Baltimore is listed as the largest city in the State of Maryland, the largest independent city and the 26th most populous city in the USA. Of note is that greater than 60% of the population is Black followed by about 29% White. In the wake of Freddie Gray’s funeral – yet another Black man to die in police custody under questionable circumstances – rioting and other violent behaviour has placed the city under siege. The question onlookers are asking – is this a bunch of stupid Black people inappropriately expressing themselves? Is this a bunch of Black people with just concerns about race relations in America today? Is it ignorance and just concerns commingling?
Baltimore Under Siege in the Wake of Freddie Gray’s Funeral
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714 responses to “Baltimore Under Siege in the Wake of Freddie Gray’s Funeral”
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[…] By David […]
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Latest news from Baltimore. I had no idea that the citizens were rioting.
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An act of violence for an act of violence. The pot has been boiling for a long time now in the wake of the deliberate killings of blacks by the police. This should not come as a surprise because all that was needed for an escalation was the right type of push to take it where it is now. Emotions are running high in the hearts of those who want to avenge the situation. It is clear that in the minds-eyes of many persons, particularly the young and impressionable, they deem the police force as organization bent on black elimination as oppose to protecting and serving for the maintenance of peace and peaceful outcomes. These particular people would orchestrate their own destructive rallies against the police force and even take their lawlessness further by an act of aggression against innocence. The situation needs to be diffused very quickly as perceptions on both sides are running high and already has the makings for an all out war between the police and community base folk.
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okay I pick number one, why on earth you would rob your own stores destroy your old age home, hampering those coming to help it is beyond crazy. But this is how it always turns out and wasn’t unexpected. The mayors words of allowing the people room to destroy may come back to hurt her.
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Inactive Volcanoes have started erupting again worldwide after being thought extinct.
Baltimore had riots in 1968 when the King died.
US Policing was originally established to control & track slaves
which explain modern day US Policing battle lines -
From a very casual examination from a long way away, Baltimore looks a bit different to previous situations of Black deaths in police custody. The focus seems to be more on general rioting and mayhem, rather than protesting against the police action. Looks like the Mark Duggan riots in the UK. Happy to be corrected if wrong.
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St George
Fox News are reporting marxists and gangbangers are stirring up riots
but they are corrupt media for fools .
If women are protesting then it passes test for listening to what they are saying
that illegal Police Violence, Harassment, Racism and Covering up, includes beating up suspect victims regularly -
Let us repeat the same cookie cutter views each time there is a Trayvan Martin, Eric Garner, Michael Browne, Freddie Gray and the list is long. Yes this kind of violence should not happen in civilized society but why us it happening? In the Baltimore fiasco we see high school children involved, what does this portend for the future? Nowadays we appear to be good at zero tolerance policing, what about community policing. The system in the U.S responds to Blacks differently. This is a fact. When will the problem be tackled at the root.
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@Pacha
You recently watched this movie rumored to have triggered the violence. BU watched it sometime last year and labeled it for what it is, entertainment. It seems a stretch the movie would have triggered the violence.
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I want her for mayor, …the do gooders will come out and say she assaulted her child and should do some jail time because of the emotional trauma and embarrassment he has suffered. I know I have seen this woman before but she was carrying a 2 by 4. Love her
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@lawson
You missed the point. Here is a parent doing her best yet her son was lured to the violence. This is a big problem for the US, high schoolers who are obviously alienated by the system.
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Have anybody noticed that they are more black men killed by white policeman since Barravk Obama became President…Is this intentionally and deliberate attempt by the klu klax klan which has embeded themselves in the judicial system to embarass the president and the black community .This seems to be an all out assualt predicated by years of hatred which has now become full blown without shame or disregard for the negative impact which comes along with these too often miscarriages of justice by america,s police force
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David I aint miss no point, look at this kid he wasn’t lured???? not like other kids who may have been caught up in it when the schools closed, this MAN was dressed for the occasion fully prepared to incite and riot. His mother knew he would be there because she knows him …so please stop this lured bs he seems more of one of the instigators.
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@lawson
By your last comment you have definitely missed it. Some of you continue to focus on the wrong end of what is causing the problem, until the next city burns.
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They loot a liquor store ..they loot a drug store..but they never loot a library…that woman has done more for positive race relations than any of the talking heads that claim they could have been there sons. Making excuses for how these crimes show how really out of touch some people are. Cnn reported that the only store that wasn’t vandalized was the one with the off duty cop with a shotgun in the lobby. Really? how unusual what a backward way of thinking letting people know there will be a consequence to their actions and mean it.
