End Does Not Justify Means...Baltimore's Rioters Are Thugs

These Are Thugs, Not Urban Heroes

After six police officers in Baltimore were indicted, there was a paradigm shift in the coverage  of events which lead up to their indictments. "Criminal Rioters" were transformedin the news from thugs to urban activists Politicians and pundits were suddenly wanting us, the general population to see these misguided desperate youths as heroes that were just trying to  shine the "National Spotlight" on the plight of young, out of work youths, specifically black youths.  The Mayor of Baltimore even went as far as apologizing for her use of the term "thug" in describing those who attacked police officers, burned down buildings, looting as they ran rough shod over a community.   Since when do two wrongs make a right, when did we as a nation embrace a mentality that condones the behaviors of common criminals, THUGS bent on destruction?  Say it ain't so Joe!

Before everyone jumps on the second chance bandwagon for these hooligans that seems to be leaving the station, before politicians and government saddle us taxpayers with the costs of rebuilding Baltimore, the costs of more social safety nets for Baltimore's blighted black communities, and other blighted inner city areas of America, lets adjust our lens a bit, take a closer look at a few things. Before we reward BAD BEHAVIOR, before we throw out the commonsense baby with the bathwater, before we accept another dose of undeserved  white quilt, lets examine more than just the rhetoric being spewed forth onto the airwaves by political pundits with agendas, networks out to win ratings wars.   Let's derail this runaway guilt train, put a stop to groups who want to always blame someone else for their own self made dire situations.

First and foremost, PEACEFUL PROTESTERS are heroes, and should be applauded for their efforts to peacefully bring attention to issues needing both attention, and action nation wide.  Common criminals out burning buildings, looting stores,  attaching police officers ARE THUGS, and that is being nice about it.  A small handful of troublemakers seized an opportunity to destroy over 200 businesses, injure 113 police officers, torch 144 vehicles, and they destroyed a 16 million dollar senior citizen's building that was over 40 percent completed that would have created both jobs and opportunity in their community.  These rioters acts are not just criminal activities, these are FELONY ACTS of a seriously dangerous group of THUGS (capitalized), amounts to nothing less than homegrown urban terrorism, not the acts of misguided, desperate young men.

Ours is not a perfect nation, there are inequalities visited upon people.  Far too often those wrongs are visited upon those who are unfortunate enough to be born into poverty, be it in a blighted urban community, or out in the highways and byways of rural America.  That said, too often those who find themselves in bad situations are great at pointing the finger of blame outward while forgetting a very simple truth..."When you point the finger at someone else, there are four more pointing back at you.  

Living in a blighted area is no excuse to skip school, no excuse for becoming a gang-banger, or having a child out of wedlock at the age of 14.  Those are not actions that will help you as an individual escape what is generational poverty.  If you are running the streets, if you are out shooting hoops and smoking dope till the wee hours of the morning, chances are you are not getting your homework done, are not excelling in school, and are setting yourself up for a life of disappointments, a life that is not going anywhere good.  If you are breaking into homes, robbing people on the street, being a part of drive by shooting, are running con games, or selling drugs on the street, don't be surprised when you get popped by the man.  Don't do the crime if you cannot do the time, and while you are at it, stop trying to place the blame on others, and own your actions!  

After the riots 2600 good meaning people signed up for a "Saturday Clean Up" in the riot torn area of Baltimore...well isn't that special!  1/3rd of one percent of the population of Baltimore cared enough to come into the riot zone to  help clean up the mess and destruction caused by those thugs who destroyed their own community. Would hazard a guess there are more than 2600 people living in the affected zone of destruction...where were they that Saturday, and where are they day in and day out every day of the year?  Change starts at home.   Imagine if the people living in this blighted area started taking their own steps toward positive change..does not cost people anything to start picking up the litter that abounds on sidewalks, vacant lots, and  alleyways.   Surely people on a block could cut the grass weekly on that abandoned lot on their street?    We need more mother's like Toya Graham who waded into the fray to drag her son out of harms way, we need more young men to step up and be father's to the kids they brought into this world, rather than counting on the American Taxpayer to pick up the tab for their self centered lustful actions.  If you keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again, do not expect different outcomes.

You want a helping hand up the ladder of success...EARN IT.  In the meantime, lets be clear...thugs are thugs, and those who destroyed property, started fires, attacked policemen, looted stores are thugs, common criminals who should be tracked down, charged, convicted, and sent to prison for their crimes against humanity.  Those thugs need to be used to set an example...it is time that communities learn rioting will not be rewarded, time for us to steer away from the "Riot Ideology" that has people believing destruction and torching of communities will in the end see them rewarded as "Do Good'ers and Government throw money at their communities in the name of finding Social Equality. You  want a better tomorrow, then start showing America you deserve it by cleaning up your own backyard, by taking your own fair share of the responsibility for your own gone astray lives.