Could Detroit be the next Ferguson or Baltimore?

**Hermod** · April-28-15, 04:30 AM

A series of urban riots between now and Nov 2016 would lead to election of a Republican president.

**Bham1982** · April-28-15, 07:26 AM

Originally Posted by Hermod

A series of urban riots between now and Nov 2016 would lead to election of a Republican president.

That's what I was thinking. These riots, if they continue, or are followed by others, will ensure a Republican president. Looting of liquor stores and lottery outlets, while laughing and taking selfies, will not be interpreted as an act of political protest in Middle America.

**noise** · April-28-15, 08:12 AM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

That's what I was thinking. These riots, if they continue, or are followed by others, will ensure a Republican president. Looting of liquor stores and lottery outlets, while laughing and taking selfies, will not be interpreted as an act of political protest in Middle America.

Unfortunately, "Middle America" has a pretty myopic view of any complex situation. Reinforcing bias, at the expense of reality, is an art.

**Zacha341** · April-28-15, 08:53 AM

If anything the politics are a 'quarter' inch deep and that's being generous. The person already poised to act out ala looting for cigarettes, trinkets and booze just seized the moment... selfies and all.

Originally Posted by Bham1982

Looting of liquor stores and lottery outlets, while laughing and taking selfies, will not be interpreted as an act of political protest in Middle America.

**noise** · April-28-15, 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

If anything the politics are a 'quarter' inch deep and that's being generous. The person already poised to act out ala looting for cigarettes, trinkets and booze just seized the moment... selfies and all.

While this may often [[sometimes?) be the case, I think it overlooks the uneducated & disenfranchised who are very much making a political stance, no matter how misguided it may be.

**Zacha341** · April-28-15, 09:25 AM

Yeah I get that distinction -- too bad sometimes tethered with fools.

Originally Posted by noise

While this may often [[sometimes?) be the case, I think it overlooks the uneducated & disenfranchised who are very much making a political stance, no matter how misguided it may be.

**noise** · April-28-15, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

Yeah I get that distinction -- too bad sometimes tethered with fools.

Certainly. It's interesting how this is portrayed in comparison to white college student sports-related rioting.

**kanfar** · April-28-15, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by noise

While this may often [[sometimes?) be the case, I think it overlooks the uneducated & disenfranchised who are very much making a political stance, no matter how misguided it may be.

Your idealism is wonderful and in other circumstances may have merit. But, in this case, please spare me trying to turn what is happening now into making a political stance. That makes you sound like you are condoning the behavior which I'm sure you don't want to do. The mom, clip now on TV, who recognized her son looting and went out and grabbed him certainly wasn't condoning his behavior. I'd hate to be him when she got him home based on her reaction while yanking him off the street.

**noise** · April-28-15, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by kanfar

Your idealism is wonderful and in other circumstances may have merit. But, in this case, please spare me trying to turn what is happening now into making a political stance. That makes you sound like you are condoning the behavior which I'm sure you don't want to do. The mom, clip now on TV, who recognized her son looting and went out and grabbed him certainly wasn't condoning his behavior. I'd hate to be him when she got him home based on her reaction while yanking him off the street.

It's not even a story, in my book. Violence against property is much different than violence against people.

The police killed a man. They've killed many men. Who cares about property when lives are being lost?

Don't answer that. It's sure to be an ugly response.

**Wesley Mouch** · April-28-15, 01:16 PM

The right needs to realize that this disquiet is based on a real problem. Its not OK to riot. Its also not OK to create a system that isn't trusted by a minority.

The left needs to realize that the genie they've let out of the bottle will destroy race relations far more than it will help. Sure, something needed to be done. This sure isn't it.

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · April-28-15, 01:19 PM

Originally Posted by noise

It's not even a story, in my book. Violence against property is much different than violence against people.

The police killed a man. They've killed many men. Who cares about property when lives are being lost?

Don't answer that. It's sure to be an ugly response.

Here's what I consider to be a response which is not ugly. These are not mutually exclusive issues. You can care about an unjust killing and think that the property destruction is wrong, and in fact counterproductive.

Anyone who's house was burnt down cares about the property destruction. The seniors who cannot move into subsidized housing because their complex was destroyed might give a hoot. The employees not working at CVS any longer are probably concerned. Anyone who's looking at the bus schedule because their car was torched might be upset. The neighborhood residents who realize that its now much less likely that jobs and investments will take place in their neighborhood might care as well. And all at the same time they are mad about the killing.