One of the most fascinating aspects of the London riots is its inexplicable nature. Most of the people interviewed about these riots throw their hands up and say "this originally looked like a response to a police-related death, but now its just young kids breaking things and taking stuff." Amongst the rioting, a heroine has emerged in an older black woman who expresses her frustration at the purposelessness of this violence (warning: language):
Simultaneous to all of this, I am reading a biography of Clarence Darrow. Along with being portrayed as a Bad A-- attorney in Inherit the Wind, he also was a man of a thousand political causes. As such, he interacted with numerous radicals who tried to convince him that voting served no other purpose than to satiate an angry public. While Darrow never pursued more violent means of confronting the government, his work as a lawyer was pursuant to this greater idea that causes must be pursued aggressively and no just in the ballot box.
I say all this because it is quite clear that the American public is angry with its government and has been for quite some time. If we do go into a second recession and it is deemed to be partly the fault of the elected government (rightly or wrongly), will this be a boiling point? While the London riots may have no purpose, they do have some reason to them. A frustrated underclass decided that they were more powerful than the law enforcement that was in between them and what they wanted. It is a construct that has made multiple appearances throughout history. That's one of the reasons why it is fair to tax the rich more than the poor. They have the most to gain from government. Its structure, its very existence, allows them luxury. Certainly, their "hard work" put them in a position to be wealthy, but that wealth is transient without law and order.
I hear about what is happening in London, and I don't see things as so different here. I don't think we as a people are so different that the same thing would be unthinkable in the United States. The bigger question is whether our riots will have a purpose.
LINKS
The United States census indicated that there are 16,987 same-sex couples in Maryland, which is a 50% increase from 2000.
Video from the shooting of a plain-clothes police officer at Select Lounge has been released. It makes you realize just how difficult it is to be a police officer and have to make split second decisions that may result in life or death.
The largest artificial reef off the East Coast was placed yesterday nearby Ocean City.
Justin Fenton reports that the Edward Arthur jewelry robbery is connected to a larger crime ring and the death of a witness. Spooky.
Ellicott City cyclist Nathan Krasnopoler has died after being in a coma since February. You will recall that his death was caused by a traffic accident in which he was hit by a car while riding his bicycle near Johns Hopkins. While we all may joke about the driving habits of our elderly relatives, Mr. Krasnopoler's death is a clear example of why this is no joke. Next time it could be your loved one.
Feature Blog Post of the Day: WB gets some behind the scenes shots of the new Subway in Ellicott City, and it looks quite sharp. I know change is terrifying, but I am excited to see new businesses looking to move into Old Ellicott City, even if it is a corporate brand.
That's all for today. I will see a number of you at the Blog roll party tonight, but will need to leave early for a CA Board of Directors meeting (Agenda found here). Have a great Thursday doing what you love.
