Protests based on emotion, not facts

To the editor:

Wes Shirley's letter of Dec. 27 ('Protests are meant to be inconvenient”) assuring us that those disturbed by recent protests at Coe College 'live in a very different moral universe” than the protesters is correct.

Many of us are disturbed by the fact that truth plays no role in these protests, spawned by the Michael Brown incident. All the facts in the case showed that everything from Brown's portrayal by his family as a 'gentle giant” to his reportedly being shot while his hands were raised to the 'eyewitness account” of his being shot while turned away from the Ferguson police officer were lies.

Even though the facts about Brown's behavior before and during the incident exonerated the police officer and painted a truthful picture of Brown who was the aggressor in this incident, emotional protests have been staged based on the non-facts of the case.

Yes, Shirley, many of us are disturbed that riding a wave of emotionalism in protest of an incident in which the cold, hard facts demonstrate the innocence of the police and the culpability of the alleged 'victim” shows a disturbing disregard for truth by a large segment of American society. And we thank God that we live in a 'very different moral universe” than those who so freely substitute their ‘feelings' for truth.

Bernard Wingerter

Cedar Rapids