What's with the riots and looting?

[atpollard]

Didn’t read the article, but saw the nation in the caption--a dictatorship with actual peaceful protesters. China, North Korea, Russia, Iran, and other authoritarian governments crack down on peaceful protesters and bystanders using very brutal methods. They often do this to goad them into defending themselves, then claim they legitimately attacked the protesters.

OK, lets try again ...

... and why riots basically only happen in the good ol' USA.

Here is a list of nations that have had riots in the last three years:

• Algeria
• Argentina
• Belarus
• Belgium
• Bolivia
• Brazil
• Bulgaria
• Chile
• Colombia
• Ecuador
• Ethiopia
• France
• Gabon
• Georgia
• Germany
• Greece
• Hong Kong (China)
  
• India
• Indonesia
• Ireland
• Iraq
• Israel
• Italy
• Kazakhstan
• Kenya
• Lebanon
• Mexico
• Moldova
• Netherlands
• Nicaragua
• Palestine
• Peru
• Philippines
• Poland
• Republic of the Congo
• Russia
• South Africa
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• Ukraine
• United Kingdom
• Venezuela

Many would be surprised to learn that they are "authoritarian governments" and that is irrelevant to the point that these sorts of "riots" only happen "in the good ol' USA." It would seem that shooting rioters does not discourage them from violently complaining about some perceived ongoing injustice.

 

[righteousdude2]

OK, lets try again ...


Here is a list of nations that have had riots in the last three years:

• Algeria
• Argentina
• Belarus
• Belgium
• Bolivia
• Brazil
• Bulgaria
• Chile
• Colombia
• Ecuador
• Ethiopia
• France
• Gabon
• Georgia
• Germany
• Greece
• Hong Kong (China)
  
• India
• Indonesia
• Ireland
• Iraq
• Israel
• Italy
• Kazakhstan
• Kenya
• Lebanon
• Mexico
• Moldova
• Netherlands
• Nicaragua
• Palestine
• Peru
• Philippines
• Poland
• Republic of the Congo
• Russia
• South Africa
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• Ukraine
• United Kingdom
• Venezuela

Many would be surprised to learn that they are "authoritarian governments" and that is irrelevant to the point that these sorts of "riots" only happen "in the good ol' USA." It would seem that shooting rioters does not discourage them from violently complaining about some perceived ongoing injustice.

I must thank you for the impressive list of nations that have rioted. I stand corrected. Shalom. Now, how about a verbal riot here on the board? That would present an intereting scene to say the least.....Shalom!

 

[RighteousnessTemperance&]

OK, lets try again ...


Here is a list of nations that have had riots in the last three years:

• Algeria
• Argentina
• Belarus
• Belgium
• Bolivia
• Brazil
• Bulgaria
• Chile
• Colombia
• Ecuador
• Ethiopia
• France
• Gabon
• Georgia
• Germany
• Greece
• Hong Kong (China)
  
• India
• Indonesia
• Ireland
• Iraq
• Israel
• Italy
• Kazakhstan
• Kenya
• Lebanon
• Mexico
• Moldova
• Netherlands
• Nicaragua
• Palestine
• Peru
• Philippines
• Poland
• Republic of the Congo
• Russia
• South Africa
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• Ukraine
• United Kingdom
• Venezuela

Many would be surprised to learn that they are "authoritarian governments" and that is irrelevant to the point that these sorts of "riots" only happen "in the good ol' USA." It would seem that shooting rioters does not discourage them from violently complaining about some perceived ongoing injustice.

Well, while we’re trying again, let’s also clearly understand that not all protests labeled riots are riots, not all riots involve looting (and or arson), and not all resistance against government is properly labeled a riot. There are many reasons for the protesting, rioting, and unrest around the world, so countries experiencing such should not all be lumped together as if the same.

 

[righteousdude2]

Well, while we’re trying again, let’s also clearly understand that not all protests labeled riots are riots, not all riots involve looting (and or arson), and not all resistance against government is properly labeled a riot. There are many reasons for the protesting, rioting, and unrest around the world, so countries experiencing such should not all be lumped together as if the same.

I couldn't agree with you more. That is why Ii posted this, along with, what, 20 nations, listed to blow their cork and have riots.

 

[RighteousnessTemperance&]

I couldn't agree with you more. That is why Ii posted this, along with, what, 20 nations, listed to blow their cork and have riots.

America is unique in our liberties, our constitution. There is no good reason for rioting in America, but protesting should be allowed, even when illegitimately premised.

When the rioting starts, or looting or arson, it should be shut down immediately, and anyone legitimately protesting should be outraged that their protest was hijacked.

 

[ThyWordIsTruth]

I have to ask this because it has bothered me for years, and I mean as far back as the riots in LA, in the late 60's . . . so, can anyone on this board venture a guess and tell me why people LOOT and VANDALIZE during riots? The two (riots and vandalism/theft) make no sense to me. So, I look forward to some intelligent responses.

Shalom....and blessings to all.


Pastor Paul
Prodigal Daze Ministries

The main reason is that like here in the UK, the US has turned its back on the God of the Holy Bible, and rejected the Teachings of His Word. Sadly, even so called "evangelicals" have more in common with "Liberals" then with sound Biblical Teaching. Godlessness and lawlessness are the by-products of the rejection of the Lord and His Teachings. Where the Holy Spirit is absent, the devil is hard at work. People like BLM are evil and stand for everything that is opposite to what the Bible says.

