What is happening in Ferguson, MO has happened in smaller ways throughout American history. And, not always to African Americans. First, the US government practiced on the indigenous peoples. The Euro-Americans in charge of the government then, as now, were successful in rounding up the First Nations' types onto reservations, that accelerated the wanton destruction of cultural values and traditional ways.
Next, these intrepid adventurers took on various brown and black peoples -- the Spaniards or Mexicans who had settled in the West. Homesteading freed slaves were turned into a different form of slaves under Jim Crow following Reconstruction. Chinese immigrants were forced to never marry and never expect Chinese wives -- however, much of our infrastructure depended on the Chinese men to build if from West to East.
Now, Ferguson, MO . . .
So, what has the demographics of this country produced? A growing population of brown people, the slowing of the birthrate of Euro-Americans, the population shift away from "traditional" political powers into a country where old white guys are moved to the periphery. And, this is scaring the tar out of those white guys.
These white guys are petrified that they will be treated as poorly as they treated others. They are afraid of losing political power. They are afraid of losing financial standing. They are afraid of losing social standing.
They are afraid that equal rights for everyone means less rights for them.