What Ever Happened to Ferguson?

Many of you in the United States heard of Ferguson, Missouri in the aftermath of the killing of Michael Brown by Officer Darren Wilson almost two years ago. Riots erupted and parts of the business district of the suburb were burned. So, what has happened to that small suburb of St. Louis – right in the middle of America? It’s not been a good fate overall.

Crime continues to plague not just Ferguson, but St. Louis as a whole. It’s been voted the most dangerous city in America since the Ferguson unrest. Shootings and carjackings are a daily topic on the 5’o clock news anymore. It’s nothing to hear of police being shot at or their cars being rammed as they try to chase down a dangerous criminal. Children are the newest victims of gun violence as one Ferguson girl was shot and killed as she did homework while laying on her mother’s bed this past year. The old news adage is that if it bleeds, it leads…well…there is a lot that leads these days.

Ferguson itself has not recovered despite money being poured in. Many of the businesses that were burned never came back – they are now empty lots. Recently Ferguson Burger Bar, which opened the day before Michael Brown was killed, closed its door. Ferguson is falling into the disrepair of a ghetto and will soon go the way of North St. Louis and other blighted areas.

Is there a solution for this? I’m not sure. I think many of the people of Ferguson have given up hope in their town. If only the invested as much energy in rebuilding their city as they did in protesting, things could change! But when there is hard work to be done and sweat is needed – many shy away.