First, a disclaimer... Violence, chaos and criminal behavior in any form is disruptive, destructive and unacceptable! (Please read that first before going in on me for what Im about to say... Im feeling real salty about some things today, so Im not in the mood for foolishness)... Ok, then.... I understand the violence that we have seen in Ferguson the same way that I understood the violence I saw when Watts burned in 65 followed by Newark and Detroit in 67. I understood the riots in the wake of the King assassination in 68, the violence in Overtown in 89, the violence following the acquittal in the Rodney King case in 92. Unjustified though they may be, these are acts of civil unrest (different than wanton violence) that is born from a sense of frustration, hopelessness and marginalization that many cannot understand. Sure there are opportunists and those who would exploit these situations for their own personal gain and give everyone a black eye because of that. But for all intents and purposes, riots (civil unrest) do not occur in vacuums. They occur in response to years, decades and centuries of perpetual mistreatment, injustice, prejudice and discrimination. They occur in those instances when the evidence is either clear or unclear and the interpretation of the outcome of an investigation leaves more questions than answers. They occur when people who are sick and tired of being sick and tired dont know what else to do. People dont just wake up one morning, and say, I think Ill burn my community down. The history of riots in America date back to the 18th century and include hundreds of incidents mostly surrounding issues of race, inequality, injustice, including the horrific Tulsa race riot of 21 that decimated Black Wall Street. These are complex issues that require more than emotion on either one side or the other. There must be a balanced response to people who are hurting and disenfranchised while crafting a healthy and productive course for the future. There must be a greater investment in the lives of those who feel ostracized and abused. There must be higher levels of civic engagement and participation in the process of government. There must be a greater commitment to education, not just through formal channels, but through informal channels that give all a chance to be engaged.
Posted on: Tue, 25 Nov 2014 22:26:12 +0000
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