Just a friendly reminder.

[Scootaloo]

Last edited Mon Apr 27, 2015, 09:38 PM - Edit history (1)

Since some people have apparently just discovered the situation in Baltimore (much as they just discovered the situation in Ferguson when someone set fire to a car, or they just discovered the situation in Sanford when a fistfight broke out) i want to give a friendly reminder of comparative value.

A storefront is not worth more than a black person's life.
A honda civic is not worth more than a black person's life
A pair of sneakers is not worth more than a black person's life.
A flat-screen TV is not worth more than a black person's life
An iPhone is not worth more than a black person's life.
A window is not worth more than a black person's life.

In fact, no bit of merchandise. No bit of property, no item or inanimate object, is worth more than anyone's life. I emphasize black lives, because these seem to be the ones most often forgotten in the panic over the destruction of, say, a roadsign or a dumpster being set on fire.

Now, thank you, most DU'ers do realize this fact, that items are not greater than people, in any conceivable case. you pass the minimum standard, and on the internet, that does count for something.

But for those of you who haven't noticed until just now? Those of you who have only just found cause to be outraged because someone busted a CVs outlet? you ARE saying that you value a pane of glass and some Flintstones vitamins more than you value the life of a black man who damn near had his head torn off. You display this by the sheer disparity of where you display your anger.

Maybe you're just not thinking about it. Maybe you're just led along by the media, which has a pretty bad habit of focusing 24/7 coverage on a McDonalds having a window broken, and no coverage on the fact that a town has a systemic problem of racial abuses perpetrated by the very people who are supposed to be protecting that community. That is forgivable, we're all basically just a variety of ground-dwelling mammal, mistakes happen, and now you are thinking about it and know better.

But for those of you who very honestly and for-true believe that any number of black lives are expendable, if the option B is extra work for the glazier business in town. That's abhorrent, and shame on you.

In either case... please stop.

Thank you.

[Autumn]

1. No. Thank you

Recommended

[MineralMan]

2. K&R!

[ms liberty]

3. K&R...n/t

[Throd]

4. Who here are you railing against?

I haven't seen anybody here express what you seem to be angry about.

[Vattel]

7. Yes, but he certainly put a few hypothetical posters in their place.

[SoLeftIAmRight]

12. here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026577768

[Novara]

5. K&R

[Lex]

6. People get more upset when a CVS is looted . . .

says a lot.

[guillaumeb]

8. A McDonalds with a broken window is a better visual.

Same with a burning car, truck, store, dumpster.

Plus media personalities are chosen for their looks, not their insight. The broadcast media cannot do "in depth" anything because everything must fit into a 30 second slot.

[LovingA2andMI]

9. Proudly K/R for Truth!!!

[passiveporcupine]

10. K&R

Beautiful post. Thank you!

[redruddyred]

11. I would like to bust a cvs outlet.

they thoroughly deserve it fyi.

[morningfog]

13. Recommend!

[morningfog]

14. Another point. But for some broken glass, most would not know the name

of Freddie Gray, the man killed in police custody.

[shaayecanaan]

16. True that. Riots are a blunt instrument

but sometimes the only instrument a people have. If it were not for the threat of civil disorder the establishment wouldn't give a toss about people dying in police custody.

[project_bluebook]

15. And we all know what non violent demonstrations get us now days

Just look what happened to the Occupy movement, corporate law enforcement rounded them up and the corporate court system punished them. Peaceful protest no longer works.

[hanon]

17. thanks for the insights

very thoughtful