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| 'Would Michael Brown still be here if we voted for the right people?' | 'Would Michael Brown still be here if we voted for the right people?' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The group of Ferguson residents clumped around the makeshift memorial at the spot where a police officer shot Michael Brown readily admitted that two weeks ago they had little idea who ran their city. | The group of Ferguson residents clumped around the makeshift memorial at the spot where a police officer shot Michael Brown readily admitted that two weeks ago they had little idea who ran their city. |
| They paid no attention to the fact that, while two-thirds of Ferguson’s residents are African American, all but one of the members of the city council is white. Or that the mayor is a Republican. Or who the police chief is. | |
| Brown’s death has changed all that. People who are frequently alienated, largely devoid of leadership and have not bothered to vote, often because they did not believe elections would change anything, are suddenly paying attention to who controls the levers of power in Ferguson. | Brown’s death has changed all that. People who are frequently alienated, largely devoid of leadership and have not bothered to vote, often because they did not believe elections would change anything, are suddenly paying attention to who controls the levers of power in Ferguson. |
| “I didn’t know the council was white until Mike happened,” said Major Terrell, 29. “There’s a lot of people talking about it now.” | “I didn’t know the council was white until Mike happened,” said Major Terrell, 29. “There’s a lot of people talking about it now.” |
| Black politicians, community activists and groups such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) are seizing on the anger that has swept through Ferguson over Brown’s death to try to lead a political revolution in the city by mobilising people to vote and challenge a decades-old white power structure. | |
| “Here’s the wake-up call,” said Carlos Howard, a 27 year-old nursing home aide, who has joined the nightly protests over Brown’s killing. “Now we know we need to be aware of these things, like the council being a majority white folks but the neighbourhood is a majority of black folks. How did that happen? We need to change it.” | “Here’s the wake-up call,” said Carlos Howard, a 27 year-old nursing home aide, who has joined the nightly protests over Brown’s killing. “Now we know we need to be aware of these things, like the council being a majority white folks but the neighbourhood is a majority of black folks. How did that happen? We need to change it.” |
| ‘The white folks always ran Ferguson anyway’ | ‘The white folks always ran Ferguson anyway’ |
| The circumstances of Brown’s death and the heavy-handed response by militarised police to protests over the killing first drew attention to the racial imbalance within Ferguson’s 50-strong police force which has only three black officers. But attention swiftly shifted to the makeup of the city council, which oversees the police, amid suspicions that the small African American representation meant the force did not feel accountable to the wider community. | |
| Brian Fletcher, who was Ferguson’s mayor for six years until 2011 and before that served on the council, said that if African Americans turned out to vote they could sweep away the existing power structure. | Brian Fletcher, who was Ferguson’s mayor for six years until 2011 and before that served on the council, said that if African Americans turned out to vote they could sweep away the existing power structure. |
| “If they would vote they could have every elected official on the council, every elected official on the school board. But if they want representation on these councils and school boards they have to vote and offer themselves for office,” he said. “I don’t know why they don’t.” | “If they would vote they could have every elected official on the council, every elected official on the school board. But if they want representation on these councils and school boards they have to vote and offer themselves for office,” he said. “I don’t know why they don’t.” |
| Howard admits that he is part of the problem. He hasn’t voted in city elections because he didn’t think it would make a difference. | Howard admits that he is part of the problem. He hasn’t voted in city elections because he didn’t think it would make a difference. |
| “The white folks always ran Ferguson anyway,” said Howard. “There’s been a feeling that even if we speak up, we sometimes feel we’re not being heard, even in numbers. We feel like we don’t have a say so even if we vote.” | “The white folks always ran Ferguson anyway,” said Howard. “There’s been a feeling that even if we speak up, we sometimes feel we’re not being heard, even in numbers. We feel like we don’t have a say so even if we vote.” |
| Just 12% of registered voters in the city cast a ballot in municipal elections last year but white people were three times more likely to vote than black people and so decided the outcome. In 2011 an even lower turnout elected a white Republican mayor. | Just 12% of registered voters in the city cast a ballot in municipal elections last year but white people were three times more likely to vote than black people and so decided the outcome. In 2011 an even lower turnout elected a white Republican mayor. |
| It’s not that Howard and other African Americans in Ferguson don’t believe in voting. They turned out for the last presidential election in similar proportion to the city’s white voters. | It’s not that Howard and other African Americans in Ferguson don’t believe in voting. They turned out for the last presidential election in similar proportion to the city’s white voters. |
| Hazel Erby, an African American member of the St Louis county council whose ward includes Ferguson, said she regularly encounters disenchantment in her efforts to get black people to participate in municipal elections even though the outcome decides the control of millions of dollars in budgets and patronage. | Hazel Erby, an African American member of the St Louis county council whose ward includes Ferguson, said she regularly encounters disenchantment in her efforts to get black people to participate in municipal elections even though the outcome decides the control of millions of dollars in budgets and patronage. |
| “It’s been my experience that people don’t vote because they believe that it doesn’t benefit them, or a lack of trust of the people who are running,” she said. “They don’t make the connection that this can improve their lives.” | “It’s been my experience that people don’t vote because they believe that it doesn’t benefit them, or a lack of trust of the people who are running,” she said. “They don’t make the connection that this can improve their lives.” |
| ‘The lightbulb is coming on’ | ‘The lightbulb is coming on’ |
| Mary Elizabeth Dorsey, deputy chair of the St Louis City Democrats Central Committee and a representative for neighbouring Florissant township, said that Ferguson has one of the highest turnouts in the region among black and white voters in presidential elections but her party’s efforts to get people to municipal polls have been frustrated. | Mary Elizabeth Dorsey, deputy chair of the St Louis City Democrats Central Committee and a representative for neighbouring Florissant township, said that Ferguson has one of the highest turnouts in the region among black and white voters in presidential elections but her party’s efforts to get people to municipal polls have been frustrated. |
| “I don’t know how to get people to the polls any more than we do. We offer rides, we encourage people, we offer them opportunities to learn about the candidates, we hold public meetings. But people are disinterested in voting and I’m not sure how to get our electorate more engaged,” she said. | “I don’t know how to get people to the polls any more than we do. We offer rides, we encourage people, we offer them opportunities to learn about the candidates, we hold public meetings. But people are disinterested in voting and I’m not sure how to get our electorate more engaged,” she said. |
| Asked about the belief among some African Americans that voting for local councils does not make a difference, she said: “We’ve seen that. But you can win a municipal election, just because there is such poor voter turnout, with between 300 and 350 votes. That means their vote is almost more value than in a general election.” | Asked about the belief among some African Americans that voting for local councils does not make a difference, she said: “We’ve seen that. But you can win a municipal election, just because there is such poor voter turnout, with between 300 and 350 votes. That means their vote is almost more value than in a general election.” |
| Kisha Woods, a 27 year-old social worker, said part of the problem is a lack of local leadership, which means few black candidates even run for office. | |
| “There’s a small group but there’s not a main leader to help guide us to where we want to go. It’s very important. If you have a strong leader then others will follow. There’s a lack of structure,” she said. “After what happened here it makes you think about who do we have in office. Is this a good mayor for us? What about the chief of police? Nothing has happened this drastic ever here and I was born here. There’s a definite change because of what’s happened. A lot of people are talking about the need to vote to make our township better.” | “There’s a small group but there’s not a main leader to help guide us to where we want to go. It’s very important. If you have a strong leader then others will follow. There’s a lack of structure,” she said. “After what happened here it makes you think about who do we have in office. Is this a good mayor for us? What about the chief of police? Nothing has happened this drastic ever here and I was born here. There’s a definite change because of what’s happened. A lot of people are talking about the need to vote to make our township better.” |
| The lack of leadership comes about in part because of the rapid change in demographics which has seen Ferguson go from 75% white to 67% black over the past 25 years. No tradition of leadership or nurturing of a new generation of African American politicians has developed in the city to challenge decades of consolidation of white control. But other areas, such as nearby Black Jack, have undergone similar demographic changes and its council has gradually changed from all white to African American. | The lack of leadership comes about in part because of the rapid change in demographics which has seen Ferguson go from 75% white to 67% black over the past 25 years. No tradition of leadership or nurturing of a new generation of African American politicians has developed in the city to challenge decades of consolidation of white control. But other areas, such as nearby Black Jack, have undergone similar demographic changes and its council has gradually changed from all white to African American. |
| Kapeli Wiggins, a 30 year-old T-shirt designer, said that part of his reluctance to vote has been shaped by the experience of watching an African American president, Barack Obama, frustrated by a white Republican political class out to see him fail. | Kapeli Wiggins, a 30 year-old T-shirt designer, said that part of his reluctance to vote has been shaped by the experience of watching an African American president, Barack Obama, frustrated by a white Republican political class out to see him fail. |
| “It seemed like our voice doesn’t matter. An African American is the White House but they make damn sure he can’t do anything,” he said. “But stuff like this – the governor calling in the national guard – to me we need to vote a different governor in. From the police to the mayor to all of them, we need more people who understand what’s going on in our community, who can relate to people in the community. The light bulb is coming on. | “It seemed like our voice doesn’t matter. An African American is the White House but they make damn sure he can’t do anything,” he said. “But stuff like this – the governor calling in the national guard – to me we need to vote a different governor in. From the police to the mayor to all of them, we need more people who understand what’s going on in our community, who can relate to people in the community. The light bulb is coming on. |
