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BALTIMORE COMMENTARY IS BULLSHIT

A radical and unpopular view is not an uncommon perspective that I’m known to unleash, and this one, I’m sure ,will hit the top of the top of most readers’ charts of annoyance.

I’ve watched in horror as miscreants burned and looted the sections of Baltimore where they live. Mom-and-Pop stores went up in flames just like the corporate-owned CVS they set fire to.

So  what about the neighbors who used to get a pay check at the burned out place?

I’ve watched as the typical riot unfolded with car windows being smashed with trash cans and other cars being set on fire.

So how’s that neighbor going to get where they need to go?  Oh, all the damaged vehicles belonged to the cops so that means the taxpayers loose on them.

It’s said that most of the initial trouble was caused by high school kids when school was out.

Your ass belongs at home and it doesn’t have permission, from the mindful parent, to make a looting and burning stop when you have chores to do at home after you’re out of school.

It’s said that the young people are angry and have no resources in their community to keep them busy.

Who declared the city is responsible for providing outlets for the kids?  Great if that’s the case BUT whatever happened to family responsibility?

Of course, the next line of defense for the reprehensible behavior cited above is that miscreant thugs are poor, have no father in the home, no jobs are available for them and they are students enrolled in a dysfunctional education system.

Pardon my French – BULLSHIT!

The mother who made her way through the crowd of rioters after seeing her son on television hanging with the “homies” and slapped his dumb ass upside the head is the only measure that I’ve seen of taking things where they need to go.

Who in the hell should be held responsible for all of those young rioters?

The Mayor?

The Police Chief?

Let’s take it where it needs to be taken. And that’s right up to the front door of every house that’s got a kid living in it.

Ask the parents where Jamal and Janell were  the night of the riots. Home doing his/her school work?

And just where did the thieves take the stolen loot?

Where’s all that whisky from the liquor store they burned down?

Even rich lady Hillary has thrown into her campaign talk about the need for a better criminal justice system. It’s good for the candidate that it’s a worthy cause, BUT it isn’t what the riots were about.

I  can’t help but wonder if she and Bill raised Chelsea on a formula of act like an ass with a tantrum and we’ll reward you because your senseless acts of violence are exactly what it took to open our eyes?

Talk about mass incarceration and Hillary did mention such — every rioter and looter on the streets of Baltimore should have been swooped up in a paddy wagon and hauled off to the local jail .

The President has called the rioters thugs and that’s just what they are.  The Baltimore Mayor called them thugs but now she’s trying to take back the term as some crazies out there are trying to make a riot politically correct so as to mean thugs is a wrong term.

News reporters want us to hear from the looters.  What is it they want?  Well, I’ll tell you what they need.

 

 

This Post Has 13 Comments
  1. Of course you are right, but I see many parents who are totally engaged in trying to keep food on the table and not watching out for Janelle, etc. Don’t know who is to blame for that.
    Thugs is an appropriate word, I guess, but when it is used to cover up mass injustice throughout the system, then I am as angry at Corporate Owned CVS as I am with the “thugs.” Can we talk about CVS’s way of dealing with prescriptions – they “PUSH” them on people who don’t need or want them – and they make billions doing it!

    1. Watching out for Janelle ranks in the very same high spot as keeping food on the table. Yes, it’s a struggle BUT Black folks have always struggled so it’s difficult for me to let up on my people. No blame just a concerted effort. That mother of 6 who snatched her son in front of the news camera has the same problems as Jenelle’s family.

      So right about CVS, like every other Corp, a rip off BUT we the people, the little people, let them all get away with this AND who stands up? Who boycotts the bad guys??

      It’s too easy just to keep on keeping on. Maybe the burning and looting is what those who find justice in it see as standing up.

      Thanks Greta and I hope others will keep the conversation going! My new feature – I reply to comments

  2. Shirlee, once again you have hit the nail on the head. In my opinion only criminals ot the uneducated would burn down the source of their employment. The lack of their education also lies at the front door of each home. Parents are abdicating their responsibility. I remember a dear friend from Nigeria once told me that he credited the “Village” for raising him. Let’s be more help to one another and get these children educated.

    1. Education! Education! Education! Too bad, so many people can’t see the forest for the trees. Thanks Bert!

  3. I almost cried when I saw the Mother go after Her son. I felt I was in legion with Her. I raised two sons and yes we had to struggle to keep food on the table and a roof over our head. But Our children came first. There were several times I left work to take down a son or a teacher, My kids knew I would be there and I would be fair, but I had standards that I knew would help them grow into good citizens and I and My Husband were willing to make sure those standards were kept. My daughter, and two sons have grown up and do contribute to society in a positive manner. I agree that there is more to the issue of police Officers and the young black Male, but I also feel that the parents should be on the front line making sure that their children follow the standards that they set.

