Posted on 04/28/2015 5:24:47 AM PDT by Citizen Zed
"I'll say the very blatant mischaracterization of my words was not helpful today," Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake told a news conference Monday night, as fires burned and hundreds of "thugs" (the mayor's word) looted and destroyed her city.
She called it "unfortunate" that the media "decided to mischaracterize my words and tried to use it as a way to say that we were inciting violence."
Rawlings-Blake made the comment after a reporter suggested that her own words on Saturday may have contributed to the problem.
On Saturday night, after violence began to escalate in Baltimore, the mayor said she was working with police to make sure they protected the protesters' right to free speech:
"It's a very delicate balancing act, because while we tried to make sure that they (protestors) were protected from the cars and the other things that were going on, we also gave those who wished to destroy space to do that as well,” Rawlings-Blake said. “We worked very hard to keep that balance and put ourselves in the best position to de-escalate, and that’s what you saw.”
On Monday night, Rawlings-Blake explained, "I was asked a question about the property damage that was done, and in answering that question, I made it very clear that we walk a -- we balance a very fine line between giving protesters -- peaceful protesters -- space to protest.
"What I said is, in doing so, people can hijack that and use that space for bad. I did not say that we were accepting of it; I did not say that we were passive to it. I was just explaining how property damage can happen during a peaceful protest.
"And it's very unfortunate that members of your industry decided to mischaracterize my words and tried to use it as a way to say that we were inciting violence. There's no such thing."
Mayor's priority was 'measured' and 'appropriate response'
Later Monday night, Rawlings-Blake told CNN she was "very measured" in her response to Monday's out-of-control violence, because, "We see what happened in jurisdictions that overreacted and brought in resources that escalated the violence on the street, and I didn't want that to happen in Baltimore.
"We wanted to make sure we had the appropriate response to what was going on on the ground. And when we saw that the breakout violence in the small groups --we realized that it was time to bring in additional resources, and I'm very grateful for the governor's cooperation."
(Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) says he called out the National Guard within "30 seconds" of getting the request from Rawlings-Blake on Monday night, many hours after the looting first started.)
CNN's Don Lemon noted that some people think the rioting was allowed to get out of control and that the looters were "given way too much leeway."
"It is a very delicate balancing act to make sure you protect people's right to free speech their right to protest," Rawlings-Blake responded. "The fact that people exploited the opportunity to protest, with violence and looting, doesn't mean that I don't have a duty to protect people's right to be heard.
"What I said very clearly was, when you...facilitate space for people to be heard -- that space was exploited by those who meant to do harm to our city. that's what I was saying, very clearly. And when the protesters got out of hand, and started to destroy property, we did -- we used best practices -- the way the officers are trained to make sure that we are focusing on those that were doing the damage, and also working to not escalate.
"We have seen all over the country, and throughout our history, what happens when you use too much force to respond to an incident. It escalates and it can be a lot worse. I didn't want that for my city. We worked very hard to contain this, and to do it in a way that doesn't turn Baltimore into a military state."
Instead, the rioting has turned parts of Baltimore into a pile of burned-out rubble.
“Barricade and strongly guard the historic areas of Baltimore then close up shop in the rest and let the rioters do their thing. Then move in and arrest anyone who is still there and bulldoze everything outside of those historical areas.”
Set the rioters up. Slowly move them to an area where they can do damage, (such as an abandoned warehouse) and once they are there, beat the living snot out of all of them.
You throw a rock at me, I am bashing in your skull. Don’t want your skull bashed in? Don’t throw rocks.
I would also point out she amended her statement after being coached to do so in a call from the white hut.
I watched that presser and the mayor had that “Oh crap, I’ve been thrown under the bus” expression on her face. Like it was just really dawning on her.
IOW: “I said it, you repeated it word for word - shame on you....”
I personally don’t think she misspoke. I think she’s incompetent, but I think she only backed off because she was called on the idiocy of her statement. If this was a Republican (or dare I say it, a man) - we wouldn’t be making excuses for her. We’d be calling for her head.
I actually think it was “mis-speak”. Not first time I’ve seen press jump on this. Recollect the congressman that mentioned “legitimate rape”. In that case, per allowing abortion, he probably meant “bona-fide rape”, i.e., you wouldn’t want women to claim rape, just to get an abortion.
In the case of the Mayor, what I interpret she meant was along the lines of “rioters took advantage of the space given to protestors.” Space being, reduced police presence.
Yesterday afternoon/evening, it was disgusting to hear Rep. Cummings and other Black politicians/officials/civic leaders distancing themselves, when they are the one who have been inciting this kind of behavior due to previous events.
It is disingenuous when they light the fuses and then run for cover and decry the violence that is a result of their previous ranting and raving.
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They also needed about a 1000 other mothers and dads, like the woman with the yellow blouse trying to corral her own.
Of course, the Libs/Progressives will soon be complaining of her assaulting her poor widdle boy, especially in public. In many areas, she could be arrested.
“Give them space”
How about “shoot the first one that incites”.
“Shoot the next one that incites”
“Shoot the next one that incites”
How about letting law-abiding citizens have the right to arm themselves against these people.
Screw that... I’m not calling these things “people”. By doing that I am saying they are just like me and my family and they are not.
If I was a tourist and valued my ass, I would get the hell out now. I If was White and valued the lives of my family. I would leave like a bat out of hell with his ass on fire. If I was planning on visiting Baltimore and touring, I would think about it, laugh about it, and forget about it.
Did she hear about Ferguson. We are in a climate of rioting. Watch your remarks.
Oh horse pucky. Listen to her again. Her speech was very measured and clear, no halting or hemming and hawing. No aide grabbed her elbow to get her to rethink and correct her statement.
To buy into your argument she had to be completely oblivious to what was coming out of her mouth as she spoke, and this coming from one trained as a lawyer.
More telling is her five hour silence after the speech, enough time to have reviewed her words and to have had her aides and legal advisors comprehend her words and the immediate consequences and make a clear and unambiguous correction.
Rawlings instead, no doubt was trying to locate rev-Run Al and Golf-1 on the phone.
She has no executive skills only the same hood cred as a community organizor as Golf-1.
You betcha. Remember the lady who tried to make a u-turn in the driveway to the White House. They shot her.
Per one older area resident, those who were doing the rock throwing and burning were not residents in the area.
[Sort of sounds like the undercurrent in Ferguson. Rioters either came from other areas to participate or were ‘bussed in’ by community organizers to stir up violence.]
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The CVS Pharmacy that they burned first was a new store. One of the reasons it was built was area residents had been complaining that few businesses would locate in the area. It was part of a community-building plan.
tally up the cost of all this rioting.. every dime. the destruction, lost business, overtime, injuries, every dime.
and deduct it from any damages award after the lawsuits come flying.
the shipyards did something roughly similar for the big asbestos settlements of the 80’s/90’s.
these ‘people’ causing damages to extract retribution from the city/white people - they have already been repaid.
yep, peaceful protests always have violence. I remember how all those white people destroyed DC when they had Tea Party demonstrations. Those darn white people!
Another fence post turtle with an IQ around 70.
Wha Wha Wha poor baby(Debluddio)
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