I have heard many people comment that they do not understand why people are so angry about the situation in Ferguson. Let me be frank in saying that what happened was a travesty. It was a travesty because of the ultimate message that it sent.

Michael Brown, a young black male, robbed a convenience store for a pack of cigarillos and was later approached by police officer Darren Wilson. Brown resisted and attempted to attack, Wilson said. Supposedly feeling threatened, Wilson shot and killed Brown.

  A grand jury decided not to indict Wilson on Nov. 24, which has led to public unrest. In Ferguson, Mo., protestors have rioted and looted businesses in the days following the grand jury’s decision. Protests and vigils have occurred nationwide in support of the Brown family and Ferguson citizens.

The message was that the life of a young black male does not matter in America. I realize some may argue that to be an exaggeration, but it is far from it. Wilson will serve no time for taking the life of an unarmed teenager. Meanwhile, there are people serving large sentences for crimes that didn’t involve murder.

Officer Wilson should have restrained Brown first. He was not armed and did not pose a threat to Wilson’s life. Cops are supposed to refrain from using the gun, but it seems that was Wilson’s first instinct.

I am not arguing anything on behalf of Brown’s character, as I did not know him. I am aware of the fact that he stole 99-cent cigarillos from a convenience store, but does that mean he should be dead?

Maybe he didn’t fully cooperate with the officer, but should he be in jail for resisting arrest or be six feet underneath the ground?

These are questions that people must ask themselves when trying to navigate the moral complexity of this situation. One’s answer to these questions will determine where they stand on the issue.

I know where I stand, and that is on the side of justice. A justice that has been endowed and promised to all people but has historically fallen short on its promises.  We have to demand better.

Black mothers should not have to have the “cop talk” with their sons. The cop talk is a conversation in which mothers tell their child exactly what to do in order to ensure they will not be shot by police.

Every person — regardless of race, gender, religion or background — should care about this issue because a human life was lost. It is the responsibility of us all to look out for the security of justice in America.