    1. Strong parents, like what Jean Troy has described, here, is what folks my age were fortunate enough to have grown up witnessing!

  4. There’s a delicate balance for working parents schedules. But firm, Christian values can provide a common family base. As a baby boomer, I haved watched TV programmimg that today’s youth are bombarded with that celebrates thru music & videos w/young women/men behaving badly. Very disappointing.

    1. Thanks Ms Jacqui – gone are the days when Sunday meant all day church, dinner at the grandparents AND then back to church still wearing your “church shoes and clothes.” If you were a girl that meant a dress – no ifs ands or buts! But then girls didn’t own any pants other than peddle pushers and those were for riding bikes.

      Ah, Ms Jacqui you got it right about what the youth are nowadays bombarded with!

  5. Dear Shirlee,

    I agree with you completely. The mother who ran out and “found” “Jr.” and then slapped him on his head on nation-wide television, showed what values that she had TRIED to instill in him; and still EXPECTED of him (even if his actions were appallingly to the contrary). I have always said, if folks “laid down” to have their children…then dammit “STAND UP” and RAISE YOUR CHILDREN.

    As far as “things being ‘hard’ and nearly impossible to keep things going economically and survival-wise—-NO EXCUSE! Things were hard for OUR parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins…but they DID NOT RESORT TO CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR in order to “make it” through the “tuff-times?” Hell NO! Hell, things were “hard” for our ancestors of SLAVERY DESCENT. However, these times ARE TOUGH because—-“The VILLAGE” does not COME TOGETHER (until AFTER-THE-FACT)—-and DEMAND THAT POLITICIANS, SOCIAL /LEGAL REPRESENTATIVES, EDUCATORS, ADMINISTRATORS, POLICE, CORPORATIONS AND P-A-R-E-N-T-S ARE A-L-L HELD A-C-C-O-U-N-T-A–B-L-E FOR THE POOR STATE OF AFFAIRS GOING ON IN THIS SOCIETY. I have ALWAYS held the belief that when—-Manners in Society and Respect for Elder Members of Society (and Respect for people in general), start a downward trend; then you are in for a chaotic society at best. A false “justification” for ill-begotten acts/illegal acts/lack of parenting…will NEVER make ignorance, the lack of education/the lack of intrinsic spiritual values or personal integrity—-a valid excuse for being a lawless-opportunistic-cavalier fool. ALL OF US ARE HURTING AND ARE BEING SOCIALLY MALIGNED BY THE VARIOUS “SYSTEMS.” But one’s character is seen, in HOW one decides to “fight back” and bring about changes for the betterment of us all. Thank you Shirlee, for always bringing a “beacon of light and truth” to your commentaries; regardless of whether the “light” and “truth” are “popular”…or not. May God bring us some common sense, collective unity AND blessings for strength—-because we NEED IT…Badly…Right Now!
    —–Bill Allen, Jr.

  6. As a Single Father who raised up a good Male Citizen in The Ghetto , I applauded that Mother on T.V. who b*tch slapped her wayward Son for acting a fool . I have been right there and done that too , my Son knows I love him unconditionally but at the same time , my size 12 foot will go up his bony ass in a heartbeat if it’s necessary .

    However , the fact that those in charge decided to shut down the Public Transportation System *just* before School let out , they (IMO) knew *exactly* what they were doing , pouring fuel on a not yet lit fire .

    Baltimore , like so many American Cities is a complete shithole with little or no way out for most of the Children who live there .

    I *do* blame the kids for rioting but I also understand their frustration : their Parents work their asses off to the bone to pay the Rent and provide a home , little time or energy is left for good Parenting ~ for 36 years now , I have _made_ the time for my Son but it surely isn’t easy .

    Not only having a crappo below poverty level McJob as your only possible method of surviving but seeing your parents drag their exhausted , worn out & beat down butts home every night can’t help .

    Agreed , ” It takes a Village to raise up a Child ” ~ the gop doesn’t and never has understood this so STOP VOTING THEM IN and watch America rebound with jobs and equality for EVERYONE .

    These are NOT ‘ thugs’ ! they are CHILDREN ~ fairly easy to manipulate and mold , that’s OUR RESPONSIBILITY as Adults and Parents .

    THANK YOU SHIRLEE for not sugar coating this touchy subject .

    -Nate

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