The video below sums up the worsening situation in Baltimore. Protesters have been sabotaging fire hoses to stop the Fire Department from saving buildings. The CVS in this case was first looted and then burned (as have other business and cars). When the Fire Department showed up, this man punctured the hose to frustrate efforts at putting out the fire. In the meantime, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake denounced the “thugs” in the streets of her city. She however added another mangled quote after her earlier assurance that the police would give protesters “space” to destroy. For the riots consuming the city during the afternoon and in the early evening. The mayor objected that the city is being “destroyed by thugs who in a very senseless way are trying to tear down what so many have fought for.” People immediately asked if there was a sensible way to tear down the city.
The mayor was clearly trying to convey the pain of watching this great city being destroyed by thugs who cared little for its history or its people:
MAYOR RAWLINGS-BLAKE: What we see tonight that is going on in our city is very disturbing. It is very clear there is a difference between what we saw over the past week with the peaceful protests, those who wish to seek justice, those who wish to be heard, and want answers and the difference between those protests and the thugs who only want to incite violence and destroy our city. I’m a life-long resident of Baltimore and too many people have spent generations building up this city for it to be destroyed by thugs who in a very senseless way are trying to tear down what so many have fought for. Tearing down businesses. Tearing down and destroying property, things that we know will impact our community for years. We are deploying every resource possible to gain control of the situation and to ensure peace moving forward.
The man puncturing fire hoses sums up her point vividly.
chickelit, They are trying to rewrite history. There is NO DEBATE that Dems have run US cities exclusively. The only truly balanced major US city is San Diego. We have had mostly Republican mayors and a mixed city council. Well, there was a Democrat mayor, Bob “Fingers” Filner, but he only lasted a few months. LOL.
As MalcolmX said, “The chickens have come home to roost.” And it’s ALL Democrats!!
There is a song out sung by some guy from NYC who goes around to Ferguson and Baltimore and stirs things up. Al Sharptongue is his name. Here is his song. He asks you to say his name. Those in Baltimore can just shout out Big Al.
“Sympathy For The Devil”
Please allow me to introduce myself
I’m a man of wealth and taste
I’ve been around for a long, long year
Stole many a man’s soul and faith
And I was ’round when Jesus Christ
Had his moment of doubt and pain
Made damn sure that Pilate
Washed his hands and sealed his fate
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name
But what’s puzzling you
Is the nature of my game
I stuck around St. Petersburg
When I saw it was a time for a change
Killed the czar and his ministers
Anastasia screamed in vain
I rode a tank
Held a general’s rank
When the blitzkrieg raged
And the bodies stank
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name, oh yeah
Ah, what’s puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, oh yeah
I watched with glee
While your kings and queens
Fought for ten decades
For the gods they made
I shouted out,
“Who killed the Kennedys?”
When after all
It was you and me
Let me please introduce myself
I’m a man of wealth and taste
And I laid traps for troubadours
Who get killed before they reached Bombay
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed my name, oh yeah
But what’s puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, oh yeah, get down, baby
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed my name, oh yeah
But what’s confusing you
Is just the nature of my game
Just as every cop is a criminal
And all the sinners saints
As heads is tails
Just call me Lucifer
Cause I’m in need of some restraint
So if you meet me
Have some courtesy
Have some sympathy, and some taste
Use all your well-learned politesse
Or I’ll lay your soul to waste, um yeah
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed my name, um yeah
But what’s puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, um mean it, get down
Woo, who
Oh yeah, get on down
Oh yeah
Oh yeah!
Tell me baby, what’s my name
Tell me honey, can ya guess my name
Tell me baby, what’s my name
I tell you one time, you’re to blame
Ooo, who
Ooo, who
Ooo, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Oh, yeah
What’s me name
Tell me, baby, what’s my name
Tell me, sweetie, what’s my name
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Oh, yeah
– Al Sharptongue
The Psychology Of A Rioter
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/11/the-psychology-of-a-riot_n_924839.html
Some police dogs might give some guidance.
It was a senseless way. But clever. A Bhuddist would be able to discuss The Way. An ISIS person like the perp here probably has a religious bent of some sort and it might be from his experience in prison when he was bent over a table or something. And you people thought Ferguson was a Ghetto. My gosh. Those people need some guidance. Normal muslims have to start criticizing ISIS and normal thinking African Americans have to start criticizing these urban pirates. Baltimore: fly over and flush.
