Poverty Revolts

Baltimore – the latest protest and revolt against a system wrought with complexities, leaving a city and a nation wondering why.

Images of angry youths rioting and tearing up a city are portrayed, the word ‘thug’ being used to describe them. What is missing in the description, however, is an accurate portrayal of the state of poverty that led to the protests. Issues like city housing projects and people with little or no choice need to be depicted as the leading cause of why any group of marginalized poor would set about ripping things up to make a point.

Lets take a journey…

• The Russian revolution of February 1917 involving demonstrators clashing with police over collapsing economic and social issues.
• The 1910 and 1911 Tonypandy riots between police and coal miners, causing Churchill to call troops into Wales to control the situation.
• The Kileler incident in Greece, a clash between landowners and farmers where the militia was called in for control.

The riots at sporting events in England in the 80’s, where youths were also seen as thugs when they prevented families from attending the events, are yet another example of disenfranchised youth using their voice, or what they believed was their voice. The historical list could go on.

The riots are not unique. When the poor are being systematically neglected and worse yet, ignored, is it not to be expected? It shouldn’t be surprising that an incident such as a murder by those who represent the system would lead to a revolution. These revolutions are intended to bring the bigger issues to the forefront, such as why those living in poverty are being ignored and why there is disproportionate representation of who is poor in America.

This is the fuel of revolution – are we to expect people to sit back and watch it happen year after year? Are mothers to expect little for their children if poverty happens to be the curse of their existence? No. When a city is shut down by poverty, it doesn’t ask for justice, it shouts for justice. To be a silent global citizen is to approve of the violations against the poor. Poverty has no line of division but when it does, we need to stand as one, speak as one and as humans, seek answers to help.

What answers do you look for? If you are not asking why Baltimore happened, you too are part of the problem. A silent nation creates an angry nation.

Photo Credits

Photo by Melinda Cochrane – all rights reserved

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