Trayvon Martin and Sanford, FL (or really, California)

Trayvon Martin had been on suspension from school the day he died.  Apparently, drug residue had been found on his person.  Also, allegedly, he had been suspended before.

It was unclear why he wasn't at home.  One news story claims he was walking to his father's neighborhood in order to stay with him and to 'stay out of trouble'.  Not sure why his father didn't just pick him up after work or whatever.

Unfortunately for him, he walked through the wrong neighborhood. He was shot to death by a local resident named George Zimmerman (a half-white, half-hispanic male).

Versions are fuzzy and contradictory. Zimmerman claims Martin attacked him so he shot Martin in self defense; Martin's family claims Zimmerman attacked Martin and shot him in cold blood as he (Martin) tried to run away.

Whether Trayvon Martin was actually a criminal or not is irrelevant to this point.  We have recorded audio footage wherein the police specifically tell George Zimmerman NOT to get involved or approach Martin.  They told Zimmerman that they (the police) would handle it.  Zimmerman didn't listen, got into a scuffle with Martin, and now Martin is dead.

This whole incidence, in my opinion, was a misuse of the so-called "stand your ground" law.  That law was meant to protect you if your life happened to be in danger. It was not meant for you to go looking for trouble, getting in over your head, and then claiming "self-defense".

If Martin had not been suspended he might still be alive. If Martin hadn't been involved in drugs he might have not been suspended in the first place.  If Zimmerman had just kept his fat ass away and listened to the 911 dispatcher Martin might still be alive.  And, assuming Zimmerman was telling the truth (we'll never know), Martin might still be alive had he not attacked Zimmerman.  There are lots of 'ifs' in this tragedy.

Predictably there were nationwide protests.

Even though the Trayvon Martin killing occurred in Florida, that did not stop residents all the way on the other side of the country in California from rioting.

Thankfully, these demonstrations were tame compared to those that occurred in Ferguson, MO and Baltimore MD for Michael Brown and Freddie Gray (respectively).

As if traffic wasn't bad enough in San Francisco - now you got some fat bitch 'sieg heiling' in front of your car, while a "creepy azz cracka" with a camera is trying to look inside your window.

A disgrace to punk rockers everywhere: A Crass fan trips and falls over his own Doc Martens in Los Angeles.

BART (bay area rapid transit) police car smashed in Oakland. The rioters "protesters" must have confused Trayvon Martin with Oscar Grant.  These people be racist and shit acting like all black people look alike - gnome sayin'?  Sheeeit.

Oakland

Not sure what the empty storefront did to deserve such a blatant act of vandalism. Or maybe he's part of Oaktown's Glazier's Union Local 169 out to create more jobs - but I doubt it.

Dogwood Restaurant in Oakland.  It's an uphill battle trying to bring some class and cash into this perpetually ghetto town. Gnome sayin'?

Is it just me, or is that a creepy-ass haircut?

Eric Garner and New York City, NY

Eric Garner did not deserve to die for what he did (illegally selling cigarettes).  However, because he was engaged in illegal activity, he attracted the attention of the cops.  And because he chose to be an idiot and argue/fight with the cops, they had to subdue him.  And no, that picture of him in a tuxedo does nothing for me.

Allegedly, he also had health problems.  Why would you get into a scuffle with the police? Lord knows.  Did he have a death wish?  Or did he wish to repeat that lame-ass scene in the movie "Crash"?  He's no Terrence Howard.

(I mean the movie is lame, not Mr. Howard)

In Garner's case, we can hear him saying "I can't breathe".  At the time, it would be hard to tell if he was just saying it to be difficult or to engage in hyperbole.  In hindsight, he was apparently being sincere.

The New York City PIG Police Department is one of the few police forces that I actually do have some prejudice against.  Just the stories I hear. Just some of the pictures I've seen of them. The arrogant scowls, the thuggish demeanor.  I'm still shocked by the story where they tried to have one of their own (whose father was also a cop) committed to a mental institution for whistle blowing.  I don't have respect for a force that does something like that.

I know not all NYPD are like this. I know there are some good cops, and I know cops all over the country have a tough job keeping our streets safe (and most of us will never realize how hard they have it).  However, In this case, they went over the line.

