Freddie's Dead

In the aftermath of the death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore, I would watch the television coverage anxiously. During the days when the city was under the curfew that had been imposed by the mayor, and was being enforced by legions of imported police officers, including the Maryland National Guard, I would grow more and more nervous as the hour for everyone to be off the streets approached. Each night I would silently pray that the citizens of the city would go home. I silently cursed the hundreds of reporters, camera men, and photographers that seemed to outnumber the citizens on the streets. It seemed as if they were hoping for something to go wrong, something sensational to photograph and report. Some seemed disappointed when it didn’t happen. I have no doubt that their ubiquitous presence was an irresistible temptation for those that were the last to leave the streets each night. The desire for even momentary fame is almost a universal desire for many young Americans. We are drawn to television lights like moths to a flame.

I was one of the many that breathed a sigh of relief when the police officers involved in Mr. Gray’s death were charged with various crimes related to his death. I have no doubt that the charges contributed to the détente in the streets. I am willing to accept the results of their trials. If the citizens of Baltimore that sit as their jurors find one, some, or all of them innocent, so be it. But they had to be charged.

 I never thought about what the police might do in response to those charges.

According to the Washington Post, USA Today, ABC News, The Guardian, and several other news outlets, May was the bloodiest month in Baltimore since December of 1971. The city had 43 homicides in May, 2015. In December, 1971 it had 44. In 1971 the city had 900,000 residents. Today it has 600,000 residents, (a third less). Since January of this year there have been 116 homicides. Most of the killings have occurred in the same west Baltimore area that was the epicenter of the recent riots.

One Baltimore police officer was recently interviewed on Fox News with his face and voice disguised. According to him, the citizens in west Baltimore wanted less of a police presence, and “that’s exactly what they are getting”. According to him, the police are acting in unison because they are angry about the charges against the six officers involved in the death of Freddie Gray. The facts support what the officer said. A Baltimore TV station, WBAL, reported that there has been a 32% drop in arrests since the curfew, and the homicide rate is up 40% over last year. Apparently, their duty to “protect and serve” only applies if they are not to be accountable for breaking the law themselves.

The most violent month in the history of Baltimore occurred in August, 1972, when the city suffered from 45 homicides.  That same year, Curtis Mayfield released the soundtrack for the movie “SuperFly”. One of the songs from the album was called “Freddie’s Dead”. The lyrics included the following;

“Why can’t we brothers, protect one another?

No one serious, and it makes me furious

Don’t be misled, just think of Fred,

Cause Freddie’s dead”

The psychological, sociological, and economical reasons that young Black men are conducting this intractable war against themselves is debatable. But a “War” is exactly what it is. The casualty rate is unacceptable. The collateral damage is affecting the women and children that live in the war zones all over America. For the moment, the national media hordes have left to seek out more sensational opportunities to increase their ratings.

 Fortunately,??? recent events have inspired certain media outlets to at least count the casualties.

The challenges facing the leaders of Baltimore are similar to those facing the leaders of Chicago, Birmingham, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, and many other cities. The lack of national media coverage does not mean that the urgency is less. People are still dying, violently, needlessly, every day. Women are still being widowed, children are losing parents, mothers and fathers are grieving. Something must be done. The status quo is not sustainable. There is nothing more important than stopping this daily, violent loss of life. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is present not only among the veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is also present among the men, women, and children that live in America’s urban war zones.

Curtis Mayfield was right. In Baltimore, the police peacekeepers have withdrawn from the battlefield. It’s going to be up to the brothers to protect one another.