WE.CONNECT.DOTS: That racism has not recessed as much as we believe will be part of Barack Obama’s legacy as the 44th President. He deserves the charge because he expended too much of his presidency convincing White America he was one of them while skirting the issues of Black America.
That events of the last few months would happen was certain. Also likely is the President’s Justice Department knew relations in America’s cities were not improving. For over six years, a black Eric Holder passed for Obama’s Attorney-General. He ignored the simmering.
There has probably been some improvement since the race riots of 1968, but not nearly as much as hoped. Baltimore is a glaring example.
Gatehouse Media’s blogger Matt Mangino was a member of the PA Board of Probation and Parole and now practices law in New Castle and teaches at Thiel College in Greenville. He writes this morning:
“In 1968, the carnage in Baltimore and more than 100 other major cities was worse than what was observed this week. Although the buildings ablaze and police dressed in riot gear evoked images of 1968 – it could not compare to the days following the murder of Rev. King.”
Still, that the relationships between the cops and Blacks had not improved as much as believed was surprising. Recall in 1968 there were hardly any black police. In 2015, — with the exception of Ferguson, MO – Afro-Americans constitute a significant part of America’s police forces.
Emboldened by riot training and equipment hand downs from Homeland Security, police departments in America appear more militarized every day. Smaller departments – even more devastated by funding problems – no longer patrol and develop relationships with the people they protect.
Body cameras appear to be an instant solution, but that indicates distrust. Both Cops and citizens believe the cameras will help their cause, but does nothing to improve relations.
Black Cops seem to be fraternally siding with their white brethren in crushing Blacks taken into custody. Incarceration of Freddie Gray appears to indicate that. Of the six Baltimore police officers arrested for various crimes involving Mr. Gray, up to and including homicide, three are Blacks.
Correct or not, many observers ranked Baltimore at less than salvageable.
The city fell farther – for two centuries known as a railroad town, trains taking cargo inland unloaded at Baltimore Port nationwide. There was always its proximity to Washington, indicating it would get more Federal attention.
Time Magazine reports there are 16,000 vacant homes in the city. Population appears to stabilize at 600,000 from a peak of nearly one million. Many of the 1,000 Baltimore businesses burned in the 1968 riots never re-opened.
The place to go for crab cakes or shopping at the Inner Harbor, nevertheless Baltimore seethes underneath. Business owners spurned efforts to raise minimum wage, sparking confrontations with low paid workers. As it is, several black neighborhoods have 50 per cent unemployment.
Some equate Baltimore with what was depicted in the crime drama series “Wire” that cranked out 60 episodes in and around Baltimore for HBO from 2002-2008. “Wire” only pulled average ratings and never won an award, but some critics believed it the greatest TV drama of all and the series had a cult following. “Wire” was about drugs effecting schools, city hall, police, etc.
With six and nearly-a-half years of continuing big city deterioration coming under Obama’s watch, what gets our President’s attention? First, there are zoning changes necessary in Chicago where he plans to over-build his Presidential Library. Then there is the ongoing battle with Democrats who are bitterly opposed to his Trans Pacific Partnership. If the history of NAFTA prevails for this trade treaty, even more Blacks will suffer unemployment.
Bottom Line: This string of incidents involving possible mistreatment of Blacks by Cops already gives pause to the Democrat Presidential campaign. Now Hillary and anyone who challenges her will spend valuable time telling us how they will address problems of the poor. Originally, this campaign was intended to be all about the middle class.
