How does disagreement with police actions or court decisions transition to, "Let's riot, loot and destroy our city?"

There was 1 mother out there beating on her son doing wrong. For this conversation only, I submit..

Make absolutely no mistake. People committed to social change organize, protest and raise awareness. These are the actions of criminals, who if they get caught, will claim that the man made him crazy. If there were businesses and more job opportunities available and grocery stores instead of corner markets there would still be drug dealing scum and people who are empowered to sit on their butt out of the sense of entitlement that comes with being a spoiled American. Need money, make babies. Don't get married, it will take away your food stamps. Have 6 kids with 6 women, don't pay child support brag about how many shorties you have. Get a criminal record for breaking the law and then complain that you can't get ahead in life, join the military, or go to college. Cut all your avenues of escape out of the cess pool you live in and then burn it down in the name of...........being a victim. I was so poor growing up I'm embarrassed to talk about it and joined the military so I could have a roof over my head and escape the crap hole I knew. All my "friends" are dead now. The last one died a couple months ago. I NEVER and I mean NEVER burnt down Philadelphia. I did go watch Osage Ave burn down when those MOVE members challenged the cops to a throw down, but I digress. What kept me out of trouble? Knowing that if I got out of line at home I was through. Am I saying beat your kids and put cigarettes out on them? HELL NO! But lay down the law! You are home at 6pm for dinner. You are going to complete high school. If you are getting in trouble with your "friends" I will lock you down until there is no more trouble. I will stay on you until so that you respect your elders from the get go. If you don't work a legit job I will find you legit work to do for free helping others. ETC,ETC,ETC.......

I have been on the receiving end of the Los Angeles Riots (1965, 1992), Jalalabad, Afghanistan 2005 Quran burning riots, Parwan, Afghanistan 2006 riots, all I can say is that humans and easily be manipulated to being stupid and breaking laws. But kudos to the Mother seen slapping her teen age son who she caught involved in the Baltimore riots. We need more mothers like her.

While I do understand that people are pissed off with recent decision and actions, they want and demand change but unfortunately many people get caught up with the violence when it breaks out.
I think its a lack of trust in the system and that the system is broken.
I strongly believe that if minorities want change they have to make the change and get involved. You can sit here all day and say that Ferguson has a 95% white police force, but ask this question.....are minorities trying to become police officers? Same for city council positions, they are usually held by whites in most places but again are minorities getting involved? Are minorities trying to make positive changes or are they just saying "its always been like this and nothing will change". Nothing will change unless people get involved. You want a better life then you need to work for a better life, nothing is going to be given to 95% of the people on a silver platter.

Never underestimate the power of the herd mentality combined with the allure of free stuff....

I, also, and very confused. And angry.
I do not know where the disconnect is in the population these days. When did parents stop teaching their children to have respect for all other humans and property?
How about just the golden rule?! Treat others as you want to be treated?!!

There are two kinds of people that show up during a time like this. There are those who have a genuine concern for the people of their community, and wish to speak out against a perceived injustice. This applies not just to this case, but across the board. These are the people who make their signs, chant loudly, and AT WORST block traffic or access to a government building. This is the kind of peaceful protest that I have no problem with. If I agree with the position great, if I disagree, shrug it off and go about my business. It is their right to be heard regardless of where anyone else stands on their position.

The second kind are those who do not care about injustice, grievance, or bettering their community. They are the ones who see a hot button issue as an opportunity to wreak havoc, and maybe improve their own situation at the same time. These are the cowards who hide their faces, commit acts of violence against people and property, and then loot what's left.

The first kind of people are the ones who suffer when the second kind of people begin to assemble. At that time a protest transitions into a riot. As the rioters become greater in number, the protesters are pushed aside by the mob, and that leads to pillaging. I think that is the time when the police and National Guard (when deployed) need to be armed with rubber bullets, and they need to use them. The problem is they need to temper their use of force in a volitile time like this. Too little force leads to pillaging, looting, and the burning of innocent people's livelihood. Too much force leads to more brazen violent confrontations. The balance is difficult to achieve, and the difficulty is compounded by emotion, adrenaline, stress, and the pure volatility of the situation. It is not an unenviable position to be in. Much like a military operation, it is the front line that bears the brunt of it as they are the first point of contact.

When I was in the Navy, my ship took part in graduation ceremonies at Annapolis. I was fortunate enough to get to Baltimore while we were there. I thought it was a beautiful city. I met people there that were decent people. Overall I think most people are decent enough. It is sad that these assbags have usurped a families misery, destroyed the neighborhoods that they live in, and made the situation worse than it was.

One thing I saw this morning that enraged me was the grieving mother of Freddie Gray being forced to put aside her misery to implore the rioters to stop destroying the city. So much for protesting injustice. In my opinion, it is an injustice that the family was not able to mourn on the day of the funeral because of other people's selfishness. I am going to be crystal clear here. I am not refering to the people who were protesting peacefully. I am referring to the rioters who broke from the protests and began engaging the Baltimore PD to the point that the national guard needed to be called in. The rioters are inhuman scum. No parent should have to bury their child, but when it happens no parent should have to stop mourning because their loss has been usurped.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/baltimore-riots-mother-of-freddie-gray-gloria-darden-appeals-for-peace-as-violence-grips-city-10209935.html

Personally, I am just waiting for the demands that it be rebuilt.

IT DOESN'T!

Martin Luther King Jr. is rolling in his grave right now. This is not what he fought and died for. This is not the message. There is something to be said about a group that can gather and peacefully march, hand in hand, to get their message across. These thugs are ruining perceptions.

It's very easy to get irate and burn and steal things. I challenge them to do what MLK quoted.

Of course there is a part of all this that is the legitimate outrage at abuses of power (real or perceived), but the rest is not legitimate, and that, I think, is what causes the looting and burning.

There is a cancerous mentality in America, particularly among the poor, that their plight is the fault of someone else. And I get it, I grew up in a poor neighborhood myself (AA hall across the street one way, crack house across the street the other way). I knew a lot of people with that attitude, and it did not matter what color their skin was.

Protests over legitimate outrage give people with that attitude an excuse to go out and "get theirs." It doesn't help that agitators (such as those funded by George Soros, a la Ferguson) encourage that behavior.