Rioting: Explain It To Me

I'm relatively intelligent, or so I'd like to think.  I also know that I can be, perhaps am, extremely naive.  So I'm asking anyone/everyone to explain rioting to me because I quite clearly do not get it.

I get community anger.  I'm not part of the community that was part of the riot, but I understand the anger.  I don't understand racism.  I understand what it is and what it means, but I don't "get it."  It was my scientific understanding that while we may all look and act different; we're basically made up of the same stuff.   I'm not getting technical here because while I may be smart, I'm not THAT smart.  But my nutshell view is I'm human; you're human and that's that.

Again, I get the anger.  Things are happening in our country that shouldn't be.  I AM naive.  I thought for the most part we'd gotten over all of this.  That we acknowledged that while we may look and act different, we are ALL human beings and we should ALL value/respect each other.  (I know I'm oversimplifying here.)  I get the anger.  Sometimes we all want to smash something; just to get that anger and frustration out.  We want to scream and yell.  We want to pound something.  When it comes to anger, we never really outgrow that temper tantrum phase.

I'm not saying doing get angry.  And I'm not saying that you shouldn't let that anger out.  I am saying you should let it out in a way that is NOT detrimental to the rest of the community.  One of the last times I was angry and frustrated, I took it all out on my front bushes that were overgrown and needed to be trimmed.  I hacked and I sawed.  I overdid it.  I KNEW I was overdoing it, but I was mad and I just wanted to act on that.  For the most part I did it in a semi-productive way.  (Maybe the bushes in front of the house would have something else to say on that front.  With the winter we had they are not looking that good either, but that's a whole other story.)

So get angry.  Let out that frustration, but do it in a way that doesn't harm anyone.  And when that anger and frustration has subsided somewhat, then go out and make your point in a way that is peaceful.  You want to attract attention?  There are plenty of ways to get your point across (even to the media) without destruction.  You will not only get your voice heard, but you will gain the respect of the community.  Again, you may call me naive, but it CAN be done.  It can be done lawfully and peacefully.  It can be done without causing others pain.  It can be done without causing pain to others who are already facing tremendous pain and loss.


Riots?  I just don't get it.  But maybe I'm missing something.  So if I have, let me know.  I'm willing to listen.  But I'm not willing to join the riot.

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