Understanding The Unheard: Why Violence Repeats | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Community

Understanding The Unheard: Why Violence Repeats

People are growing more and more fed up, are we at a boiling point where things will finally change? or will everything just stay the same?

106
Understanding The Unheard: Why Violence Repeats

Over the past few years, I've seen a bit of a cycle; it's typically gone, unarmed black man is killed in police custody ----> protests happen ----> riots happen ----> nothing changes. All throughout highscool, I had heard about the Ferguson Riots, the Baltimore riots, and the Charlotte riots. Despite being in highschool, I wasn't developed enough to actually understand, In fact I think I remember my opinion most of the time being "that's stupid, why are they burning and destroying things?" Even at first glance now, I thought to myself, "I completely understand being angry and frustrated, by why are people destroying things? What will that do?" and I've thought about it more and more, and I questioned it a lot. Are the protesters the good guys and the violence being incited by people who want to delegitimize the movement? Are people unaffected by the injustices using them as an opportunity for personal gain? Are the police the real source of violence, with the media painting their actions as a response to violence instead of the cause for the violence? It's hard to say what the absolute truth is, I believe it's a combination of all of the above, however there's something else that must be kept in mind, something that was said by perhaps the most famous civil rights activists in modern history, Martin Luther King Jr. once said "A Riot Is The Language Of The Unheard"

Unheard they are indeed. Of all the mainstream news coverage I've seen, I haven't seen anything treating these people as what they are, people, people that are upset, people that are hurting, people that want change. Earlier this week I came across a video by an independant YouTuber called All Gas No Brakes that finally gave these people in pain a voice.


Minneapolis Protestwww.youtube.com

If you have 5 minutes, I highly recommend watching it, he goes directly into the chaos in Minneapolis and interviews those at the heart of it, getting all sorts of different perspectives and showing us the human side of those at the heart of all this mayhem. It is also important to listen and see what can be gained from listening to these people, if "A Riot Is The Language Of The Unheard", then the best way to quell the violence would be to listen and make them feel heard.

The first person he interviews points out that "this is how people are actually feeling", he acknowledges that it isn't the right way to go about it, and that he isn't perfect, but that "everyone feel like that". The next group of people to give their perspective points out in response to the building burning that "this is temporary" in comparison to the permanent loss of life that results when one is killed by police. He says their ancestors live through them, their ancestors that have been oppressed for all of american history. He then says that "We will be heard, y'all don't wanna listen? You gonna feel us", and I believe that quote right there gets at why they are doing what they are doing.

As humans we are generally emotional based thinkers and reactors, so when these people feel as though they are being targeted, and killed, and that any interaction with a cop could spiral into their demise, they will want to be heard, and if they aren't heard, then they will want others to feel what they feel, and that's where the destruction comes from.

The next person says that this is their last resort, and that they've tried peaceful protesting --- while I don't agree with how they are expressing themselves, I can understand why they are fed up, Collin Kapernick peacefully protested for years and was criticized for it. If silently protesting isn't the right way, then what is?

I can let the rest of the video speak for itself, those interviewed bring up things such as how when MLK peacefully protested he was assassinated, that someone with no money to their name should be able to change the world, and that people feel so fed up that they feel as though things will never change.

Something desperately needs to change here, starting with some sort of police reform and moving forward to ensure liberty and justice for ALL(ya know, like we used to pledge everyday until we graduated high school). This post I came across on instagram put it beautifully, it is far too easy to become a cop in our country compared to others, and the rate of deaths that we face per year are just unnecessary and unacceptable. Why is it that many professions which don't require life altering decisions, require way more time than to become a police officer? Something is wrong there, and we must demand change, if we stay silent, as has happened in the past, then history is bound to repeat itself, and those angered by the injustice they face will grow more and more and more angry.

What is happening now, has happened all throughout history, and something NEEDS to change NOW. Not the next time this happens, but NOW. At the end of the latest John Oliver episode, (another video, packed with information and worth 33 minutes of your time) he points out that a commission was setup in the 1960s to come to a conclusion on the riots and conflicts going on, and that Committee ended up advising for things such as demilitarizing police and reinvesting into marginalized communities. A social scientist read the report, and compared it to reports of many different riots dating back to 1919, over 100 years ago, and that each report had the same events, recommendations, and nothing happened. Oliver also gives the end of his episode to a powerful snippet of Kimberly Jones explaining how black Americans have been mistreated for hundreds of years, and even when they have pulled themselves up, they have just been pushed back down.

I in no way condone violence as a means of solving problems, however I understand why people are fed up and angry, and beyond caring, and I hope that I have illuminated a different way of viewing the current situation.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

181639
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

8494
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

453380
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

23844
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments