Baltimore Riots & What the Media Won’t Show You

My heart is breaking for Baltimore.

 

“Rioters slash firefighters’ hoses as they attempt to extinguish the burning city.” -Daily Mail

People are angry. That’s reasonable. As much as we don’t want to admit it, racism still exists in America today and there’s no denying that. I’ve felt it, too. But what is unreasonable is burning buildings and assaulting officers. This solves nothing. The legitimate claims of injustice are drowned out by the lawlessness. If everyone is yelling, no one is listening.

Protests have turned into riots and violence. Protesting in and of itself is not the problem. If you feel there has been an injustice, the Constitution provides for “the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances”. Key word: peaceably. What is going on is no longer peaceful. It ceased to deal with injustice the moment the violence and looting began. People talk about police brutality and getting justice for Freddie Gray. What about citizen brutality? Because of the building fires, one person is left in critical condition. Dozens are left without a place of employment. At least 12 officers have been injured. What about justice for that?

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Martin Luther King Jr.

Law enforcement is taking the appropriate measures to see an end to this. Kudos. Police Officers have a hard enough job already and now the media is breathing down their neck.

I’m not a big fan of the media. The media is obsessed with bad news. Rarely will you find a good, uplifting article – don’t get me wrong, they are out there, you just have to search. I think the general population tends to scoop up what the media dishes out and look no further. But this is only one sided and that side that is twisted to get our attention. The media is very powerful. It can dictate what we think and feel about a situation if we let it. I’ve been following the major news networks and the only headlines I’ve seen are the ones where people are setting fire to cars and buildings, fighting, looting and throwing rocks at the police. But here is what I haven’t seen in the media:

“Love sails in the deepest sea of hatred.” – Lecrae

Protesters engaging in a civil conversation with the police:

Conversation between an officer at today's #FreddieGray protest pic.twitter.com/FJx6cfbh0M

— Colin Campbell (@cmcampbell6) April 25, 2015

This man standing between the protesters and the police saying to the protesters, “Don’t give them a reason.”:

They not showing this on the news #BaltimoreRiots https://t.co/ZRS1Vvvco2

— Ah Von Da Digital Creator (@TheRealAVOUN) April 27, 2015

People cleaning up their city:

After doing a little research, I’m finding that the majority of those protesting are doing so peacefully. But one would never know given that most of the media coverage is aimed at the violence:

And that is my opinion on the #BaltimoreRiots. But what Baltimore needs more than my opinion are my prayers. Because my opinion can’t change the heart of people. God can.

If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land. – 2nd Chronicles 7:14