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David Buchholz
From a Facebook post about the riots...Brett Hollander is an Orioles TV broadcaster.
Brett, speaking only for myself, I agree with your point that the principle of peaceful, non-violent protest and the observance of the rule of law is of utmost importance in any society. MLK, Gandhi, Mandela and all great opposition leaders throughout history have always preached this precept. Further, it is critical that in any democracy, investigation must be completed and due process must be honored before any government or police members are judged responsible.
That said, my greater source of personal concern, outrage and sympathy beyond this particular case is focused neither upon one night’s property damage nor upon the acts, but is focused rather upon the past four-decade period during which an American political elite have shipped middle class and working class jobs away from Baltimore and cities and towns around the U.S. to third-world dictatorships like China and others, plunged tens of millions of good, hard-working Americans into economic devastation, and then followed that action around the nation by diminishing every American’s civil rights protections in order to control an unfairly impoverished population living under an ever-declining standard of living and suffering at the butt end of an ever-more militarized and aggressive surveillance state.
The innocent working families of all backgrounds whose lives and dreams have been cut short by excessive violence, surveillance, and other abuses of the Bill of Rights by government pay the true price, and ultimate price, and one that far exceeds the importances of any kids’ game played tonight, or ever, at Camden Yards. We need to keep in mind people are suffering and dying around the U.S., and while we are thankful no one was injured at Camden Yards, there is a far bigger picture for poor Americans in Baltimore and everywhere who don’t have jobs and are losing economic civil and legal rights, and this makes inconvenience at a ballgame irrelevant in light of the needless suffering government is inflicting upon ordinary Americans.
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On another subject...I've been posting daily on FB, hoping that my FB friends will donate to whichever of their charities they like, all in the name of Nepal Earthquake Relief. My daughter and son-in-law lived in Kathmandu for seven years, and they are organizing aid in the East Bay area; we've all donated to the Red Cross and to other relief agencies as well. The Nepalis are some of the most industrious, loving, uncomplaining and poor people we've met in our travels, and we are heartsick at the destruction. We are familiar with many of the temples that have been destroyed, but it's the houses that are destroyed, the jobs that no longer exist, the fresh water that's so scarce, and the lives that are lost that move us so. We're at the age where giving is a little easier. If you have a few dollars to spare, I know some people whose lives would benefit. I'm posting some of my favorite photographs of Nepal and Nepalis.