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@lawson
People in the know in the US will tell you Blacks have been alienated by the system and is has reflected in a disproportionate number of Blacks incarcerated. Go on standby because we will be continuing this commentary on another US city soon.
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On these type occasions you can’t discount the possibility of agent provocateurs working for the police or government security services provoking violence in order to justify heavy handed responses by law enforcement and/or the shutdown of demonstrations.
E.g. In August 2007 At a peaceful demonstration in Montebello, Quebec a Canadian union leader caught and exposed undercover cops (armed with rocks, wearing masks and dressed as anarchists) from attempting to start a riot at a peaceful protest against the SPP (Security and Prosperity Partnership of North Ameria).
Peaceful protesters stop police provocateurs from starting a riot at the Stop the SPP protests in Montebello Quebec. The police admitted they were their officers. CEP President Dave Coles confronts men with rocks and sticks.
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David, your earlier remarks when you said “Let us repeat the same cookie cutter views each time there is a Trayvan Martin, Eric Garner, Michael Browne, Freddie Gray…” captured the tone of Lawson’s comments,
Lawson’s position is well stated. And practical people can agree with his basic premise that we must abide by a society of LAW and ORDER. But he as usual is one-sided.
Of course the youngster came prepared: he is not stupid to display his face. So, yes he was angry and got caught up in the frenzy and need to vent. And similarly the mother was angry that he was taking part in the violent and not peaceful protest.
Looting and protests for a just cause have nothing in common. We know that.
Perhaps this is the plan that Lawson doesn’t want to embrace:
Callous, indifferent white cops who are focused on retirement and monetary gain toss around a black kid like a sack of potatoes and breaks his neck because he resisted an arrest.
They know his death will cause riots and looting which will generate even more work and reliance on police protection. So they get more private security work and more overtime …
The businessmen give donations to the police benevolent societies to show their gratitude publicly and privately they are super happy for the destruction of buildings and the all over mayhem cause that means MORE contracts, rebuilding with higher rents and all around MORE MONEY.
And of course the children of these officers enjoy the wealth and off to college they go and join the fraternities and privileged societies which sing racist songs, have a sometimes drunken rape party or two and continue to look down their noses at the ragamuffin behaviour of these uncouth black thugs. They go into jobs as ‘enlightened’ professionals who then perpetuate this process all over again.
So Lawson is so right. That young man should have been on a college campus somewhere planning the correct methods of subterfuge. Certainly not protesting because a man was killed in a manner of heinous and abject disregard for human life.
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At this point and time in the debate lawson should withdraw further commentary gor his basic lack of understanding of the many mitigating forces and factors that attributes to the violence after these absurd and bizaare killings.
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@ AC
Every now and again (4 times in you last 2357 posts in the last 2 years) you will give a little gem of an idea for consideration
You said “Ha(s) anybody noticed that they are more black men killed by white policeman since Barrack Obama became President?…”
The observation ma seem right insofar as there are more reported black deaths but the premise is wrong and it is just that during the tenure of the black President that, given now sensational it is to show the deaths while President Obama is at the stern, the entrenched racists alive and well in the United States of America, ONLY make it a news item, BECAUSE they want to goad the impotent? black President into saying something that will be used to discredit him.
Racists with badges is a phenomena that has existed long before President Obama and it will exist long after he is gone.
Rodney King and mobile cameras and phones have just made it possible for us to see the modern day lynchings and state support racist killings that these whites have been doing for some time.
Racial Purity UP and On!!
Protests and Riots/Looting are NOT the same but, as is expected from the “elements within this Babylon the Great”, these sheep will be moved to these acts of what they consider civil outrage.
If you systematically deny a section of the people access to options, by using pretend schools and social support systems where 70 of blacks in the ghettoes DO NOT EVEN HAVE a GED, our equivalent to ??? I dont know do we have an equivalent?
Imagine that you had to fill out this job application form below
http://www.samplewords.com/docthumbs/pro-job-application-form-thumb.gif
Imagine that when you get to the very first line, you DO NOT KNOW WHAT “application means” you dont know how to read, do you understand you state of mind?
I dont know if I can start to explain the absolute dosolation of thought that these looters have
When you wrote your article you started by saying “Have anyone” instead of “has anyone”
Do you understand that we are not dealing with people who understand the nuances of subject and verb agreement, but rather something more primal, THE ABILITY TO READ AND WRITE AND GET A JOB?
