Baltimore Calmer; 6 Officers Indicted

[Hladgos]

Yup, sometimes my spine gets severed on those bumpy country roads too. Bullshit. The excuse was pathetic and they knew the damage was done before the ride to the hospital. However, the response from protestors is idiotic and unintelligent. Instead of using their brains and protesting, people got angry and used to opportunity to be stupid. So much for MLK.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

Yup, sometimes my spine gets severed on those bumpy country roads too. Bullshit. The excuse was pathetic and they knew the damage was done before the ride to the hospital. However, the response from protestors is idiotic and unintelligent. Instead of using their brains and protesting, people got angry and used to opportunity to be stupid. So much for MLK.

Here's what MLK had to say about that:

This bloodlust interpretation ignores one of the most striking features of the city riots. Violent they certainly were. But the violence, to a startling degree, was focused against property rather than against people. There were very few cases of injury to persons, and the vast majority of the rioters were not involved at all in attacking people. The much publicized “death toll” that marked the riots, and the many injuries, were overwhelmingly inflicted on the rioters by the military. It is clear that the riots were exacerbated by police action that was designed to injure or even to kill people. As for the snipers, no account of the riots claims that more than one or two dozen people were involved in sniping. From the facts, and unmistakable pattern emerges: a handful of Negroes used gunfire substantially to intimidate, not to kill; and all of the other participants had a different target—property.

I am aware that there are many who wince at a distinction between property and persons—who hold both sacrosanct. My views are not so rigid. A life is sacred. Property is intended to serve life, and no matter how much we surround it with rights and respect, it has no personal being. It is part of the earth man walks on; it is not man.

The focus on property in the 1967 riots is not accidental. It has a message; it is saying something.

If hostility to whites were ever going to dominate a Negro’s attitude and reach murderous proportions, surely it would be during a riot. But this rare opportunity for bloodletting was sublimated into arson, or turned into a kind of stormy carnival of free-merchandise distribution. Why did the rioters avoid personal attacks? The explanation cannot be fear of retribution, because the physical risks incurred in the attacks on property were no less than for personal assaults. The military forces were treating acts of petty larceny as equal to murder. Far more rioters took chances with their own lives, in their attacks on property, than threatened the life of anyone else. Why were they so violent with property then? Because property represents the white power structure, which they were attacking and trying to destroy. A curious proof of the symbolic aspect of the looting for some who took part in it is the fact that, after the riots, police received hundreds of calls from Negroes trying to return merchandise they had taken. Those people wanted the experience of taking, of redressing the power imbalance that property represents. Possession, afterward, was secondary.

A deeper level of hostility came out in arson, which was far more dangerous than the looting. But it, too, was a demonstration and a warning. It was designed to express the depth of anger in the community.

There's also his quote that "A riot is the language of the unheard", but within context, he wasn't so much approving of riots as stating their inevitability in the absence of real and lasting change.

[The United Colonies of Earth]

Yup, sometimes my spine gets severed on those bumpy country roads too. Bullshit. The excuse was pathetic and they knew the damage was done before the ride to the hospital. However, the response from protestors is idiotic and unintelligent. Instead of using their brains and protesting, people got angry and used to opportunity to be stupid. So much for MLK.

When people perceive a threat, bad shit happens. And if the threat is everywhere, all are hurt by the repercussions.
Given that, the rioting seems, in perfect hindsight, inevitable. I don't particularly care for it, as it's got poor immediate impact results. But humans have a bias toward negativity; this is ultimately a good way to gain attention. Though the rioters don't give a shit.

[Hladgos]

@thumbupthebuttertime: I just wish that people weren't so reactionary sometimes. As bad as it is that the guy the police hurt, it's no reason to burn down a building and rob a store. We're only human, and I guess that cant be changed.

Yup, sometimes my spine gets severed on those bumpy country roads too. Bullshit. The excuse was pathetic and they knew the damage was done before the ride to the hospital. However, the response from protestors is idiotic and unintelligent. Instead of using their brains and protesting, people got angry and used to opportunity to be stupid. So much for MLK.

When people perceive a threat, bad shit happens. And if the threat is everywhere, all are hurt by the repercussions.
Given that, the rioting seems, in perfect hindsight, inevitable. I don't particularly care for it, as it's got poor immediate impact results. But humans have a bias toward negativity; this is ultimately a good way to gain attention. Though the rioters don't give a shit.

A bunch of people might just want to feel angry for personal reasons as well, and this just gives them an opportunity. I don't understand that mentality.

[Vespalian Federation]

@thumbupthebuttertime: I just wish that people weren't so reactionary sometimes. As bad as it is that the guy the police hurt, it's no reason to burn down a building and rob a store. We're only human, and I guess that cant be changed.

When people perceive a threat, bad shit happens. And if the threat is everywhere, all are hurt by the repercussions.
Given that, the rioting seems, in perfect hindsight, inevitable. I don't particularly care for it, as it's got poor immediate impact results. But humans have a bias toward negativity; this is ultimately a good way to gain attention. Though the rioters don't give a shit.

