If you have been following the news or what’s been trending, then you are probably aware of what is going on in Ferguson, Missouri about Michael Brown, an unarmed, black 18-Year-Old who was shot 6 times by a white police officer. His death has caused civil unrest all over Ferguson, with rioting and looting, but is that helping?

Civil unrest has historically led to major policy changes; this is, perhaps, best exemplified by the freedom marches of the ‘60s, but the difference between then and now is they were organized. The protests today have devolved from protest for the wrongful death of an African-American teen to rioting for the sake of rioting. Sure, Brown’s death could have and should have been avoided, but so could the burning of local Ferguson businesses. If you have seen pictures of the rioting, many show images of fires and destroyed buildings. Some images show people looting the stores they have just raided. Leaders spoke out and admonished people for the rioting, but it still occurred.

While Brown’s death was wrong, action should still be taken, but it must be more peaceful. There are reasons why the march on Washington in 1963 was so successful, and one of them was that it was peaceful. People are forgetting why they are protesting and need to stop the violence.