Where's The Disgust About Baltimore?

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Liteweight47

The general disconnect is the realization of the fact that there is a coming "police state", and this police state is centered in American cities. The fact is however there are certain groups that have seen "the worst" of the forming police state. Latinos and African Americans HAVE gotten the worst of the Criminal Justice System.

I don't believe I remember the prosecutor turning this into a race thing.

I don't think black cops being involved negates the fact that African Americans and Latinos generally are effected by the criminal justice system more.

Black cops can be as corrupt as white cops. These issues stem from social status and location. I'm less likely to experience an incident of police brutality of this magnitude now, (even though I am African American) because I live in a relatively safe multi-racial neighborhood in the suburbs. In many cities however police officers are known for targeting certain neighborhoods.... maybe because there IS more crime, maybe because there IS a culture of violence amongst young African American youth. But I've seen first hand cops, black, white, and latino who in these neighborhoods in an effort to "show who's boss" have no problem randomly harassing individuals like Gray, randomly picking people up, randomly searching people, etc. It is a part of police state dynamics and it's a serious issue.

Police brutality and corruption in the justice system IS an issue in many inner cities that adversely effects certain groups more than others.

Is this a bigger issue to me then a cultural promotion of violence, gang-life, drug dealing, etc? No.

Is this a bigger issue than a truancy rate of 45% in Freddie Gray's neighborhood? No.

Is this a bigger issue than a nanny welfare state that has single handedly destroyed inner cities and encouraged many hundreds of thousands of African American and Latino families to become dependent on the government? No.

Open borders? No.

However, the only solution to what led to what happened on Monday night is to reach these young men and young women and turn them around. We can't throw them all of West Baltimore in jail, we can't CONTINUE to sweep West Baltimore under the rug and stare at the Inner Harbor and everything north of Reisterstown Road while there are middle aged people who can't read in Park Heights and North Avenue. We have to eventually do something to reach these young people and change the reality that they live in day in and day out.

We can't do that if we completely and totally ignore the reality of CLINTON's "War on Drug's" and what it has done to these communities. When I've seen the constant harassment with my own eyes it would be insane for me to deny it exists. There is RAMPANT corruption in Baltimore from the city hall to the police.

Can you share what you are doing, personally, to help since you say you live in Baltimore?

Because you know what startled and disappointed me? When I saw Bishop TD Jakes jump on the racist bandwagon, flying out to Michael Brown's funeral. He didn't "wait" to see what the investigation turned up. He jumped in with racist Al Sharpton. Jakes sat in a funeral for a boy who was a thief, abusive and who tried to murder a police officer. Shameful and disturbing for our country. People who we once held in some measure of respect - now gone. Where do we go with that narrative? How does anything begin to heal or begin to get fixed with that ridiculous show of support?