Riot In The Streets

Riot In The Streets

April 29, 1992, there was a riot in the streets - where were you? I can tell you where I was. I was in school in East Los Angeles. My 12 year old ass wasn't sure what the fuck was going on. I wasn't in the heart of it all. I can see smoke from my house though. That was a trip. I can't say I was all that old to really remember it all. Even then, I may not recall a lot of my childhood but the day that the riots broke out, I for sure damn remember.

What caused this? The easy answer would be that four police officers who were charged with a beating a black motorist where acquitted of their crime and people went ballistic over this whole thing. Civil unrest broke out and for days the streets of Los Angeles were a war zone.



In all actuality this tension was there for years in the LAPD with their abuse of power and clear signs of racism. It only took a spark to ignite such a race war. The economic situation and friction between minority groups all around South Central didn't help in getting all this going.

Rodney King was beaten and the city saw it fit to release the officers. Can I say that no blame lays on King for this? No. I can't. But I don't think for a second that anyone deserves to get beat by the fuckin' cops. So when they were let off on charges there was a full blown riot that blew out.

L.A. Riots Video

Utterly insanity unfolding

The madness that unfolded over the course of those five days can't even be taken in even 17 years later. Whole city blocks went up in flames. People were carjacked as if it was some precurser to Grand Theft Auto 3. People of various colors were taken out of their car and beaten. The most famous of these folks beaten was a single driver just passing through at the wrong place on the wrong time. Reginald Denny at the now famous intersection of Florence and Normandie.

Things got so bad that the National Guard had to show up and try to maintain control. Crewfews and other preventive measures were taken. When it was all said and done over 1,000 buildings were destroyed, 10,000 people were arrested, $1 billion in damages were caused and this simple NOT GUILTY cost 53 people their lives.

Wll, I guess I can be silly after all. Here. Enjoy NPH's take on what happened during the riots in the classic episode of Doogie Howser M.D.

Joking aside, here's to hoping that sight isn't seen any time ever again.

I'm not saying police are bad people. Anyone could grow a power trip after enough time. Hell, I know a lot of great cops. Doesn't change the fact that most police are poorly-paid ignorant wage slaves employed as thugs by the same system that keeps them lower-middle-class. Fuck the police for the opression they are ordered to help bring down, you have every right to NOT like them. But at the same time, don't hate them for being accidental pawns.