Cookies and Chaos at Ferguson

I have a list of things I want to write about; one of these is that I found and adapted this wonderful chewy, chocolate chip cookie recipe. But how can I bake chocolate chip cookies and write about my recipe discovery when there's so much craziness going on in the world, so much injustice to call your attention to? 

On a Facebook post to the Badass Teachers Association page, someone mentioned that that we are forgetting the due process rights of the officer who shot Michael Brown. This has been occupying my thoughts. Wow. Here, a young black man, barely out of high school, lost his life. Was killed. Shot to death. And for what? Possible robbery? And this person, wants us to consider the due process rights of the officer who killed him? 

I think it's great to put your thoughts out there for others to consider, especially when it is contrary to what is the dominant theme. This dialogue can lead to understanding. There is a lively discussion on this thread. Yes, he has a point about Officer Wilson's due process rights. But do you get the point about Michael Brown's human rights? There is something cold about the plea to consider Officer Wilson's due process rights. Obviously, this man is looking at it from his subjective point of view. Compassion requires you to step out of your subjective lens and look at it from the outside, looking in, perhaps from Michael Brown's mother's point of view. Empathy is the way forward. A Pew Research poll points out how race affects how you see the situation. 

Perhaps Officer Wilson is horrified at what he has done. Perhaps he is also a victim of an inhumane, racist, militaristic system that encourages the demonization of black men to feed the prison industry.  I see that now there is pushback of support for Officer Wilson. Not surprisingly, the KKK is signing up for this bandwagon, calling Officer Wilson a "hero" for shooting a "thug."

In the end, the autopsies and the forensic evidence will reveal the truth. And the truth should open the doors to justice. Should.

So cookies? Who needs cookies? We all do. We need something to soothe our troubled souls. We need something that we can agree on. But I could't just write about these delicious cookies that I baked without acknowledging all the woes that have been on my mind. On the one hand, I need to have a cookie. On the other, I am not blind to the world. 

Here's the recipe:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/best-big-fat-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookie/ 
My goal is to use up things in the pantry, so I used this recipe, decreased the amount of chips, and added things, chopped small so it didn't overrule the original recipe. Cereal, almonds, and dried apples this past time. I will make another batch and add in arare (Japanese rice crackers).