AM I MY BROTHERS KEEPER???
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Wunna cud say whatever wunna want ’bout AC.
When it comes to this matter her insights are sublime!
Come to the front of the class.
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Word you said a man was killed,we know a man died how is still under investigation. AC maybe not knowing everything about a situation has not stopped most of you talking about business, having said that do you really think anyone cares about how or if you screw up your own communities, see if the dynamic changes if it were to happen in a largely white populated area Alaska or texas I doubt there would be like the mayor of Baltimore said let the ones who want to destroy things have space.
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Lawson can you please cut and paste the quote from the Mayor re your remarks that she “said let the ones who want to destroy things have space”.
I have read several quotes from her and in all cases she has spoken of the fundamental counter productive behaviour.
Her early remarks advised that folks had the right to peaceful protests but she also clearly condemned the escalation to violence.
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scatter matter shotter shot
what a beatfor the time is nigh when the passion get high
when the beat just lash
and the wall must smash
and the beat will shift
as the culture alter
with oppression scatter.. -
why is it that “70 of blacks in the ghettoes DO NOT EVEN HAVE a GED, our equivalent to?
why? dont they have schools for blacks? dont blacks go to school?
whats so difficult about that application to fill?
isnt it true that some one in our much vaunted education system responded to the line SEX WITH TWO TIMES?DOES THE FACT THAT FOLK WHO DONT HAVE A GED MEAN THAT THEY SHOULD LOOT AND STEAL? HOW IS DOING WRONG THE RIGHT THING?
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D i word if you go on cnn or fox it is on video I am giving you the sense of it maybe not the exact words she then said she was misquoted…you decide ……but to all that say this is caused by this or that…Obama said today there is no excuse for this behavior…none. All this has done is made the regular people in that community’s life worse
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Peaceful Protests make sense.
Proper communication regarding solving the Racial problems make sense.
The Mayor appears to have been very slow to act and as the Gov said that he signed the Emg Order within 30 seconds of the Mayor’s request and had put the National Guard on Alert on Saturday. (NB the Brig General is a female with East Indian name Singh).
The Grey family asked that Protests be stopped for the day of the Funeral and the Riots started, WHY? These rioters are plain CRIMINALS! They want to LOOT for any excuse and were well organised pulling up in vans with 6-8 occupants piling out and running into the Mall. So well organised they could use their skills to run a great business!
These criminals went across town and burnt down a not quite completed Old Folks Home($16mn) being built by Baptists parishoners that are mainly Black and for mainly Black occupancy. How does that help solve anything?After 1968 it took 15 yrs for some buildings/ stores/ areas to be revitalised. Will these stores be able to afford to rebuild? Will they be able to pay increased Ins premiums?
Will rich White Racists be hurt? OR will poor Black peeps suffer more as a result?
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@ lawson April 28, 2015 at 1:25 PM #,
You and I already know the outcome of any investigation. As Bush Tea would ask, “What investigation what”? The most like outcome is Rev Al Sharpton and his gang of lawyers, who are making an industry off the killing of Blacks by cops, filing a wrongful death civil suit after the cops are exonerated.
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Baltimore has a Black Mayor and many Black Leaders in a City that has 64% Black population, twice that of Whites at 31%. Why would the Police Force not be heavily Black? Why would Black people not be dominant and in control?
Why wont these Criminal Rioters not wait for the DOJ to investigate this case thoroughly? Could it be that after the DOJ investigation in Fergusson that they dont want the truth to spoil the fun ie rioting? (why take a chance that the Police are exonerated? NOT saying they will be because I dont know what happened to Grey in custody.)
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@ac
Where is the statistical proof that more Black men are being killed by Police since the advent of BHO?Were they not more Black men and youth being killed in Chicago, where BHO lived and climbed politically from, by Black men/ youth?
How come the KKK did not stop BHO from becoming Pres? OR dealt with him after in some viscous way? BHO could only be Pres because some very rich White guys gave him the stamp of Approval! They always are involved when picking the candidates and BHO rose exceedingly quickly, how come?
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@ GP
We were poor when we grew up.
Poor did not mean without dignity and while the clothes were hand me downs, we had a sense of self, family, community and doing what was the right thing.
We also had uncles, aunts, a school and a church system and a community which nurtured us.
I put it to you that the systems that exists now, even in the face of millions of dollars in state funding HAS FAILED TO INCULCATE any of the values that you and I in our “disadvantaged, antiquated, communities WITHOUT IPads, iphones and systematic desensitization, had much more compass than our privileged modern parasites.
