Sadly, televised riots are 50-year-old news

It is 50-year-old television news. The unfair treatment, the discrimination, the riots, the protests… it’s all 50-year-old news.
For me, that reality is just as sad as the numerous Black lives lost at the hands of unjust practices and discrimination.
While this nation has made significant advances in some areas, in other aspects, including social justice, very little has changed for Blacks and other minorities. If it had, we would not see and experience the continuous instances of excessive force, brutality and discrimination.
Unfortunately, the riots that occurred this week in Baltimore, Md. are not unique to America. Sadly, neither is the incident that resulted in Freddie Gray’s death last week. It is not uncommon to read in the news that a Black male was killed by police. It is not rare for there to be peaceful protests that call for fair treatment. It is not rare for some protests to turn into riots. And it is not uncommon for us to see white police officer after white police officer cleared of all charges.
If you disagree, I challenge you to research the issue over the past 36 months. The numbers don’t lie and they are not coincidental.
I used to think I would have liked to live during the 1960s. Yes, the social climate was tense and political unrest was at its height. However, I have always been intrigued by the positive change born from that decade. The struggle wasn’t easy and lives were lost, but I am impressed with the era’s organization and leadership.
What I realize is that while I wasn’t alive in the civil rights era of the 60s’, I bear witness to it now. I’m living it every day as I watch all the injustices against people of color and minorities in general including women and the poor.
A “fast forward” button for life would certainly come in handy now. Surely there has to be more progression and promise in the future than there seems to be in the present. Or maybe that’s “pie in the sky” thinking. Maybe the goal of nondiscrimination will never happen.
Or… perhaps it can happen, but it is up to us (Americans collectively) to ensure it does happen.
In the 60s’, there was a coalition of leaders who advocated for the same agenda with some of the stars of that decade being Medgar Evers, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and President John F. Kennedy.
I don’t think we will have that type of leadership moving forward, so we need to stop looking for that larger-than-life person or coalition of people. It is not going to happen. And realistically, how can it? We have a Congress that is partially comprised of members whose single focus seems to be countering the president—even on initiatives that have typically been bipartisan efforts. How can we have a coalition of leaders such as those in the 60s’ when many state and local politicians are more focused on advancing their personal interests than they are on ensuring their constituents’ views are represented.
Gone are the days where we will have a coalition of leaders who have the ability and shared agenda to motivate the masses. Instead, I think the leadership we so desperately need today starts and stops with each of us individually.
WE HAVE TO VOTE – especially in the local races because those specific positions most drastically affect the lives of citizens. We must vote for lawmakers whose philosophies align with ours, to ensure fairness and consistency. In Indianapolis, the mayor and City-County Council oversee important posts such as the chief of police, criminal justice concerns, etc. Indianapolis can easily become a Ferguson, Mo. or a Baltimore, Md. if residents aren’t exercising their rights to vote. Voting can literally mean the difference between life and death.
One last thing on individual responsibility. Social media was all abuzz this week with video clips showing a mother in a yellow shirt going into the riot zone, finding her son and beating him as she moved him away from the protests. This woman is being heralded a hero in her own right. Baltimore’s riot was primarily the work of teenagers who plotted their deeds on social media days prior to Monday’s uprising. Parents must take responsibility for their children. I know parents can’t be everywhere at all times, but they should be monitoring their children’s social media posts. While many are criticizing the city for not intervening in a timely manner, I also blame some of the parents who should have been more engaged.
I’m sure the mother in the yellow shirt had a variety of emotions as she scoured the crowd for her son. She probably didn’t want him participating in the unlawful and destructive acts, while at the same time feared for his life. I praise her for her efforts.
https://www.indianapolisrecorder.com/opinion/article_b71fae40-ef6e-11e4-94e7-af838bc2ccfd.html