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Last night I watched the movie "12 Years a Slave" which was a true story based on a book by a black free man who was kidnapped and thrown into slavery. The slaves were beaten and sometimes killed. They were not allowed to be educated and given just enough to get by. They were treated like animals, bought and sold and forced to work.
I thought about how far black people have come since 1865 and the struggles that they have been through. Their story is really amazing when you think about it.
When the movie ended I turned on the news to see the latest in Baltimore.
The question is What are these Rioters doing to Race Relations and the general perception?
They are confirming all the stereotypes that racists have of them. And they have accomplished more damage to their community than the KKK could have ever dreamed of.
They are confirming all the stereotypes that racists have of them. And they have accomplished more damage to their community than the KKK could have ever dreamed of.
I have to agree with this poster. The rioting in Baltimore is doing damage to their own community and home, and living up to all the negative stereotypes. I feel a better approach would have been much more beneficial instead of violence.
I think the rioters are damaging race relations and as Retroit said and Jabber_wocky concurred, their actions play up to every negative connotation there is. MLK effected more change with peaceful protests. Why don't people look to him as a study in social change? The Baltimore issue though is more than just race because Black people have historically ran the show for some time. A good number of Baltimore police are Black. It's a class thing. Underclass people in the ghettos vs. the "elite" middle and upper middle class. Though they share the same color, the divide and mentality couldn't be more different. Baltimore, like New Orleans, has an interesting history. Though fictional, The Wire allowed American households to peer into what world exists in Baltimore.
Consider two images: (1) a crowd of peaceful, well-behaved black people, wearing suits and dresses, is set upon by police dogs and blasted with fire hoses. (2) a crowd of lawless, rioting black people, wearing hoodies and pants dropped to show their underwear, attacks the police and burns down stores.
Which group would you rather have as your neighbors? The experiences of which group will arouse your sympathy and desire to help? Whose cause would you be more likely to support?
The civil rights movement succeeded in part because the protesters wanted to draw people to their side, and did so by sheer force of positive example. Today's inner-city black rioters do nothing but repel other people away from their "cause," resulting in the larger society wanting absolutely nothing to do with them.
The more of this sort of thing we see, the worse race relations will become.
I don't think anyone is going to answer that question with, "o the riots had a great impact on race relations." What those rioters did was wrong. And their violence just brought shame to the protesters cause. And of course the rioting only further damaged race relations.
But...
there will always be a group of people who will use the destructive and violent behavior by African-Americans as an excuse for their racism. And there will always be African-Americans who use racism and its effects as an excuse or pardon for their destructive and violent behavior.
But the next equally important question should be how much should we (the public) let these rioters actions affect our relations with people of different races?
Consider two images: (1) a crowd of peaceful, well-behaved black people, wearing suits and dresses, is set upon by police dogs and blasted with fire hoses. (2) a crowd of lawless, rioting black people, wearing hoodies and pants dropped to show their underwear, attacks the police and burns down stores.
Which group would you rather have as your neighbors? The experiences of which group will arouse your sympathy and desire to help? Whose cause would you be more likely to support?
The civil rights movement succeeded in part because the protesters wanted to draw people to their side, and did so by sheer force of positive example. Today's inner-city black rioters do nothing but repel other people away from their "cause," resulting in the larger society wanting absolutely nothing to do with them.
The more of this sort of thing we see, the worse race relations will become.
Great points busman. Look at how Ghandi stood up against the British empire. He didn't throw rocks, loot or burn down buildings but he managed to get his point across and implemented change.
Everyone deserves to be treated the same as long as they treat everyone else the same in return. The looting thugs are doing nothing for race relations.
The change needs to come from them. There has already been so much money spread around and programs put in place yet the young black men in these urban areas still think their plight is hopeless so they continue to act tough and foolish.
Everyone is an ambasador to their Race/ Heritage and we all need to compromise toward the good of American society. For these hoodlums that means pulling up their pants, dropping the rocks and picking up a book.
For whites and blacks who already have relationships... through work, sports, school/parenting stuff, church, etc... those relationships will not be affected in most cases.
I think it's more of a black vs. authority issue. Rank and file white people are not committing these offenses.
There will be issues with blacks who live in the culture of saggy pants and hanging out on the street with very little income types.
Consider two images: (1) a crowd of peaceful, well-behaved black people, wearing suits and dresses, is set upon by police dogs and blasted with fire hoses. (2) a crowd of lawless, rioting black people, wearing hoodies and pants dropped to show their underwear, attacks the police and burns down stores.
