Oregon state Representative Lew Frederick took to the House floor this past Tuesday, April 28th, to address the riots in Baltimore.
Parts of his speech included the following lines:
“It would also be easy, as many commentators have, to say that the rioters are just thugs. I’m not gunna make excuses for violence, there are no excuses, there are however, explanations. probably the most important thing to remember about this kind of riot is that it is an eruption of built up pressure. When people have nothing or little to lose, and lots to be angry about, it’s a dangerous condition.
“These riots are not a response to one incident. They are are a response to sustained violence in the form of relentless oppression. Economic oppression and unfair targeting, including violence, are not separate issues, but part of a system that those targeted see as coordinated. When they lash out, it may seem indiscriminate, when it seems that the whole world is against you, everything looks like an appropriate focus of rage.
“There are provocateurs who see this as opportunity to make trouble, and others who intentionally provide the opportunities. The whole picture is much more complicated than you will see on the news. City leaders in Baltimore call for order as they obviously should and we all should. This disorder is an emergency, but what will they do about the disorder that some communities experience on a daily basis?”