A bunch of people might just want to feel angry for personal reasons as well, and this just gives them an opportunity. I don't understand that mentality.

You mean RL trolls? Yeah, I can't understand that either.

[Ifreann]

@thumbupthebuttertime: I just wish that people weren't so reactionary sometimes. As bad as it is that the guy the police hurt, it's no reason to burn down a building and rob a store. We're only human, and I guess that cant be changed.

As was pointed out somewhere in the last ten pages, Freddie Gray's death is, to employ an unfortunately apt turn of phrase, the straw that broke the camel's back, not the sole cause of these protests and riots.

[Alien Space Bats]

So first off.


This has gone well beyond 'demonstrations' this has turned into rioting. And honestly i hope the Police Department beats the ever living shit out of said rioters. They're destroying both Public and Personal property and most of them aren't rioting for the whole "Justice for Freddie" but simply because they want free TV's, Computer's and in general to cause chaos.

I hope the Police Department uses everything in their power to restore order to the chaos. Baton's, Taser's, Dogs, CS Gas. Anything that's needed in order to put a stop to this arrogance. When the Maryland National Guard has to be called forth to 'restore order' it has gone way to far.

This isn't Freedom of Speech, or Assembly. Those are done peacefully. This is, for a lack of better terms, an act of insurrection. I personally don't agree with how the Police handled the Freddie chap, however. The Rioter's took it to an all new level. If you want to show your anger about a subject. Actually Demonstrate. Don't destroy hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of property.


I swear these idiots are the same people that made Ferguson boil over.

You need to weigh the apparent benefits of using force to curb the riots with the less-than-obvious costs of doing so. An overly heavy-handed response to the current violence can inflict deep and abiding scars on a community; if you want an example of this, look no further than Detroit, where the loss of police control in the early hours of the riot forced government officials to escalate to a militarized response as the crisis wore on. The result was widespread destruction and deep divisions that continue to plague the city to this day.

It isn't necessary or desirable to "beat the ever living shit" out of those who are engaged in the riots; what is needed is for the current violence to be contained and then ratcheted down to the point where it ends on its own. That's what has been proven to work in numerous other circumstances, and that's what will do the least damage to the city, its residents, and civic order going forward.

[Mushet]

@thumbupthebuttertime: I just wish that people weren't so reactionary sometimes. As bad as it is that the guy the police hurt, it's no reason to burn down a building and rob a store. We're only human, and I guess that cant be changed.

When people perceive a threat, bad shit happens. And if the threat is everywhere, all are hurt by the repercussions.
Given that, the rioting seems, in perfect hindsight, inevitable. I don't particularly care for it, as it's got poor immediate impact results. But humans have a bias toward negativity; this is ultimately a good way to gain attention. Though the rioters don't give a shit.

A bunch of people might just want to feel angry for personal reasons as well, and this just gives them an opportunity. I don't understand that mentality.

Want to feel angry for personal reasons?

[Ifreann]

So first off.


This has gone well beyond 'demonstrations' this has turned into rioting. And honestly i hope the Police Department beats the ever living shit out of said rioters. They're destroying both Public and Personal property and most of them aren't rioting for the whole "Justice for Freddie" but simply because they want free TV's, Computer's and in general to cause chaos.

I hope the Police Department uses everything in their power to restore order to the chaos. Baton's, Taser's, Dogs, CS Gas. Anything that's needed in order to put a stop to this arrogance. When the Maryland National Guard has to be called forth to 'restore order' it has gone way to far.

This isn't Freedom of Speech, or Assembly. Those are done peacefully. This is, for a lack of better terms, an act of insurrection. I personally don't agree with how the Police handled the Freddie chap, however. The Rioter's took it to an all new level. If you want to show your anger about a subject. Actually Demonstrate. Don't destroy hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of property.


I swear these idiots are the same people that made Ferguson boil over.

You need to weigh the apparent benefits of using force to curb the riots with the less-than-obvious costs of doing so. An overly heavy-handed response to the current violence can inflict deep and abiding scars on a community; if you want an example of this, look no further than Detroit, where the loss of police control in the early hours of the riot forced government officials to escalate to a militarized response as the crisis wore on. The result was widespread destruction and deep divisions that continue to plague the city to this day.

It isn't necessary or desirable to "beat the ever living shit" out of those who are engaged in the riots; what is needed is for the current violence to be contained and then ratcheted down to the point where it ends on its own. That's what has been proven to work in numerous other circumstances, and that's what will do the least damage to the city, its residents, and civic order going forward.

But that won't satisfy people's bloodlust.

[Alien Space Bats]

Still, that's no excuse for any community to behave like degenerate apes, vandalizing and looting property of people who have nothing to do with the incident.

Given that I KNOW that you are aware of the long-standing racist identification of African-Americans with non-human primates, I assume that your use of that particular imagery (i.e., "behav[ing] like degenerate apes") is a deliberate dog-whistle/secret handshake aimed at winning kudos from the "right" kind of people?

