I wasn’t planning on doing back to back posts on Baltimore, I have a couple “climate change” articles in the cue, but, this one from Salon’s Connor Lynch …… hey, wait, his name is triggering, and he should be banned until he changes it …. is a hoot, and about as bat guano insane as you’d expect
Fox News blames Baltimore for America’s sins: What Hannity & O’Reilly ignore about the roots of the Freddie Gray tragedy
Sean Hannity & Bill O’Reilly blame unrest on liberals and black communities. But, in truth, America is to blameOver the past week, as protests have spread across the country and violence has calmed, there has been a lot of discussion about why such destruction broke out in the streets of Baltimore, and why there is such rampant poverty and crime in those streets. There has been a lot of confusion throughout, but in the right-wing media, it is quite clear what has caused the current chaos in Baltimore — the Democrats and their bleeding-heart welfare programs.
Indeed, on the right wing, there is simply no other cause for what has happened than the black communities’ dependence on government handouts. Of course the children are going to destroy the community when all of their mothers are single welfare queens! To Bill O’Reilly and Sean Hannity, this is quite simply a problem of black culture and dependence: “With all due respect, the government cannot create opportunities for young people who are uneducated, disrespectful and unmotivated,†O’Reilly said. “The city of Baltimore has been run by black politicians and Democrats for decades.†On his own program, Hannity resounded: “Isn’t this a minority-run city?â€
Now, the right will push this premise until it is blue in the face — because it sees the events in Baltimore as an opportunity. An opportunity to blame black people and Democrats for all of the problems that are currently under a microscope. One headline over at Breitbart effectively sums up this strategy: “Baltimore is a Democrat problem, not America’s problem.â€
Of course, the right’s perception is laughably myopic and predictable. When is it not the “welfare queens’†fault over at Fox News? In reality, what has happened in Baltimore over the past 50 years is not a black problem or a Democrat problem — it is as American a problem as they come.
At that point, Mr. Lynch desperately attempts to find a way to Blame America. Reading between the lines, we can understand two things: first, Liberals hate America, and really love to blame it for everything (when they can’t blame people on the Right. Though, sometimes, both).
Second, they are either understanding that what is happening in Baltimore, and other liberal cities, looks really bad for Democrats and their policies and that the policies themselves are complete failures, or they really believe that their policies are Good And Right And Beneficial, so it must be Someone Else’s fault. In this case, America’s.
They really do not want to discuss that their liberal policies are bad for majority-minority cities. While mostly white Very Liberal cities like Portland, Seattle, and San Francisco, among others, are doing pretty well, most Very Liberal mostly Black cities are not doing well. Low property values, poor social values, high unemployment, low wages, failing students, etc and so on.
What is going on in Baltimore is indeed a result of many factors — and it is an American problem that we should all be discussing. But instead, the right wing is simply pointing fingers and acting as if this problem started a few years ago. But this problem did not start a few years ago. It is a result of many decades of racist policies and then many more decades of disastrous drug policies. Throw in the nationwide collapse of the working class, and politicians who embraced the capitalists over the workers, and this is what you get. And as long as capitalists continue to own more property than entire communities, and buy politicians to vote for their interests, riots may very well become a regular occurrence.
Let me ask: why did this majority-minority city not build a new foundation? Why did this city which hasn’t had a Republican mayor since 1967 succeed? Why do we see the same thing repeated in Detroit, Birmingham, Camden, and so many other majority-minority cities that have been Democratic strongholds since at least the late 1960’s? Why do Blacks vote 90% for Democrats when their policies are utter disasters for Blacks?
Salon is improving. They’re almost as funny as The Nation.
Of course, neither can top the comedy of Mother Jones.
Every bit of evidence supports the fact that African-Americans are systematically oppressed in the US.
A better question is, “Why are there so few riots?”.
Blacks are at the bottom of our economic barrel and suffer most in the economic downturns engineered by White elites. How many White titans of Wall Street were rounded up in police wagons after inflicting trillions in economic damages on ordinary Americans? Young Black men are arrested for marijuana possession – yet those White men that nearly destroyed our economy still live large.
“… riots may very well become a regular occurrence.” – and not just by Black folks.
No, it’s seatbelts. Lack of seatbelts killed Freddie Gray. Buckle up or it’s homicide.
It looks like Maryland has hired a teenager to be State’s Attorney General.
That’s funny. It really is funny.
Evidence shows that the choices people make influence their paths.
This is a ridiculous comparison. How many black titans of Wall Street were rounded up?
Or are you such a racist that you think that there were only white people who took advantage of the banking laws Democrats set up?
Another ridiculous comparison by you. How many white people are arrested for possession?
The State of Maryland has ruled the death a homicide
Wonder when that will be mentioned as a factor or when the hard right will call those Baltimore cops who will be indicted jack booted thugs ?
“And as long as capitalists continue to own more property than entire communities…”
Yes, clearly what those words mean they are aiming for is a solution of socialist revolution. That’s exactly what they said in Nicaragua, Guatemala, Venezuela. With a healthy dose of telling the native Indians that they are racially oppressed by the euro-centric land-owning overlords. How did being communist blood pawns work out for the Miskitos and Maya and Xincas?
“6.The State of Maryland has ruled the death a homicide”
Murder charges usually come quickly so they can kick off their investigation and indictments. So far they pretty much just ruled that the cops didn’t buckle his seat belt. Now, if they have evidence that his neck was broken before being put in the van, that will be something.
gitarcarver,
Your comments are ridiculous. You used to so challenging – now you’re just sad. Is it depression, a stroke, dementia or just a realization that you’ve chosen the wrong path?
My comparisons were apt, even if you can’t understand. We harass and round up young Black men for trivial offenses, yet the White con men who nearly destroyed the world’s economy collected their millions and went on.
Did you see the videotape of the arrest? He was injured before being put in the wagon.
This article sheds some light on the problems in Baltimore.
https://www.themarshallproject.org/2015/04/29/david-simon-on-baltimore-s-anguish
This is an excellent interview.
“Evidence shows that the choices people make influence their paths.” Isn’t it racist or something to point out personal responsibility?
Not at all. It’s just ignorant to claim that the problems of African-Americans stem solely from their personal “choices”.