A recurring theme in pretty much every struggle by the disadvantaged(be it gay marriage, #Occupy, or black mistreatment by the police) is that there are a lot of very concerned, very helpful members of the advantaged class who are graciously willing to provide the skinny on the best way forward: do nothing.

Just sit quietly, don't say any mean words, don't break any windows, don't interrupt traffic.

Which is so weird, because the story of how white people came to occupy THEIR position involves a metric ****ton of violence.

How is murdering suspects in custody going to help? Why the **** is 0% of the onus for change ever placed on the people of privilege? PS: what kind of "change" are you even looking for here?

Much like the healthcare debate it seems to be '**** off and die'

Like, I would think that the change you're calling for here is for negros to stop burning down businesses and the great news is that there's an elite Konami cheat code that can make this happen, which is basically for the cops to maybe not murder people so much. Maybe keep it down to one unarmed black guy a month or so.

First of all. A forrest fire can be very correct and wise. We have planned forest fires all the time.

And this is very true. But there are non-violent ways of "not staying in your place."

You can have large demonstrations. Or small but effective ways of using non-violence to make a point. Yes, I agree that when the BPD and the City of Baltimore talks about how the population shouldn't get violent it is hypocritical as hell when we all know about how the police love to do things the "western district way."

But that shouldn't over shadow the fact that non-violence sends a much more powerful message and is much more likely to gain sympathy and supporters to your cause.

I sympathize with the rioters. I believe I understand their frustration. But I cannot in good conscious defend their actions. It is not moral. It is not just. But I will be more than happy to point out that the cause of these immoral actions by the rioters has been a much greater injustice inflicted upon them by the Police department and a government which has failed them time and again.

up up down down, left right left right, B A buckle the suspect in start.

Shep is becoming a bit agitated at watching the police stand down while the fires continue.

Remember when a bunch of rednecks pointed guns at federal agents and Hannity rushed in telling the rednecks that pointing guns wasn't the way to discuss grazing fees and we need to respect the federal government

Can u please provide the link where the police broke his spine?

Spines are known to just break for no reason, obviously.

Right, violent protest are umm...bad, I guess. But as Trolly suggested, it really isn't ****ing hard to keep communities happy enough to prevent self immolation. We live in by far the richest country in the history of the world, basic necessities are virtually guaranteed for everyone, and leisure time is available to even the poorest among us. Yet somehow these cities can't seem to manage to avoid violent protests? Does this not strike you, Jayhawk, as odd? At what point are we allowed to stop feeling sorry for these poor mayors, prosecutors, and police forces who somehow end up being blindsided by people being upset over state sanctioned street executions?

I did. No doubt BPD is out of control along with about 1/2 the police forces in the US
Then burn down the police station. It's no skin off of the cops nose to burn down the senior center.

And yet we have made great strides in gay rights, even though we aren't there yet. And I don't believe they have burned down a single business. So weird, right?

Trolly, all I'm saying is this won't effect any needed changes. The potential to make things worse is really scary however.

When we had the Rodney King riots in Vegas, we came close to a bloodbath. The rioters were NOT going to get to the casinos downtown. I really would hope there is a better way than protests turning into riots, turning into a bloodbath and then a full out race war in this country.

He was in police custody when his spine was broken. Barring some bizarre scenario where he purposefully causes injury to himself, the police are responsible for his health and well-being.

This is a rarer breed of police apologist, but just like the guy earlier in the week, I wonder what their alternative explanation for this is. Like Gray's head just ran out of warranty and popped itself off?

LAS edging closer to going full Turner diaries, thread developing promise.

So maybe it was a one in a billion accident where a man managed to have his throat crushed and spine severed while cuffed and shackled to a chair, while no one else in the vehicle had any injuries at all*. Let's say you can prove beyond all doubt that these injuries were either unintentional or self inflicted. Are we somehow not allowed to be upset by it? Do the people who bind you hand and foot to a chair in a moving vehicle not have any responsibility for your health and well being?

*Lol at it being an accident, nobody but the police can have this mysterious set of circumstances and come away without a murder conviction.

RowCoach with perhaps the most clueless white kid #actually attempt in internet history with that controlled burn line. Flesh that analogy out, dude.

LOL I guarantee it is not the start of something good unless good means more blight. You think property insurance rates might go up substantially in Baltimore especially given the incompetent Baltimore city govt?

What changes? The changes where nonviolent suspects stop winding up dead? Because, between the cops and the citizenry, there's one side that can make that happen, dog.


You were worried about the fate of the ****ing casinos?

Lol @ thinking progress for civil rights has only been advanced when protesters sit in a street and sing. When did this become American history? Basic civil rights for African Americans have always been won with violence. From the Civil war to the CRA, progress for blacks has been a bloody affair.

The large percentage of black officials in Baltimore Is going to wind up distinguishing this situation from others.

idk. i am just wondering how we know for sure cops broke his spine. i have been cuffed in the back of a paddy wagon. Police stopping the van short can be painful. Other detainees can be violent. I am just asking for a link that shows it was the police.

Things the governor of Maryland just told don Lemmon he's not going to put up with:

[x] thugs destroying stuff
[ ] cops killing unarmed citizens in custody

No I think we agree. I just think we disagree on the value of some of the actions taken today.

I didn't give the order. But I think the main concern was the 40,000 tourists that would have been stuck in the middle of it.

Oh also he's mad about outside agitators