| Would Mike [Brown] still be here, would he not have been gunned down if we voted for the right people? Who’s to say?” | |
| Suspicion among some people in Ferguson that if an African American rises to a position of influence the system conspires against them is not limited to the presidency. The case of Art McCoy, the city’s first black school superintendent, is widely mentioned. | Suspicion among some people in Ferguson that if an African American rises to a position of influence the system conspires against them is not limited to the presidency. The case of Art McCoy, the city’s first black school superintendent, is widely mentioned. |
| The school board, which at the time was all white except for a single Latino member, suspended McCoy last year without offering a public explanation. He then resigned and was replaced by a white superintendent. McCoy was widely respected in the African American community and his dismissal has been commonly interpreted as racially motivated. | The school board, which at the time was all white except for a single Latino member, suspended McCoy last year without offering a public explanation. He then resigned and was replaced by a white superintendent. McCoy was widely respected in the African American community and his dismissal has been commonly interpreted as racially motivated. |
| But that was not enough to get voters to do something about it. Three black candidates ran for school board seats in the most recent election but only one was victorious as African Americans again stayed away from the polls. | But that was not enough to get voters to do something about it. Three black candidates ran for school board seats in the most recent election but only one was victorious as African Americans again stayed away from the polls. |
| A community ‘asleep at the wheel’ | A community ‘asleep at the wheel’ |
| The timing of elections is a factor. In cities where voting for municipal offices takes place at the same time as presidential or congressional elections, the turnout is much higher. In Ferguson, city elections are held in April in years between votes for national office. Some politicians and academics also point to the transient nature of some of the population in Ferguson and the difficulty for poor people working several jobs of taking time off work to go to the polls. | The timing of elections is a factor. In cities where voting for municipal offices takes place at the same time as presidential or congressional elections, the turnout is much higher. In Ferguson, city elections are held in April in years between votes for national office. Some politicians and academics also point to the transient nature of some of the population in Ferguson and the difficulty for poor people working several jobs of taking time off work to go to the polls. |
| But Fletcher said that as mayor he mostly encountered indifference when he held voter registration drives. | But Fletcher said that as mayor he mostly encountered indifference when he held voter registration drives. |
| “I’d go to the local grocery to try and get people to register. People would tell you they were already registered. They would actually lie to you. Nobody wants to admit that they’re not registered to vote,” he said. | “I’d go to the local grocery to try and get people to register. People would tell you they were already registered. They would actually lie to you. Nobody wants to admit that they’re not registered to vote,” he said. |
| The civil rights activist Al Sharpton, on a visit to Ferguson, admonished residents for not voting, including in a primary for the position of the prosecutor now being criticised as unsuitable to handle the investigation of the police officer who shot Brown. | The civil rights activist Al Sharpton, on a visit to Ferguson, admonished residents for not voting, including in a primary for the position of the prosecutor now being criticised as unsuitable to handle the investigation of the police officer who shot Brown. |
| “Some of you all that is mad now, wasn’t mad three weeks ago for election day. You all have got to start voting and showing up. Twelve percent turnout is an insult to your children,” he said. | “Some of you all that is mad now, wasn’t mad three weeks ago for election day. You all have got to start voting and showing up. Twelve percent turnout is an insult to your children,” he said. |
| John Gaskin of the St Louis NAACP said the events of recent days have offered the opportunity to change a community he describes as “asleep at the wheel”. | John Gaskin of the St Louis NAACP said the events of recent days have offered the opportunity to change a community he describes as “asleep at the wheel”. |
| “If the community of Ferguson can decide on maybe one spokesperson who gets people organised to go to city council meetings and holds people in the council accountable in the interim until the next municipal election I think they’ll start to see a difference,” he said. “But that takes leadership. I believe there’s the potential for leadership. Just look at the protesters on the ground that want the injustices to be heard. That’s critical.” | “If the community of Ferguson can decide on maybe one spokesperson who gets people organised to go to city council meetings and holds people in the council accountable in the interim until the next municipal election I think they’ll start to see a difference,” he said. “But that takes leadership. I believe there’s the potential for leadership. Just look at the protesters on the ground that want the injustices to be heard. That’s critical.” |
| Ask people in Ferguson about where they see leadership coming from and many do not have an answer. But some point to the churches. Woods said that it was her church that persuaded her to vote. | Ask people in Ferguson about where they see leadership coming from and many do not have an answer. But some point to the churches. Woods said that it was her church that persuaded her to vote. |
