Isn't it interesting that in the space of several months Baltimore and Charleston suffered tragic acts of violence while citizens and public officials responded so differently ?
In Baltimore a young black man was shaken and mishandled by the local police to an extreme which caused his death. The public outcry and city governments response was unclear when the official autopsy report became public information. The local community became agitated and gathered in the streets. Police were given orders which allowed neighborhood mayhem for several days and nights. Too many citizens decided burning and looting local businesses and police property was an appropriate response. For a time, city and state officials along with local police pointed fingers at each other, and backed away from effectively protecting the streets of Baltimore. News media talking heads rushed in for breathless minute to minute reporting of wanton destruction and senseless behavior. Chaos and looting continued. Then federal agencies and national civil rights personalities rushed into Baltimore to join the conversation and demonstrations. The violence finally ended leaving blocks of the city destroyed and city officials undecided on the causes or solutions to the mayhem.
In Charleston a black man was shot in the back while leaving a routine police stop. The officer involved in the unjustified killing was quickly charged with murder. Several weeks later, a young white man entered an AME church holding an evening session. He was welcomed to join. He cruelly slaughtered nine black church members. He fled the scene, but was quickly found, arrested, and charged with the honorific crime. In both Charleston incidents police and public officials acted quickly. Arrests and crime details were clearly announced while local government and civic leaders called for community peace. The majority of black and white citizens of the Charleston Area came together in the mourning and healing processes. There were no riots or destruction of property in the city. While federal officials did enter the cases, there has been no overwhelming need for them to intervene in the orderly actions taken by the Charleston PD or city officials. National civil rights spokespersons found little profit and small audience in Charleston.
There is no off limits to where evil citizens or police may strike. Crimes as those in Baltimore and Charleston sadly happen too often in cities all over America. What is interesting and worth study is how the communities of Baltimore and Charleston responded. Why did mob chaos and confusion reign in Baltimore while the streets of Charleston remained calm filled only with mournful citizens ? Which political parties dominate Maryland and South Carolina and do their policies and philosophies matter in a comparison of crisis reactions ? How strong is the influence of churches, families, labor unions, education, civic organizations, manners, and politics in these different cities ?
The northeast media and progressive democrats too often announce negative observations about southern folk, their history, traditions, and culture. Too often their stories relate a modern south they believe is still controlled by a tiny group of racists mired in violence and racism reminiscent of the Civil War. These same media giants editorialize northern areas as places of more racial harmony, tolerance, and sophistication well in advance of their southern neighbors. At the risk of generalizing, watch and read The New York Times, CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC, MSNBC, Los Angeles Times, and BBC to see how often they editorialize our northern and western regions as the enlightened parts of the USA, and the southern states as less civilized places.
I am proud of the orderly and respectful manner in which Charleston responded to it's recent act of violence. At the same time, I am saddened and worried about the poor performance of public officials and citizens in Baltimore as they dealt with their crisis.
In Baltimore a young black man was shaken and mishandled by the local police to an extreme which caused his death. The public outcry and city governments response was unclear when the official autopsy report became public information. The local community became agitated and gathered in the streets. Police were given orders which allowed neighborhood mayhem for several days and nights. Too many citizens decided burning and looting local businesses and police property was an appropriate response. For a time, city and state officials along with local police pointed fingers at each other, and backed away from effectively protecting the streets of Baltimore. News media talking heads rushed in for breathless minute to minute reporting of wanton destruction and senseless behavior. Chaos and looting continued. Then federal agencies and national civil rights personalities rushed into Baltimore to join the conversation and demonstrations. The violence finally ended leaving blocks of the city destroyed and city officials undecided on the causes or solutions to the mayhem.
In Charleston a black man was shot in the back while leaving a routine police stop. The officer involved in the unjustified killing was quickly charged with murder. Several weeks later, a young white man entered an AME church holding an evening session. He was welcomed to join. He cruelly slaughtered nine black church members. He fled the scene, but was quickly found, arrested, and charged with the honorific crime. In both Charleston incidents police and public officials acted quickly. Arrests and crime details were clearly announced while local government and civic leaders called for community peace. The majority of black and white citizens of the Charleston Area came together in the mourning and healing processes. There were no riots or destruction of property in the city. While federal officials did enter the cases, there has been no overwhelming need for them to intervene in the orderly actions taken by the Charleston PD or city officials. National civil rights spokespersons found little profit and small audience in Charleston.
There is no off limits to where evil citizens or police may strike. Crimes as those in Baltimore and Charleston sadly happen too often in cities all over America. What is interesting and worth study is how the communities of Baltimore and Charleston responded. Why did mob chaos and confusion reign in Baltimore while the streets of Charleston remained calm filled only with mournful citizens ? Which political parties dominate Maryland and South Carolina and do their policies and philosophies matter in a comparison of crisis reactions ? How strong is the influence of churches, families, labor unions, education, civic organizations, manners, and politics in these different cities ?
The northeast media and progressive democrats too often announce negative observations about southern folk, their history, traditions, and culture. Too often their stories relate a modern south they believe is still controlled by a tiny group of racists mired in violence and racism reminiscent of the Civil War. These same media giants editorialize northern areas as places of more racial harmony, tolerance, and sophistication well in advance of their southern neighbors. At the risk of generalizing, watch and read The New York Times, CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC, MSNBC, Los Angeles Times, and BBC to see how often they editorialize our northern and western regions as the enlightened parts of the USA, and the southern states as less civilized places.
I am proud of the orderly and respectful manner in which Charleston responded to it's recent act of violence. At the same time, I am saddened and worried about the poor performance of public officials and citizens in Baltimore as they dealt with their crisis.
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