While corporate and family owned businesses burn to the ground, looters take anything that is not nailed down, and rival gang members unite together to riot during the Baltimore protests, the National Guard and patrol attempt to regain control of a city in the middle of mayhem. At the same time, the mother of Freddie Gray, the black man whose death while in police custody triggered the Baltimore Riots, appeals for an end to the violence and chaos that has gripped a city which once claimed to be “The Greatest City in America”. Unfortunately, her pleas go unheard and the rest of the USA is left to sit and watch as a once beautiful city is destroyed.
What Impact Will the Baltimore Riots Have On the Rest of the Country?
Although the riots dominate the news right now, within a few weeks the country’s attention will shift to other issues. Past riots that have broken out involving similar situations, such as the Rodney King Riots in 1992, the Newark Riots in 1967, the Watts Riots in 1965, and the Ferguson, Missouri Riots in 2014 gripped the nation for a short period of time before fading from the public eye. Although it is impossible to tell if the same will occur with the Baltimore Riot, it is likely. That being said, there will be repercussions.The Economic Impact
There is no doubt that the Baltimore Riots will have a significant impact on Baltimore and potentially the surrounding areas. Businesses will be forced to rebuild and deal with inventory lost to looters, while also losing income as they try to get their stores back up and running. In turn, employees will suffer from lost wages. Additionally, there is a strong possibility that tourism both in and around Baltimore will dramatically decrease because travelers simply can’t be certain of how safe the area is.Race Relations
As of December 2014, 57% of Americans admitted they felt race relations were bad in the US as the result of the recent deaths of several unarmed black men, including Michael Brown, at the hands of the police. Historically, not only has there been conflict between the police and the public, particularly African Americans, but merchant/ customer relationships have been tense after rioting has taken place. For example, after the Rodney King Riots, it was not uncommon for African American patrons to report they were being closely watched, overcharged, and/ or ignored, particularly by Korean store owners. While the merchants believed they were reacting appropriately to what they deemed was inappropriate behavior in public, such as being too loud or cussing.Will race relations deteriorate after the Baltimore Riots are over? Undoubtedly, they will, but it remains to be seen for how long. Fortunately, Americans tend to have a short attention span, so they could quickly move onto another issue. On the other hand, multiple African American men have died while in police custody in the last year and this could serve as a breaking point for a number of Americans. Only time will tell what impact the Baltimore Riots have on the USA.
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