Baltimore, Police Violence and Economic Justice

When Bill and Hillary Clinton instituted the ‘tough-on-crime’ policies that so exacerbated mass incarceration there was a political explanation— pandering to White suburban voters’ manufactured fears of a Black urban underclass to garner votes, but the policies tied closely to American economic history as well. From slavery to convict leasing to urban dispossession, racial repression has produced economic value that has been expropriated. The Clinton’s neoliberal trade policies exacerbated the urban industrial exodus while deregulation of finance ‘monetized’ Black wealth for the taking. Seemingly unrelated ‘political’ policies often have economic explanations.

www.counterpunch.org...

This is great article that lays out the real reasons people not only in Baltimore but other mostly rust belt cities like Detroit, Cleveland or Cincinnati have a chip on their shoulder. Not really a chip but more like a boulder - the accumulated anger at policies that have dispossessed people from the homes, exported their jobs and stolen their economic security along with the usual negative effects that come with it - namely; increased poverty, crime, broken families and urban blight.

People from the inner cities of the US have good reasons to be mad at the system and the politicians that have consistently lied to them and robbed them of opportunity and security. As a nation we cannot even begin to address this problems without a proper understanding of the dynamics behind them. Class warfare has been going on for a long time in America and the first victims are always the poor and politically unconnected. We have to face reality in this country together or lose everything by our ignoring it.

a reply to: Asktheanimals

The reasons are self evident really pertaining to the social unrest and or riots. There down to the public's disillusionment with the current political administration. Then there is the socioeconomic factors involved along with abject poverty experienced by an alarming number of your populace. Never mind the general distrust the pubic has regarding the Police and the way they operate these days. Should we continue to treat our masses in the same manner it will all end in tears.

a reply to: andy06shake

Would that it were only tears
And not blood.
You got to hand it to the robber barons though -
They had us convinced that slavery was abolished for a while.
They found better ways to steal everything we work for without us even realizing it.

a reply to: Asktheanimals

Truth is "They" 1984 us and even encouraged us to do it to ourselves and all under the guise of maintaining our safety.

Funny how safety/control equates to removal of basic freedom. Then again they do say the devil is in the detail.

People are born into broken families, raised in substandard schools, face unemployment, poverty, drugs, gang violence…

its easy to be critical and look down on them now, expecting them to rise above it…

They may not be that strong.

a reply to: Asktheanimals

This is human natures progress at its best. You can talk about it all you want and nothing will be done, we as a species have no idea what to do and if we did we would have no way to carry it out...other then maybe "tough love", I digress.

How would you get 8 billion people to listen and agree that if we don't do something, we as a species will implode.

I guess we could blame the rich ... again, or maybe ask the Rothschild's, with 200+ Trillion in assets and owning 3/4 of the worlds debt, they might have an idea... just a thought.

a reply to: Asktheanimals

I think that this article is a good find and I'm glad that you brought this up. Framing this as an issue that revolves around race is somewhat misleading though. These policies have contributed to increasing poverty and wealth disparity that is felt across the board. The African American community is the one that feels the ripple effect of these sorts of policies first and the most acutely, and so I am not surprised that this is where we are seeing the most well, anger, first. This is a poverty issue and it is becoming a middle class issue, but framing these arguments as racially driven first only keeps us from seeing that really, we are all in the same boat. I guess that we are less likely to truly unite and get anything done about it that way though.

So many people on ATS say that we need a revolution and this is where revolutions usually start, with the most beat down and harmed population demonstrating their frustration first. These initial flare ups aren't usually very focused, which is what happened in Baltimore. Instead of recognizing that, a vocal percentage of the white poor and middle class are just calling it a "black thing" and entrenching themselves in a perspective that will just continue to take abuse, because white people, (as an identity counter to black people), would never do such a thing. Maybe everybody should.

a reply to: Asktheanimals

There's no doubt the economic problems have significantly contributed to the issues unfolding in Baltimore and Ferguson, Detroit and other post-Industrial cities of the Midwest and North East.

But...there's another problem as perceived by Blacks in the US which I've been trying to wrap my mind around. They see their problems as having been the result of a subtle form of racism which pervades the society called "White Privilege". Its not an easy concept to understand and its not easy to gather from the articles written on the subject what exactly the end game is for people who feel victimized by "White Privilege". By that I mean, it isn't easy to understand..."what do these people want"? To better understand it, read: www.tennessean.com...

So, whether whites want to accept it or not, the truth is that in the minds of many Black people in the US, their problems stem from the continued exercise of "White Privilege". From what I've gleaned in my research, Black Americans seem to want to engage Whites in an exercise that forces Whites to examine how they've participated and benefited from White Privilege. And, they want Whites, after acknowledging the existence of White Privilege, to affirmatively assert their agreement to begin to work against White Privilege.

