Monday, April 27, 2015

Riots in Baltimore, Calm in Tulsa

If the voices of black males on police brutality are heard but never listened to
Easy to see how resentment among the black community in Baltimore grew
Years of citizen protests over violence without arrests
A course of conduct in Baltimore that black lives don’t matter suggests
Thousands upon thousands of dollars paid out to dismiss civil brutality suits
No wonder distrust and hatred for the police have in Baltimore deep roots
Following the funeral of Freddie Gray, that hatred was in full display
Looting of stores, arson, attacking the police in a roving mobs’ fray
Looting will not bring Freddie Gray back
Nor will throwing bricks and stones at police to attack
Here we have a black mayor who seemed to give the protests a get out of jail card
Only to walk it back today as the police after the funeral were caught off guard
A tale of two cities—Tulsa where an unarmed black was shot and killed by Reservist Bates
Who although on bail a trial for involuntary manslaughter now awaits
There was no riot in protest
No videos of looters and rioters subject to arrest
Baltimore where a man’s spine is broken while in a police van
A death that is hard to fathom or understand
Save the fact the officers are on paid administrative leave
While the Gray family is left to wonder and greave
The officers deserve due process but there seems to be a lack of the D.A.’s sense of urgency
Leaving the feeling of hopelessness in a black community deemed persecuted run free
Looting and rioting, if Freddie Gray’s death is not to be in vain, must end
But the police department needs to be reformed if we are ever going to stop this death of unarmed black men growing trend.
© April 27 Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet
Alaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire

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