The Donner-Reed Party and Ferguson, Missouri

On April 16, 1846, nine covered wagons left Springfield, Illinois on the 2500 mile trek to California.  Almost half of the 87 men, women and children of the Donner-Reed party were doomed before the first revolution of the wheels. 

The group of emigrants was led by James Fraser Reed.  He was influenced in his decisions by a book, The Emigrants’ Guide to Oregon and California, written by Landsford W. Hastings.  The book touted a new route, referred to as the, “Hastings’ Cutoff.”  This route was supposed to save almost 400 miles and be over easy terrain.  In fact, the route had never been traveled, by Hastings.  His book was a fraud—a moral if not a legal crime—and he misled his readers intentionally. 

            Certainly, some of the blame falls on Donner and Reed.  Common sense should tell us that a route 400 miles shorter and easier than the one currently being used would be the rule, rather than the exception. 

            When the group arrived in Ft. Laramie, Wyoming on July 27, they were met by an old friend, James Clyman.  Clyman had just traveled the Hastings Cutoff from west to east.  He warned his friend that the route was impassable, but  Reed decided that eye-witness testimony wasn’t good enough. The Donner-Reed party continued its march toward tragedy. 

            Compounding one bad decision after another the families ended up trying to sit out a high Sierra winter in three miserable cabins near Truckee Lake in California.  Most people know that the Donner party resorted to cannibalism to stay alive.  It is true, but the details of how they lived, and the three rescue attempts and what was found of the emigrants at each attempt is more ghastly still. 

            So what does this tell us about Ferguson, Missouri? 

            Let me first set aside the initiating incident in this case.  Michael Brown deserved to die.  He attacked a police officer.  If you are stupid enough; high enough; radicalized or criminalized enough to attack an officer you deserve what you get.  Period.  Second, this ridiculous business of, “Hands up, don’t shoot” makes the practitioner either a dupe or a liar.  The man who originally fostered this lie admitted to the grand jury that Michael Brown did not, in fact, raise his hands and say, “don’t shoot.” 

But that still leaves the larger issue—Ferguson itself.  Like the Donner-Reed Party, Ferguson has failed, not because of one catastrophe, but because of a series of failings, small and large.  With the start of the Civil Rights era the majority of Black Americans entered the middle class.  These were the people for whom segregation and prejudice was their only barrier.  They were smart, educated, ambitious and hard working. 

The Blacks who did not take advantage of the first wave of economic migration were those less capable, but still willing.  They worked, sacrificed, and made sure that their children had a good chance for success.  Now, almost 50 years after Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act, we have left, at the bottom rung of economic and sociological order those members of the Black culture who always were least capable of success.  They are there, not because they are Black, but because they lack ability, a work ethic, or simple luck.  They make bad choices, listen to bad advice and suffer greatly.   

Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and every other race baiter who hopes to garner wealth and power out of Ferguson’s troubles are like Landsford Hastings.  They tell gullible people that there is a shortcut to success; that it is easy; that everyone else who took the longer route was a sucker.  They have no integrity, and less shame.

Face the truth, and keep the faith.