by Frank Minero
The grand jury verdict clearing Darren Wilson in the
shooting death of Michael Brown led to chaos in Ferguson, Missouri.
In the unrest that followed the verdict, many area businesses were
severely damaged. Some were burned to the ground.
One exception is the white-owned Conoco gas station and convenience store. Conoco is owned by Doug Merello and the business has been in his family since 1984. Merello says he feels deep ties to Ferguson. Fortunately for Merello, the Ferguson community feels the same color-blind love for him and his neighborhood gas station.
A group of black residents, armed with high-powered rifles and pistols, stood guard over Conoco during the riots. They chased away anyone threatening to loot, shoplift or otherwise do harm to the gas station.
Why did these African-American men protect this white-owned business? According to the men, it is a matter of respect.
According to Las Vegas Review-Journal, the men say they feel indebted to Merello. He has employed them the last several years and always treated them with respect.
One of Conoco’s guardian angels is a 6-foot-8-inch tall man named Derrick Jordan. His friends call him “Stretch.” Jordan, 37, was armed with an AR-15 assault rifle and joined by other men from the neighborhood who feel indebted to the store.
A 29-year-old man identifying himself as R.J. said of Merello:
While Conoco’s guardian angels talked, a young man walked into the store. A commotion followed as Merello kicked the youth out of the store.
Sean Turner, another one of the armed guards, showed the kid the gun in his jacket and told him:
One exception is the white-owned Conoco gas station and convenience store. Conoco is owned by Doug Merello and the business has been in his family since 1984. Merello says he feels deep ties to Ferguson. Fortunately for Merello, the Ferguson community feels the same color-blind love for him and his neighborhood gas station.
A group of black residents, armed with high-powered rifles and pistols, stood guard over Conoco during the riots. They chased away anyone threatening to loot, shoplift or otherwise do harm to the gas station.
Why did these African-American men protect this white-owned business? According to the men, it is a matter of respect.
According to Las Vegas Review-Journal, the men say they feel indebted to Merello. He has employed them the last several years and always treated them with respect.
One of Conoco’s guardian angels is a 6-foot-8-inch tall man named Derrick Jordan. His friends call him “Stretch.” Jordan, 37, was armed with an AR-15 assault rifle and joined by other men from the neighborhood who feel indebted to the store.
A 29-year-old man identifying himself as R.J. said of Merello:
“He’s a nice dude, he’s helped us a lot.”R.J. said he and the other men had chased away several groups of teens that came to loot the store earlier that evening.
While Conoco’s guardian angels talked, a young man walked into the store. A commotion followed as Merello kicked the youth out of the store.
Sean Turner, another one of the armed guards, showed the kid the gun in his jacket and told him:
“This is what happens if you try to steal from this place.”Merello admits that without the protection of these men, his gas station would be gone:
“We would have been burned to the ground many times over if it weren’t for them.”None of the men have been paid to stand guard over Merello’s gas station. It’s simply a matter of respect.
***
This post proves that there are no 'racial' divides in this country it is a lack of R-E-S-P-E-C-T that divides this country.
It is said that one has to earn respect it is not given - that is not entirely correct.
One has to give respect to get respect ... the 'earning' part comes in proving worthy of the respect given to you. (Should you fail to be worthy you will lose the respect - it really is that simple.)
The all too common mistake of equating Esteem with Respect is the root of the problem.
Esteem is what you 'earn' while proving your worthiness of the respect you have been given.
Even the post above makes this false equation.
The store owner's respect for his customers and employees and their respect for him in return built esteem and that esteem was demonstrated by the actions of the men you stood guard against those seeking to do harm.
It is said that one has to earn respect it is not given - that is not entirely correct.
One has to give respect to get respect ... the 'earning' part comes in proving worthy of the respect given to you. (Should you fail to be worthy you will lose the respect - it really is that simple.)
The all too common mistake of equating Esteem with Respect is the root of the problem.
Esteem is what you 'earn' while proving your worthiness of the respect you have been given.
Even the post above makes this false equation.
The store owner's respect for his customers and employees and their respect for him in return built esteem and that esteem was demonstrated by the actions of the men you stood guard against those seeking to do harm.
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