I'm not condoning setting things on fire, but I can certainly understand the impulse to do it.
I have a friend on FB with an ego the size of Jupiter who's spouting things like "Of course we all know racism is a problem, but burning things down is NOT the way to make yourselves heard! Do you REALLY think this is the way to make REAL CHANGE???" And I just want to comment "Sweetie, do you actually think any of the rioters are reading your FB posts? And if not, then who are these posts for?" (She is a very recent college graduate and is SO VERY SURE of the way the world should work. Half the time I want to hug her and half the time I want to thwack her on the head.)
burning things down is NOT the way to make yourselves heard!
What would she suggest? Peaceful protests? Petitions? Talking to the media? So far those avenues of getting yourselves heard have not been successful. No, setting shit on fire won't work either, but is really that hard to understand the frustrated helpless fury and fear that pushes someone to do it?
It's getting worse in Ferguson. I don't really want to keep watching, but I feel almost obligated. Like, paying attention is the only thing I can actually do at this moment.
What would she suggest? Peaceful protests? Petitions? Talking to the media?
She did actually go on to say, "As a woman, I am making changes through peaceful means," blah blah blah. (In terms of women's rights, according to her.) She's very young and very white and very pretty. The system is kind of on her side from the get-go.
It's getting worse in Ferguson. I don't really want to keep watching, but I feel almost obligated. Like, paying attention is the only thing I can actually do at this moment.
Me, too, except I'm falling asleep. I think I'm done for tonight even though I want to stay up.
I just want to watch the Shia LaBeouf video over and over and ignore the world.
That whole display last night from the prosecutor was hard to stomach. And I can't see the rationale for delaying the announcement the way they did except to ensure the kind of reaction that came. Which neatly changes the conversation from the failure of the prosecutor to the completely predictable aftermath.
And I can't see the rationale for delaying the announcement the way they did except to ensure the kind of reaction that came.
I do know that an evening announcement was planned because they wanted to make sure that kids were home from school. Shitloads of schools and daycare centers are closed this morning, which makes sense but causes all kinds of other problems for working parents.
Twelve local businesses were burned to the ground overnight. Over and over again, it's the people who don't deserve to suffer who are suffering. Also, what do the people who are doing the burning and looting think this is doing to help?
Then do it at 8 AM the following day, which is when organized protests were planned anyway. 8:30 PM is a great way to ensure that the young and disaffected make up the bulk of the crowd and that the groups who have been planning and training for this are not present in large numbers, if at all.
They know this just from recent Ferguson history.
Also, what do the people who are doing the burning and looting think this is doing to help?
It's a mistake to try to read it as constructive when at heart it's despair and outrage. I'm not saying it's the right reaction. But lashing out is a very human reaction - again, encouraged by the fact that what you had was largely a crowd of young, disaffected men who've just been basically told they are fair game because they're just so inherently scary.
The more cynical part of me thinks the announcement was planned for maximum prime time coverage. I can't let myself think of anything more sinister or I'll just give up. I should probably just stay away from the internet today. I'm heartsick and dismayed at all the ugliness I've seen people reveal about themselves. I'm even starting to be bothered by people whose views I agree with.
