...and for meager wages, and to never request or demand anything, including equal rights. Sadly, equal rights are something that we are still struggling with in present day. On April 12 in Baltimore, MD, Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old African American man, reportedly made eye contact with a police officer who was on bike patrol. Unsure as to why Freddie Gray decided to run from the police, but he was then chased by the officers, was finally stopped, and gave up without force, according to the police. Part of this interaction was recorded on a cellphone video and went viral, within hours, on social media. The police found a knife on Freddie Gray they described as illegal, but according to State Attorney Marilyn Mosby: “The knife was not a switchblade and is lawful under Maryland law.” When they arrived at the police station, a medic was reportedly called and Gray was taken to the hospital where he underwent double surgery on his spine. He remained in a coma for a week and on April 19, Freddie Gray was pronounced dead of a severed spine after suffering a spinal cord injury while in police custody. Several days later, city officials acknowledged that the police should have given Gray medical care instead of waiting more than forty minutes after his arrest. Protests began after Freddie Gray was pronounced dead. On April 20, Baltimore officials announced that the six police...
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...On the chilly morning of April 12th, a tragic and catastrophic event occurred. Freddie Gray, an innocent African-American man, was walking down the streets of Baltimore with two of his close friends. Freddie Gray made eye contact with a police officer and the police officer arrested him immediately. It is said that Gray took off with one of his friends, but the police officers soon caught up to them. The other friend chose not to run but he did record the ordeal. This recording of Freddie Gray was the last time anyone would see him conscious ever again. When the police officers caught up to Freddie and his companion, they gave up without a fight and 6 police officers collectively put him in the back of their van. Freddie Gray was put into the back of the van at full health, completely fine and able to function properly. When he was taken from the van however, he was not able to breathe nor talk. He was sent to Shock Trauma where he died a week later. Racially motivated violence has been an issue ever since America gained its independence from the British in 1776. North and South Carolina refused to sign the Declaration until the clause of abolishing slavery was removed. Samuel Adams eventually gave in, making slavery perfectly legal. Flash forward about 100 years where the civil war commences, pitting brother against brother because the...
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...Freddie was arrested and a week later he suffered from a injury in a 30 minute ride. The injury was from an impact from an car accident to his spinal chord. Dr. Ali Bydon stated, "You have to apply a significant amount of force in order to break someone's neck,". An injury in the spinal cord, caused the body's ability to regulate blood flow and breathing. He had difficulty walking, talking and breathing. Freddie asked plenty of times for medical attention. It was a mysterious death because the police hasn't released an autopsy. A spark went off that caused a fire in their community. The spark of passion and anger that consumed them inside. Rioters blew up police cars, threw bricks at officers and spread small fires throughout the area after Freddie's death. On April 27, ABC 7 News reported that Maryland's governor, Logan Hogan, affirmed that Maryland was in a state of emergency. He referred to the radiators as "thugs". This riot was caused by the death of Freddie Gray by the neglect and the corruption of the...
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...Critical and Creative Thinking in Society PHL458 Critical and Creative Thinking in Society Free will is the ability to use critical and creative thinking to approach problems to make an educated choice in what directive or direction to take (Ruggiero, 2012, Chapter 2). The textbook states that some psychologists would argue there is no free will, only compulsion as defines as the irresistible urge to do something. The textbook author, Ruggiero, states that although we are influenced by both nature and nurture, we retain a significant amount of free will to make choices (Ruggiero, 2012, Chapter 2). According to Ruggiero (2012) truth is what is so about something, the reality of the matter, as distinguished from what people wish were so, believe to be so, or assert to be so (Chapter 2). The truth is not relative nor does truth change; only one's perception of what is truth changes. If truth were relative, no one would seek out the answers as any answer could be considered truth. Perception can be relative; truth is the view that is fated to be ultimately agreed to by all who investigate (Ruggiero, 2012, Chapter 2). Knowledge is what we know, not what we think we know (Ruggiero, 2012, Chapter 2). We can find true knowledge from experience, observation and report. All three of these methods of obtaining knowledge are subject to the failure of faulty experience, faulty experience, faulty reporting and faulty memory. One may feel he is knowledgeable on a subject, only to...
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...There are groups of residents and researchers that believe that the city of Baltimore has a corrupt system of policing, which is connected to “a broader dysfunctional criminal justice system and an unequal social structure” (Grabiner, G. 2016). A Baltimore resident by the name Freddie Gray died from a spinal injury at the hands of police during an arrest in April of 2015. Gray was not the first or the last that has been injured and killed in the police custody. Between 2011 and 2014 Baltimore, Maryland paid at least 5.7 million dollars to victims of brutality and in 2018, the amount has increased (Friedersdorf, 2015). Over the last six years, more than 100 people have won court settlements or judgments related to civil rights violation and police brutality in Baltimore. The Freddie Gray case went worldwide and three White officers and three Black officers were all charged and acquitted. After the death of Freddie Gray, the people of Baltimore lost even more respect for the police officers. The media then portrayed Baltimore as a destructive city, because of the poverty level and lack of educational recourses. In 2015 24 percent of the residents in Baltimore lived below poverty without excess to higher education. In 2018, still 24.2 percent of residents live below...
