Baltimore riots

[JoeRedskin]

Originally Posted by NC_Skins

Baltimore has been a violent city for some time, and I don't think anybody thinks otherwise. That violence will continue to stay until the socioeconomic situation changes and drugs are made legal. Where there is poverty, there will be crime.

The problem here is when the cops present a clear and present danger to the citizens. Police should be held to a higher standard then the average citizen.

It's not that simple. Sure, poverty = crime, and, yes, violence has been here for a while, but, it is surging above its norms. In my neighborhood, this is the time of year that we normally have kids out causing all sorts of minor vandalism and harassment. Right now, however, they have really been emboldened - throwing rocks at parents, kids, property with impunity. The police response is slow and, once on the scene, "Well, if you have a photo or can positively identify them while we are on the scene, we will see what we can do." They simply aren't going to arrest kids unless the crime happens right in front of them. The good cops feel undermined and, right now, things are going to get worse for law-abiding citizens rather than better.

Baltimore Gun Violence Surges As Officers Say They Feel Intense Scrutiny In Wake Of Freddie Gray Death

Bottom line, not all cops, however, "present a clear and present danger to the citizens." In fact, the vast majority are simply doing a hard job in a violent city. The current perspective, however, lumps good and bad cops together, and the very thing they are accused of (essentially, racial profiling) is the very thing others now do to them i.e. "Because they are (black/a cop), it is more likely than not that they are (a criminal/dangerous)." The hypocrisy is bad enough, the blindness to it is even more frustrating.

As I said, it's just not that simple. Policing is a necessary job. It needs to be done right and, to do so, each cop needs to be judged on their individual actions - not painted with a broad brush.

I hope that changes are made, but I am not holding out much hope for the near future. Too many systemic problems, and an absolute denial of responsibility by the African-American, liberal, Democrats of any role in the creation and prolonging of those systemic problems.

The Baltimore Democrats built - The Washington Post

The same people will be re-elected (in a recent election, a poverty-ridden counsel district elected the son their long time counsel woman despite his criminal conviction and their unchanging economic situation)(the district in question borders/abuts the neighborhood where the riots began).

Pete Welch Baltimore | Welch sworn in to replace his mother on City Council - tribunedigital-baltimoresun

The political machines will be oiled and the proles will remain mindless sheeple who buy into demagoguery of corrupt politicians. The bad neighborhoods will get worse, the ones on the edge will sink into the slop and everyone with any property interests whatsoever will move to the rich white enclaves or leave altogether.