 

[just-want-peace]

The main reason is that like here in the UK, the US has turned its back on the God of the Holy Bible, and rejected the Teachings of His Word. Sadly, even so called "evangelicals" have more in common with "Liberals" then with sound Biblical Teaching. Godlessness and lawlessness are the by-products of the rejection of the Lord and His Teachings. Where the Holy Spirit is absent, the devil is hard at work. People like BLM are evil and stand for everything that is opposite to what the Bible says.

As well as the vast majority (all?) of democrats.

 

[John of Japan]

“At a street corner meeting in Watts when the riots were over, an unemployed youth of about twenty said to me, "We won." I asked him: "How have you won? Homes have been destroyed, Negroes are lying dead in the streets, the stores from which you buy food and clothes are destroyed, and people are bringing you relief." His reply was significant: "We won because we made the whole world pay attention to us. The police chief never came here before; the mayor always stayed uptown. We made them come." Clearly it was no accident that the riots proceeded along an almost direct path to City Hall.... This is hardly a description of a Negro community that has run amok. The largest number of arrests were for looting—not for arson or shooting. Most of the people involved were not habitual thieves; they were members of a deprived group who seized a chance to possess things that all the dinning affluence of Los Angeles had never given them.”
― Bayard Rustin, Down The Line

What a really weird definition of winning: "Yeah, we lost everything, but we certainly won the battle." It reminds me of the folk song sung by the British army after losing the Revolutionary War: "When buttercups buzzed after the bee, when boats were on land, and churches on sea...." The rioters have everything backwards.

 

[John of Japan]

Didn’t read the article, but saw the nation in the caption--a dictatorship with actual peaceful protesters. China, North Korea, Russia, Iran, and other authoritarian governments crack down on peaceful protesters and bystanders using very brutal methods. They often do this to goad them into defending themselves, then claim they legitimately attacked the protesters.

My brother was a Maoist back in the day. He was involved in a Maost demonstration against the War in Viet Nam, I think it was, in Washingto, D.C. Unbeknownst to him, the other Maoists took stuff to throw at the police to incite them to violently shut down the demo, and they succeeded. (My brother had been told there would be no violence.) So my brother was hit by a police baton and had to have reconstructive surgeries on his jaw.

When violence occurs in these demonstrations, from what I've read, it is almost always instigated by Antifa and others like them. The police react.

 

[atpollard]

What a really weird definition of winning: "Yeah, we lost everything, but we certainly won the battle." It reminds me of the folk song sung by the British army after losing the Revolutionary War: "When buttercups buzzed after the bee, when boats were on land, and churches on sea...." The rioters have everything backwards.

Have you encountered real despair?
His comment makes perfect sense to this former nihilist.
I do not agree with it, but I understand it.

 

[John of Japan]

Have you encountered real despair?
His comment makes perfect sense to this former nihilist.
I do not agree with it, but I understand it.

Since nihilism doesn't make logical sense in the first place, only a former nihilist could understand it.

But I really don't think the rioters are coming from "real despair," especially when they loot. When one is in real despair, the tendency is depression--which results in inactivity, not rioting. I believe it was in Milwaukee where looters had a plan, and went down the street in vans, unloading groups to clean out a business then move on. Nihilism? Don't think so.

 

[atpollard]

Since nihilism doesn't make logical sense in the first place, only a former nihilist could understand it.

OK, maybe ... but it does have its own internal logic for those that come from another world.
[It makes marginally more sense than the empirical evidence of a god that is evil.]

But I really don't think the rioters are coming from "real despair," especially when they loot. When one is in real despair, the tendency is depression--which results in inactivity, not rioting. I believe it was in Milwaukee where looters had a plan, and went down the street in vans, unloading groups to clean out a business then move on. Nihilism? Don't think so.

I cannot speak to Milwaukee. Greed and organized crime is certainly a very real possibility. However the logic of the unemployed twenty year old in Watts that was quoted does come from despair that the future will never be better than the present. We used to say "You live, you die and when you are gone, you don't even leave a hole to show that you were here." That black man in Watts was saying "Look, they saw me. At least I left a hole to show that I was here!"

I can understand that sort of hopelessness. Been there, done that, got the tee-shirt.
As my Pentecostal friends say: But God ...

 

[John of Japan]

OK, maybe ... but it does have its own internal logic for those that come from another world.
[It makes marginally more sense than the empirical evidence of a god that is evil.]


I cannot speak to Milwaukee. Greed and organized crime is certainly a very real possibility. However the logic of the unemployed twenty year old in Watts that was quoted does come from despair that the future will never be better than the present. We used to say "You live, you die and when you are gone, you don't even leave a hole to show that you were here." That black man in Watts was saying "Look, they saw me. At least I left a hole to show that I was here!"

Forgive me, but I don't have too much patience for an unemployed 20 year old, unless he's handicapped in some way. I worked in a dirty, dangerous factory full time for 4 years to put myself through college. Many young black and white folk worked there, too, and you could make a living. Even during this pandemic, I see signs around that advertise entry level jobs.

I can understand that sort of hopelessness. Been there, done that, got the tee-shirt.
As my Pentecostal friends say: But God ...

Absolutely! God is the only solution.

 

[Salty]

Forgive me, but I don't have too much patience for an unemployed 20 year old, unless he's handicapped in some way. ...

and even if a man is handicap - there is usually something that even a handicap person can do.

When I drove taxi for "call-a-bus" (a program for the handicap) I picked up many people with disabilities, and drove them to work. One of my regular customers was a blind man who was the supervisor of the telephone operates at the VA. Most of the workers were also blind. About the only one that had sight - was when an individual would worked alone.