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...injustices. National struggle over race and policing in Ferguson, Missouri demonstrated protesting at its worst until Freddie Gray riot in Baltimore, Maryland. Hence the violence of the riot gained worldwide opprobrium, it’s the aftermath that perpetuated ongoing recovery efforts till this day. Baltimore City, Maryland being the fifth largest African American population is inclined to racial tension, but it reached a plateau on April 19,2015. Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man who died of a spinal cord injury while in police custody.” The situation escalated as local authorities refused to release details in their investigation into Gray's death. Riots broke out on April 27, after Gray's funeral, drawing nationwide attention — and even comments from President Barack Obama — over the crumbling situation in the city.” The insult to injury when States Attorney, Marilyn Mosby formal charge the officers involved with the crime three weeks after Grays death. Experts believe the charge was politically motivate to calm the city violence of , not based on evidence. This precast for paying for the settlements to avoid lawsuits the city. Accusation against the Baltimore police department is one of the highest because of police corruption. To alleviate the city tension, a settlement was expedited, although many residences in the city split on the decision for the payout. The Gray family received settlement 6.4 million dollars in a civil settlement with the intent to heal the city, although...
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...The belief that justice was not given, motivated the creation of the Black Lives Matter movement. The death of Freddie Gray opened more people eyes to the Black Lives Matter movement. According to The Associate Press, a police officer said, Gray was arrested on the 12th of April for making eye contact with a police officer. Videos provided by witnesses shows some of the beating he was served. On one of the videos, you could hear Gray hallowing from the pain. The witness stated that his legs looked broke and was shaped like a pretzel. Gray was then dragged to the police van as he could not walk to the van himself. Gray asked the officers for medical attention, but the officers refused it and continued picking up other queued prisoners. Once arrived at police station, the fire department was then called for an unconscious male. On the 19th of April, Gray was reported dead from his injuries including: a broken vertebra. This brought brouhaha nationwide and especially, Baltimore, Maryland where the incident took place. The...
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...This is where the minority group is fighting for justice to be made. There has been situations where victims have been left unconscious, permanently disable, sent to the hospital or in some cases death. In the year of 1991, Rodney King was pulled over after a high speed chase pursuit in Los Angeles, CA. Rodney King was taken out of his car by the L.A.P.D he was slammed to the ground. Where four L.A.P.D officers took turns beating up Rodney King with the baton, kicking him and just very bitterly brutalizing him that had nothing in defense (bio). For these situations I desperately argue that the police men took advantage of Rodney King, even though Mr. King had set off a high speed pursuit, the policemen shouldn’t have had taken so long to arrest Rodney King. And in these cases it is when the abuse of power is current and where the questions who do we trust, and what is justice come upon. The four L.A.P.D officers were first charged with...
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...Selma when the marchers first tried to march over the bridge and got attacked by police is similar to the protesters in Baltimore after the death of Freddie Gray. Seeing that in the scene in the movie Selma and the video from Baltimore there is police brutality and a large amount of protesters. A group of Police officers is beating one protestor in the video in Baltimore in an extreme manner while he was handcuffed. A reason how these two scenes are different is the scene in the movie the marchers were peaceful until being attacked. But the ones in the video they were at first not peaceful. Equally important, how the culture helped 1965 civil right movement is the media. As, it made more people more aware of what was happening. Because when the marchers kept making the cover of the paper, it made their case move quicker than it would if they were not the cover of the paper. For 2016 America the media helps the cause but it can also hinder it as well. As, technology has made the news a lot more convent more people knows what’s going on than back than. But the media only shows one side not both so the media is only showing half of the story and being more biased towards one side. In fact, a specific 2016 civil right issue is the Black Lives Matter group at one of the places they protested was in Baltimore protesting over the death of Freddie Gray who was shot by police. African Americans in Baltimore protested and rioted against police because of this. But they were not peacefully...
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...desirable world, so it’s difficult to gain agreement about what would be a perfect world. Violence, including threatening, vandalizing, beating and killing has been the most popular outcome of protest. Take the Baltimore Riots for instance, because of the hospitalization and death of Freddie Gray, many people have taken it personally to where they choose to resort to violence. The citizens of Baltimore fought against the police and city council in honor of Gray’s death. Protest is an ineffective way to bring about social change because too many citizens get hurt in the process and the home and city someone once loved gets destroyed, trashed, and broken. One of the disadvantages in using violence for beneficial change is that if the effort does not succeed, all that has been accomplished is negative; including innocent victims getting hurt during a violent protest. In the “Baltimore Riots online” article it states, “Try telling that to 61 year old Richard Fletcher who went outside his home to intervene when he saw two girls fighting. Ask him, if he can ever remember, how many misguided youth swarmed then beat him so badly he has been placed in a medically induced coma.” People were so angry at memory and death of Gray, the best way to let it out was to get caught in the violent rioting and to beat an old man who was only trying to help....
