RATIONAL RIOTING

RATIONAL RIOTING

I’m putting this up now unedited because it is now. I’ll fix it later.

In Santa Monica, which I think is the best place in the world to live, was the scene, today, along with a few other LA neighborhoods, of peaceful protests and looting. The intersection of Ocean and Montana Aves was the site of a protest about the death of George Floyd at the hands, or rather the feet of Minneapolis police. 

Three blocks away, at the 3^rd St. Promenade shopping area, 3 blocks of walk streets lined with boutiques and fancy national chains, looting occurred. The thieves attacked mainly corner stores, since 3^rd St. itself was cordoned off by police. Consequently Vans, on one corner, REI on another took most of the hit. Bloomies and Nordstrom, in Santa Monica Place were hit too, a couple blocks south.

It’s just past 4pm, the official start of the curfew. The crowd of protesters on Ocean had been divided into 2 or more smaller groups when police started firing tear gas and other non-lethal projectiles. When the 4 o’clock curfew was announced, around 3pm, superceding the 8PM one established by LA Mayor Garcetti, many in the crowd started leaving. Those remaining stayed and cops stayed, the lines established. Some protesters started setting off red powder bombs, and huge rocks, a few, were thrown at police.As I write this, the situation changes.

Our condo building has additional security and a police presence.

What I meant by rational rioting.

On May 4, 1992, I rode back from Studio City, where I had just done my live radio program, BENEATH THE SURFACE, a drive time call-in show on current events, that I did several weekdays at 5pm. The usual format was a half-hour chat with newsmakers and half-hour of call-ins. Pacifica Radio, the station owner, did not budget for call screeners, so it was always a free-for-all. My guest was Paxton Quigley, author of ARMED AND FEMALE, first published in 1989, but I think paper came out in ’92.

 AS one of my radio colleagues, Cindy Friedman, said at the time, you can have timely radio even when planned in advance. Paxton, a gorgeous blond, at that time (I’VE SINCE SEEN PHOTOS OF her as a red-head), worked public relations for Smith and Wesson, I think. She took me to the firing range a couple of times and is a serious advocate of women owning guns. Hey, she convinced me. This was all in the early days of the NRA vice-grip on legislation, but most liberals had knee-jerk reaction to gun ownership, from I HATE GUNS to fear of them. 

It’s good to fear a gun aimed at you. 

But knowing how to handle one is a useful 21^st century tool.

Some other time I’ll get into an analysis of the I HATE GUNS locution.

Just now, I went on line to find out who made the curfew (now LA County has changed its curfew to 6PM) but only find that it was done by Santa Monica Government. EG Mayor Garcetti did the LA one, and Sheriff’s Dept., the LA County one.

While I drove through the canyon that beautiful May evening in 1992,  I gradually became aware (radio on) that a few miles south, LA was ablaze. The verdict exonerating the cops who beat Rodney King had come in. They had gotten off,

 even thought there was full-on video of what had happened,

 and he was beaten for no reason by cops, with other cops standing by and looking on.

AS I say, riots. The city was aflame. Businesses in the black neighborhoods were looted and torched.

Very irrational, it seemed to me.

But who riots rationally? Oops. More about that in a minute. But my question really is why burn your own stuff? Why not attack the police, the establishment? The rich?

Well, they did. And I fear this is just the beginning. So far there is little damage and injury (the night is young) but there were clearly some who planned. Looters had hammers. Their cars had licenseplates covered up so they could make anonymous getaways with loot.

I saw a bicyclist tear off the covering of a looter’s license plate. The car owner came after him and socked him in the face, but he still rode away. I hope unhurt. Other protesters stood in front of stores trying to dissuade looters for the sake of the real cause.

At the same time, the police were monitoring the protesters and had no presence at the stores.

AS I said, rational. Or, less irrational.

I think this is more rational rioting. And I think it's coming soon to a neighborhood near me.