Gay Groups Outraged By Lack of Indictment for Ferguson Shooting

As soon as the St. Louis grand jury released their decision not to charge police officer Darren Wilson for the shooting of unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, three months ago, gay groups responded with incredulous outrage, condemning the decision.

Gay Star News reports that the cast that sparked outrage in the majority-black Ferguson has sparked a similar outrage among LGBTs of all walks.

The National LGBTQ Task Force described the decision to not indict Wilson as "shocking and painful for millions," with Deputy Executive Director Rev. Darlene Nipper saying, "Anyone who takes someone's life must be brought to justice. We cannot allow the murders of young black men such as Michael Brown or Trayvon Martin to continue."

In a Nov. 24 press release, the national LGBT grassroots social justice organization GetEQUAL called the verdict, "disgusting and outrageous," saying that it shone a light into the deep racism and criminalization that many Americans experience every day.

"The decision to not indict Officer Darren Wilson is yet another example of the devaluation of black lives that occurs each day in cities and towns across the United States," wrote GetEQUAL. "The State Policies and institutions that not only allow but that permit the profiling, harassment, and unjust treatment of any human being -- regardless of who they are, where they live, what they look like, or who they love -- are an affront to the values this country espouses. Tonight we saw that the system of law and order in which we have been taught to trust is, again, unworthy of our trust."

And the LGBT organized labor group Pride at Work's Executive Director Jerame Davis said that the decision felt like, "a punch in the gut to many."

"I believe in an America where there is no justification for a police officer to discharge 12 rounds at an unarmed teen," wrote Davis. "I believe in an America where police are expected and required to take every step possible to keep from killing the citizens they are sworn to protect. But most importantly, I believe in an America where black lives matter."

Some even drew the parallel between racism and homophobia, and vowed to fight both equally.

"Our struggles are not the same, but they are connected," wrote GetEQUAL. "The policies and institutions that give permission to lock up and dehumanize queer black and brown folks are the same policies and institutions that give police officers the right to kill unarmed black men and women without recourse. We stand with families, organizers, and activists in Ferguson in their sadness and anger, and echo their calls for justice and reform in Ferguson and across the country. We are committed to protesting together, building a grassroots movement together, and doing the ongoing work of dismantling these unjust institutions together."