Options GP!!
That was what every one of the teachers knocked into our heads, they did not shirk in their duties, ergo when you and I went to our schoolrooms, we knew who was the boss and from whom we sought to acquire wisdom.
Where have all the teachers gone?
If here on our shores we are fraught with the BSTUs and the BUTs jockeying for position and salaries and free trips and in the process destroying the real teachers and the old guard, how much moreso would such a dearth of existence in the grand old US of A be magnified?
You pay me my salary at the ent of each month buster and I could not care less if those 70% are in my class or otherwise. I just write them up twice and refer them to the community officer and in two twos they’re suspended/expelled from school and either in social services or prison.
You come here and it sounds like like if you live in the North (but having done the same), I put it to you that you don’t live there, “you passage time” there, get paid to be in the vaunted institutions of medical? instruction and then, as soon as 5 pm comes, leave for the protection and sanctity of your home in the suburbs.
Dont get me wrong, you worked for what you have but whereas you expended self and showed “options” to those whom you have interacted with, tell me, when you look at the realllll Amurica, does REALLLLY extend and expend itself in and among its hedges?
Pleaseeee…..
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Money Brain
111 Blacks have been killed by Baltimore Police since 2010
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111 Blacks murdered by Pigs and no State of Emergency
Throw rocks at the Pigs and they call a State of Emergency -
Ok Lawson, I get it. Quick search wid the ubiquitous technology and I heard the remarks. I can only do a LOL that you have zeroed in and highlighted that.
The lady spoke about 55 words. She said across those words comments such as: “I have worked with the police…that the protestors were able to exercise their right to free speech…it’s very delicate balancing act that…we also gave those who wished to destroy the space to do that as well……we worked very hard to keep that balance and to put ourselves in the best position to de-escalate”
So you are right sir. She said that. However, I read it as badly chosen words based on her overall comments. Her clear intent was to allow the protestors space to vent and get their anger done and thus avoid greater pain and possible other police or citizens deaths.
To suggest that she intended all the fires etc etc is indicative of an unfortunate bias.
Pres Bush said there were weapons of mass destruction. As an isolated comment he was an absolute liar and should be impeached. Taken in context of 9/11, strong reports from the intelligence community and all that was going down at the time his actions can be better framed as misguided decision making and strategy.
I am not a Bush fan but I can objectively accept that. I hope you too can be objective!
Incidentally, I do not expect the investigation of Mr Gray’s death to highlight anything to absolve the police officers. Bit also not much to convict them.
But it is very difficult to appreciate how a small figured man with his hands handcuffed behind his back would do himself such harm to break his neck like that or even propel himself at the officers that would cause such damage.
I like to think I have adopted an objective view of the situation as I know it takes a strong force to break the spinal cord/vertebrae but let’s wait for the investigation to run its course.
In the last few cases police officers were indicted. At minimum one of those officers went way over the line, but we’ll see how this plays out.
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@ MoneyBrain April 28, 2015 at 2:54 PM #
Blacks have been waiting on the DOJ investigations since the days of convict leasing and nothing has change. You sound like the spokesmen for the police unions in the USA.
Wait for an official investigation the result of which all but the most retarded already know. -
@Easy
111 killed by Police? Have these situations been properly investigated? Were all/ the majority killed by White Police? How many of other racial groups were killed by Police? What % of Baltimore Police are Black and why? How long has there been a Black Mayor and % of the last 25yrs? (I know Washington DC had a Black Mayor for a long time, Donkey’s years)Did the Criminal Rioters listen to proper Black Leaders like the Mayor or many others? Do they give a Rahteeeeed second to care or listen???????? Their actions are afflicting Black peeps primarily.
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@Baje in NY
So it is totally pointless having Holder, BHO and the new Atty Genl? These powerful peeps are just lackeys, doing nothing but pomposetting?
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Here we go again. This systemic failing in the USA will continue to manifest itself until communities work to build trust between stakeholders, Blacks especially. It was inevitable given what we know that elements in the Black community would have behaved the only way they believed would gain attention. By the looting and rioting who can deny they have forced all and sundry of the need to engage. This may not be the end.
>
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IT SEEMS THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A GED AND A BIG EDUCATION TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU DONT BURN DOWN THE SENIOR HOUSING FOR LOW INCOME HOUSING BUILT BY THE LOCAL CHURCH.
