mere shoplifting are ignorant of the legal meaning. The police latest arguments have since cast down on the earlier witness account on what transpired on the day of the shooting. Indeed, this case if very confusing to the extent that some people are now advocating the introduction of police cameras to help record such incidences. Double Conscious Concept The killing of Michael Brown certainly falls within the realm of double conscious concept formulated by W.E.B. DuBois in 1903. The double conscious concept describes a state where an individual develops a feeling as though he or she exhibits identities of different parts, making it impossible to have a single identity. DuBois made the comments in reference to the race relations in American society (Fontenot and Morgan, 2001). Dubois argued that, because African Americans have lived in a society that has historically undermined and oppressed them, it has become extremely difficult for African Americans to unify their black identity with that of American society. Accordingly, double consciousness has often compelled African Americans to view themselves as a lesser race than whites. DuBois noted that, because of double consciousness, African Americans often suffer damaged self-esteem and image, which is influenced by the perceptions the society and the treatment they receive from whites (Oliver, 2005). DuBois also observed that the life of African Americans have often been shaped by the stereotypes directed towards them by the popular American culture. He argues that African Americans have for a long time suffered from prejudice and negative stereotypes which lowers their self-esteem and ideals. As a result, DuBois noted that the internationalization of anti-black comments from the outside world has impacted negatively on the black American experience. DuBois also stated that double consciousness triggers antagonism within African Americans as they continue with the struggle to reconcile their black identity and as American citizens. DuBois double conscious concept certainly still applies to the present day society. Although some critics of the theory argue that double conscious concept is an old concept that no longer applies to the present day society, evidence shows that the concept is still applicable. This is because inequalities based on race that makes it extremely difficult for Africa Americans to reconcile their identities as blacks and as American citizens are still prevalent in American society. Accordingly, DuBois double conscious concept applies to the phenomena in Ferguson, Missouri, where the killing of Michael Brown has been cited as a premeditated killing prompted by racial profiling. Although racism has declined in the United States since the Civil Rights Act came into effect in 1964, the incident that occurred in Ferguson, Missouri, reveals that racism is still a major problem in American society. History shows that Ferguson initially was a city dominated by whites. However, with the continued immigration, blacks have since outnumbered whites and constitute about 75% of the citys population (Mejia, 2014). Surprisingly, Fergusons police force is entirely dominated by whites. This in itself shows that blacks still play second fiddle to their white counterparts, in what DuBois would link to racism. DuBois stated in his double conscious concept that, because Africans Americans have lived in a society that has historically oppressed and undermined them, blacks have often found it difficult to reconcile themselves as blacks and as Americans (Fontenot and Morgan, 2001). The same is evident in Ferguson where African Americans have often found it difficult to reconcile their black identities with American identities. African Americans in Ferguson feel that they are being oppressed as if they are not American citizens. For instance, a report released by the FBI showed that about 92% of people arrested in Ferguson for crimes and disorderly behaviors are African Americans. This gives a clear indication of how blacks are systematically harassed and oppressed by whites, which concurs with what DuBois stated in his double conscious concept (Miller, 2014). For instance, blacks in Ferguson complain that white police officers harass them and that petty charges such as disorderly misconduct are used as a means of exercising social control over them. This has made it extremely difficult for African Americans to reconcile their black identity and that of being an American citizen. This is because whites often oppress them to the extent that they begin to wonder if being black not being an American. Again what happened in Ferguson recently is not an isolated or an abstract problem. Rather it was a repetition of historical white supremacist in which white police officers often use violence against blacks whom they consider their lives worthless. In fact, it appears that the death of an African American is legitimized by the authorities in Ferguson (McLaughlin, 2014). This became apparent when the police legitimized the death of Brown citing that he was involved in a robbery with violence earlier that day after which he changed his clothes to confuse the police officers from identifying him. The police claim that, Brown may have been jaywalking, a statement, which also reveals how the police officers have been harassing blacks for petty offenses. However, even if Brown were indeed involved in a robbery earlier that day, the police officers could have arrested him and charged him in court instead of shooting him as they did. As a result, black in Ferguson have termed the killing of Brown as a reflection of how Ferguson police officers have time and again use white supremacy to oppress blacks in Ferguson. This kind of harassments and oppression of African Americans in Ferguson has made it extremely difficult for blacks to reconcile their blackness with Americans due to double consciousness (Oliver, 2005). In fact, some African Americans in Ferguson have been wondering whether they are true Americans and whether being black is in itself a crime. In conclusion, although some critics have rubbished DuBois double conscious concept as an old concept which he died with, what is happening in Ferguson, Missouri shows that double conscious concept is still applicable in the present day America. The incident at Ferguson has shown clearly that race relation is still an issue that is affecting blacks. African Americans are still oppressed, harassed and even killed for petty offenses merely because they are black as was the case of Michael Brown killing. Such oppressions by whites have made it extremely difficult for African Americans to reconcile their black identity with American citizens. References Fontenot, C. J., & Morgan, M. A. (2001). W.E.B. Du Bois and race: Essays celebrating the centennial publication of the Souls of Black Folk. New York, NY: Mercer University Press. McLaughlin, E. C. (2014, August 15). What we know about Michael Browns shooting. CNN, CNN. Mejia, P. (2014, Oct. 18). Officer Darren Wilsons testimony on the Michael Brown shooting: report. Newsweek, p. 3. Michael, M. (2014, Sept. 17). Ferguson controversy prompts activists to protest Chicago shootings. Chicago Sun-Times. Sun-Times. Chicago. Miller, J. (2014, Aug. 24). Jay Nixon on possibility of controversial Ferguson cop being charged. CBC News, CBC Press. Oliver, V. C. (2005). Double consciousness: Black conceptual art since 1970. New York, NY: Contemporary Arts Museum. Read More