Myths are vital to the human species. We use them to encapsulate wisdom, to learn lessons, to be inspired, and to have heroes.
Most myths are quite old–the dawn of literacy. Others are only as old as our nation. Author Tony Horwitz’s great book, “A Voyage Long and Strange” examines North America exploration in the forgotten century–the 1500’s–between Columbus’s voyage and the Mayflower landing in 1620.
In it, he also examines the power of myth, because many people he spoke to when visiting Plymouth Rock–the site the pilgrims landed–believed that to be the start of America despite all the Spanish exploration in the decades before.
At first annoyed that these tourists were wrong and stubborn in not acknowledging the facts of their own history, he ends the book with one last visit to Plymouth Rock with a renewed appreciation for people’s beliefs. It’s not the dates and even the facts that are important, he realizes; it’s the belief in a story great and powerful.
The unique feature of the Ferguson saga is that we get to see the phenomenon of myth rolled out in real time, and so we also get to see butting heads between those who assume the mythical aspects of Ferguson and those like Horwitz–wanting the facts to be the most important aspect.
On Sunday, five St. Louis Rams football players exited the tunnel from their locker room to the football field. As they made their way onto the field, they thought they’d do something to show their support and solidarity for the nearby community still smoldering from the fires of the riot. They stopped and held their hands in the air–a gesture of being unarmed, innocent, and not wanting violence.
I believe in their hearts they were promoting a good cause rather than making a statement against the police. The police department of St. Louis, though, didn’t see it that way. From their perspective, here were five NFL players making the argument that a police officer shot an innocent man holding his hands in the air, and that this was a sign that they stood with the rioters.
The police were appalled at this gesture given the testimony in the recent case: “It is unthinkable that homegrown athletes would so publicly perpetuate a narrative that has been disproven over and over again,” a police spokesperson said. Then many reacted to this with cynicism that the police would object to a sign of peace.
But that’s the thing: this isn’t a disagreement over the facts or a disagreement that both sides want peace. It’s a confusion of perspective: whether one views Ferguson as myth or reality, a romantic morality tale or the sobering facts on the ground.
To a good number of Americans, the Ferguson case will go down as an episode in a series of injustices for the black community, a key point in the fight for equality. The facts of the case are largely irrelevant just as the facts of the Mayflower and the Pilgrims don’t dissuade Americans from enjoying Thanksgiving and all that it represents to them and their history.
There’s a discussion to be had about the harm this susceptibility to myth can cause, but first we need to understand that this is what’s going on here–not that the Rams players are willfully ignoring evidence to promote a cop-hating, riot-supporting agenda.
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There is at least a potential for abuse when subscribing to things that aren’t true—superstition, stereotypes, or myths. And people of all political stripes and skin colors believe in their own. Certainly, store owners and their employees and Officer Wilson, the shooter in this case, will wish people to see the facts rather than view the case as a representation for something else.
I think like anything, if used by good-hearted people, the power of myth is used for good. But I also think that the more aware we become, the less we’ll need myths. We’ll realize that we can be inspired to work toward noble ends without having to invent a false narrative to motivate us.
You seem to be saying the players are using a false narrative to motivate themselves.
The fact is Brown was 150 ft from officer Wilson when he finally turned around for fear of being shot a 2nd time, the 1st being in the car. He ran from the car with Wilson chasing him. The 1st reports by the Ferguson police chief reported they were only 35 ft apart when Brown charged. That myth became truth until a few days ago when the a panoramic photo of the shooting scene was posted. It showed Brown’s body in the street 131 ft from Wilson’s patrol car. Brown had managed to run 150 ft before he turned & then with Wilson in pursuit the gap closed to 35 ft when the fatal shots were fired.If Brown was trying to escape being shot & finally turned it could mean his hands were in the air as witnesses maintained. It appears as bullets were whizzing past him as 10 sots were fired he decided he better stop & surrender. Wilson could have avoided the worst case scenario by not pursuing until backup came to his aid. This is why a grand jury should have indicted. My source is the NYT & CNN.
Here is the Daily Kos panorama photo of Brown’s body in the street in relation to patrol car 148 ft away.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/11/20/1346374/-BREAKING-VIDEO-Police-Lied-Mike-Brown-was-killed-148-feet-away-from-Darren-Wilson-s-SUV?detail=email
Thanks, Gary. Yeah, that’s what I’m saying. The players are seeing Ferguson as a morality tale of good vs evil, of struggle and overcoming. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but the facts on the grounds aren’t so clean cut, as you point out. Officer Wilson could have done things differently. Brown certainly could have as well.
When viewing it through the lens of myth, such details–particularly any that make Brown look bad–are lost in the romantic fog of this morality tale. And the danger in this is that people start to defend the rioting.
Thanks for responding Brandon. I’m suggesting that the Grand Jury may not have seen the true dimensions,i.e.,148 ft, of the shooting resulting in no indictment. If it is common knowledge among the Ferguson public that the 148+ ft fact is being ignored by authorities that might explain their riotous behavior. IOW, it is clear the 148 ft distance is not what is being portrayed by the authorities & media as the truth behind the actions of the 2 men. The myth is really about the Ferguson police chief saying they were 35 ft apart while ignoring the initial 170 to 148 ft gap between Wilson & Brown. The St. Louis Rams are not believing in a morality play but the media & St.Louis County prosecutor,McCollough,are. The initial official false reports become the myth, ie, 35 ft. That 35 ft myth justifies the Wilson’s self defense plea. Just as with Columbine the initial fase reports about the 2 shooters proved to be false after investigative reporteders spent 10 yrs interviewing witnessess ending up proving the truth was 180 degrees from whta became the initial Columbine scenario. The shooters were not victims of bullying but were the bullies. They were not Goth as initially reported either. WE are seeing in Ferguson the same official myth being generated. If you ask 10 people on the street what the distances involved were @ Ferguson they will likely say 35 ft which in the popular mind allows the issue to go away.
There may be falsities in the official story. But I actually think that’s another discussion. I do think the Rams players are seeing this as a good/evil kind of representation. I don’t think they’re too concerned about the details of the case, including the ones you bring up.
If the details I brought up were invisible you would be right. But the actual events may be more common knowledge in St. Louis in the black community than you are giving credit to. The initial story by the press is a scoop phenomenon not an actual description of events as they develop beyou=nd the initial scoop which then becomes fact. The 5th estate is better than the 4th @ ferreting out those nuances.