LORD HOW I THANK YOU THAT I AM NOT A BLACK AMERICAN
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@ MoneyBrain April 28, 2015 at 3:43 PM #
The DOJ under Holder found the ways and means to prosecute and convict Lynne Steward, the lawyer who represented Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, but could not find the ways and means to indict the cop who shot and killed Micheal Brown in Fergusson. What does that tell you?
I know how this movie will end, since I have seen it more often than I care to remember.
In a few days the unrest will cease, the Orioles will resume playing baseball games, the investigation will exonerate the cops, and the city of Baltimore will settle the civil suit
which will be filed by Mr. Gray’s family. -
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MB
i AM GOING HOME TO LOOT IN ROEBUCK ST CRUMPTON STREET AND ITS ENVIRONS BECAUSE WHITE BOYS STILL PLAYING UNDER 13 CRICKET FOR KOLIJ.
I WILL ALSO TAKE OUT THE PLYMOUTH BRETHREN CHURCH THERE BY THE CHEMISTRY LABS AND THE LAVS.I FEEL THAT WE BLACKS SHOULD LOOT AND BURN AT A WHIM FOR ANYTHING. WE BLACKS HAVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE AN ASS OF OUR SELVES WITHOUT THINKING.
THE BACK GROUND GRIEVANCE IS THE TREATMENT OF THE BLACK POPULACE BY FUMBLE AND COMPANY. THEY ARE SUPRESSORS OF THE WORSE TYPE. WUH YOU TINK MAN
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@Baje
My understanding was that the Fergusson Policeman had acted properly given all the details and truth resulting from DOJ’s investigation. Mike should have been shot at the Police car but after that was questionable depending on discovering all the details/ truth.
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@GP
Absolutely justified because the Darker leadership are behaving wusser than Whiteys taking all the blendser for themselves, encouraging and indulging in major corruption while subjugating the peeps and leaving the resulting liabilities to be paid by generations of poor blacks. lolWould be good sport if it was not so close to de trut! Wuhloss! Corblumma.
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DI Word I am objective after further reflection I wish the americans had left all those dictators in charge in the middle east and I was thinking it was a good thing in the beginning , but no good deed goes unpunished. They all lie Bush, Obama, Clinton do you honestly think he didnt have sexual relations with lewinsky. But as an official just like the cops are held to a higher standard they have to be more guarded with there words, the problem in the attempt to be politically correct and not look like those wicked old white folk they were slow to act slow to protect and slow to condemn an as a result this community will be very slow in rebuilding.The fact is anybody in business is thinking of rebuilding please consult a psychiatrist, these people dont want you, take your insurance money if you can get any and run.
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Black President Obama appeared frustrated and helpless when he addressed the issue today:
But he also directed his criticism toward Americans–including the news media and some politicians–for failing to address the chronic problems of men, women and children who live in poverty and find their opportunities limited because of poor schools or long stints in prison.
“This has been a slow-rolling crisis,” he said. “This is not new… We, as a country, have to do some soul searching.”
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The riots and the looting by some has given the White controlled media an out to shift focus from what happened to Freddie Gray:
It’s unfair that so much of the media coverage tends to come from white anchors, reporters and commentators (like me), who’ve never experienced what it’s like to be a person of color who’s confronted by police brutality — on camera or off. This isn’t to suggest that only African-Americans are allowed to comment on issues within African-American communities, but one thing was clear from Monday’s coverage: Wolf Blitzer might not be the most insightful moderator for such a discussion.
It’s unfair that the memory of Freddie Gray, the latest victim of unfair police profiling and excessive force, is besmirched by looters and rioters who are effectively spitting on his grave by turning what ought to be peaceful protests into self-serving violence and theft — where personal outrage and greed supersede a far more noble cause. The fact is, the looters probably don’t care too much who was killed or by whom. They’re merely piggy-backing their personal greed and lack of morality onto an entirely unrelated event.
It’s unfair that more commentators don’t make a clear distinction between the original tragedy and the violent unrest.http://thedailybanter.com/2015/04/the-profound-unfairness-of-the-baltimore-riots/
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Hey, WHITES loot and riot too!
Huntington Beach, 2013, following a surfing competition:
Vancouver, 2011, following a hockey game:
The 2014 New Hampshire Pumpkin Riot:
San Francisco, 2014:
Pennsylvania, 2011:
Lexington, Kentucky, 2012:
Seattle, 2014:
http://thedailybanter.com/2015/04/the-profound-unfairness-of-the-baltimore-riots/
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