Some Post-Non-Riot Notes

[pantryslut]

* I have had my fill of alarmist commentary for the next decade, at least.

* I clearly have a different definition of "destroyed" than some folks. For example, I haven't gone to see the damage down the hill at Whole Foods but trust me, the building is still standing.

* I may have a different definition of "rioting," too. ETA: and "violence."

* Or maybe I am just not so scared of broken glass.

* I love my family b/c they understood immediately when I told them I was most worried about more police violence. Of course, speaking of riots especially as contrasted to protests, it occurred to me that my parents live in a town that seems to have at least one annual public disruption due to sports victories and/or defeats. And let's not forget that I grew up with an annual weekend party that festooned a certain (white, if I need to say it) neighborhood with torched couches and, yes, broken glass. In the "'burbs," people!

* QOTD because I can't say it any better: Jesper Andersen (jandersen on Twitter, with credit to whittles for passing it on): "The dehumanization of Oakland's citizens that assumes they will riot is the same dehumanization that leads cops to shoot them in the back."

Comments

[kalmn.livejournal.com]

can your parents call my parents and fill them in? because this is a discussion i'm not looking forward to having.

[pantryslut.livejournal.com]

Well, I did need to have A Discussion With My Father after he watched "Gang Wars: Oakland" the other day. But it helps that he grew up in Chicago.

[irontongue.livejournal.com]

Yeah - the news report last night sounded as though ten thousand people were tearing down every skyscraper in Oakland brick by brick, while the video kept showing the same tiny amount of damage, cops trotting around, etc. Hello? There were, what, 50 to 100 people doing a tiny amount of damage? This is a riot? No it is not!