I'm glued to the news. It's bad. I can't believe they haven't cancelled the Orioles game. They've closed all the entrances to the stadium but one. There are police in riot gear at the inner harbor. People are looting stores and setting cars on fire.
Post by CajunShrimp on Apr 27, 2015 16:56:07 GMT -5
This shit is crazy. CNN showed hundreds of looters destroying a CVS, running out with bags and bags of shit. Two cars were on fire nearby. This was going on for close to an hour, and when I changed the channel (because K got up from his nap and I don't him seeing this) the police were nowhere to be found. CNN was interviewing the police chief and he didn't seem too inclined to go out there. What about the employees that were trapped inside?
This is much worse than Ferguson. No one is protesting right now. The people that are out there are just burning stuff and stealing and destroying shit. I think the peaceful protesters are all staying home because it is crazy out there.
I work at the Univ of Md downtown. I'm glad I WFH today, even though they closed at 2. I'll be curious to se what happens overnight and what they do tomorrow.
I have friends who are rabid Os fans and go to every game. They aren't going tonight. even if they don't cancel, I suspect it will be very lowly attended.
I'm just sitting here watching people stream into a liquor store and stream out a back door. I said this elsehwere- there is a lot that I can understand about what's going on but I honestly don't understand the looting. When it gets to this point, the whole issue, the whole message, the whole concern is lost.
Post by underwaterrhymes on Apr 27, 2015 17:12:33 GMT -5
This is what desperation looks like.
This is what systemic racism and injustice looks like.
This is what years and years of cops killing unarmed black men and receiving no repercussions looks like.
Things need to change and they aren't changing. Peaceful protests aren't changing things. Cops aren't prosecuted. Juries are acquitting those who are - even in the face of undeniable proof that murder - not justice - was committed. And more and more black men are being murdered for no reason other than the fact they have brown skin.
The cops severed Freddie Gray's spine. He didn't commit a crime and they murdered him. Because he was black.
I can absolutely understand the outrage.
Now, that is not to say I support attacking people or looting or setting stores on fire. But try to think about how you would feel if people who looked like your child were being killed all over the United States and no one cared and no one was doing anything. That anger and fear and sadness and helplessness spills over. Nothing else is bringing attention or change to this situation. They are desperate and - rightfully - angry.
I do want to point out that these violent protestors are definitely in the minority. This article talks about all of the peaceful ways people are protesting.
I do hope that this comes to a peaceful resolution soon, but I also hope that there is a turning point here. We cannot sit idly by while our police force continues to do things like shoot a black man holding a toy gun in the toy section of Walmart, or taking a 19-year old man who had not committed a crime for a "rough ride," severing his spine more than 80% or shooting a 12-year old boy who had a BB-gun, or shooting a man in the back who was running away and had no weapon.
I said this in the other thread on MM Moms, but we shouldn't be angry that people are reacting this way. We should be angry at what has brought them to this point.
I'm home, and I'm about 45 minutes outside of the city.
There's a group of men in suits- I think they just said from Nation of Islam- following the protesters and trying to stop them from looting neighborhood stores.
I'm home, and I'm about 45 minutes outside of the city.
There's a group of men in suits- I think they just said from Nation of Islam- following the protesters and trying to stop them from looting neighborhood stores.
They were also instrumental in forging the truce between the Bloods and the Crips during the peaceful protests the other day.
Oh wow - supposedly the mall by us has been closed. I've been hearing a lol of police cars - more than usual. So I have wondered if small stuff is happening out this way.
Oh wow - supposedly the mall by us has been closed. I've been hearing a lol of police cars - more than usual. So I have wondered if small stuff is happening out this way.
No confirmation on the mall closing though.
Assuming we're talking about the same mall, did you hear them say it is not closed?
I'm hoping that people don't come back to the CVS now that there's such a large police presence.
Oh wow - supposedly the mall by us has been closed. I've been hearing a lol of police cars - more than usual. So I have wondered if small stuff is happening out this way.
No confirmation on the mall closing though.
Assuming we're talking about the same mall, did you hear them say it is not closed?
I'm hoping that people don't come back to the CVS now that there's such a large police presence.
I assume same mall because I heard that it is actually open.
I've been out of town for a bit and haven't seen the news. I've just been getting children ready, feeding them, managing meltdowns.
I'm getting up to speed and this is so heartbreaking and scary. My mom's side is from baltimore, we went all the time growing up. I spent a ton of time at Camden Yards.
I hope this all comes to an end soon though I understand where they are coming from. This is happening too often and with few consequences.