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| Egyptian Revolution of 1919 led to independence from England in 1922 |
"We don't have the privilege of being passive at this point."
---Community activist in Metro Atlanta, Ga.
Significant damage to persons and property is underway in the continental US sparked by police brutality, economic inequality, and racial division.
A major purge went down last night resulting in violent civil disobedience in Baltimore, Maryland.
Large groups, made up chiefly of teenagers, refused to obey laws and instead used disorderly conduct, theft, and arson as main strategies for change.
Observing what's going down post-Ferguson, it's apparent that people are fed up after the predator-like condition Freddie Gray was left in, a severed spinal column resulting in death after an arrest and rough ride through B-more streets. Gray is featured on a long list of persons killed recently by police. (http://killedbypolice.net/)
A cautious military/police phalanx, out of safety concerns, let stores, cars, and trash burn instead of engaging with angry citizens. No one actually thinks a war can be won with bricks, rocks, and small projectiles, but folks on the ground are sending messages that they're not going to take it anymore, no matter what the consequences which could be life-altering.
Mayor Stephanie C. Rawlings-Blake, Esq. walked away from a live, CNN Don Lemon interview which showed her inexperience with communicating on a national scale.
The whole world is watching the unrest, and Mayor Blake gave the impression once again that our "leaders" are incapable of sending right messages.
The Revolution will not be televised or reported on mainstream TV or traditional media, but will be tweeted, skyped, YouTubed and blogged. We're working within a Virtual Watts now, Dorothy. We're not in Celluloid OZ anymore.
H says: People are simply tired of the same old song and dance with these racist and prejudice people. Our political personnel, I refuse to call them leaders, have consistently failed all of us. They continue to do so until people are backed up against the wall with aggression and anger for not being "heard!"
ReplyDeleteG says: Police brutality is only a part of the problem, black crime, black poverty the break down of the black family unit. If the police stopped covering the intercity, what do you think the effect would be?
ReplyDeleteC says: It was bound to happen sooner than later. Communication can't just be a one way street. If so, no options are left for turning around!
ReplyDeleteM says: My wife and I were saddened and outraged to learn about the latest death of a black man at the hands of white police officers (the one in Baltimore). It's dominating the news even in the West. We can't believe how many such deaths have occurred all over the country, especially in recent months. What the hell is going on?
ReplyDeleteLast year, I did some stories on a young black man in Saratoga Springs, Utah, who was shot dead by a white officer after running away in a business area while carrying a souvenir sword. Why it made national news is that the man was shot in the back. Sound familiar? Of course, prosecutors cleared the officer and ruled the shooting was justified. It will be of little consolation, but the man's family will get a huge award from their lawsuit against the police department.
Here are some ideas if police departments are really serious about dealing with the problem. Require all officers to be mounted with cameras in the field. Require independent commissions, not police commissions, to conduct investigations. Wean officers off guns and require them to use tasers instead, if anything. And require cities like Ferguson to have police forces that reflect the diversity of their populations.
Pax Riddle says: My comments re: police brutality merely mirror everyone else's. I'm sick to death of it and want action NOW.
ReplyDelete