Decision in Baltimore....people are talking
Publisher’s note: On Friday, several friends of mine were discussing on a Facebook thread what I refer to as the “racial crisis du jour” up in Baltimore. Specifically, they were responding to the decision to charge the officers involved in the case of Freddie Gray made by the State’s Attorney for Baltimore, Marilyn Mosby.
One of those friends, Anne Bosworth, who is among other things a mom, an educator, and a Patriot through and through had the following to say about that decision and how it was arrived at, and I felt it needed to be seen by more than just those on that particular thread.
Frankly, I couldn’t agree with her more on all points.
Anne Bosworth: I don't know what the appropriate procedures are, but my beliefs are as follows:
1. None of this happens if you don't run from the cops and resist arrest
2. Most likely, none of this happens if you're not a dude of any color with a long rap sheet and drug history.
3. If officers were negligent they deserve to be appropriately charged.
4. I heard that the whole business about required seatbelt is something different than what she is citing, and that there are legitimate, legal reasons why someone would not be seat belted in this situation.
5. If it turns out that this case is being used to appease and empower black communities God help us all. No justice, no peace is a threat against innocent and guilty people alike, and encouraging that rhetoric is dangerous.
6. The assclowns who want to keep throwing money and entitlements at these communities, without holding recipients accountable to take positive responsibility for changing their lives, are more dangerous than all the thugs and anarchists combined.
7. In real life everywhere among us, there will always be poor people. We don't strive to keep them poor. It just is. There are poor communists, socialists, and everything else under the sun. Throwing money at them will never change that, but encouraging a society that ministers to the poor, through the tenets of civil service and religious faith, is healthier than perpetuating the rhetoric of racism, oppression, and godlessness. You cannot claim that you have inalienable rights endowed by the Creator, but then kick the Creator out of the public square. That breeds trouble faster than you can pass an act to invest billions in "progressive" agendas.
8. Some people will always be bigots. You can't legislate common sense. That said, no one is a bigot for expecting any group of people to behave like decent, law abiding citizens rather than as ignorant, entitled thugs working the system. If you are on welfare but use your limited resources for tattoos, gold teeth, jewelry, tricked out cars, drugs, alcohol, etc. don't expect to win friends and positively influence people.
9. If you are capable of effectively disabling an entire major city police force, then you are capable of standing up to drugs, gangs, and crime in your communities.
10. Unless you are faithfully attending school and doing your part to learn the essentials of reading, writing, speaking, and behaving among others whom you claim as your oppressors, don't complain to me that the racists are holding you down. If your neighborhoods' grade school attendance and graduation rate is atrociously low, then you're not doing your part to change your life.
11. (Bonus) The legacy of slavery in this country is disgusting and everyone should be appalled by any kind of slavery anywhere. Though it has been over for years, it is foolish to think that any of us are exempt from feeling its vile sting. That said, there comes a point when the apology has to be corporately accepted once and for all so healing and forgiveness and healthy relationships can be established. The vast majority of us are already doing that, but if you insist on being someone who will never be satisfied unless and until you take your revenge then there will never be justice or peace anywhere ever.