Baltimore was Burning and Few Asked Why?

[nadinbrzezinski]

April 28, 2015 (San Diego) A police van burning, a CVS pharmacy looted and burned. Police and youth exchanging rocks and other debris. This has all the makings of a riot. This, as Doctor Martin Luther King wrote, was the voice of the oppressed screaming. Riots are a force of nature. They are an open, rank and true expression of rage. But unless we listen, the message will be missed.

We had an opportunity to talk with Chet Whye, who currently lives in Harlem New York, and has lived in Baltimore. This was facilitated by Steven Lesser, who knows Whye and is a radio host based in the East Coast. Whye said that he witnesses a 9 year old throwing rocks at police yesterday. This is part of his frustration though. While he saw media emphasize the violence, none “emphasized the police culture” that has led to this explosion.

He added “”Look. I’m a Baltimore kid. Nobody wants violence, but people have been pushed to the limit and massive peaceful protests have resulted in no material legislation and no national agenda. What the hell do people expect to happen?”

People are frustrated with the system, and as he observed, and we have observed, this is national. The reasons for this are deep. We are just scratching the surface. Among them are the following reasons:

http://reportingsandiego.com/2015/04/28/baltimore-was-burning-and-few-asked-why/

When you look under the hood what stares back is quite the monster... Thanks Steve. But this conversation needs to happen and I admit, I only looked at one of the many variants...

[daleanime]

1. K&R.....

[hollysmom]

2. true and

Since 2011, Baltimore has lost or settled more than 100 cases related to police brutality

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. I used another source

but yes...

[seveneyes]

4. How could you learn to care, when nobody cares for you

No matter what you said, he'd always disagree
You swore that one day you would be
better than him...one day you'd win

[Vattel]

5. The mayor and the police commissioner have been improving the police dept.

Some of the claims in this article are irresponsible. To pretend to know that the violence is primarily motivated by outrage about actual widespread police misconduct is irresponsible journalism. Facts are important. Speculation not so much.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Forgive me for telling you this

but we have been hearing this from people of color from all over the country. What do you think words such as "police occupation" precisely mean?

I have been seeing you pushing back for the last two days on the kind of news reporting that is being done at the national level, such as VOX, The Atlantic, even the WAPO or the NYT. For that matter the Baltimore Sun has an extremely good series you might want to read on the abuses of the local police. They are THE PAPER OF RECORD.

At the local level, we have seen it as well. I am not one to judge those who are over policed regularly. I have no moral authority to do that, perhaps you feel you do, but I don't, and I am female, minority and immigrant. I know that if I drove to a lit place after the cop threw his wig wags, I would not be facing 17 days in jail, and in the end no charges and losing one of my two jobs. That happened to a local here. Because he was daring to drive while black.

He preferred to risk death, and I mean the death part, since if he was going to die, he would rather become a hashtag. This is far from speculation, it is a fact, my town is one critical incident from a real blow out... and we are far from alone.

[Vattel]

7. Of course people should be outraged about police misconduct,

mass incarceration, etc. Nobody is denying that. I was posting about Gray before most DUers were willing to discuss it. But I will not condone the violence in Baltimore. There are people in the city government that are trying hard to improve things, people like Rawlings-Blake and Batts. There are people peacefully expressing outrage about it. Then there are the juveniles and thugs who go out and do stupid acts of violence for any number of bad reasons. Maybe some acts of violence in Baltimore are truly an angry response to injustice aimed at making things better, but how many? Do you know?

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. None of the people I am talking to are condoning it

but they are far from surprised. Those who seem surprised seem to have no clue, or are looking at it from a very particular POV.

By the way, perhaps I am not that familiar with brain development, but a junior high school kid getting involved in a fracas, as far as I understand brain development, is not using full judgment. That really does not happen until you are anywhere from 21 to 25 years old. Moreover, these kids are living in conditions that are hard to fathom for a lot of middle class folks.

I am betting that except for the leaders, if they can be identified, or not but somebody will be pressured to plea, there will be a lot of diversion from the criminal system mostly because of that national spotlight. As to how many acts of violence are meant for making things better? Again, we are talking of immature brains.

You see, here is the problem, none who has really been paying attention is surprised by any of this. None is saying it is ok. That is your storyline. But if we do not listen to the scream of those who have no voices, that is what a riot is, MLK got it, we will get more of these.

Personally I am expecting a hot summer. And most media is doing is reporting that this is happening and even giving you reasons. I see you have nothing to say about substandard education, our thrust in this article. Those things are quite noticeable.

But as far as a hot summer is concerned...

Helmet, check

Gas Mask check

Camera check

Recorder, check

Scanner (always need to know what's up) check.

Of course notebook and pen, and water. Never ever go to one of these without water.

Tonight I have a vigil to cover locally. The release just came in. Do I expect a riot? No. Do I expect a lot of very raw emotions... you betcha. Am I ready for a riot? Got my running shoes on... all I can do at this point is well, shrug...

[Vattel]

11. Okay, fair enough, I guess we pretty much agree.

Neither of us are surprised by the violence and both of us are opposed to it.

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. And I will add that the system should

we will see, treat juveniles different than adults.

Oh and yes, came home from the memorial, and as expected many emotions, raw and all,. A news story to write in the morning... but when one 18 year old freshwoman at a four year college has to worry about her 12 year old brother who will soon have to go to school alone in the not so nice area of Chicago... and that she hopes her activism can make a difference for her little brother in a few years when he goes to college. That is the kind of thing I gotta ask you, is that fair? A young 18 year old student on the other side of the country having to worry whether her little brother will make it to adulthood? After all 12 year old boys are feared as if they ere hoodlums.

I gave that kid a tight hug. She is still a kid to be honest.

But this is the kind of shit that sooner or later leads to these spasms of violence.

[jeff47]

8. Facts like Baltimore has lost or settled more than 100 police brutality cases since 2011?

From upthread:
http://www.vox.com/2015/4/28/8508125/baltimore-police-brutality

Btw, the mayor has been in office since 2010. So more than 100 is "improving the police dept"?

[Vattel]

10. yes, pointing out facts like that is awesome.

And in response to such facts they are firing police officers for brutality. Things are bad but improving.

[Generic Brad]

12. You're right. We need an honest national conversation

Instead we get sensationalism and "us vs them" news coverage. Clearly we have institutional problems at a national level that need to be discussed and addressed. With every senseless death that occurs it feels like everyone with an agenda comes out of the woodwork and slants events to validate their world view. This prevents us from focusing on the actual issue fueling all this. We are being played on many levels by multiple forces and it saddens me to see people manipulated into justifying the inexcusable.

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. I know the conversation is happening

here and there... but not in the places where it should, imho. (And I am getting too old for this physical covering of news events. My knees are absolutely killing me, and this was not that long of a hike. A vigil I went to tonight)