Baltimore - The good that happened there yesterday.

flopstock · Post by **flopstock** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 7:23 am

I came home from a late meeting last night and my daughter had me sit down to watch something she had recorded off the news so I could see it. I was expecting something horrific and instead I got something heroic.. a Vietnam Vet placing himself between the Police line and the rioters yelling at the kids to go home.

This was a proud American refusing to just 'let it happen'.

And my daughter, who had listened to reporters and commentators and experts all evening while I'd been away, took the time to go back in time on the DVR so that she could record THIS person for me. This man impressed the hell out of a 16 year old and I am happy that she took this away from all the bad last night.

After night fell, giving way to a 10 p.m. curfew for juveniles, Robert Valentine stood alone with his back to a line of police in riot gear. He shooed away young people tempted to approach them.

"Go! Step your --ss away!"

"I'm just a soldier," said Valentine. He told CNN's Joe Johns that he was a Vietnam vet.

Young people had no business on the streets, he said. "They need to be in their home units studying and doing something with their lives."
Baltimore riots: A few brave peacemakers intervened - CNN.com

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 9:08 am

There was an angry woman in Hackney when we had our riots HERE

flopstock · Post by **flopstock** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 9:32 am

Bruv;1478309 wrote: There was an angry woman in Hackney when we had our riots HERE
To my way of thinking, it takes a lot more bravery to do what these citizens chose to do than it did to riot and loot.

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 2:35 pm

When nonviolence is preached as an attempt to evade the repercussions of political brutality, it betrays itself. When nonviolence begins halfway through the war with the aggressor calling time out, it exposes itself as a ruse. When nonviolence is preached by the representatives of the state, while the state doles out heaps of violence to its citizens, it reveals itself to be a con. And none of this can mean that rioting or violence is "correct" or "wise," any more than a forest fire can be "correct" or "wise." Wisdom isn't the point tonight. Disrespect is. In this case, disrespect for the hollow law and failed order that so regularly disrespects the community.

As Riots Follow Freddie Gray's Death in Baltimore, Calls for Calm Ring Hollow - The Atlantic

If it's accurate to say that that America is now (or becoming) a Plutocracy then the only way to accomplish change is to hurt the Plutocratic structure. If the merchants and owners of damaged property are insured then that is exactly what's happening. The Insurance industry has a lot of pull in our government and a huge lobbying apparatus. Industry can pressure government; fed, state and local to change behavior.

This is all very unfortunate. However, enough is enough. Authorities have to understand that they work for us...all of us.

Snooz · Post by **Snooz** » Thu Apr 30, 2015 3:53 pm

That makes me weepy. I'm so proud of people that step up like that.

FourPart · Post by **FourPart** » Fri May 01, 2015 12:49 am

Personally I see the violence of rioting totally self defeating. It takes attention away from the real issue, diverting it to the rioters themselves, and the criminal acts they are inflicting on the innocent, such as setting fire to cars, looting stores, smashing up people's homes & setting fire to them. What has any of this to do with the case in point.

What has happened is obviously shameful. Something has happened that is inexcusable & has to be held to account. Of that there can be no doubt. However, far more would be achieved by vigils of peaceful protest raising international attention in order to shame the authorities to do something.

The exact phrase escapes me for a moment, but the intent behind the paraphrasing still holds true:

"Those who ignore a Shout will strain to hear a Whisper".