Dang I went to the Orioles-Red Sox on Sunday at Camden Yards in downtown Baltimore in which the Orioles beat the Red Sox 18-0. It was funny. The NEXT DAY the Orioles-White Sox game was canceled due to inclement rioting. We need more Baltimore mammas like this one:
http://mashable.com/2015/04/28/baltimore-mom-slaps-son-riot/?utm_cid=mash-com-fb-main-link
Also, shoot to kill.
-Mayor Daly
Chickelit’s words: “The Democrats are essentially saying “we’re in charge but we’re not responsible.””
This isn’t about Dems and it isn’t about Repubs. It’s about every American. Each one of us bears some responsibility for the America we see before us.
Decades ago, in a college economics class, students were assigned to write an economic history of their own families, as far back as they were knowledgeable. My family’s economic history began with my great-great grandparents, potato farmers in Ireland who fled to Canada to escape the famine. In Canada, my GGF worked in a coal yard and GGM was a cleaning lady. They eventually moved to Boston, where my great-grandfather was born, and worked as a grave-digger. He moved to Ohio at some point to get a job as a carpenter. My grandfather was born in Ohio, and he joined the Army after high school and was trained to be a heavy equipment operator. After discharge from the Army, he moved to CA to take a job with the state highway department. My father also joined the military after high school, and was trained by the Army Corp of Engineers to be a surveyor and draftsman. He went to college on the GI Bill and earned a degree in civil engineering. In my generation, we have an attorney in Washington, D.C., a college instructor in CA, a sound engineer in Paris, and a petroleum engineer in Alaska.
The point of all this is that I always laugh to myself when I read that “there are no jobs in the black community.” Since when is anyone entitled to have a job brought to his or her doorstep? The history of my own family, and that of the vast majority of Americans, is that we uproot our families and move to where the jobs are, and invest most of our youth in training and education so that we can find a job somewhere…..anywhere. So yes, the factories abandoned Baltimore 3-4 generations ago. So what…..better opportunities are out there in technology, skilled trades and so forth. But you have to put forth a little effort to acquire training through the military or a community college, and then be willing to get up in the morning and commute to a job. It is totally patronizing to suggest that these adult men who are looting and stoning the police should be excused from the most basic expectations of adulthood and citizenship, engaged in by everyone from yesteryear’s European peasants who crossed an ocean for the chance to earn a living, to today’s illegal immigrants who travel 10,000 miles to mow lawns for a living.
Yeah, as long as people continue to think one party is responsible for our current situation, as opposed to both parties, the situation is going to continue to decline.
I agree with Spinelli regarding Baltimore. The Democrats are essentially saying “we’re in charge but we’re not responsible.”
Terp, I do agree the depraved conditions in all US inner cities are horrible, and the blame lays on the Democrat party that have run them exclusively for a couple generations. Glad to see we agree on that. Tough love has been needed for decades. The Democrat party is the party of enablers.
I applaud JT for using the word “thugs.” Some think white people cannot use that correct term when referring to black thugs, only white ones. This mayor is in way over her head. She is swinging the political pendulum as her handlers tell her. Watching maybe the best TV show ever on TV, The Wire, helps me understand the Baltimore dynamic. It is a decaying, corrupt, Democrat city. All major US cities, except for San Diego, are run exclusively by Democrats. This is what happens when one party has a monopoly. We wise folks know the duopoly is hurting this country. Well, a monopoly will KILL this country. Democrat controlled cities will be burning this summer from coast to coast.
Nick, I’m not sure you read the same quote from John Angelos as I did, but I think he hit the nail right on the head.
Angelos made his fortune on the backs of shipyard workers w/ mesothelioma. He is a slimy ambulance chaser. Looks like his entitled son is of the same ilk. This is what occurs when a President, who cares little about poor, black people, turns over the “caring” to the likes of Al Sharpton, one of the most frequent WH guests.
I think I just read that 42% of inner city Baltimore is unemployed. I am pretty sure it has been this way for quit some time. Is there any hope this will change in the near future? Mid future? Far future? For me these riots are not unexpected, it was just a matter of when thousands of young people would rise up. It looks like when arrived.