Which group would you rather have as your neighbors? The experiences of which group will arouse your sympathy and desire to help? Whose cause would you be more likely to support?
The civil rights movement succeeded in part because the protesters wanted to draw people to their side, and did so by sheer force of positive example. Today's inner-city black rioters do nothing but repel other people away from their "cause," resulting in the larger society wanting absolutely nothing to do with them.
The more of this sort of thing we see, the worse race relations will become.
Well said. And the President, as usual, is not helping matters. Case in point. A 25 year old white cop was shot in the face in NYC last week by BLACK man. He died today. No riots, no demands of justice in the streets and businesses burned and looted beyond recognition. Noooo words from the President or the AG.
The Mayor of Baltimore let them do it despite the sworn duty to protect lives AND property. She's black too. Playing to her constituency. at the cost of others. Much like congressman Innis, all talk, no change, for decades.
Here's the 800 lb gorilla. Baltimore is for the most part a black ghetto and has been for years. Decades. So, the mayor, in hopes to keep one of the few good jobs left in the area. After all, all civil servants want those pensions. No matter how much the citizens have to pay to give it to them. She's a joke. Probably one of the dumbest mayors in place today. Militant comes to mind.
The city is hopeless. You would have to be a fool to open a business there. They had to beg CVS to come in. And look how they paid back the favor.
Baltimore is a haven for thugs. Ray Lewis should be there. It's a dump. Run by thugs and the remaining vestiges of a once proud historic town are all but gone. Now who made it this way?
And people wonder why America shakes their head and says, told you so?
It won't change. The pat answer is they need more jobs....who is going to create them? Could they pass the drug test? Speak the language? Develop a work ethic? And every "leader" claims we need more money, more jobs, more "programs". The rhetoric never changes. I would bet anything that if one were to give 10% of them a simple job to watch a corner, watch a traffic light, 8 hrs a day, 90% of that group would f it up.
Why would we keep pumping money into a community like that. Best thing they could do is bulldoze it and set up a park. Sure, they would tear that up too but, it would be cheaper to manage.
Just a fact. No way around it. Let them burn it down and live with it. Just like south central. They learned their lesson there too. Burn it down like Ferguson and YOU can live with it. Why keep paying for it?
Well said. And the President, as usual, is not helping matters. Case in point. A 25 year old white cop was shot in the face in NYC last week by BLACK man. He died today. No riots, no demands of justice in the streets and businesses burned and looted beyond recognition. Noooo words from the President or the AG.
The Mayor of Baltimore let them do it despite the sworn duty to protect lives AND property. She's black too. Playing to her constituency. at the cost of others. Much like congressman Innis, all talk, no change, for decades.
Here's the 800 lb gorilla. Baltimore is for the most part a black ghetto and has been for years. Decades. So, the mayor, in hopes to keep one of the few good jobs left in the area. After all, all civil servants want those pensions. No matter how much the citizens have to pay to give it to them. She's a joke. Probably one of the dumbest mayors in place today. Militant comes to mind.
The city is hopeless. You would have to be a fool to open a business there. They had to beg CVS to come in. And look how they paid back the favor.
Baltimore is a haven for thugs. Ray Lewis should be there. It's a dump. Run by thugs and the remaining vestiges of a once proud historic town are all but gone. Now who made it this way?
And people wonder why America shakes their head and says, told you so?
It won't change. The pat answer is they need more jobs....who is going to create them? Could they pass the drug test? Speak the language? Develop a work ethic? And every "leader" claims we need more money, more jobs, more "programs". The rhetoric never changes. I would bet anything that if one were to give 10% of them a simple job to watch a corner, watch a traffic light, 8 hrs a day, 90% of that group would f it up.
Why would we keep pumping money into a community like that. Best thing they could do is bulldoze it and set up a park. Sure, they would tear that up too but, it would be cheaper to manage.
Just a fact. No way around it. Let them burn it down and live with it. Just like south central. They learned their lesson there too. Burn it down like Ferguson and YOU can live with it. Why keep paying for it?
Good points made here. What is the answer? The politicians want more programs more welfare. It is so true that idle hands are the devils workshop but throwing money at them is not going to change anything.
The same goes in the Middle East. The gangs, the thugs, the drug pushers in the cities like Baltimore are much like terrorists. The US has dumped billions into the middle east and not much has changed except for the worse.
Change for the better will come here and there when the good people decide that they have had enough and stand up.
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