The Atlas Society ^ | April 30, 2015 | Edward Hudgins
Baltimore Riots As Criminal Culture Writ Large By Edward Hudgins
The rioting in Baltimore represents criminal culture writ large. It is what happens every day on a smaller scale in poor minority communities: theft, vandalism, and violence.
The flames in Baltimore hideously illuminate the fact that the culture of the welfare state creates the criminals and rioters that plague this city in my native state.
The cycle of poverty and violence
The ostensive cause of the riots was outrage at the death of Freddie Gray, a young black drug dealer with a long rap sheet, whose spine was injured when he was arrested.
Let me be clear that whatever the outcome of the investigation into this particular case, police overreaction is a real problem nationwide. And yes, most of those in Baltimore who protested excessive police force were peaceful. And also many responsible black community leaders were in the streets urging those bent on destruction to stop. Especially heartbreaking were Pastor Donte Hickman’s efforts to stop the violence as the senior and community center that his group was constructing burned to the ground. And yes, poverty and a lack of economic opportunities create frustration and a sense of impotence. And yes, the failed schools do not prepare young people for jobs. And yes, these factors contribute to inner-city crime.
The rioting was followed by anguished politicians, community leaders, and citizens coming together to declare that such violence does not represent the community and must stop now, and that the underlying causes must be dealt with.
But we see on a smaller scale such sad scenes of crime and violence all the time in Baltimore and other cities across the country. A child is killed…
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TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; Extended News; News/Current Events; US: Maryland
KEYWORDS: baltimore; democrats; maryland; riots; thugs; welfarestate
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