Methinks your true colors are showing, Bucky.

For some reason, there was none of this shit back in the day of Martin Luther King, when Black folks actually had legitimate grievances about discrimination and police abuse to complain about.

Can ignorance be ironic?

Yes, Virginia, I believe that it can be.

The current Baltimore riots are being compared with those back in 1968, which occured in direct response to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King.

Oh, but I forgot: Urban blacks NEVER rioted back in the 60's, ESPECIALLY in response to police brutality and/or abuse.

<cough> Detroit <cough>
<cough> Newark <cough>
<cough> Watts <cough>

[Wombocombo]

Whenever these things happen it's always "The thugs and gangs" doing it. Not the people that live there.
That always makes me a bit mad.

[Ifreann]

Whenever these things happen it's always "The thugs and gangs" doing it. Not the people that live there.
That always makes me a bit mad.

Not, you know, the whole thing where the police probably killed a dude because he made them run?

[Wombocombo]

Whenever these things happen it's always "The thugs and gangs" doing it. Not the people that live there.
That always makes me a bit mad.

Not, you know, the whole thing where the police probably killed a dude because he made them run?

I meant in regards to the rioters.
Or I'm misreading what you typed.




On another note.
I like all the pictures that show Spongebob and Patrick in the burning city going "Look, we saved the city!" It's a funny take on it.

[Nirvash Type TheEND]

So is there like an early warning system for cop riots yet? Cus there's a CVS like 10 minutes from my house and I'd like to hit it before the crowds get there.

[Ifreann]

Not, you know, the whole thing where the police probably killed a dude because he made them run?

I meant in regards to the rioters.
Or I'm misreading what you typed.

My point is that, yes, there have been riots and, yes, that's bad. But there's also the highly suspicious death that started this, and all the previous acts of abuse by the police that built tensions up this much. Maybe that warrants some anger.

[Patridam]

Here, we have a woman weaing a 'black power' t shirt as she happily loots a drug store.

Here, we have people cutting the hose as firefighters try to put out blazes started by rioters.

Here, we have a news cameraman's injuries after being attacked and having the camera stolen.

Here, a pastor looks on as rioters torch a building soon to be 60-unit affordable housing for seniors.

[Ifreann]

So is there like an early warning system for cop riots yet? Cus there's a CVS like 10 minutes from my house and I'd like to hit it before the crowds get there.

I have no idea why you posted this.

[New Skaaneland]

Police radio? Search for it on Google.

[Washington Resistance Army]

Here, we have a woman weaing a 'black power' t shirt as she happily loots a drug store.

Here, we have people cutting the hose as firefighters try to put out blazes started by rioters.

Here, we have a news cameraman's injuries after being attacked and having the camera stolen.

Here, a pastor looks on as rioters torch a building soon to be 60-unit affordable housing for seniors.

The Guard really needs to come in and make all these fucking morons stop.

[Ifreann]

Here, we have a woman weaing a 'black power' t shirt as she happily loots a drug store.

Here, we have people cutting the hose as firefighters try to put out blazes started by rioters.

Here, we have a news cameraman's injuries after being attacked and having the camera stolen.

Here, a pastor looks on as rioters torch a building soon to be 60-unit affordable housing for seniors.

The Guard really needs to come in and make all these fucking morons stop.

Do they? Are the riots still on-going? Can the police not handle them?

[Mushet]

Here, we have a woman weaing a 'black power' t shirt as she happily loots a drug store.

Here, we have people cutting the hose as firefighters try to put out blazes started by rioters.

Here, we have a news cameraman's injuries after being attacked and having the camera stolen.

Here, a pastor looks on as rioters torch a building soon to be 60-unit affordable housing for seniors.

Okay

You want me to post a bunch of pictures of cops beating the shit out of people for no reason?

[New Skaaneland]

That's what has been proven to work in numerous other circumstances, and that's what will do the least damage to the city, its residents, and civic order going forward.

Do you think people should be deprived of the ability to enjoy themselves and have a good time in life?

[Washington Resistance Army]

The Guard really needs to come in and make all these fucking morons stop.

Do they? Are the riots still on-going? Can the police not handle them?

Sounds like things still are, albeit I don't have the scanner up ATM.

And no, the police evidently can never handle it. Hence the mass looting and whatnot.

[Pope Joan]

It's really serious now; they cancelled the Orioles game.

[Patridam]

Here, we have a woman weaing a 'black power' t shirt as she happily loots a drug store.

Here, we have people cutting the hose as firefighters try to put out blazes started by rioters.

Here, we have a news cameraman's injuries after being attacked and having the camera stolen.

Here, a pastor looks on as rioters torch a building soon to be 60-unit affordable housing for seniors.

Okay

You want me to post a bunch of pictures of cops beating the shit out of people for no reason?

Violence does not justify greater (and self-destructive) violence as some sort of 'revenge'. Do you agree with what these rioters are doing, lighting church projects on fire and sabotaging the fire department?