On the Cusp of an 'African American Spring'

The Huffington Post's The Blog ^ | May 1, 2015 | John Fitzgerald Gates, Ph.D. , Former Associate Dean of Harvard College

[2ndDivisionVet]

Aghast at the sight of the Baltimore riot, I struggled for days to find meaning in what appeared senseless. I searched history for answers, discovering that what's happening through the protests and riots of African Americans throughout the country is similar to the "Arab Spring" that occurred in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Syria and Bahrain. Are we on the cusp of an "African American Spring" akin the Arab Spring? Perhaps.

The Arab Spring was an "awakening" of long-held yearnings for equality led mainly by young, disenfranchised citizens. It began as popular uprisings in the form of local protests, riots, social media campaigns and, eventually, military strikes against oppressive rule that spread transnationally. While the uprisings had precipitating factors, such as we have here with the police killings of unarmed black men and boys, they were linchpins rather than causes of the Arab Spring. The cause was freedom from oppression. America viewed the Arab Spring as the people legitimately raising their voices in pursuit of democratic ideals such as freedom.

Like the Arab Spring, people in Sanford, Ferguson and Baltimore did not riot for the black men killed. They were waging a legitimate insurrection against racial oppression affecting their own lives--poverty, lack of opportunity and mistreatment by law enforcement--that may be the cusp of an "African American Spring." But we have a difficult time accepting these "raised voices" because we are conditioned to dismiss black rage....

[2ndDivisionVet]

In most of those countries, the insurrectionists were in the majority, not a 12% minority, doctor. And none of those countries had bent over backwards and spent $20 trillion dollars on those folks.

[Paladin2]

We apparently need a Conservative Spring.

[Dilbert San Diego]

Obama hinted that we should spend more on our inner cities, hinted that the odds of that are low due to a GOP congress.

I wish we could have some honest debate in this country, about the goals of the war on poverty, the expenditures of the war on poverty, and what the results of the war on poverty have been.

The war on poverty has been ongoing for 50 years now. I think enough time has passed to have some honest appraisal of the results of that war.

[sparklite2]

And look where the Arab Spring led.

[doorgunner69]

Oh, look!

The negros are revolting, isn't that special? Maybe we should take the BMW down and show solidarity with them?

What could go wrong? They do not arrest affluent white liberals......

[kevslisababy]

Yea, that didn’t really turn out so great for anyone, did it?

[molson209]

‘African American Spring’ will only Trash their own neighborhoods ,well what’s left of their neighborhoods

[Iron Munro]

I’ve had enough of this “African American” bull crap.

90% of blacks in America couldn’t find Africa on a map or a globe.

[Gen.Blather]

Stopped here...”They were waging a legitimate insurrection against racial oppression affecting their own lives—poverty, lack of opportunity and mistreatment by law enforcement...”

[Ready4Freddy]

“National Diversity Expert”

[Altura Ct.]

I pray that one day, long before we become some semblance of Zimbabwe, whites will wake up.

[BatGuano]

They oppress themselves with gang bangers, drug pushers, missing fathers, abortions and attitudes. “They”, the black community are worse off now than they were 50 years and $20 Trillion thrown at “them.” The “doctor” misses the point, indeed.
The “doctor” might be hinting for or hoping for an overthrow.

Keep your powder dry!

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Gotta love Skippy, “Beer Summit” Gates.

Ya. If Afro-American spring goes half as well as Arab Spring, you won’t have to worry about a cop arresting you in your cozy Cambridge home, ‘cause you’ll be living under the Harvard Bridge and cleaning windshields on Memorial Drive, begging for tips.

[BenLurkin]

Obama hinted that we should spend more on our inner cities, hinted that the odds of that are low due to a GOP congress.

Baraq was blowing the dog whistle as hard as he could.

[tennmountainman]

If they want to loot, burn and create chaos in their neighborhoods,
who am I to plead with them to stop.

Baltimore has been run by democrats and minorities for almost 50
years. Unfortunately, you reap what you sow.

[BlueStateRightist]

“...Sanford, Ferguson and Baltimore did not riot for the black men killed. They were waging a legitimate insurrection against racial oppression affecting their own lives—poverty, lack of opportunity and mistreatment by law enforcement...”

One problem, Professor: Baltimore is completely governed by blacks, and the arresting officer charged with murder is black.

[SampleMan]

Yep, Libya and Yemen are their models

[tophat9000]

Hey I think we should just toss all the white liberals on the fire.. they love stoking this rage

[Pearls Before Swine]

Don’t confuse reparations with gratitude.

[dp0622]

I cant stop laughing just from the title alone lol.
they have fifty kids before 12, lol, no jobs, kill each other for laughs or narcotics o money, have no family life, rape their neighbor if given the chance, blame everyone else for their depraved worthless neighborhoods, (like I've said a millions times :), I drove a cab in these neighborhoods for a few years, there are no words to describe what I saw), they take and take and take and vote themselves more.
Lazy worthless and begging or threatening the white man for more more freebies are reparations, is no spring. Like a bad business venture, after 50 years of squandering, we have to write them off as a bad investment. The are so full of hate because of what dems have filed them with that I am afraid they are lost. It is what it is. What we have to figure out is why Asians think they have ANYTHING in common with them other than maybe a hatred for thee white man or a desire to be the victim. George Costanza did say pity is underrated.