Ferguson Rises

The senseless murder of 18-Year-Old Michael Brown Jr. Was neither the first nor the worst in America's long history of race-based and anti-Black-biased Police violence.

Initial reports that Michael was shot while retreating with his hands up are hard to substantiate - as were the later claims that the young, recent high-school graduate just wildly and randomly attacked an armed and uniformed uniform, in broad daylight - from outside of the officer's marked police vehicle.

. The claim is ridiculous - unless your racial bias leads you to believe that Black people are just plain bezerkers with innately violent natures and zero self-control. We are not. That sterotype is - of course - ludicrous and far from the truth. Still. Many believe it. - even if they don't know why.

. This movie tells the story of how the officer's slightly rosier cheek - which is on the left side in his "story", yet seems to be on the right side of his face in the photographs - almost as if he did it himself... to make himself look like the "victim".

. The film itself is a stirring and steady-handed look at the days immediately following the murder and the filmmakers stick through, with Michael Brown Sr. The victim's strong though tortured Father, other family and a diverse collection of voices from the Ferguson area.

. Looking on with the Father as a center of our attention and empathy is another powerful difference between this film and others like it [there are too many docs and movies based on true stories of this kind... yet none of those are quite like this film.

. The Director, Producers, Cinematographer and many other contributors to this project have done a service to Machael Brown, his friends, family and community - and to all interested parties that are wanting to take a deep and nuanced dive into this terrible - and terribly common - truly American tragedy.