Q&A; – Questions asked by Nathan Palmer, sociology professor

• What can we learn from the killing of Michael Brown and the events that followed in Ferguson?

“You have to have faith in our system, its not perfect. It’s the best we got and you have to trust it” – Chief Michael Russell

“The death of Michael Brown is nothing more than the personification of much deeper issues we have in our country… in this particular case, the death of Michael Brown was the straw that broke the camel’s back” -Jonathan McCollar

• Are there similarities between Ferguson and Statesboro?

“Yes, there’s a huge comparative means that we can look at Ferguson and look at Statesboro…there is no greater issue that Statesboro is facing than poverty. Statesboro is the tale of two cities.” -McCollar

• We have heard of lapel cams and dash cams helping with cases, does GSU/Statesboro use these?

“The body cams are much more affordable, we are currently testing them out and hope to have them in the near future,”- Chief Michael Russell.

“The Statesboro police department utilizes your SPLOST dollars and buys our cameras for our cars and other equipment…probably 70 percent of our cars are equipped with dash cams with an audio that reaches 200 to 300 feet.”- Wendell Turner.

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Other quotes from the forum:

“To be civilized we have to first understand each other”- “A Peace of Society,“ written by Stanley Thomas, junior mechanical engineer major

“Tonight will not be about disproving other peoples experiences, it will be about honoring everyone else’s experience, especially if its different from your own, because when we honor other people’s experiences that challenge our own that’s when learning takes place. I came here today to learn how to be a better part of the solution.” Nathan Palmer, sociology professor, said

“For us to be the young generation, we need to stand up against this but not by these violent protest. We need to make a difference and we are here to make the world a better place.” – Lindsey Norton, sophomore justice studies major

“We have a voice but we also have a responsibility. When we look at what’s going on in Ferguson, it’s going on in this country and it’s not just the responsibility of the Ferguson police, the FBI or President Obama. It is all of our responsibility and it’s time for people to do something effective, something that brings change, not just an emotional response to what we think is happening. Get some facts and do the right thing to make a difference.” -Dean Jackson

“This does not have to be black or white, it should be red, white and blue. Expect to have police drawn from the community, who are there to serve and protect. You are privileged, and you have the opportunity to change the system by using your right to vote.” -Dr. Francys Johnson, NAACP representative.

“This an opportunity for us to engage in good dialogue, express our views, and always embrace who we are as Georgia Southern.” -SGA President Azell Francis