Does rioting really help at all? This is what comes to mind for me every time I have heard that rioting has broken out anywhere. I am going to explore this phenomenon where people either go crazy, with grief or anger or hate, and destroy their surroundings for no go reason.
Last night Baltimore experienced rioting over the fact that a man named Freddy Grey was injured by the police and died on April 19th. The riot started on the day of his funeral and has destroyed or badly damaged many community institutions. Such as senior housing, the under construction Mary Harvin Transformation Center and other needed community facilities. What possible purpose does this destruction serve and why did the mob of people who did this not heed the cries of the victim’s family not to do what they did, but instead hold a peaceful protest as the family requested them to do so.
Is it the crowd mentality that starts a riot or is it that some outsiders with their own agenda take control and use rioting as an excuse to further their cause? People do have a tendency to be followers more than thinking for themselves. After all it is easier to let others do the thinking than it is to think for one’s self! Or does the criminal element take over because there is usually the element of breaking into stores and stealing merchandise?
The local gang leaders of the Crips and Bloods both told their members not to riot; they should be commended for doing that. So instead of rehashing what other have said on the subject of why I will direct you to the following links-
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Now I will have my say and tell you what I think. It is not just a simple need to vent one’s frustration over some real or perceived wrong doing by the authorities, be they the police, the local or national government or some other organized group. No real justification can be used to reasonably absolve those of rioting and especially those who loot the neighborhood stores. There does seem built into the human psyche the need to vent one’s frustrations over a real or perceived injustice. The usual (conventional) thing to due is to gather with a group of similar thinking persons and protest. That is fine and I whole heartily support doing just that, but somehow there is always someone(s) who want to bend the crowd to their will. They want to use the cover of a riot to let them steal from others and/or destroy property because it gives them an illusion of power.
The crowd mentality kicks in and people can be swayed to do anything that they might remotely think is justified in their way of thinking. While I am not an expert in the psychology of this phenomenon that is what I think.
And now I just want to close with the following-
Nothing can justify destroying or stealing others property and rioting does not do any good at all! In fact it does more harm than any good that those who participated in it might lead us to think so in their justification in participating. If you follow them they will lead you down the path of your moral destruction.
On the other hand there is nothing wrong in participating in a peaceful protest and I encourage such behavior.
That is my opinion- Jumpin Jersey Mike
