The questions no one is asking

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee(WDEF) – The violence playing out in Ferguson Missouri is shedding light on a question many people have thought of but may but may be too scared to ask.

Why is that every time an African American is fatally shot or injured by a white police officer, communities across the nation gather to protest an alleged wrongdoing? But when it involves black on black crime, we rarely see anyone including members of the black community rally for the victim.

WDEF posed that question to many folks at the East Lake housing projects where a young black man was recently stabbed to death. Only one person agreed to respond to that question on camera.

"I don’t understand that either. That’s should be something you do every six months. Just rally for families family," said Erica Davis.

In recent years, Chattanooga’s black community has rallied in protest against local police brutality caught on tape. This past Saturday, Chattanoogans rallied in support of the protestors in Ferguson Missouri. But where is that same energy and anger when it’s black on black crime?

"There are those who detest what has happened. They just can’t organize themselves because they don’t know who all is on their side. They can’t determine who their friends are and who their enemies are. They don’t speak as loud and as passionate openly," said Chattanooga City Councilman Moses Freeman.

Councilman Freeman says the anger may still be there but it doesn’t always play out on live television.

"It’s just not expressed in a public forum; Where is with the police, it’s a public issue and it’s expressed in a public forum."

Rallies to protest black on black violence and to support victims do occur, But there’s only so much a rally can accomplish.