In a city in America the streets are burning. Cars have been overturned and demolished, businesses have been looted, police and innocent bystanders have been pelted by whatever projectiles mobs could lay their hands on and at the root of the matter discrimination and prejudice are the supposed causes. Racial Profiling and police brutality are alleged. Civil rights activists and organizations are on the scene calling for justice while inciting the chaos. People of the city are scared to walk the streets in the place they call home. Parents are afraid to send their children to school let alone loose sight of them. And as the violence escalates, hope that a peaceful resolution will be achieved is dwindling fast. Sounds exactly like what's happening in Baltimore, Maryland doesn't it? Based on current events, my fellow Observer, you would be correct. Unfortunately the incidents I have described occurred in 1992 in Los Angeles, California and the "reason" at the heart of these inexcusable actions was the police beating of Rodney King. Jump ahead 23 years, trade Los Angeles for Baltimore and swap Rodney King with Freddie Gray and you'll realize the truth within the phrase "history repeats itself". Especially when these idiots don't have the basic ability to learn from past mistakes that unfolded in their own lifetime. The revolving riot door just keeps spinning and regurgitating the same old.... same old senseless violence vomit again and again. Only the cities and the names of the latest "scapegoat" excuse for a martyred victim have been changed. Cincinnati, Ohio and Timothy Thomas are traded for New York, New York and Eric Garner and again for Ferguson, Missouri and Michael Brown. It's a never ending carousel of innuendos and accusations colored on a painted horse of needless destruction that we can't seem to climb off of.
By no means do I believe, within my criticism of these events, that the family and friends of the people that were injured or killed by law enforcement or other means do not have the right to know exactly what happened to their loved one. They deserve to know the what, when, where and why of the incident and no one has the power to deny them of that. They are entitled to at least that much, if not more. Moreover, if the people who are responsible for the injury or death acted in an illegal, irresponsible or even an unprofessional manner causing it, all parties involved should be subject to the same laws and justice that the victim was. I also believe, my loyal reader, that if people as a community, race or belief feel the need to express their views through peaceful protests against the system they feel is persecuting them, it is well within their rights to do so.
With that being stated, the atrocities that happened this week in Baltimore, Maryland are just the latest and the greatest in repetitive series of unjustified excuses for mindless rampages. And that's exactly what they are.... excuses. It absolutely sickens me that these people use whatever "excuse" at hand to rationalize the destruction of their city, all the while claiming their right to "protest". These abominations are not protests. How can we take these people seriously while they burn their own homes? How do they expect the rest of us to feel empathy for their cause when they are robbing their neighbor? How do they believe they are honoring or speaking for their fallen loved ones by disgracing the memory of them by attacking innocent people? Even the families of the alleged victims are not above this phenomenon. Asking for peace on behalf of their loss.... at least until some grand jury returns a verdict they don't like and then tell these animals to "burn this bitch down". I guess their loved ones memory isn't worth as much to them when they loose their advantage in a wrongful death lawsuit against the "bitch" that they are requesting to be "burned down". The answer to these nagging questions and actions is very simple..... they don't care. Not about the cause. Not about the victim or the reason, no matter how much they claim to. The only thing they care about is themselves and what they can get out of the latest tragedy of the month.
The same goes for these "activists" that show up every time they deem some incident merits their meddling to stir up the pot of bigotry. Has anybody else noticed how situations escalate after one or two of these civil rights cretins open their apartheid mouths? Getting their revolutionary face time on camera, standing with the families of the victims to gain pity from the masses while at the same time provoking the increase of the carnage. They're just another festering cancer on the racism in this country I can do without. It's bad enough that the prejudice tunnel doesn't seem to have a light at the end of it, but when one of these self righteous "advocates" gets dealt in and plays the "race" card, the whole fair practice poker game goes down the civil tolerance tubes. What makes these Martin Luther King wannabes think what they are doing is helping? And why do they believe that they have to "help" even when it's not asked of them? They just keep showing up like a bad cold you can't seem to shake. It makes you wonder if they actually believe what they're shoveling or maybe they just like watching stuff burn. Or maybe..... it's along the same lines as the non-caring attitude of the rioters themselves and they only care about what's in it for them.....I could be wrong though.
Another thing I don't understand about all the racism injustice that the protesters and rioters claim that the victims have endured is, why would these victims put themselves into a position that would allow them to be persecuted against in the first place? If I honestly believed that I would be profiled by law enforcement or some other type of authority, I would walk a very narrow line that would assure I would not attract attention to myself. I certainly would not be on a street corner selling loose cigarettes, stealing cigars in a convenient store or run away when I see a police car, while carrying a switchblade in a known "drug" neighborhood. These incidents were not caused by fear of persecution but lack of common sense. The end results of these tragedies are unfortunate and enraging but I believe, could have been easily avoided. By not breaking the law to begin with and when caught doing so, comply with authorities and wait for your day in court just may reduce at least some of these incidents, don't you think? It may be inconvenient. It may be degrading to your ego. And it may very well be unjust.... but.... you'll still be alive. Isn't that the most important thing? Or is your pride worth your life?
One of the most dismaying truths in our society is that racism and stereo type opinions exist. Hand in hand with discrimination by law enforcement, it's a recipe that when the ingredients are combined in a particular way, usually ends in disaster. Injustice can be waiting in the shadows around any corner, in any town, for anyone at anytime. It is a realistic fact that everyone has to face. The best that we can do is to try our best to stay below the "looking out of place" radar whenever possible and not go looking to create situations that would cause the repeating of another Ferguson or Baltimore or Los Angeles. When we react in violent and lawless ways against these transgressions, we are no better than those who commit them against us. Outrage and vengeance are instantaneous reactions to the perception of being wronged. In order to achieve true civility among ourselves we must resist that compulsion and pursue our justice in a non-violent manner. Strictly an Observation. If you'll excuse me, I'm getting off the merry-go-round.
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