# WTF Baltimore? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 27, 2015, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-baltimore/718677 "2015-04-27T22:01:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-baltimore/718677/141 "2015-04-28T15:45:59Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > I have great faith in your ability to get things done. The City of Baltimore would probably reward you for settling this rock-and-bottle concerto. I’ll keep your endorsement of me in mind for some useful opportunity, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-baltimore/718677/142 "2015-04-28T15:48:06Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > In this particular case, it certainly sounds like the original Rawlings-Blake (aka the government) statement could have been taken as an invitation to commit violence, if the listener was looking for an excuse to commit violence. > [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Not to any reasonable person, no. Who’s suggesting that rioters, looters, arsonists, and terrorists are reasonable persons? Especially after they’ve looted and burned the liquor stores, and consumed all of the rum. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/FTi40w0nLgo/hqdefault.jpg "But why is the Rum Gone?!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTi40w0nLgo) ---
**Author:** ![Lemmytheseal2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/82dd89/32.png) [@Lemmytheseal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemmytheseal2)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-baltimore/718677/143 "2015-04-28T15:58:29Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > So CNN is now “right wing”? > [@Omar\_Little](#): > > You’re right Lemmy. All things are relative. From your perspective, I can see how you would think CNN was right wing. That’s what the term means. It’s indicative of the massive shift to the right in this country (among others) in recent decades that corporate media sources aren’t universally seen as the establishment mouthpieces that they are. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-baltimore/718677/144 "2015-04-28T16:03:52Z")
Why are people so intent on defending this ridiculous interpretation of what she said? It should be obvious to any thinking person that she didn’t mean that she intentionally allowed people to riot, and the context shows that she didn’t. This constant nonsensical twisting of people’s words makes public discourse difficult if not impossible. The speaker has to parse every damn word to make sure that it can’t be edited to mean something completely different. This stifles communication. It’s destructive to Democracy (and yes, the left does it at times, although I would argue not as often and not so insistently). I see this game over and over. Something is twisted and taken out of context in the worst possible way. When the “error” is pointed out, either the correction is ignored or, if that becomes difficult, then it becomes the speaker’s fault for not stating it differently. If he or she had stated it differently, some other way of twisting it would have been found. It’s stupid. It’s destructive. There’s no good excuse for it! ---
**Author:** ![FuriousGeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecae2f/32.png) [@FuriousGeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FuriousGeorge)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-baltimore/718677/145 "2015-04-28T16:04:51Z")
So there is an inherent right to peacefully protest and assemble. Once it is no longer peaceful,“Game over, man.” Protest over. The police and/or National Guard and/or whatever authorities are needed to clear the area are obligated to do just that. Any of the other logistics in terms of when can the protesting resume, who gets arrested for the violence, how much time is allowed to clear, etc. can be established by process and conditions at the time. The fact that those that created the violence and shut down the protest for those remaining peaceful is the sole responsibility of those that created the violence. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-baltimore/718677/146 "2015-04-28T16:10:11Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > How truther-y of you. That’s more than a little amusing coming from somebody accusing the mayor of a major city of inviting its denizens to riot. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-baltimore/718677/147 "2015-04-28T16:12:09Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > That’s more than a little amusing coming from somebody accusing the mayor of a major city of inviting its denizens to riot. Definitely not. She didn’t invite them to do it. She just gave them space. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-baltimore/718677/148 "2015-04-28T16:14:12Z")
I thought you were better than that. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-baltimore/718677/149 "2015-04-28T16:15:44Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I thought you were better than that. “That’s more than a little amusing coming from somebody accusing the mayor of a major city of inviting its denizens to riot.” Is that the example of your thinking? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-baltimore/718677/150 "2015-04-28T16:20:59Z")
[Interesting take from one of the owners of the Baltimore Orioles.](http://www.democraticunderground.com/1017261917) I agree with much of this. The riots are a symptom of an even greater tragedy, the wars that the elite have waged on the middle class and poor. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-baltimore/718677/151 "2015-04-28T16:24:23Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > The right to “peacefully protest” ends when people around you are throwing rocks at police, burning cars and looting stores. The people who violated that right are not the police. It’s the people committing the violent acts. Once the police catch/arrest/disperse the violent thugs, your right to peacefully protest resumes. So the police, in stopping the violence, is in fact upholding your right to peacefully protest. Again, the question is, do you really not see that there’s a balancing act involved? On this street, people are protesting peacefully. One street over, they’re shouting “Kill the Pigs.” What do you do? Except now they’re throwing rocks. Except now they’re setting buildings on fire. Except now they’re twenty streets over. Except now there are some people among the peaceful protestors wearing black balaclavas. Except now the police have arrested the rock throwers, but the peaceful protestors are including some more black bloc anarchists. You genuinely don’t see any sort of balancing act involved? It’s all very simple to you? ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-baltimore/718677/152 "2015-04-28T16:26:13Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > [Interesting take from one of the owners of the Baltimore Orioles.](http://www.democraticunderground.com/1017261917) I agree with much of this. The riots are a symptom of an even greater tragedy, the wars that the elite have waged on the middle class and poor. Sure that’s certainly part of the discussion. I don’t understand the infantile nature of this thread. Why do people waste their time on writing messages that insults their intelligence never mind the rest of us? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-baltimore/718677/153 "2015-04-28T16:26:16Z")
People, people, people … **Terr** rivals **adaher** ’s [track record](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=700971) and [should not be taken seriously](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=18230555). ---
**Author:** ![FuriousGeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecae2f/32.png) [@FuriousGeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FuriousGeorge)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-baltimore/718677/154 "2015-04-28T16:27:34Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > [Interesting take from one of the owners of the Baltimore Orioles.](http://www.democraticunderground.com/1017261917) I agree with much of this. The riots are a symptom of an even greater tragedy, the wars that the elite have waged on the middle class and poor. Absolute horse shit. The riots were an opportunity to a free pass of mayhem taken from a movie. Not one of the rioters gave a rat’s ass about Freddie Gray, social injustice or the plight of the poor and working classes in the struggle against the elitist racists of America. This was an opportunity for some people to commit violence, get some free shit and cause trouble with minimal risk in paying for it. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-baltimore/718677/155 "2015-04-28T16:30:15Z")
> [@FuriousGeorge](#): > > The fact that those that created the violence and shut down the protest for those remaining peaceful is the sole responsibility of those that created the violence. You don’t associate the violence with the police officers who broke a mans neck and who later died? ---
**Author:** ![FuriousGeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecae2f/32.png) [@FuriousGeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FuriousGeorge)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-baltimore/718677/156 "2015-04-28T16:31:08Z")
> [@up\_the\_junction](#): > > You don’t associate the violence with the police officers who broke a mans neck and who later died? No, not one of the violent protesters gave a shit about Freddie Gray. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-baltimore/718677/157 "2015-04-28T16:32:00Z")
> [@FuriousGeorge](#): > > No, not one of the violent protesters gave a shit about Freddie Gray. Right. They’re all about some free vitamins. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-baltimore/718677/158 "2015-04-28T16:32:24Z")
> [@FuriousGeorge](#): > > Absolute horse shit. The riots were an opportunity to a free pass of mayhem taken from a movie. Not one of the rioters gave a rat’s ass about Freddie Gray, social injustice or the plight of the poor and working classes in the struggle against the elitist racists of America. This was an opportunity for some people to commit violence, get some free shit and cause trouble with minimal risk in paying for it. So you’re able to read the mind of every single rioter. That’s quite an ability. I have no doubt that many were opportunists, but “not one” is a pretty strong statement. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-baltimore/718677/159 "2015-04-28T16:32:39Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Again, the question is, do you really not see that there’s a balancing act involved? > > On this street, people are protesting peacefully. One street over, they’re shouting “Kill the Pigs.” What do you do? > > Except now they’re throwing rocks. > > Except now they’re setting buildings on fire. > > Except now they’re twenty streets over. > > Except now there are some people among the peaceful protestors wearing black balaclavas. > > Except now the police have arrested the rock throwers, but the peaceful protestors are including some more black bloc anarchists. > > You genuinely don’t see any sort of balancing act involved? It’s all very simple to you? Yes, it is. And you know it is. If there is violence (anything verbal is not violence, wearing balaclavas is not violence), the police go in and stop it. With overwhelming force if necessary. If the “peaceful protesters” interfere in this, they get arrested too - see [this](http://ecode360.com/9245259) - it’s from NJ, but I am sure MD has the same statute. That’s the task of police. The task of police is not to give space to those who want to destroy, even if that interferes with “peaceful protesters”. Does that clear things up for you? ---
**Author:** ![FuriousGeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecae2f/32.png) [@FuriousGeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FuriousGeorge)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-baltimore/718677/160 "2015-04-28T16:34:04Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > So you’re able to read the mind of every single rioter. That’s quite an ability. I have no doubt that many were opportunists, but “not one” is a pretty strong statement. Yes not one. They disrespected the memory Freddie Gray on the day of his funeral and the wishes of his surviving family. Not one. Strong statement indeed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-baltimore/718677.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-baltimore/718677.md?page=9)