How often does this happen? Not often. Law enforcement really has to try to be extra evil to get this response. Blame the police, not the people. They are supposed to serve the people.
-
Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!
Violent standoff between Cops and Protesters in Baltimore
- Thread starter OctoMan
- Start date
- Status
How often does this happen? Not often. Law enforcement really has to try to be extra evil to get this response. Blame the police, not the people. They are supposed to serve the people.
Gordon Shumway
Banned
kame-sennin
Member
The Iraqi insurgency was preceded by mass looting and rioting. This kind of destabilization is common when a population is forced to deal with an occupying army (the police), and it's a necessary step to create the conditions for more direct forms of resistance. In Iraq, this did in fact turn out to be the solution to the problem of American occupation (albeit the cause of further unforeseen problems).
kame-sennin
Member
That's because police and white vigilantes killing black men is seen as "normal". There's nothing wrong with it. Blacks retaliating against this oppression is seen as "abnormal", chaotic, harmful, counterproductive, etc. Essentially, our society judges the morality of violence by the race that engages in it.
jakonovski
Member
This is only going to get worse, because black people aren't being offered any solutions, just life as impoverished playthings of a sadistic and ultraviolent state apparatus.
They're basically being told to fuck off and die by their own government.
They're basically being told to fuck off and die by their own government.
While it's true that people are angry and with good cause but that in no way excuses the destruction of businesses. The sheer amount of people trying to justify this is sad.
So what about the people who own the businesses? Or all the employees who can't come into work to earn a living to survive? There is nothing that excuses this behaviour, the stores that are getting destroyed are run and employs people from their city and neighbourhoods.
The cops need to sort their shit out and clean ranks because the violence is out of hand no doubt. There is protesting and then there is this unnessecary destruction.
jakonovski
Member
The problem is that you're missing the second part of the sentence: stop the violence AND get back to getting brutalized and killed by the police.
Like I said in the other thread, this situation is like Putin calling for a cease fire.
Who do you think is doing the damage? Out of towners? This isn't opportunism, it's desperation, frustration, anger and fear
Does not justify it in any way and I stand by that.
kame-sennin
Member
Yup. The state has acted with incredible incompetence. They could have offered moderate reforms that would make black people feel like they had some kind of a voice, while still maintaining their oppressive, racist, capitalist system. But because they've been so unwilling to give even an inch, it's become clear to black and brown people, and the poor generally, that they have no peaceful method for relieving their suffering. Now we all have to deal with the frightening consequences of that.
I'd rather see a thousand empty CVS shops burn than hear about one more unarmed black teenager killed by police.
Bam Bam Baklava
Member
What will happen tonight? Are there any demonstrations planned?
Baraka in the White House
2-Terms of Kombat
*oh*
I've lived my whole life in the south and I would stake a paycheck or two on this being absolutely real.
EASTC0AST_GH05T
Member
Why and how did the chicken thing get tied to black people? don't people of all races like chicken? never understood that one.
So the smaller business that aren't a major chain or the church they burned down are fair game? The smaller business owners who just lost their livelyhood? The schools that are now closed because of the senseless destruction?
You're also right in that the killing needs to stop and no one wants to see another unarmed black man die.There is no doubt that the change needs to come from the entire police/justice system but it's still not justified.
I almost agree with that, but I can't condemn them for it either
I agree with Cmagus. Even though the current situation is fucked up and pretty much no politician gives a shit about black people and their community, but that doesn't mean you start destroying private businesses, schools and other places. What are those people gonna earn? How will they survive? I don't see the point of becoming violent to make your point when in fact it will perpetuate the stereotype even further.
Media and police is gonna become even more hostile.
Media and police is gonna become even more hostile.
It's a very complex situation that needs an answer and I sympathize with the protestors they have every right to be angry and afraid.
All I'm saying is that I'm checking the news feeds and all I see is people running around looting and smashing shit and the main focus for the protests have already been pushed to the back.i just don't feel like this is the way to make a point.
Well, it's either that or white america just flat out continues to ignore the problem altogether. That's the awesome thing about all of this. Black people lose no matter what they do in this situation!
As long as white america doesn't have to give a shit, they won't! The game continues from there.
Sure they may gain little out of this whole ordeal, but they are resorting to this because they feel like they have nothing to lose.
The VAST majority of the city did not want this to happen. Lets not pour salt on their wounds by blaming them all for the actions of a few.
No, its not hand waved away and acceptable by any means. All this has been brought about by the police and they should be held accountable for all of the destruction.