To the credit of the protesters (or maybe people were scared to riot in NYC), the demonstrations against pig police brutality in New York City were very civil for the most part. People made their point without destruction (at least, none that I saw).  That should be lauded.  If only all protests were like that.

Ironically, the small amount of ghetto behavior we saw came not from NYC, but from the opposite side of the country, in one of the bastions of higher education - University of California Berkeley.  Berkeley cops appeared to be just as ghetto, though.

Stonehenge, Spinal Tap? No, Berkeley Police

Bane wannabe giving the bird - "The police will survive as they learn to serve true justice."

Skate or get gassed, brah

All this guy needs is a cowboy hat and a colt .45 revolver. Yee Haw!!!!!!

 

I went to my physics study group and all I got was this lousy choke hold.

OMG you'll never guess what happened to me. There was this really mean jerky cop with a big fanny pack attached to his leg, swinging this scary axe at me or maybe it was a bat but what---ever. Like seriously Britney, he was so scary.  I thought I was totally going to die. Caitlin and Makenzie are going to FLIP OUT when I tell them . . .

This protester apparently tried to prevent people from vandalizing the local Radio Shack, and was beat up for it.  As they say, no good deed will go unpunished.

There were also "die-ins" (the lying down equivalent of sit-ins) at Grand Central Station in New York and the railroad tracks in Berkeley.

Lying down or sleeping on tracks or in train stations is pretty ghetto, or at least very hobo.  Not violent, just annoying for people who need to get home and feed their kids. But since none of the people engaging in this behavior appear to be 'parent' types, they have no idea.

New York City:

How much longer do I have to lie here

I hope they mopped the floors last night. But just in case, I'm showering when I get home. Know what I'm saying, dog? (gnome sayin' dawg?)

Berkeley:

Does anybody have any rope?  The Hooded Claw? Snidely Whiplash?  The Pace Picante Sauce cowboys? Anybody?

Freddie Gray and Baltimore, MD

A lot of controversy surrounds Freddie Gray. One story says he may have had a history of “cash for crash” (intentionally injuring himself to collect insurance money). Another story says he was flinging himself inside the police van during his arrest in order to injure himself (and therefore sue for police brutality; this would be consistent with the ‘cash for crash’ story). There is also a rumor that he had had spinal surgery before his arrest (though this one might just be a rumor, as I have not seen it repeated in any reliable news sources).

I wasn’t there so I can’t say. However, I can say that I have seen pictures of him getting arrested and he does not look like he is being unnecessarily manhandled. In fact, he looks like he’s resisting arrest by trying not to stand up and dragging his feet. This would of course result in you being manhandled.  Not that he deserved to die; he most certainly did not.  Also, unlike Michael Brown, there is no mention of Freddie Gray threatening the police.  However, he was no saint either. Seems like he had a criminal past.

But why would you run when you see a cop? That’s basically admitting guilt. Any street smart 2-bit hoodlum knows to act like nothing’s going on, or to walk away nonchalantly when the heat is around. Was it Freddie Gray’s plan to get arrested on purpose? I don’t have any answers, just questions.

Regardless, what people would suspect happen, did. Senseless rioting and looting. More “black lives matter” hypocrisy. More race baiting. More ghetto trash behavior, egged on or condoned by their politically-correct enablers.  2014 and 2015. I fail to see how this behavior honors people (innocent or otherwise) who have died at the hands of law enforcement.  Even Rodney King (who did not deserve to get beat the way he did, despite being a criminal) went on the air and asked people not to destroy their communities. But as I said in my initial rant, ghetto savages don't care about anyone or anything. Their actions are solely for self-gratification.

Baltimore: Birthplace of the Star Spangled Banner. Oh say - can't you see with that thing on your windshield? Oops my bad.

 Here we go again . . .

Welcome to Baltimore, bitches. Enjoy your stay.

Popping a wheelie in front of the burning police vehicles.  Just another day in the hood

Exit stage left. Panhandler, Protester, or Gibsmedat?  Baseball fans being harassed by a couple of 'youths' on their way to Camden Yards

Fans outside the gate - admission to a different game was cancelled due to possibility of 'unrest'. Why? Whenever I go to ball games, there are always troublemakers of the "bro" and "ghetto" variety, even in the absence of a riot outside the park.  Which is why I hate going to ball games.

Actually, I might rather enjoy watching a game like this. No drunken bro-type neanderthals and/or ghetto thugs anywhere in site.  Still, must suck for the players.

How NOT to do the 'Running Man' - on top of a police car.  Just sayin'.

Looks like Baltimore needs a new anti-litter slogan. Somebody get Sheila Dixon on the phone.

 As bad as the cops might appear in the United States, they are actually pretty restrained. Had the idiot ghetto thug in this picture tried to stare down a cop in say, Latin America or Africa, he would have been sent to jail (and possibly slapped around on the way there). He probably has yet to experience REAL oppression.

 

Here he is again. I guess he's going down the line.  Too bad; in another life he might have been a drill sergeant. But here he just looks like another loud-mouthed fool.

Another staring contest. Or he might just be serenading the cop with a choice tune from N.W.A. or Snoop Doggy Dog.

Just imagine if the community showed this much unity and love all year round.  I'm not holding my breath, though.

The world is your oyster. Or in this case, your front porch is the street, where you can sit back and watch life go by in your neighborhood whilst drinking lemonade, or if your prefer, munching on looted goodies - gnome sayin'?

Note CVS bag being carried by guy on the right (the CVS Pharmacy on Pennsylvania and North Avenue was looted during the riots)

CVS bag

More looters . . .

Once you pop, the fun don't stop.  Pringles chips and Arizona Tea.

I guess if you're going to loot, might as well get the best: Angel Soft Toilet Paper.

  Pouring lighter fluid on what looks like about 11 or 12 burning propane canisters

No doubt a future Nobel laureate who would have made great advances in the field of thermodynamics (had he not been prevented from reaching his full potential by whitey).  Candidacy for the Darwin Award however looks promising.

Another view of the burning propane canisters in front of CVS.  Where da barbecue at, dawg?

This police car has seen better days. I hate to think what they would have done to Herbie.

One more for the family album. Everyone smile and flip the bird!

Any sane person would get out of the way of a line of charging cops, but this dumb bitch just doesn't get it.

"Man, get the f*ck out my face with that sh*t.  Don't play little man, or I'll slap the black outta you.  And pull your GD pants up!"      At least, that's what I would like to think was going through the police officer's mind as he walked past the protester/misguided youth/honor student/etc (whatever the PC crowd wants to call him).  One can dream . . . .

Biz Markie wannabe getting in the way of the Five-O.

 

This girl was allegedly screaming "kill me" at the police.  So much for "#blacklivesmatter".  Would she be upset if the police obliged her?

Another narcissistic protester.  "Don't run me over, my back hurts!!"

Cigarettes can kill. As can rioting.

Is this what it comes down to now?  Only black cops can arrest black people, and white cops can only arrest white people?

Who invited Al Qaeda?  And more importantly, where's the arab cop?

Are the cameras rolling? OK girl, start cryin'.

Injured police officer being carried away.  Try to keep the peace in "The Bricks", possibly get hit by a brick.

What you wont' see on TV - black racists 'activists' beating up whitey.

A movie screen shot of the T-1000 walking through post-apocalyptic Los Angeles from the movie 'Terminator 2: Judgment day'.    Just kidding - This is actually Baltimore 2015 after the Freddie Gray riots.  You were close, though.

Mmm-Hmm . . . Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake after giving the rioters 'protesters' "space to destroy" the city. Press conference brought to you by Under Armour.

Will the real Freddie Gray please approach the front?  Apparently Freddie Gray is not dead, it's just that no one recognized him with that white skin.

And let's hope you stay that way (his momma better do her job)

This is not the Baltimore Running Festival (in case you were wondering).

Looting the CVS - don't forget the Froot Loops

CVS must have run out of Angel Soft. But don't fret - They will be sure to stock up before the next riot.  Gnome sayin'?

CVS store/pharmacy, post-riots.  Looks like Little Debbie Honey buns and Chocolate Chip Creme Pies were a hit. Arizona Teas not so much.

7-Eleven store on St Paul street. Could they at least have the decency to close the refrigerator doors after they were done looting?  They probably left empty milk cartons in there, too.

