Why and How to Spread the Message and Take Action on the Events in Ferguson

There is so much to say that everything still going on in Ferguson, MO, that I’m feeling overwhelmed figuring out what to say. More than anything, though:

Please be paying attention to this and spread the message that it is happening. Follow the reporters, follow the hashtags on Twitter, watch the live streams and the videos of what’s going on. This is tremendously important and significant portions of the media are ignoring it or spreading incomplete or inaccurate information about it.

Amnesty International is getting involved in a way that they never have inside the United States before, other countries are sending in their war correspondents to cover this, police are doing everything they can to keep the media from seeing what they are doing up to and including threatening to shoot and tear gas journalists, and arresting them, and protesters are doing what they can to make sure that what is happening is being covered (read: the police believe that the more people know about what is going on the worse it will reflect on police and the protesters believe that the more people know about what is going on the better it will reflect on protesters; the police do not want to be watched and the protesters do). Police are wearing their uniforms but removing their ID badges so that they are not individually identifiable. Media and children are being tear gassed.

Still, there are people who are unaware of all this. Make sure it doesn’t stay that way. Watch what’s going on, signal boost it, talk to people about it, retweet, re-blog, and repost stories about it. We cannot let these events go unknown or ignored. Spreading the message about what is going on in Ferguson is incredibly important right now, and everything any of you can do is important.

Here are some places to follow what’s going on:

• Shaun King’s Twitter (some of the best coverage and commentary of this I’ve seen)
• Twitter list of people talking about Ferguson
• Reddit.com live feed of events in Ferguson
• Twitter feed of journalists following Ferguson
• #Ferguson hashtag
• Other Twitter users/lists to follow:
  • Users to follow for local info/commentary
  • Lists of local journalists/activists

Ways to take other types of supportive action:

• Where to donate to protesters and supporters
• Change.org petition on stricter regulations for cops
• Amnesty International “Ferguson Police: Respect the Rights of ALL Residents” letter template/form to sign and send to officials
• Contact info for Ferguson local repesentatives
• White House comment line

If anyone knows of other resources they think should be added here, say so.