Over the past six years, reports on the deaths and treatment of many African American males have been reported. Most recently the victim has been Freddie Gray, which has led to an uproar and riot in Baltimore, Maryland. I’m finally speaking out and saying it’s time for police officers and the court to be held accountable for their contribution to madness.
Let me say that I in no way condone violence nor do I promote it. I am, however, in support of peaceful protests. I don’t believe that people have to suffer to achieve success; that being said, I want to address my specific issues with the Baltimore riots.
I’ve never agreed with terrorizing a community, especially your own, in order to prove a point. Riots are a go-to method that don’t cause anything but unnecessary destruction. This destruction doesn’t do anything except make people seem unreasonably barbaric and support the idea of people being savages.
However, I am curious as to what police departments and all forms of law enforcement expect to happen. Whenever something like this occurs, the law makes a statement along the lines of be patient and peaceful, and we’ll work towards a solution. Often we see officers making public statements giving their side of the story, but nothing more.
Riots are the result of people’s patience running out and trusting that things will change that never do.
The solutions have been to comply with the law, don’t look like a criminal, and the newest addition a curfew. How exactly is a curfew the answer to ending riots and who is the curfew for?
In almost all of the recent cases involving police shootings of civilians, the person causing the problem has escaped responsibility. Furthermore, they receive a light sentence, no sentence at all or the fault is somehow placed on the victim.
Every time this happens, I feel the “justice” system needs to pay attention to the message they are portraying to the people. I see the message as, “Hey, this person or group of people just killed or harmed another being, but we’re punishing everyone for reacting.” Ultimately leading to others believing that they can get away with murder because other people have.
The largest and most dangerous gang I think is the police; they just have their badges to protect them. No, police officers don’t throw up gang signs or only wear a certain color to identify themselves. The irony in all of this is they’re supposed to be protecting the public. Who do we then run to if the protectors are seen as the perpetrators?
My old high school principal use to say every morning “Accountability is messy work, but in the end it keeps you clean.” I was always annoyed by that quote, but I now see the truth and necessity in it. Instead of waiting until things are out of control and playing the blame game everyone needs to own up to their part.
So how do we stop these senseless acts of violence?
I would say walk around and promote non-violence, but Martin Luther King Jr. practiced and preached that philosophy and was still assassinated. The answer, I believe, is finally holding the true criminals accountable for their actions.