“I must say tonight that a riot is the language of the unheard.” -MLK
http://www.gphistorical.org/mlk/mlkspeech/index.htm
“Now I wanted to say something about the fact that we have lived over these last two or three summers with agony and we have seen our cities going up in flames. And I would be the first to say that I am still committed to militant, powerful, massive, non-violence as the most potent weapon in grappling with the problem from a direct action point of view. I’m absolutely convinced that a riot merely intensifies the fears of the white community while relieving the guilt. And I feel that we must always work with an effective, powerful weapon and method that brings about tangible results. But it is not enough for me to stand before you tonight and condemn riots. It would be morally irresponsible for me to do that without, at the same time, condemning the contingent, intolerable conditions that exist in our society. These conditions are the things that cause individuals to feel that they have no other alternative than to engage in violent rebellions to get attention. And I must say tonight that a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the negro poor has worsened over the last twelve or fifteen years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice and humanity.”
I don’t think it’s obvious at all that the rioters and looters weren’t residents of Baltimore. This unrest between police and residents has been brewing for years.
http://data.baltimoresun.com/news/police-settlements/
“Undue Force- Sun investigates.
The city has paid about $5.7 million since 2011 over lawsuits claiming that police officers brazenly beat up alleged suspects. One hidden cost: The perception that officers are violent can poison the relationship between residents and police.”
I think it obvious that ‘someone’ brought in people to destroy, to cause more rioting, to steal, to whatever it is that they were called to do. Why? It is yet another attempt to cause social and racial rioting throughout America. So far, their attempts have failed. This will continue to escalate until they achieve whatever it is they want to achieve.
“Orioles COO John Angelos offers eye-opening perspective on Baltimore protests”
By Ted Berg
http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/04/orioles-john-angelos-baltimore-protests-mlb
“After protests in Baltimore over the death of Freddie Gray turned violent on Saturday, Baltimore sports-radio broadcaster Brett Hollander took to Twitter to argue that demonstrations that negatively impact the daily lives of fellow citizens are counter-productive. Orioles COO John Angelos, son of owner Peter Angelos, seized the opportunity to respond with a qualified and brilliant defense of those protesting.
You can read the whole thing in Angelos’ Twitter replies, but it’s transcribed here for clarity. It’s all here because it’s all so good. Read the whole thing:
Brett, speaking only for myself, I agree with your point that the principle of peaceful, non-violent protest and the observance of the rule of law is of utmost importance in any society. MLK, Gandhi, Mandela and all great opposition leaders throughout history have always preached this precept. Further, it is critical that in any democracy, investigation must be completed and due process must be honored before any government or police members are judged responsible.
That said, my greater source of personal concern, outrage and sympathy beyond this particular case is focused neither upon one night’s property damage nor upon the acts, but is focused rather upon the past four-decade period during which an American political elite have shipped middle class and working class jobs away from Baltimore and cities and towns around the U.S. to third-world dictatorships like China and others, plunged tens of millions of good, hard-working Americans into economic devastation, and then followed that action around the nation by diminishing every American’s civil rights protections in order to control an unfairly impoverished population living under an ever-declining standard of living and suffering at the butt end of an ever-more militarized and aggressive surveillance state.
The innocent working families of all backgrounds whose lives and dreams have been cut short by excessive violence, surveillance, and other abuses of the Bill of Rights by government pay the true price, and ultimate price, and one that far exceeds the importances of any kids’ game played tonight, or ever, at Camden Yards. We need to keep in mind people are suffering and dying around the U.S., and while we are thankful no one was injured at Camden Yards, there is a far bigger picture for poor Americans in Baltimore and everywhere who don’t have jobs and are losing economic civil and legal rights, and this makes inconvenience at a ballgame irrelevant in light of the needless suffering government is inflicting upon ordinary Americans.
Gray, a 25-year-old Baltimore resident, suffered a spinal injury while in police custody after his arrest on April 12 and died seven days later. Six city police officers have been suspended pending an investigation into Gray’s death.”
It would be interesting to see if Baltimore’s State Attorney Marilyn Mosby has anything to say besides this pledge:
As State’s Attorney, my top priorities are targeting violent repeat offenders, building the public’s trust in law enforcement, and running a transparent and accountable administration.
Our job is to keep the public safe, involved, and informed.
Perhaps the new AG, Loretta Lynch might have something to say. First day on the job with a hot potato. As advertised:
“Loretta’s confirmation ensures that we are better positioned to keep our communities safe, keep our nation secure,
and ensure that every American experiences justice under the law,” Mr. Obama said.