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The protest was one of a number of protests in cities throughout the nation on so-called "Black Friday" with the goal of highlighting what they claim is the miscarriage of justice in the non-indictment of a local cop, Darren Wilson, who shot and killed an unarmed 18-year-old black youth named Michael Brown in August.
There are a number of radical groups seeking to use the Ferguson incident as a rationale for violence and mayhem in the name of revolution.
However, a well-respected gun policy expert believes the tepid reaction to the flagrant anarchy by everyone from the Obama administration, the local politicians and their police forces is proof that Americans cannot count on their leaders to protect them.
"It always has been and still is my belief that law-abiding citizens should have the requisite means to protect life, home, property and business in any situation. Ferguson is another proof of the veracity of that belief," said former National Rifle Association (NRA) publications editor, John Snyder, who is on the board of advisors for two police associations.
Snyder points to the events following the announcement of the grand jury's decision when hundreds of people rioted, looted and vandalized while the Missouri Army National Guard troops cooled their heels in a parking lot and, ordered to stand down, failed to provide support to police officers.
"From where I view things, it seems that the numerous violent, unlawful activities in Ferguson result to a large extent from the false media hype given to the underlying situation. Obviously, there are elements in the media, and in groups within Missouri and elsewhere who want the officer's head, despite the known facts of the case and despite what the grand jury decided after obviously due consideration," Snyder said.
"A number of people claim they want justice, but what they really want is a pound or more of flesh, an excuse to mouth off, to riot, loot, harm innocent people, and destroy property. Truly, they are bad characters, and genuine justice should demand that they be so treated," Snyder told the Examiner in an exclusive interview.To Snyder and several law enforcement officials, the events that have occurred in Ferguson, Missouri, can and will happen in other cities and towns. "It seems that some people in America have no respect for the law. And why should they when they see their leaders behaving in unlawful behavior," said former NYPD officer Iris Aquino.
The advisory board member for the National Association of Chiefs of Police said:
"Citizens should abide by the law in choosing requisite means for self-defense. The choice largely is a matter of the individual's capacity and situation. Shotguns, rifles, revolvers and semi-automatic handguns all could be considered, but a lot depends on the ability of the individual.""Whatever [firearm] is chosen, training is a must. A cool head in a crisis always is a required precaution, in my opinion," Snyder added. "The situation is reaching a terrifying level, with people not knowing where or when these ideologically charged 'terrorists' will strike," Snyder told the Examiner in another story last month.
"In this burgeoning scenario, it is as obvious as the nose on your face that Americans need firearms and access to guns and ammunition. People must be able to counter the terrorists wherever and whenever they strike."
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