Mass Baltimore protest, and riots that followed Freddie Gray's funeral also a brief interview with protesters

Riot Ensues:

B-13 Peer Review : 

I went to interview some of the youth that wished to remain anonymous. I was a bit surprised to find that there was some rhyme and reason to their discord. Now some of you may be a bit puritanical about the idea of social unrest, and violence. I must admit that I would not commit any of the bespattering acts, but I certainly understand why based on the info obtained as to why the youth felt the need to. I have to say I was a bit judgmental upon hearing of the discord caused by the youth, until now. 

I approached one young lady about 25 years of age she has no kids and is college educated. There was a crowd of younger citizens that started to surround her once they realized that someone was listening. She informed me that the government cut the food stamps from $126 month to $81 month, they Cut the cash and delayed the payment for about two weeks for all depending on public aid. 

B-13:
"Well what we need to do is vote and hold the elected official to task!" 

Anonymous #1 : (At this point there were several teens and young adults around )
"We do vote!" (They all said simultaneously) but it don't make a difference." 

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"You have to stay engaged hold them accountable." "We have to vote in our own politicians and keep them to task or recall them like California did."

Anonymous # 1 : "I'm gonna keep on voting because my ancestors died so that I can have the right to vote, but will it make a difference?" (rhetorical) 

Anonymous #2 : "They gonna do what they want to anyway this is no democracy!" "They undermine the vote they got all that s**t rigged" "No matter what you vote they gonna put who they want to in that office anyway!"

Anonymous #1 : " Look check this out the cops that killed Gray, they ain't gonna do nothing to them." How is it that they got paid leave after killing a man?!" If that were one of us we would be in jail awaiting bail for at the very least negligence." "Look! : (As she uses her right index finger pulling down her left fingers as if to make bullet points.)

- "They deprive us of the basic necessities in life. 
- "They killin us."
- "There are no jobs all the jobs that teens used to have are all gone."
- "Then they gonna cut our food stamps and the check, who can live off of $81 a month to feed themselves?"
- "Man, people are tired!"  

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"Wow I didn't know all this was going on!" (I don't know about anyone else. It seems to me that there was an elephant in the peaceful rallies that was full to the point of bursting at the seems; and it did.)

Anonymous #1 : "Yeah man that is why they feel like they do." "The first of last month people went to go get food but the card did not work and they said that the machines were down, they didn't get the money for 2 weeks, Man no one wants to deal with that." " People gotta eat." "They feel like if you won't give it to us we will take it."

(Voice in the background) "I hope they burn down BGE my bill is due!"

The crowd erupts with laughter...

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After the brief but insightful interview, I left the interview thinking they are right they are not being heard. The mainstream media just wants to label these people thugs and put them away. They give serial killers more respect in terms of wanting to know what makes them do what they do! They have declared Baltimore as in a state of emergency just this day April 26, 2015 but after talking with these young people Baltimore has been in a state of emergency; the people who are elected, or according to them, selected are not listening. 

Now do I think that what they did was right, I have to say I don't know... But one thing is for sure people are listening and talking more in depth about not just Freddie Gray but about, race, religion, American History in relation to one of the greatest holocausts (Africans in America) of world history and how it relates to what is going on now.

Editors Thoughts : It is my hope that this great city gets it together and that they would pull themselves up by the boot straps and solve their (our) own problems. Not lean on the politicians to solve their problems but to get out of their way in their efforts to bring resolve. Just as Barack Obama said (and I am no fan) going into this office he can not do it by himself... 

This government (The grand experiment democracy) was designed to have every man try his own soul. Freedom is the most basic, and fundamental cornerstone of this government, but somehow it is going awry when our most impressionable youth are not, playing sports, nor a part of the high school orchestra, nor the high school marching band, nor aspiring thespians in high school plays, nor the high school cheer leading practice, nor in the high school band, nor in the glee club, nor at recreation centers... ! However, they are bogged down with the things that they should not be concerned about at such a tender age.

We all have to ask ourselves what direction are we going into? Why are the adults silent? I don't know about anyone else, but I felt a kind of excitement about what the kids did. It was an outward expression of my inward unrest. I was numb as I was on the light rail and every station was shutting down as the train attempted to come to a stop. It was as if somehow the train was just a step behind the rioters. I couldn't honestly say the kids was wrong... All I could say was I understand but I would not have done it that way; it became my banter. Nonetheless, I was a bit embarrassed once I discovered that the rioters were children.

I felt like all the debating I do with friends was all talk but no action, I felt that our kids were leading the way. I could not speak against it but, I could not agree. I felt the very same inward frustration.

I think my people have to have a very real conversation about about the state of affairs in the black community. We have to take politics seriously, we have to protect our children!

Out of the mouth of babes...!
- WillyBill