I spend more time on social media than on this blog. I could be more consistent here as I am there. So here are a few of my thoughts and notices re recent events from Freddie Gray’s death, to the marches, and the riots in West Baltimore as shared on social media. [Edits as needed]

April 29, 2015
The mixed blessing in Baltimore is no shots were fired.

People set up community activities yesterday. Schools were closed. The libraries were open. Performers took to the streets. Community organizers moved as many people possible at 9 PM to meet the curfew. There was a little scuttle and tear gas at 10:30, but not what we saw Monday.

All that to say Baltimore has always had a certain “can do” spirit. It’s just been beaten out of them due to extreme poverty, neglect, and systematic racism. Add drugs. “The Wire” was the warning shot sent by the series’s creators to show the impact of all this on urban communities. Unfortunately it wasn’t received in a way that made leadership pro-active. “The Wire” became just another entertaining gritty HBO series. Some people will argue that it hurt the city — as you can see it is always referenced when you say “Baltimore”.

But I believe the true B’more spirit will prevail. And they need help.

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April 28, 2015

Quote of the Day: “If our society really wanted to solve the problem, we could, but it requires everybody saying this is important … and that we don’t just pay attention to these communities when a CVS burns. And we don’t just pay attention when a young man gets shot or has his spine snapped.” President Barack Obama

…which I believe connects in some way with what was discussed during this interview with David Simon by the President in March:

This one went viral:
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Certainly We Can Be More Better than we’ve been!