German Lopez in Vox: “Riots can lead to real, substantial change. We see some of this in media coverage today: Baltimore is certainly getting a lot more attention following the looting and fires. But riots don’t just lead to more attention — other urban upheavals in the 1960s and 1990s led to real reforms in local police departments and governments.”
“Historians and experts argue that these types of riots aren’t random acts of violence or people taking advantage of dire circumstances to steal and destroy property. They are, instead, a serious attempt at forcing change after years of neglect by politicians, media, and the general public.”
“Riots can and have led to substantial reforms in the past, indicating that they can be part of a coherent political movement. By drawing attention to some of the real despair in destitute communities, riots can push the public and leaders to initiate real reforms to fix whatever led to the violent rage.”
But: “Riots cut both ways … They do give a voice to the voiceless, but they can also lead to consequences that those who are challenging the system don’t intend.”
“The crisis of police brutality, poverty, exploitation, and black citizens not feeling like full citizens have all gotten much, much worse in 40 years.”
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