Black Britain Revolts: What If It Had Been New York?
By Glen Ford, Black Agenda Report
Britain’s Black rebellion shocked the nation, but has not produced the kind of carnage that routinely accompanies urban unrest in the United States. Had London’s current disturbances occurred on a similar scale in New York City, with outbreaks across the various boroughs, the police would have unleashed a bloodbath.
Black Brits and Black Americans are, indeed, in many ways, in much the same boat. But the difference is in the scale of racial repression in the two countries. When it comes to state violence against people of African descent, Britain isn’t even in the same league with the United States. At the time of this writing, besides the initial Black victim, possibly one person had died in days of disturbances in London and other cities.
In contrast, the 1992 Los Angeles rebellion left 54 dead, thousands injured and 7,000 people arrested. There can be no doubt that, had London’s current disturbances occurred on a similar scale in New York City, with outbreaks across the various boroughs, the police would have unleashed a bloodbath. And if the disturbances were to spread to Chicago and other cities, a post-911 United States would likely declare a kind of martial law.
The only reason why I’m really nervous about starting/being a part of a riot. I mean, even if you’re trying to get through a barricade at a peaceful protest, they resort to violence. Pot belly pigs.
Kind of reminds me of V for Vendetta, When he was explaining how all that needed to happen was for one person under government control to commit a vital mistake and the whole revolution begins. Well I believe that is what is starting to happen there.
In truth I’m very happy that these riots are happening. Its not even only about Black people and people of other minorities but its really based upon the social classes that are created with in both of our flawed governments. In media, In life in general they make it seem as some people are more important and whenever some one of a lesser stature comes out and tries to fight against it it is automatically thought of as shit.
What I’m saying is that its not only black people that are rioting in Britain, it is the less fortunate people within the country that just got sick and tired of having to be well class citizens in a country that looks down on them, Imagine In britain they have a queen who was literally born into power, has done nothing to deserve it but is treated to highest form of luxury because of her stature is bullshit. But people who worked their whole lives and done much for the country can’t get a single idea out without being looked down on and getting their money taken from the government and they’re still getting told to do by these people.
Governments suck in general, but when your government starts to rule over the people instead of the people ruling over the government then something needs to change.
(via oohhcomely)
