Hellobee Boards

Very sad and scary scene here.

It is really sad

@Ra: I thought of you and your music t-shirts all day. Praying for a safe and quick resolution for the city and keeping your family in my prayers too for your safety.

I have a lot of friends who live in Baltimore. So sad and scary to watch the news. Sending up lots of prayers.

Very sad. But these are long overdue conversations, hopefully some positive changes are made.

very sad, hoping it can calm down soon. We are close to the city but not in the city. Feeling sad for those who live there and are stuck in the middle of all of this.

@Maysprout: Regardless of how long overdue the conversations are, I can't support rioting and looting as a way to create positive change.

@Ra: I've been thinking about you and my other Baltimore friends all day.

@Truth Bombs: I don't think there's many people who support rioting and looting. But I don't find what happened surprising given the problems Baltimore has had for a long time.

Thinking of you! Hope you stay safe.

@Ra: Stay safe! This is crazy

@Ra: Be safe. Keeping you and all your fellow neighbors in my thoughts. I can't imagine being in your shoes - but unfortunately anyone of us could be at anytime.

What a terrible tragedy on all ends of this. I hope the violence dies down soon, for all of the city's residents' safety and well being.

@Ra: glad to hear your DH and LO are heading out of town, I think that is probably wise. I grew up in No.Va. and spent a good amount of time in Baltimore. It is very sad to see what's happening in the city.

In general, I wish more attention had been given to the thousands who have been protesting peacefully. As usual, it's a minority of people who are inciting violence but that's all the news cares to show. I agree with @Maysprout, though, that these tensions have been brewing for awhile, and I think it's disingenuous of authorities to act surprised by what's going on.

@lawbee11: That article definitely resonates. While the looting and violence are not justified the anger certainly is. Sadly, the majority of people both in my presence and on social media choose the live in their middle class white bubble and are buying in to the hate and racism the media is perpetuating.

What the news isn't showing, but many of my friends are, are all the organized clean up efforts, the local citizens and businesses bringing food and drinks to emergency responders, the gang members marching with the clergy and calling for peace, and peaceful protesters standing in between the cops and the violence. There is a lot of good happening in the city, it just doesn't make good news. I'm anxious to get back and help with the efforts!

@Ra: I appreciated this article for showing different sides of the conflict than what most of the media is focusing on. http://m.mic.com/articles/116702/10-images-of-the-baltimore-riots-you-won-t-be-seeing-on-tv

@Ra: Are you going to stay with your in laws when you get back?

@MrsSCB: That was a great article. I wish these communities didn't have to focus their energies and support on cleaning up their neighbourhoods, instead of being able to be a bigger voice for peace.

@Ra: derp. I misread that! That's good.

@BandDmommy: I don't know, I think keeping it to "hope the riots die down" is a very one sided way of keeping it positive. There are lots of mommas in Baltimore worried about their babies in a different way and experiencing a different type of violence. That half of it needs to be discussed. And I think that IS positive. If we want peace (and we all do!) we need to work for justice.