That could be potentially said about every oppressed community in middle east or Pakistan or Afghanistan. But I don't think that even they might not see violence as the solution. Is it fair to burn cars, properties?
6 officers are seriously injured due to this. I know PD is fucked up but is it justifiable to hurt them? What about their families?
Sorry but violence doesn't seem like the solution to me.
Telephoto999
Member
Obviously it's not gonna go away by waving a hand and you're right police need to held accountable I don't think anyone would debate that but right now this is just making the cause look bad.
They are literally on the news right now talking about the 15 cops that got hurt and how they are holding their ground instead of talking about the real problem and the fact that Freddie Gray was straight up murdered. The news is spinning this to make the police look better than they are at this point.
I believe the racism is real, but it has been pointed out that the gun and vest are airsoft gear.
We definitely have that kind of douchebag here in VA. I don't think he's trolling, he's just a fucking moron.
Black Republican
Member
Wonder when the funeral is
CyclopsRock
Member
Those aren't actually the options, though - are they?
A person tend to get pretty pissed when he's shit on all the time. You can try being nice to a bully and see where it gets you. It might work. Then again they might just get off on bullying. And that's when the anger sets in.
Start paying attention America. You're probably one of the most racist places in the world. And you created this. And I hate violence. But I do understand it.
Start paying attention America. You're probably one of the most racist places in the world. And you created this. And I hate violence. But I do understand it.
Blacks have always looked bad. Lots of racism in this country. Yeah, its a little worse now. But are deaths by corrupt police going to rise or fall as a result? I'm wagering, and I'm serious when I say this...they'll fall. And some burnt out stores are not going to matter to me in light of that.
Tesseract
Banned
how many people are killed by cops every year, anywhere to dig into these numbers?
hate begets hate, iz most unfortunate
wagering based on what western precedence?
hate begets hate, iz most unfortunate
wagering based on what western precedence?
I kinda like how we're all stuck arguing in the same circles over and over again. Well, you don't have to worry. People still care more about property than the lives of black folks. We'll just continue down the shitty path we're on.
What? Are you denying that white people hold all the real power in this situation?
MrGreencastle
Member
Crazy night.
Car driven through fire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHNdEMPaMpU
Lots of pictures on Twitter of people cleaning up before at dawn this morning: https://twitter.com/nbcaaron/status/592990397577732096/photo/1
Car driven through fire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHNdEMPaMpU
Lots of pictures on Twitter of people cleaning up before at dawn this morning: https://twitter.com/nbcaaron/status/592990397577732096/photo/1
Telephoto999
Member
This happens whether blacks are in power, or whether whites are in power. There's plenty of black people in government and on baltimores police force, I don't know the statistics but it might even outnumber the whites. The same shit happens here in Atlanta where blacks outnumber whites in government and police.
This is an issue regarding government / police vs citizens more so than race... but lets keep arguing race. It makes for good news.
edit: And putting a label like "white america" on Americans that are white, is no different than the racism everyone is preaching against. The ignorance is astounding.
theignoramus
Member
Financially wealthy blacks face their own struggles of racial profiling and integration.Like a young Senator Obama being confused for the "help" at a socialite party in NYC, Henry Louis Gates entering his own home or this retired baseball player racially profiled while shovelling snow in his own driveway.
No matter how high up the social and economic ladder a black person climbs, there is bound to be some situation that arises and reminds him of his status as a nigger in America.
MrGreencastle
Member
Apparently there are now soldiers stationed in the city. Yikes. Haven't seen any photos or video yet.
well said.
This is what happens when people riot. This is sad and infuriating.
Holy shit at the bolded
Edit: not agreeing with Merc or anything, just mindblown at the claim that this isn't about race
Baraka in the White House
2-Terms of Kombat
Thacker up in this thread aww yiss.
Black Republican
Member
wont lie that was dope, like outta a movie
but seriously that part is a damn mess, plus these newsreporters trying to get so friggin close, why? just leave it to the distant cameras not the crew themselves.
i remember ABC doing this yestarday right outside the damn CV store, like seriously wtf
So we're just going to straight up ignore the institutional racist systems and how even other black people in power are more than willing to support those systems if it grants them access to power though the continued support of the white majority? Nothing quite like the usual "RACE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT" deflection. It's just per chance that these situations keep involving the deaths of black people.
Also, white americans and black americans both tend to view the police and their behavior differently. I thought what I was saying there was pretty obvious.
Jawbreaker
Member
Holy shit, this picture. The casual look on the thief's face and the chair seemingly floating in thin air in the background. Might be old, but I haven't seen it posted.
- Status