To be brief, I'd only suggest this from my observations. Just as much that whites in the US don't really understand Black America, Blacks don't really understand whites...its almost like its a "white thing". What they don't understand about whites is that whites don't think of themselves in racial terms; that's why they like to think we now live in a post-racial America. That explains why one researcher, a white guy, I saw on MSNBC's Melissa Harris-Perry show make the comment, that "What we really need now is for Whites to start thinking about themselves in "racial" terms. Whites don't think of themselves as "Whites", they identify themselves as "Americans" ".

One thing I've learned is that Blacks who are students and professors on the subject of "White Privilege" believe that one source of their problems that stems from the continued exercise of "White Privilege" is "White Flight". They assert that White Flight is a hateful, racist response to efforts to integrate.

That made me realize something else the proponents of White Privilege don't understand about whites. They don't understand that whites, as they progress through their life cycle, i.e., get a job, get married, buy a house, have kids, don't make their decisions based upon racial considerations. They make those decisions based upon economic considerations. So...they settle where the job is, they marry, wanting to raise a family, they look for a house in the best school district they can afford, in the safest neighborhood they can afford, but importantly, where they'll get the best return, (property value appreciation), on their home buying choice, i.e., they buy the most expensive house they can comfortably afford.

Its an interesting problem, if for no other reason than because there's so much misunderstanding on both sides and because, as a radio commentator pointed out yesterday, there's no conversation going on. And there's a reason for that the proponents of the "White Privilege" don't understand. What they don't get is that there's no upside for whites in talking about this...

Hillary Clinton criminal justice plan: reverse Bill's policies

It's been 20+ years since Bill Clinton enacted tougher laws to combat the height of gang violence in America.
It some aspects it worked: gang membership has been cut in half and violent crime is down almost 60%
But the drug war, "stop and frisk" and "broken window" policing have failed and led to mass incarceration and mistrust of police.

Bill Clinton now: " we acted to address a genuine national crisis, but much has changed since then. It's time to take a clear eyed look at what worked, what didn't, and what produced unintended, long lasting consequences."

Hillary now: www.abovetopsecret.com...
Body cams for every police dept
Drug war reform
End mass incarceration for non violent crimes
Sentencing reform
Demilitarized police

a reply to: TonyS
Excellent post. Funny how white flight is viewed as racist but if whites move in to urban areas and real estate rates go up they say that's racism too. Btw, most blacks from the inner city who escape the cycle of poverty usually move out to the suburbs so there's no white flight, it's done for safety and for better schools for their children. I know because I did the exact same thing for those very reasons.

I agree most white Americans don't even consider race, yet that is considered racist too.
Can't win, can we?

a reply to: redhorse

You're correct that it's not exclusively a black problem but one that affects all who don't further their education beyond high school. 40 years ago you could find a decent blue collar job at some factory and work your way up, support a family and retire. Our globalist free trade policies have destroyed manufacturing and immigration and work visas have taken the agricultural jobs. Those 2 categories comprised 90% of all the unskilled jobs in the country.

I tried to write my comments to broaden the scope beyond inner city blacks in Baltimore, I suppose I didn't make a clear enough distinction.

originally posted by: TonyS
a reply to: Asktheanimals
But...there's another problem as perceived by Blacks in the US which I've been trying to wrap my mind around. They see their problems as having been the result of a subtle form of racism which pervades the society called "White Privilege". Its not an easy concept to understand and its not easy to gather from the articles written on the subject what exactly the end game is for people who feel victimized by "White Privilege". By that I mean, it isn't easy to understand..."what do these people want"? To better understand it, read: www.tennessean.com...

Ok I read it but I still don't get it.
Institutional racism and micro-aggressions?
This is the stuff socialist university professors dream up to validate their own racism.
What they construe as white privilege is actually economic privilege, something many well-to-do blacks engage in as well.
The waiter at the exclusive restaurant isn't looking down their nose at you for your skin color but the quality of your dress.
If you didn't get the job you applied for it was because you didn't have the experience or skills. If just having white skin got you anywhere why did I get turned down 50 times for every 1 job I found?

These new socialist claptrap phrases are only meant to heighten tensions between the races and keep the fires of resentment burning. I know what it's like to be poor and most of what they base their assertions on is economic in nature and not emotional. The final nail in their argument is they never stop to consider the racism coming from minorities and rationalize that it is impossible for them to be racist because they are minorities , say what??. I know blind hate when I see in someone's eyes, they mostly certainly can be racist.

originally posted by: Asktheanimals
a reply to: TonyS
Excellent post. Funny how white flight is viewed as racist but if whites move in to urban areas and real estate rates go up they say that's racism too. Btw, most blacks from the inner city who escape the cycle of poverty usually move out to the suburbs so there's no white flight, it's done for safety and for better schools for their children. I know because I did the exact same thing for those very reasons.

I agree most white Americans don't even consider race, yet that is considered racist too.
Can't win, can we?

