Life at NDP can often seem a sheltered one—almost as if we are insulated from harm by the walls of love built by our teachers, families, and friends. And yet the truth is that while we may be rooted in a secure foundation, NDP students are still aware of the wider world beyond them, and they participate actively in promoting change within that world. Over the last month, that world around us, particularly Baltimore, has experienced some of the most trying times in its history. When Freddie Gray met his death after unconfirmed events in the back of a police van, few would have thought that this one man’s death would ignite such an uproar of passion, anger, and violence. And yet it acted as the impetus for protests throughout Baltimore and its surrounding area regarding the wider issues of police brutality, poverty management, and racial tensions in Baltimore. These protests, themselves a vital aspect of the movement forward regarding these issues, were suddenly debased as riots erupted in our city, sending Baltimore several steps backwards in a matter of days.
Living so close to Baltimore, NDP students can hardly hope to continue on with their daily lives as normal without seriously considering the implications of this violence and the many causes of it. The opinions girls have expressed vary greatly, and yet at their heart they share a core condemnation of violence in all forms. One student explained, “I am ultimately confused at what these people think looting stores will accomplish. Those stores are all part of the local Baltimore community that these people are claiming to be defending the rights of. They are simply cutting their neighbors’ profits and harming themselves. I do however believe in peaceful protest. If they are indeed peaceful, then they cannot do damage and may do some good. I believe that humanity and humans are inherently good, so it boggles my mind to think that we still have issues like violence and harmful rioting.”
Meanwhile, another student stated, “I know violence is never the answer, but in this situation I understand why it occurred. The media attention to the riots was far greater than that to any peaceful protest. The people of Baltimore feel they have been ignored too long, and they resorted to harmful means to get their voices heard. The tragedy is that it took this event for poverty, police brutality, and racial inequality to come to the forefront of our attention.”
“I think that the riots ruined a great opportunity for a possibly successful peaceful protest,” expressed one student. “And I don’t think the riots were really about Freddie Gray. The peaceful protests were about the issue with Freddie Gray, but the riots were using that as an excuse to start chaos. I mean, I understand that they were angry, but violence is not the answer. Yes, violence does get more attention from the media, as we have obviously seen. But is it really worth burning down buildings and hurling stones at police officers just to get a message across? Yes, it brought light to the situation. But do you know what else brings light to a situation, even though it may not be as attention-grabbing? Peaceful protest.”
At the end of the day students seem to agree on two things: first, that the problems plaguing Baltimore need to be stopped, and second, that violence (from police or from citizens) is never the answer. While this issue may seem a divisive one, it is also vital to understand that no matter how we go about solving issues, we all want the same thing: a more peaceful and more equal world. While the riots themselves have caused discord, our reaction must be a source of UMOJA.