Leaders should focus on root causes of crime

I am the first to agree that many police officers abuse their power and nobody deserves to die. But I find the reporting of the Michael Brown death and aftermath by the liberal press disgusting and insulting. He was a 6-foot-4, 290-pound man who just robbed a convenience store and shoved an employee. When the surveillance video was released, some media complained as it did not fit their description of Brown as a gentle, innocent, unarmed young black man. He and his accomplice then flaunted the crime by walking down the middle of a street.

When Officer Wilson asked them to get out of the street, they were defiant and Brown went to the squad car window and threatened the officer. Details are not clear after that, but it seems that there were young black men who had no respect for laws or authority. But to listen to the usual black spokesmen, a racist policeman was the only issue here. Why is it they show up only when there is white-on-black crime, but they and the media are rarely there when there is black-on-white or black-on-black crime? Why do we not hear about the failed social programs that eat up our tax dollars, yet we have a record number of people on welfare and food stamps, with a faster rise than ever under our black president?

When some black Chicago pastors such as Corey Brooks supported Bruce Rauner, saying it is time for something different because the current system is broken, his church was burglarized and he got death threats. Let's not put all the blame on police officers who are sent into dangerous neighborhoods - maybe the media and black leaders should look a little deeper to find root causes of the problems society faces today.

Mike Haase

Mount Prospect