NBC News, outraged that the city of Ferguson, where the false “hands up, don’t shoot” mantra originated after the death of Michael Brown, reelected their white mayor James Knowles, instead of black challenger City Council member Ella Jones, posted this headline for the story: “Ferguson, Missouri, Declines to Elect First Black Mayor.”
But NBC News didn’t mention just why the populace reelected Knowles. Knowles genuinely loves the city, having guided it through the riots that plagued it; the job only pays $4,200 annually. Despite NBC’s insinuation that Jones was rejected because she is black, the city has only 21,000 residents and is roughly 67% black.
Jones argued that she lost because voters were apathetic, asserting, “People have to want change. You can’t make change for them.”
The St. Louis Post Dispatch had a simple explanation when it endorsed Knowles over Jones: “In a joint interview with Knowles, Jones struggled to answer basic governance questions and seemed ill-prepared to take on the formidable challenges of the office.”
Gary Kemp, 68-year-old retiree, said of Knowles, “He’s led us through some difficult times. We have faith that he’s totally invested in Ferguson and he’ll lead us through these difficult hours.”