Civil rights protesters taking the offensive in Charlotte

Back in September, N.C. Rep. Rodney Moore, D-Mecklenburg, spoke to Charlotte City Council members and asked them to consider enacting a local civil rights ordinance. Moore, who plans to introduce an anti-racial-profiling bill to the General Assembly this fall, has asked the council to consider supporting that effort by making the bill part of the city's 2015 legislative agenda.

During Monday's city council dinner meeting, Chief Rodney Monroe gave the police department's perspective on the issue. He and City Manager Ron Carlee said the city is already following many of the recommendations, which include not engaging in "arbitrary profiling" of citizens.

With outrage over the Eric Garner and Michael Brown cases still simmering, Monday's meeting drew so many demonstrators that many of them couldn't find seats. The city's Twitter account posted a picture of some of the sign-carrying protesters. Also on Monday, students at Johnson C. Smith University blocked a busy intersection outside of their school. That followed the  "die-in" protesters staged in Davidson on Saturday.

It has been encouraging to see how peaceful the local protests have been, and how many young people they appear to have galvanized into action. Willie Ratchford, head of the Community Relations Committee, applauded the diversity and peacefulness of the local demonstrations. While many have been discouraged by the rancor and violence that have shaken Ferguson, Mo., and other cities, Ratchford said he sees the potential for civic good to emerge from it all.

"It is a moment that can absolutely lead to something better," he told the editorial board. "Nothing is more fundamental to us as Americans than to be able to protest if you feel you see an injustice. I think the protesters around the country are hoping we come up with something where people can understand one another better and we can get along better."

--Eric Frazier