The looters paid a visit to this wig store.

. . . and to Sneaky Feet. Orioles color all the way.

Business owner surveys the damage to his store.

Store worker cleans debris post-riots.

Worker boards up windows/doors in anticipation of more rioting.

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra gives free concert in order to 'bring the people together' after the riots.  Good intentions to be sure, but I'm reminded of the band playing as the Titanic was sinking.

As in Ferguson for Michael Brown (see my previous blog post), this is the image that the PC Police have chosen to be representative of the Baltimore riots protest.

Not sure what to make of this one.  But according the the caption, "the mood is festive while awaiting the verdict of the 6 officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray".  Just like central park on a balmy day in springtime, you can feel the love.

"Will you wait for me? Yes!"  After spending the night in jail, a recently released female protester has a moment (and a smoke) with her boyfriend in her pink Under Armour hoodie.

L'Chaim!!  Protesters celebrate conviction of 6 police officers in the death of Freddie Gray.  Under Armour gear seems to be the thing.

'We're all in the same gang' - Rival gang members come together to celebrate the downfall of their common enemy, the poe-leece.  Don't you know we've got to put our heads together?

Freddie's dead, but don't let that bring the party down. What's more important is that those pigs are guilty!! Awwwwww-yeaaaaah!  Ya feel me!

Not sure why this incident was considered white racism, since half the cops were black. But I've given up trying to understand.  Nothing makes sense anymore.

But let's cry tears of joy anyway, even if we never even knew Freddie Gray personally and didn't care who he was until now.

________________________________

I'd like to end with the following:  The Southern Baptist Church was building senior housing and a community center on Gay Street and Chester Street. It was still under construction when it was burned to the ground by the rioting.

According to the Baltimore Post Examiner, the (black) pastors had this to say:


“For eight years, we’ve been envisioning how we can bring about change, make necessary health transformation and revitalization. Provide work force development initiatives, behavioral counseling, HIV-Aids testing, and mortgage lending services. And at the same time, provide affordable housing for senior citizens. We need to see change and investment in our community. This fire has lit a fire in us to do even more.”

Hickman noted that the sad irony of the incident is that, as the project he has shepherded for so long was going up in flames, he was on the west side of Baltimore with the men of Shiloh Baptist trying to quiet the fierce unrest.

* * * * *

Apryl Deal and Aris Oliver, both members of the Southern Baptist Church, talked about loss.

“This project meant a lot to the community,” explained Aris. “This was going to be our senior apartment building. The structure, the actual framing was up; you started to be able to see the rooms. You were beginning to see things actually develop, and for it to be burned down is very heartbreaking. It was a place where our seniors would be able to come and live and still be close to the church. What better way to build up the community than by having somewhere for our seniors to go that will be safe?”

Apryl added, “I believe the pastors were also planning on building a children’s recreation center. There was a lot of work put into this.”

* * * * *

State Delegate Talmadge Branch (D) represents the area while serving as Majority Whip in the Maryland House of Delegates.

"I just don’t understand what is happening to young people today. They’ve got to understand that they are taking people out of jobs. This is gonna cost the church double to even put it back. It’s just heartbreaking. We had great hopes for the what church was doing with this property. This community was rebuilding and to see it now reminds me of 1968. When Dr. King was assassinated, this area of Gay Street was nothing but stores. To see what that looks like today with no stores and no job opportunities and to see it continue today with this fire is what is really heartbreaking.

“I travel nationally, and I’m sure my colleagues will be asking about Baltimore and to see what Baltimore is doing now is somewhat embarrassing.”


[The whole article can be read at]:
http://baltimorepostexaminer.com/baltimore-riots-give-rise-to-courage-and-hope-in-wake-of-devastation/2015/04/29

___________________________


I'm shaking my head as I type this.  All I have left to say for this post is the following:


Instead of saying f**k the police, we should instead be saying f**k those stupid rioters and looters.  F**k those stupid gang members, criminals, and thugs.  F**k all these single moms and deadbeat dads who don't do sh*t and don't raise their kids right.  F**k all these ghetto lowlifes.  They are the real enemies of our communities.  And they are enemies of society.

Gnome sayin'?


Congratulations, Baltimore.