Baltimore Riot: What Would Dr. King Say?
6 Baltimore officers will face murder charges in the Freddie Gray case. Like a moth to a flame, news organizations fanned out looking for signs of violence. As Baltimore’s youth took to the streets in protest of the death of Freddie Gray. Gray, a 25 year old African-American man, died in police custody after suffering a spinal injury while being transported. Tensions have been building for weeks as no information was released from Baltimore police or other government officials regarding the circumstances surrounding Mr. Gray’s death. Protesters have been gathering daily calling for the arrest of the officers involved. Baltimore had been given high marks for its handling of protests. That perception ended April 27th when the city exploded in mayhem, live on national television. Shortly after Grey’s funeral students left school, it was supposedly going be a “Purge” based on the movie when all rules are out for an evening. In scenes repeated on television screens across the globe we’re watching Baltimore, Maryland burn. Looters were shown grabbing merchandise from stores as cameras rolled. “They’re tearing up their own neighborhood” commentators shrieked. “How did this get out of hand”, came from others. Protestors throwing rocks at the police, who in turn picked up the rocks and flung them back at their attackers. A CVS drugstore was the televised epicenter of the crises as it was looted and burned. In another part of Baltimore a church funded Senior Citizen housing development went up in flames. Small businesses in the affected areas of Baltimore suffered irreparable damage to their stores. On MSNBC’s Hard Ball, Chris Matthews spittle’s out,” Some grandma is going to need her prescriptions tomorrow!” Social media was abuzz with questions, “Wouldn’t Dr. King condemn these thugs?” Others in chorus would parrot a response, “Dr. King would definitely condemn the rioting and looting!” However, upon review, the record shows when asked about riots that were taking place in the 1960’s Dr. King’s response fell short of condemnation. “It is not enough for me to stand before you tonight and condemn riots. It would be morally irresponsible for me to do that without, at the same time, condemning the contingent, intolerable conditions that exist in our society. These conditions are the things that cause individuals to feel that they have no other alternative than to engage in violent rebellions to get attention. And I must say tonight that a riot is the language of the unheard.” MLK Baltimore was once a working class city with factory jobs for its residents. Now, there are no jobs, 25% of men between the ages of 18-64 are unemployed, thousands of abandoned homes line the once proud streets of this city just 40 minutes from our nation’s capital. In a dramatic news conference, it was announced that 6 Baltimore officers will face murder charges in the Freddie Gray case. Marilyn Mosby, the state’s attorney for Baltimore City, said Gray suffered a critical neck injury as a result of being handcuffed inside the van. Warrants have been issued for the arrest of the 6 officers charged in the case, Mosby said. In addition to murder and manslaughter, charges will include assault, misconduct and false imprisonment. The Maryland chief medical examiner ruled Gray’s death a homicide. Freddie Gray’s spinal injuries happened while he was traveling without restraints in the police van. What occurred in Baltimore was an eruption of volcanic energy produced by hopelessness. Pent-up emotions encrusted for decades now spew uncontrollably, volcanic ash that rains on the citizenry nourishing the seeds of social unrest producing riots.
