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In anticipation of protests happening this weekend, and the potential for rioting, I'd like to share a quote by Martin Luther King Jr

Let me say as I've always said, and I will always continue to say, that riots are socially destructive and self-defeating. I'm still convinced that nonviolence is the most potent weapon available to oppressed people in their struggle for freedom and justice. I feel that violence will only create more social problems than they will solve ..... So I will continue to condemn riots, and continue to say to my brothers and sisters that this is not the way. And continue to affirm that there is another way.

But at the same time, it is as necessary for me to be as vigorous in condemning the conditions which cause persons to feel that they must engage in riotous activities as it is for me to condemn riots. I think America must see that riots do not develop out of thin air. Certain conditions continue to exist in our society which must be condemned as vigorously as we condemn riots. But in the final analysis, a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it that America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the Negro poor has worsened over the last few years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice, equality, and humanity. And so in a real sense our nation's summers of riots are caused by our nation's winters of delay. And as long as America postpones justice, we stand in the position of having these recurrences of violence and riots over and over again. Social justice and progress are the absolute guarantors of riot prevention.
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JollyRoger · 70-79, M
You are totally correct that RIOTING is a counter-productive event when promoting a cause for justice. The reality though is that the people who are kpeacefully DEMONSTRATING most often have nothing al all to do with the contemporary rioting that occurs on the border of their presence. In fact, riots are often created by the opposition to destroy the cause of the demonstrators. Others of course are just criminals who have no association to the demonstration who wish to pillage or attack the police who are overseeing the demonstration in order to keep the peace.

In the USA right now, there is no compassion for any person who doesn't have a means to support their needs. Everything is geared to washing away any demonstrations of empathy toward the poor and those who are not poor are becoming targets for speaking against what they realize are "Unamerican' values.

BTW: I read your 'About Me' and you espouse very valid values that everyone should think about. Thank you for putting your thoughts 'out here' for others to think about.