First, let me clearly state our severe aversion to engaging in following another exhibition of the professional playbook for racial exploitation. However, that said, for those who do choose to follow the path we can outline the expectation. Remember, for Benjamin Crump this is a business proposition – that’s why he was the one to contact Brown’s family:
Attorney Benjamin Crump: Trayvon Martin’s father reached out to #MichaelBrown’s family. #FergusonShooting
— FOX2now (@FOX2now) August 11, 2014
While details, specific details, of the Ferguson Missouri shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown, aka Mike Brown, are unknown; what is exceptionally well known is how the Benjamin Crump team will play out the narrative.
We’ll use the Trayvon Martin historical example to show how it rolls. When you engage the Parks and Crump strategy you can anticipate a specific formula:
The unknown detail is if Mr. Crump still utilizes a media strategist to assemble the construct of the narrative they need to advance the cause. In the Martin Lee Anderson case, and in the case of Trayvon Martin a media strategist was utilized to capture the attention of the media. Due to the Ferguson riots, and the subsequent media attention, this part of the strategy might not be as important this time.
It becomes critically important to unite a divided family unit. The mother and father of Mike Brown must be taken in front of the media ‘as if’ they are a complete family unit.
This helps to deflect the media discussion, and/or questions therein, of a broken family unit and the reunification helps to distract attention from root causes. The goal is to keep the shooting victim a victim of a larger society – this in turn keeps the white apologists from, especially those in the media, changing the topic. The victim must be a victim of racism at all costs.
Here you see divorced Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin presented to the media in 2012 as if they were a complete family unit:
Here you see the same optic utilized today.
Next, you need a press conference with one of the family members holding a picture of the deceased victim.
Here you see the March 2012 press conference of Trayvon Martin:
Here you see the press conference from today in 2014:
Following the assembly, the bereaved “mother” becomes the optic to be exploited. A mothers grief is an exceptional tool in front of the media. With it a tremendous amount of sympathy can be garnered. In 2012 that role fell to Sybrina Fulton (even though Trayvon had not lived with her for 10+ years).
Mom also has an important role to play in keeping the family distanced from the violence the Crump team will tacitly accept. The grieving mom needs to call for peace and respect:
Here you see the 2014 version with Lesley McSpadden – Mike Brown’s mother.
Then Ben Crump needs to enlist the NAACP in the mix. This is important because the NAACP will later open the doors to the AME church leadership to set up the indulgency fee process and begin the collection of Crump’s various expenses and fees.
After a visible funeral Ben Crump will take the family of Mike Brown to various churches and faith-based venues to pass out the basket for offerings. {during one AME event in 2012 they actually used trash cans to collect the cash}
In 2012 NAACP President Ben Jealous was brought to Sanford Florida:
For 2014 NAACP President Cornell Brooks took the microphone earlier today:
Once the media is engaged a general catch phrase helps. Usually, and profoundly ironically, Rev Al Sharpton is the person who delivers the linguistic meme to present.
Civil Rights Attorney Benjamin Crump: “Their baby was executed in broad daylight.” #MichaelBrown #FergusonShooting
— FOX2now (@FOX2now) August 11, 2014
Sharpton is en route as you read:
Like Trayvon Martin, Mike Brown will need to be portrayed as a baby, a child, a young man with an aspiring future. For Trayvon Martin the evolution was his endeavors to become an astronaut. Apparently for Brown it appears the “he was going to college” aspect is the valuable talking point.
The common enemy will be a police department with less emphasis, at least initially, on the shooter. For the first week to ten days the ire of confrontation will be directed to the Police Chief in Ferguson. Toward that end the DOJ and Eric Holder will be requested to engage in the administration of the investigation. The DOJ Community Relations Service will be activated – many of the CRS operations are done through the AME church network.
The next few days will be constructed for media benefit with a rather significant buildup toward a funeral. Depending on the current state of the relationship between Sharpton and Jackson, it should be anticipated that Jesse will arrive for the funeral.
For the Martin Lee Anderson case Ben Crump was an understudy to Al Sharpton. For the Trayvon Martin case Crump took a larger roll with Sharpton as a close advisor. The Mike Brown shooting is probably the first opportunity for Crump to showcase his own individual talents.
He’s had enough practice now.