The Enigma and Allure in Baltimore

Welcome back to Better Said Than Written, the podcast supplement of Artz of Culturez where I make a personal connection with today's trending topics.

In this episode I tried to wrap my head around what's taking place in Baltimore, Md. With the help of Emrld Swmp's member, universe, I was able to get a different perspective from a poem he shared for the people of Baltimore. 

Normally, you would just click the green play button below to hear my take and the poem, but in this installment, I decided to include my write up, which includes the identity of the police officers who were responsible for Freddie Gray's death. 

When America first got wind of Freddie Gray's death by the hands of Baltimore police officers, some citizens were convinced that his death was another case of racism. However, as I mentioned in a previous post, some people of Baltimore believes Gray's death has nothing to do with race but instead class. (see: Baltimore: It's Not About Race)

The word classism is defined as – prejudice or discrimination based on class. And according to classism.org, classism is held in place by a system of beliefs and cultural attitudes that ranks people according to economic status, family lineage, job status, level of education, and other divisions. This sounds about right in the story I initially alerted you to that Steve Inskeep shared on NPR.

Baltimore's chief prosecutors has since charged the officers with the death of Gray. Once the six police officers identities were revealed, most critics became silent about the talk of racism.

Baltimore: It's Not About Race

(Freddie Gray)

Steve Inskeep, host of Morning Edition on National Public Radio, went down to the streets of Baltimore where rioters took over the city after Freddie Gray’s funeral. Gray, who was a 25-year-old Black American man, died from a spinal injury after being taken into police custody. 

Some activists, social media audience and news outlets placed Gray’s death and the Baltimore riots into the same category as Eric Garner of Staten Island, N.Y, and the uprising in Ferguson, Mo., where protesters rioted for the death of Michael Brown. Observers grouped Gray’s death into a series of Black men dying by the hand of law enforcement. Unfortunately, they didn't get the story quite right.

Things I Tell My Black Son - Pt. 2

What Do We Tell Our Black Sons Now?

Charles M. Blow

On Jan. 24, 2015, another Black young man in America was accosted by a police officer. This time it was the son of New York Times columnist and author of the moving memoir, Fire Shot Up in my Bones, Charles M. Blow.

I first heard of the news on Twitter after Blow sent out tweets expressing his anger and frustration. He then gave a detailed description of what took place in The Opinion Pages of The New York Times. (See: Library Visit, Then Held at Gunpoint - Charles Blow: At Yale, the Police Detained My Son)

So, my son, a 3rd year chem major at Yale was just accosted - at GUN POINT - by a Yale policeman bc he "fit the description" of a suspect...
— Charles M. Blow (@CharlesMBlow) January 25, 2015

#Justice4All: Why They Marched

Social injustice continues to disrupt Civil Rights in the United States of America. Black teenage boys like Mike Brown of Ferguson, Mo., are being gunned down by the bullets of local police around the country for reasons that are unjustifiable.

And if it's not a gun then police are using their bare hands to restrain people of color. In Eric Garner's case, the Staten Island, N.Y. resident was apprehended and strangled by local law enforcement over the suspicion of selling loose cigarettes. Garner’s last words caught on camera before he died while in police custody, “I can’t breathe!” The list goes on.

The people of America, of all races, took a nationwide stand on Dec. 13, 2014, and held a peaceful protest against police brutality in hopes that they can convince congress that it's time for a change. The national protest took place in major cities throughout the U.S. and Arts of Cultures headed to Washington, D.C. with a couple of young voices to get a glimpse of people coming together.

Did you take part in the #Justice4All nationwide protest? Share your comments below.

Related stories: 

• Young Voices Discuss Social Injustice of Mike Brown
• Things I Tell My Black Son
• American Civil Rights Ripples Backwards
• Artists Takes a Stand for Mike Brown

Young Voices Discuss Social Injustice of Mike Brown

Welcome back to Better Said Than Written, the podcast supplement of Arts of Cultures where I make a personal connection with today's trending topics.

In this episode I sat down with three young Black American adults who shared their thoughts and feelings about the social injustice of Mike Brown, aggressive police officers, and how American Civil Rights has taken several steps backwards.

Click the play button to hear how these students plan on stepping up and making a change. 
   

Be sure to stay tuned for Arts of Cultures coverage of the Dec. 13, 2014 March to Washington.

Related stories: 

• Things I Tell My Black Son
• American Civil Rights Ripples Backwards
• Artists Takes a Stand for Mike Brown