Wrong! I've lived in Detroit all my life. I enjoy a middle class (all my life) life style and I travel and vacation often. I never felt the need to escape to the suburbs. I don't like the suburbs and I don't want to live among people who hate me just because of the way that I look.

a reply to: Teeky

The school my kids attended was about 95% black. We had the option of actually taking them to a different school where I was teaching at the time. My wife and I agreed that they should spend at least a couple of years in an environment where they were a minority and learn how to get along with other kids who weren't white. We did later move to another school where we felt they would receive a better education.

We still have no regrets and 20 years later both my sons work with inner city youth either through the school system or social services. After having stray bullets going through my window we felt we had no choice but to move out of the city. You may have your reasons for staying but may I ask do you have kids that are in school?
If so, would you take them to school elsewhere if that were an option for you?
I did say blacks who were successful mostly moved away, I never said those things applied universally.

If the premise was correct New Zealand's main centers would have been aflame in the 1990's. New Zealand removed import tariffs virtually all in one hit in 1984. Although Australia under took free market reforms in a more gradual reform the same point remains. New Zealand high rate of youth unemployment does pose long term social risks that in a worst case scenario could lead to Civil Unrest. Charter schools have the potential to knock the problem on the head in the long term.

The rioters are scrum bags who have no respect for society.What business would ever invest in an area that is subjugated by such people? Its like the people who place blatant lies on their CV. They make it more difficult for the honest people to obtain a job.

originally posted by: xpert11
If the premise was correct New Zealand's main centers would have been aflame in the 1990's. New Zealand removed import tariffs virtually all in one hit in 1984. Although Australia under took free market reforms in a more gradual reform the same point remains. New Zealand high rate of youth unemployment does pose long term social risks that in a worst case scenario could lead to Civil Unrest. Charter schools have the potential to knock the problem on the head in the long term.

Despite your assertion, the premise is correct, BUT New Zealand has a vastly different extended family structure and inter-family cooperation dynamics from those in the USA. Very simply, it is that "support structure" which is preventing riots in New Zealand stemming from the unemployed/underemployed. In the United States Americans still believe in what I call "lone-wolf boot-strapping", meaning, once you turn 18 you are on your own to get a job, build up savings, develop marketable jobs skills and pay for college etc. Outside of 3rd world countries ,we are the ONLY developed nation that believes this non-sense on a grand scale.

The old "boot-strapping" rules don't apply anymore and that's why you see immigrants taking over the USA (from a financial aspect) because they are pooling their family wealth (both the poor and rich) to buy everything out from under Americans, whom in contrast, refuse to pool resources with family.

For example Vietnamese immigrants share resources among family to start businesses and buy property. I'm not going to go into full detail, but in a nut shell, the way they do this, is EXACTLY the same way Jeff Bezos started Amazon. They ask a relative for a loan, and get initial job training and/or a personal favors DIRECTLY from family. Also, if you didn't know, the same thing goes for immigrant owned Donut, Liquor and Smoke shops in the USA. NONE of these immigrants get off the plane with nothing in their pockets and nowhere to go, NONE. Extended family ALWAYS takes them into their homes and businesses. Then 10 years later after saving up and learning the ropes of a family owned business, they go and start their own similar business, then claim to the media "I came here with nothing and now I am a millionaire". Conveniently these people ALWAYS leave out the details, that they didn't pay for food or rent during the first few years while living in the US and then later got a "family loan" to open their own business a few years later, AFTER they learned how the business was run, getting a LOT of help from family teaching them along the way. I suspect family support structures in New Zealand have far more in common with Vietnamese immigrants than they do with the average American family, whom is heavily invested in the myth of "boot strapping".

Americans simply don't have this kind of inter-family support system, never have and never will, because a majority of American born parents are brainwashed morons. I know first hand because I came from one of those "idiot American" brainwashed families that are still broke to this day. When I got to experience how Asians do things (through observing my wife's family), first hand, I was amazed how stupid American families are in contrast, "boot strapping" their way into poverty, while kicking kids out of the home at 18, that don't know how to survive, due to never being taught how to make money. The concept of "pooling resources" is so foreign to Americans and so strongly resisted, that most average Americans would prefer to be homeless and destitute, than to share resources cooperatively among extended family or children.

The true "Owners of Capital" have already won the cultural battle and have enslaved many generations of Americans, though brainwashing and the highly visible promotion of the "boot strapping" myth. Americans still think "boot strapping" will get them somewhere, when in reality, it takes a kid with money asking daddy to fund a "new business model" to find real success today.

Good job average Americans, give yourselves a BIG round of applause, you are ABSOLUTELY the product of your own stubborn belief in the myths, that were spoon fed to you by the true "Owners of Capital".

This is why Americans are more prone to rioting and New Zealander's are not, because unlike Americans New Zealander's know they can rely on family to get through tough times, pooling resources, if needed. Americans are too far gone to understand this concept and hence are forever doomed to only two choices, either rioting or not rioting.

a reply to: boohoo

So in other words you think the social fabric of New Zealand would prevent large scale civil unrest? New Zealand's social fabric was displayed in the wake of the Canterbury Earthquakes. I saw a very small part of how the community came together for the relief efforts.