There's a consistent history of unhelpful people telling repressed folks that what they're doing "isn't the answer" yet they never seem to say what they think the answer is. Pretty convenient position to be in.
Violent Protests in Baltimore
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This. +1.
Just like when somebody with a lot of mental health problems has a nervous breakdown in public. They scare and frighten others around them and can spark an emergency situation where medical authorities and even law enforcement can become involved, but the act in and of itself of finally breaking isn't wrong. Tragic and horrible, but not wrong. It's the natural result of too many years of building pressure that finally blows the lid of that person.
Now: what do you do to help them become healthier and happier people after the nervous breakdown? That's the test of a good and just society.
Yep. It's true. No one is arguing that there isn't a problem with the Baltimore police department. It's well documented. But the cops injured had nothing to do with grays death nor as far as we know have done anything in their past to justify being attacked.
So what is your solution? Keep in mind that
Half of the command staff of the Baltimore police department are black as is the Mayor and the majority of the city council.
Also the city has been run by democrats since the late 60s.
So if it's a systemic problem... isn't it justified to rebel against that system?
If police brutality against black people is a structural issue that means it's some sort of organized tyranny. What does your constitution say about defending yourself against tyranny?
Whitey isn't likely to change the system apparently. Maybe rioting will show whitey that the system is dysfunctional. That if he insists on keeping this disgusting system in place he might get some of his property damaged (Oh noes!).
Or maybe whitey will just give in to his racist reflex and demonize black people again. Who knows?
Oh, give me a break. As white people we'll never know what it's like to be afraid of the police to the same degree as black people.
That has nothing to do with the question of whether or not they're justified.
I'm happy to ignore your anecdotal evidence anyway.
I mean, shit... the American colonies rioted over less vital issues than this and didn't go all Gandhi on the British. It's a shame trekbbs wasn't around during the Boston Tea Party!
India eventually achieved its independence too.
And the people of the GDR achieved reunification with West Germany through peaceful protest, yes. But is that the rule?
Ask the people in Hungary and former Czechoslovakia.
It's not like black people haven't tried peaceful protest, too. Hasn't really helped so far.
That Cox looks so young, it should be illegal to touch.
I got to meet and talk with Ronny Cox about six years ago. A really kind and down-to-earth guy who enjoys his fans.
Our constitution doesn't say anything about defending ourselves from tyranny. And if the riots were about fighting " the system" why wasn't city hall or the police station attacked? How is a CVS store representative of the system? Also, "whitey" doesn't control the system in Baltimore.
Sorry, not buying it. The people who really cared about their community were marching peacefully. The ones who were burning down buildings and stealing liquor were doing it for no other reason than selfish oppertunity.
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[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HaaRZ8nxd4[/yt]
She gets my vote for mother of the year. That woman is a national hero.
Actually many alternatives have been suggested. The two biggest: greater independent oversight of actual police trangressions and probably more importantly: Tranparency! Citizens have the same right to photograph and record police as the reverse.
Responsibility in action:
I think the biggest problem here is the claim to as who is the biggest victim when in reality both sides are a problem. The police are doing their job and in the vast majority of the cases the subjects of police brutality are in fact doing the WRONG thing and breaking the law, however, the police often do the wrong thing and overreact.
Overarching in all this is the fact the violence and crime are generally down in the last few few decades, and the fact that these cases are more highly publicized than they have been in the past makes a point for social advancement, though the perception is that more of these things are happening and we are going to Hell in a handbasket so to speak.
RAMA
"Both sides."Which side has the blessing of the public? Which side is endowed with the legal authority to kill? Which side frequently abuses these privileges in order to brutalize and kill people? Which side almost always gets away with it?
People are sick of it, and rightly so.
Of course, no one said "we are going to Hell in a handbasket," but thanks for the hand-wringing strawman.
From the article Timby posted a few pages back.
America has entire communities containing millions of people scattered all over the map, and those communities are full of angry, hungry, frustrated, stressed, lost, despairing people. What do you think is going to happen when they reach a tipping point?
America has entire communities containing millions of people scattered all over the map, and those communities are full of angry, hungry, frustrated, stressed, lost, despairing people. What do you think is going to happen when they reach a tipping point?
To show some different aspects:
9 powerful photos that show the more peaceful side of Baltimore’s protests
On the same site: A little piece on Hillary Clinton's take on a somewhat related problem.
9 powerful photos that show the more peaceful side of Baltimore’s protests
On the same site: A little piece on Hillary Clinton's take on a somewhat related problem.
Which side has the blessing of the public? Which side is endowed with the legal authority to kill? Which side frequently abuses these privileges in order to brutalize and kill people? Which side almost always gets away with it?
People are sick of it, and rightly so.
Of course, no one said "we are going to Hell in a handbasket," but thanks for the hand-wringing strawman.
There is a cultural problem with our police forces and I personally think it has little to do with racism and more to do with the fact that most cops look at the public as the enemy. It really comes down to a problem with the recruiting, screening, and the training of police. Most are not educated and many are former military. There should be less emphasis on recruiting former military and more on hiring college grads. Or perhaps a higher age requirement. Many cops just want to play soldier and I'm not comfortable with that on American streets.
That doesn't excuse the rioters in Baltimore and Ferguson. While many have real grievances and protest in a peaceful manner, the ones that run around looting and burning private property are nothing more than low life thugs. I have no sympathy for them whatsoever.
Little to do with racism?
Are you really saying black people and white people are equally treated terribly by cops who believe the public to be "the enemy"?
You don't think there might be a tiny bit* of an imbalance there?
* "tiny"
There's an element to this whole situation that is kind of the elephant in the room that no one's talking about. I want people to acknowledge the fact that in 2015 we live in an incredibly racist society. There are a lot of people that hate black people.
Period.
Progress has certainly been made, but a hell of a lot more needs to be done. We just need to acknowledge it! Jesus. It frustrates me that so many can't get to the simple point of realizing that just because the Supreme Court said racism is over doesn't make it so. (And I'm not saying that about anyone here.) Racism isn't over, it's just become even more institutionalized. But no one wants to admit that.
After that, we can start talking about actual concrete steps as to how we as a society are going to move toward communities that do not tolerate police brutality, inequalities, or anything else that make people feel less than, marginalized, discriminated against, etc.
Does anyone really think that Ferguson, New York, South Carolina and Baltimore are unique? This trend is not going to end and you'd better believe it will end up in your back yard if swift action is not taken right now.
It's really that simple.
It has gotten to the point that anyone who discusses the continued existence of racism, especially if they do so stridently in a public forum, is marginalized or mocked - even by members of their own race. The various large corporations and interests that control much of the media in the United States don't have any fiscal interest in discussing the truth. They want people to be content and distracted, eager to purchase things that make them forget about the reality around them.
Well black people commit crimes at a much higher rate than other races so there are obviously going to be more run in with police and more instances of abuse. Especially in inner cities. But the real problem is the military, as opposed to civil service, mindset of cops. Like I've said before in this thread, ending the war on drugs would go a long way.
100% true.
Ours has always been a white supremacist society. It still is. It will never stop being one so long as we can't even admit that's what it is.
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