Multiple perspectives of protest turning violent, into riots Favorite 

Practitioner: 

Date: 

Apr 26 2015

Location: 

Baltimore, MD

The two sources linked in this post are separate reviews of the incident currently occurring in Baltimore. It illustrates the factor of hindsight.... what supposedly began as a peaceful protest, in one article, is portrayed as clearly intended to fight back for #blacklifesmatter... however, "(CNN)The arrest and death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore has stoked protests and accusations of police brutality. But it's unclear how Gray, arrested on a weapons charge April 12, suffered a severe spinal cord injury that led to his death seven days later." and "The court documents also say that Gray "fled unprovoked upon noticing police presence."
There was nothing a protest might resolve. This is utter betrayal of our governmental officials who exercises their right to get out of jail free card, it being so incompletely certain whether there was motives for abuse. Its rough out there, the concrete jungle and the Man's fist pounding down hard as if in outrage was unsafe, whether or not it being warranted. It sets a plan in action, and with each action there is a reaction...

...could this change the social trajectory with developments worldwide and the environment and the power dynamics of the economy, and working class pitted against each other because corporate CEOs almost always pull the string.

but. I wouldn't have liked it to happen any other way, smashing windows, setting fire. its visibly terrifying, but the system needs to be change and the continuation of brutality is inhumane. We need to fight back for what is incredibly disturbing and under appreciated for its wealth of connection to other areas inflicted by similar racial tensions (as relevant to this outburst) that are all across the United States... Only history will tell what is to happen, but until then consider this?

Is violence an inherent part of bringing down the hegemony to create a new way, i.e. of governing and protecting?

Does this build community or an outraged and desperate mob of ordinary people?

Those rioting, just trying to make a buck and be strong, were united in their anger and for reasons unknown and still united in Freddie Gray's funeral. And the opposite sides are evident, media-generated display which is only one of several case studies that have been surfing into the News.

Is this an opportunity to engage, is this a critical juncture? Will history look back on this moment and remember the feeling of chaos in the air to our mediated-lives? Can protest work without being on the level of spectacle? MASS anything has an impact, rioting to a level of dangerous degree... this is a war zone, but compared to other countries and corruption, poverty, foreign aid and investment interest, war! children strapped with a bomb determined to give his life for his father and brothers and what they believe in. Who could hurt a citizen child? In war, this is the case... but in Baltimore, families were forced out of their cars unharmed but blocked from the destruction of their vehicle. To loot a store, to break windows and set fire to a city hall (hypothetically) to being recorded and distributed across the nation as one journalist confesses "I had been trying—unsuccessfully, as I never use my phone for this—to capture some useful videos and photos of what was going on" as told by Matthew Boyle.

See the youtube link for a video-recording of Freddie Gray funeral, and the cops standing on guard.

Posted by TrayJu on