Not even 24 hours have passed since Darren Wilson was acquitted of killing Mike Brown, and the nation has been understandably outraged. Details concealed from the public, such as racial bias by one of the witnesses and the calculated timing of the announcement, have all come under fire.
While many are sending out thoughts and prayers, or even taking action to support Brown’s family through this difficult time, those who could not be there in person were sure to share their outrage via social media. Here’s a compilation of some of the heartfelt, shocked, and sad social media reactions:
Everyone don’t forget to set your clocks back 60 years so we can be up to date with the American judicial system! #FergusonDecision
— swaggie (@kwayze) November 25, 2014
Shooting an unarmed man 6 times with a final kill shot to the top of the head needs a trial not a cover up #FergusonDecision — Ian56 (@Ian56789) November 25, 2014
So disappointed in the #FergusonDecision. This image speaks volumes on the issue being MUCH bigger than 1 incident. pic.twitter.com/7XFvcSXpKX
— Ben O’Callaghan (@benocallaghan) November 25, 2014
How disgusting that in 2014 racism is still so pungent. I feel so sick at the inhumanity and injustice of it all #FergusonDecision
— Sarah Close (@Sazclose) November 25, 2014
The Picture speaks for itself #FergusonDecisionpic.twitter.com/eYPFeeSpmT
— Being Pashtun (@IbnSayyed) November 25, 2014
PUH-REACH. RT @angryfemmanist RT @DabAggin: I’m just going to leave this right here. #FergusonDecision pic.twitter.com/i9GL99BW82 — Harry Allen (@harryallen) November 25, 2014
This should be the most shared photo today, not burning cars and protesters #FergusonDecisionpic.twitter.com/AX25zKPIeN
— Nick Voelker (@NyuNick) November 25, 2014
Even some of our favorite celebrities chimed in and gave their two cents on the issue.
Beyonce posted the below statement from Mike Brown’s parents:
Little sister Solange followed suit:
With the heart-wrenching caption:
I screen shot this image months ago. Artist unknown. It moved me for many reasons. One being ….brokenness. Today I feel a sense of brokenness on behalf of my people. Black people. Everyone expresses differently. I respect all forms and shapes of expression. I respect those who don’t see this as a matter of black and white, who think “unity and peace” will save us all from this, who’s optimism in the heart of the gut wrench still seems to have a place…Although I feel differently, I respect it all. We were not molded here, to all be molded the same……My words are like aimless shapes and figures at this time. Trying to find a place to go, something to hold on to, to make “sense” of this all. But the one thing that’s been concrete in my heart is my will to want to express something to my friends. To the people I love, who love me, who feel pain in this moment just as I do, but who do not feel pain in the way that I often do in many walks of life. Who might feel I talk about race too much, that it’s consumed me, who I’ve distanced myself from….because it’s true, I can’t a joke. When I told a friend of mine I was making an album about race, his response was….”Just make it fun”. I would like him to think about it now. We are not Michael Browns family, but we are Michael Browns family. We don’t hurt like they do, but we do hurt. Hurt like hell. Thing about my people though….we don’t stay broken. We get up. We put the pieces together when there aren’t even pieces to pick up…….and we will……again and again and again.
Actor Jesse Williams also added his two cents:
With the caption:
We’ve investigated ourselves and found we did nothing wrong. Now we return to our regularly scheduled systematic & routine physical, psychological & economic violence against brown people. We are accountable for nothing. We will change nothing. We have always done this. Thank you for contorting yourselves, no matter the decade, in defense of our barbarism. We are disgusting. #Ferguson
Rihanna had an inspirational quote for her fans:
While Michael B. Jordan had this to say:
…many things must happen for true change…1st step UNITY #UnitedBlackout #BlackoutForChange
R.I.P Mike Brown.
PHOTO CREDIT: Getty, Twitter, Instagram