The continual negative reporting of the Ferguson, Mo., killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown by former police Officer Darren Wilson is a prime reason for racial tensions to increase on the part of white people. Only by reading deeper in the articles do you see the justification for the officer’s actions.

As tragic as Mr. Brown’s death was five years ago this month, his belligerent behavior was the cause. This was seen in the video that showed him stealing items from a store and threatening the clerk with bodily harm and then disobeying and assaulting the officer and trying to get his gun. Thankfully, the investigators used common sense and did not charge the officer.

Tragically the gutless Ferguson officials pushed Mr. Wilson out instead of giving him a commendation for upholding law and order under difficult circumstances. Yes, there are cases where a policeman has done wrong, but Ferguson is not one of them.

Next, the violent black community protests, rioting, looting, confrontations with the police and setting a police car on fire added additional evidence for not supporting the law. Add to this the usual voices of out-of-town race hustlers to increase the confrontations. Responsible black people should speak out and support the law.

I believe the great majority of white people are not racist and want to see justice done. Yes, there are some who have hate for some reason or no reason, and they will not change. But the point is that the conduct by black people in this rioting erodes the support of white people.

The great majority of the black people are not racist, but there are those who are and who are just as responsible for the conditions that exist.

The disgraceful conduct of the black people in assaulting policemen in Philadelphia is another example of their racism. They complain about so many black people being jailed in comparison to white people. It should not be too complicated to figure out.

The black people I know are decent, hard-working people and mostly Christians. They have no responsibility for the lawless black people as white people have none for lawless white people.

Black political and religious leaders have a responsibility to speak out against them instead of capitulating to the race hustlers. And the black citizens have a responsibility not to vote and support those who do not speak out.

GREENE HOLLOWELL

Henrico County