| “I didn’t understand it but now I do. The only thing that was ever stressed was to vote for your president and that was it. But in church they talked about the importance of voting to get better schools in our community, that’s how we affect our township better. There’s not a lot here, no funding,” she said. | “I didn’t understand it but now I do. The only thing that was ever stressed was to vote for your president and that was it. But in church they talked about the importance of voting to get better schools in our community, that’s how we affect our township better. There’s not a lot here, no funding,” she said. |
| It’s not lost on some that this issue is being raised on the 50th anniversary of the passing of the voting rights act, a cornerstone of civil rights legislation intended to remove obstacles to black people voting in southern states. | It’s not lost on some that this issue is being raised on the 50th anniversary of the passing of the voting rights act, a cornerstone of civil rights legislation intended to remove obstacles to black people voting in southern states. |
| “It is disheartening when you see people not turning out to vote,” said Gaskin. “If people only knew the obstacles that African Americans, and white people, had to go through to get and protect the right to vote. I don’t think they really have a clue of what it took to get where we are today in America. But we can lose it if we don’t continue to vote.” | “It is disheartening when you see people not turning out to vote,” said Gaskin. “If people only knew the obstacles that African Americans, and white people, had to go through to get and protect the right to vote. I don’t think they really have a clue of what it took to get where we are today in America. But we can lose it if we don’t continue to vote.” |
| The NAACP is launching a voter registration push in Ferguson on Saturday. Sharpton has thrown his weight behind a similar effort by local churches. | The NAACP is launching a voter registration push in Ferguson on Saturday. Sharpton has thrown his weight behind a similar effort by local churches. |
| Individuals are also launching their own initiatives. Debra Reed and her daughter set up a makeshift voter registration tent near the memorial to Brown. But, tellingly, the pair came from across St Louis. | Individuals are also launching their own initiatives. Debra Reed and her daughter set up a makeshift voter registration tent near the memorial to Brown. But, tellingly, the pair came from across St Louis. |
| in front of the makeshift memorial where Mike Brown was killed, they've set up a voter registration table #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/Puj339x9o6 | in front of the makeshift memorial where Mike Brown was killed, they've set up a voter registration table #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/Puj339x9o6 |
| Still, the potential to mobilise African Americans to challenge the existing power structure in Ferguson clearly unnerves the Republican party. Matt Wills, the party’s executive director in Missouri, denounced Reed’s voter registration table to the conservative Breitbart.com web site as “disgusting” and “completely inappropriate”. | Still, the potential to mobilise African Americans to challenge the existing power structure in Ferguson clearly unnerves the Republican party. Matt Wills, the party’s executive director in Missouri, denounced Reed’s voter registration table to the conservative Breitbart.com web site as “disgusting” and “completely inappropriate”. |
| “If that’s not fanning the political flames, I don’t know what is,” he said. “Injecting race into this conversation and into this tragedy, not only is not helpful, but it doesn’t help a continued conversation of justice and peace.” | “If that’s not fanning the political flames, I don’t know what is,” he said. “Injecting race into this conversation and into this tragedy, not only is not helpful, but it doesn’t help a continued conversation of justice and peace.” |
| African Americans do see Brown’s death in racial terms. But Howard said the issue of who is elected is not only about skin colour but whether a Republican mayor and other officials are acting in the interests of the majority of Ferguson’s population. | African Americans do see Brown’s death in racial terms. But Howard said the issue of who is elected is not only about skin colour but whether a Republican mayor and other officials are acting in the interests of the majority of Ferguson’s population. |
| “After what happened here I think it’s up to either our generation or our kids to step up and run for office. If none of us care to be on that council board then it’s always going to be a board full of white folks. It took something like this to happen to make people realise that,” he said. | “After what happened here I think it’s up to either our generation or our kids to step up and run for office. If none of us care to be on that council board then it’s always going to be a board full of white folks. It took something like this to happen to make people realise that,” he said. |
| But Howard added that it may take a while and he is not confident the political reality will change. He said the protests of recent days have done more to draw attention to the situation in Ferguson than political campaigning. | But Howard added that it may take a while and he is not confident the political reality will change. He said the protests of recent days have done more to draw attention to the situation in Ferguson than political campaigning. |
| “Without the looting, without the burning down stuff, without the tear gassing, nobody would even be interested. We tried it the old way and the old way didn’t work. The Martin Luther King way didn’t work. Being non-violent didn’t work. Once you bring a little violence, they pay attention,” he said. | “Without the looting, without the burning down stuff, without the tear gassing, nobody would even be interested. We tried it the old way and the old way didn’t work. The Martin Luther King way didn’t work. Being non-violent didn’t work. Once you bring a little violence, they pay attention,” he said. |