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...McCoy Kent English 103 10/7/15 Injustice Injustice is still going till this decade. Its sad to see it happen to innocent human beings and even people that deserve a harsh punishment and do not get it. I’ve heard of plenty in just issues throughout my lifetime. The most in just event I’ve heard of and followed was the unarmed shooting of Travyon Martin. The officer George Zimmerman deserved a injustice punishment and should have been incarcerated. George Zimmerman a neighborhood watch in Sanford, Florida, calls 911 to report that there is a suspicious person walking around in the neighborhood. He was specifically instructed to not get out his car or approach the person (Travyon Martin). Zimmerman ignored the instructions and walked up to the man and there was altercations going back and for. Later that night neighbors reported the hearing of some gunfire. An officer said that Zimmerman did have wounds to the nose and the back of the head; this was due to self-defense from Travyon Martin. Zimmerman told police immediately after the incident he killed the teen in self-defense after a scuffle. He was taken into custody but was released without charges being filed. The police chief in Sanford, Bill Lee, who later resigned, said Zimmerman was not arrested because his story held up under Florida's now. George Zimmerman actually got charged After details of the incident began to leak including 911 tapes and videos of Zimmerman in custody as well as several back and forth about...
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...BART settled with Grant's daughter and mother for a total of $2.8 million in 2011. As mention before it wasn’t until after the death of Trayvon Martin the BlackLivesMatter movement started. On February 26, 2012 at night 28-year-old neighborhood watch George Zimmerman fatally shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. Trayvon Martin bought a bag of skittles and an Arizona from a convenience store where he made his way towards the Retreat at Twin Lakes. There have been many reports of attempted break-ins at Twin Lakes which created fear in the residents that lived there. So Zimmerman was observing Trayvon since he left the convenience store and returned to the Twin Lakes community and Zimmerman called Stanford police to report a suspicious guy walking around. Zimmerman goes on to say that it looks like if the guy is on drugs or up to no good with his hand inside of his pocket looking...
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...Media Bias in Reporting Social and Racial Injustices Nakia Dale DeVry University Media Bias in Reporting Social and Racial Injustices June 26, 2015, gay marriage was legalized in all 50 states on the weekend of the annual Pride weekend. There were celebrations everywhere. Celebrities, politicians, and every representative of the LGBTQ community was interviewed. The media covered the opinions of those who supported gay marriage, those that didn’t care about same sex marriages, and those who felt the world was coming to an end because of same sex marriages. There were experts on the new law providing their thoughts and theories on the subject. Rainbows were posted everywhere on social media, cars, and in communities. Pictures of same sex couples getting married were flashed across television screens, newspapers, and websites. Celebrating the beauty of marriage equality was high on many people’s lists, but in the midst of these celebrations, if you had been carefully following the news you were aware of several news stories that immediately stopped getting air time and were no longer considered newsworthy. As a viewer, you may have felt unsatisfied in the coverage of the other stories because the media left you dangling with no ending to the stories we were following. This is all too common when relying on the media for news coverage. Many viewers such as myself rely on the media to inform and educate the country on news that matters. When the same sex marriage topic garnered...
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...collectively. One might think that with the election of America’s first Black President, black Americans would be content however there are a few flaws in that line of thinking. While writing this paper the words of the old civil rights freedom song, “We Shall Overcome” kept echoing in my head. I thought about the melancholy nature of the song and the implication of Dr. Kings words on future generations. In the article “Black America’s Lost Generation Speaks”, Mr. Wright speaks to the same economic disparities / long standing poverty; poor educational opportunities for urban youth and constant barrage of police violence directed at people of color in America. More than a half a century has passed and stories like Freddie Grays are common. His death along with the constant barrage of images of countless Black people being murdered at the hands of the police sparked a massive reaction In Baltimore last spring. While the media called the people in my community lawless; “thug”; and “savages” they failed to make the connection between failed legislative and social policies; structural and institutional racism and the violence in all forms that is directed at people of color. The simple truth is that...
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...) In 2014, a widespread initiative took place, a growing movement of people who marched and carried signs that inscribed the mantras of “hands up don’t shoot” and “black lives matter”. This was in response to a grand jury’s decision in Missouri to not indict police officer Darren Wilson for any crime related to the shooting and killing of Michael Brown. A week or so later Eric Garner was killed in NYC in direct relation to officer Daniel Pantaleo and his fatal chokehold. Officer Pantaleo was also not indicted by the grand jury although his deadly encounter was filmed by onlookers. There was already a preexisting calling to for police officers to wear body cameras in hopes it would discourage officers from misconduct and that it would also make...
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