Michael Brown Shooting: Ku Klux Klan Raising Reward Money For Cop Who Shot Unarmed Teen

The Michael Brown shooting has revealed in ugly detail the continuing racial divide in the United States, and what the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) just did isn’t going to help matters.

According to a report from the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), the group known for its racial bigotry is raising money as a reward for Ferguson, Missouri, officer Darren Wilson, who fatally shot the unarmed teen.

From the SPLC report, which was released prior to the release of Wilson’s name:

“The South Carolina-based New Empire Knights of the Ku Klux Klan says its Missouri chapter is raising money for the still unidentified white police officer who shot and killed Michael Brown, 18, who was scheduled to begin college classes this week.

“‘We are setting up a reward/fund for the police officer who shot this thug,’ the Klan group said in an email. ‘He is a hero! We need more white cops who are anti-Zog and willing to put Jewish controlled black thugs in their place. Most cops are cowards and do nothing while 90 percent of interracial crime is black (and non-white) on white.'”

While there has been some effort to soften the Michael Brown shooting by tying the teen to a “strong-arm robbery,” it’s hard to fathom how a trained police officer with six years on the force could do this, even if Brown turns out to be guilty of the accusations.

How could a trained officer of the law shoot to kill or even draw his weapon, for that matter, when there was no evidence that his suspect — which Officer Darren Wilson didn’t know Brown was a suspect until after the shooting by the way — showed no evidence of having a weapon, let alone one that he intended to use?

For groups like the Ku Klux Klan, that doesn’t matter. It’s just an opportunity to market a message that unfortunately appears to be alive and well despite the Civil Rights movement and several years of seemingly improved race relations.

As for the Ferguson Police, they’ve issued their own explanation for how the Michael Brown shooting occurred.

“Police officials say Brown assaulted the officer and tried to wrestle away his gun before fleeing and being shot,” reported the SPLC. “At least one shot was fired in the police cruiser during the struggle.”

However, “Brown’s friend, Dorian Johnson, 22, told a radically different version of events. He told reporters that he and Brown were close to their destination when confronted by the officer, who angrily told them to get out of the street. Suddenly, the friend said, the officer grabbed Brown by the neck and tried to pull him into the police car. Brown broke free and both young men began running away when Brown was struck by a bullet. He turned and raised his hands in surrender only to be shot several more times, dying where he fell.”

With either story, things don’t look good for Wilson. Officers of the law, per standard police training, are only allowed to fire their weapons when there is a threat of danger. Considering that in both accounts, Brown ended up fleeing before being shot dead, this is, at best, an act of criminal negligence, and at worst, a homicide.

Unfortunately, there are apparently no laws against inciting public riot, unless you happen to be engaged in protest against the police. Then, there’s a law. But there’s nothing on the books to keep the Ku Klux Klan from offering a reward to the Michael Brown shooting officer in spite of the hot zone that Ferguson, Missouri, has become. Perhaps there should be.

And full disclosure, conservative media: I voted for Mitt Romney and think Barack Obama is a terrible President. That being said, this has nothing to do with liberal-versus-conservative ideals. At least, it shouldn’t.

Because if you endorse police brutality and overreach against someone you disagree with today, God forbid you find yourself on the other end of it tomorrow.

[Image via R. Gino Santa Maria / Shutterstock.com]