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Why L.A. Happened: Implications of the '92 Los Angeles Rebellion
A series of essays discussing the reasons for and the solutions to the rioting that took place in Los Angeles in 1992 and the violence that grew out of it in Atlanta.
- GenresRace
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 25, 2024
A COLLECTION OF COMMENTATORS OUTSIDE THE “WHITESTREAM” PRESS
Editor Haki Madhubuti wrote in the Introduction to this 1993 book, “This book exists because, like many of you, I am tired of hearing voices outside our community telling us that the PROBLEM is or what TIME it is. I’m in Chicago, and on our block, the burning of L.A. after the Rodney King verdict was not unexpected. In fact, one of the reasons why Chicago did not go the way of L.A. was because there was serious discussion and a healthy venting of anger. And anger---raw and unhollywoodish---is what we are talking about. Anger for unfulfilled promises, anger toward legislators who backstepped on policies decided, passed and not implemented, anger pouring undiluted toward a rulership that feeds on greed and exploitation and view Black people as enemies or as necessary burdens to be thrown crumbs like animals in their latest theme park… Most of the contributors to this book are, in their own way, long-time liberation fighters. We offer a more significant and in-tune analysis that hopefully brings some reasoned balance to the media beating of … the major networks… Our voices were not called upon by whitestream media to analyze the uprising in L.A. We are the ‘community’ experts who, because of racism, class and sex bias, are overlooked; when published or aired, our voices are dismissed because they are not white or connected.”
Alphonso Pinkney observes, “The Los Angeles police chief said the incident should be considered an aberration rather than a pattern of racial bias. However, the audio tape of police communications … shows that although the officers knew the injuries to King were serious, they joked with each other and with the desk officer shortly after the beating… These comments among the officers were so casual that they lend support to frequent reports that Los Angeles police officers routinely engage in acts of brutality against Blacks and Hispanics.” (Pg. 43-44)
William M. Mandel notes, “No authorization of ‘shoot to kill’ to stop the looting or to discourage curfew violations was issued. No one has informed us how many of the persons killed were armed, how many were shot in the back… what they were actually doing when shot… In the 10 instances in which killing was acknowledged to have been by police of sheriff’s deputies or National Guard, the police versions have been specifically contradicted by civilian witnesses in all but two case, and in one of those the man killed was unarmed and not the one who actually was pointing a gun. Six of those 10 were African American, four Latino… Guns were recovered from only two of the victims.” (Pg. 159)
Michael Bradley comments of the Rodney King beating trial, “The four white policemen were charged with multiple counts of brutality and brought to trial. Perhaps inevitably, the white-wash mechanisms began to operate almost immediately; there was not one Black on the jury even though, given the demographics of Los Angeles, three or four blacks would have been fair racial representation. Presumably, it was considered that Blacks would be biased against the white police defendants.” (Pg. 213)
Author Terry McMillan states, “My brother is in prison right now. He was arrested 10 miles from Simi Valley for drunk driving. Fortunately, he didn’t get beaten. How many white men have gone to jail for the same offense? Mow many innocent Black men who have been beaten never made it on videotape? And now, what difference would it make?” (Pg. 239)
Haki Madhubuti concludes, “Willie Horton elected George Bush. Pat Buchanan sends out an unmistakable message to white America to ‘take back OUR cities and take back OUR culture and take back OUR country.’ Guess who ‘our’ is… During the 1980s, violent crimes increased more than 25%... The FBI report also states that ‘1,429 of every 100,000 black youth were arrested for violent crime in 1990, a rate five times that for white youth.’ Somehow the rulership would like to forget that poverty stimulated self-protective reactions; poverty in the midst of socially determined riches often fosters violent actions against the HAVES by the NAVE NOTS.” (Pg. 285-286)
This book will be of great interest to those wanting perceptive “alternative” viewpoints to the 1992 uprising.
Editor Haki Madhubuti wrote in the Introduction to this 1993 book, “This book exists because, like many of you, I am tired of hearing voices outside our community telling us that the PROBLEM is or what TIME it is. I’m in Chicago, and on our block, the burning of L.A. after the Rodney King verdict was not unexpected. In fact, one of the reasons why Chicago did not go the way of L.A. was because there was serious discussion and a healthy venting of anger. And anger---raw and unhollywoodish---is what we are talking about. Anger for unfulfilled promises, anger toward legislators who backstepped on policies decided, passed and not implemented, anger pouring undiluted toward a rulership that feeds on greed and exploitation and view Black people as enemies or as necessary burdens to be thrown crumbs like animals in their latest theme park… Most of the contributors to this book are, in their own way, long-time liberation fighters. We offer a more significant and in-tune analysis that hopefully brings some reasoned balance to the media beating of … the major networks… Our voices were not called upon by whitestream media to analyze the uprising in L.A. We are the ‘community’ experts who, because of racism, class and sex bias, are overlooked; when published or aired, our voices are dismissed because they are not white or connected.”
Alphonso Pinkney observes, “The Los Angeles police chief said the incident should be considered an aberration rather than a pattern of racial bias. However, the audio tape of police communications … shows that although the officers knew the injuries to King were serious, they joked with each other and with the desk officer shortly after the beating… These comments among the officers were so casual that they lend support to frequent reports that Los Angeles police officers routinely engage in acts of brutality against Blacks and Hispanics.” (Pg. 43-44)
William M. Mandel notes, “No authorization of ‘shoot to kill’ to stop the looting or to discourage curfew violations was issued. No one has informed us how many of the persons killed were armed, how many were shot in the back… what they were actually doing when shot… In the 10 instances in which killing was acknowledged to have been by police of sheriff’s deputies or National Guard, the police versions have been specifically contradicted by civilian witnesses in all but two case, and in one of those the man killed was unarmed and not the one who actually was pointing a gun. Six of those 10 were African American, four Latino… Guns were recovered from only two of the victims.” (Pg. 159)
Michael Bradley comments of the Rodney King beating trial, “The four white policemen were charged with multiple counts of brutality and brought to trial. Perhaps inevitably, the white-wash mechanisms began to operate almost immediately; there was not one Black on the jury even though, given the demographics of Los Angeles, three or four blacks would have been fair racial representation. Presumably, it was considered that Blacks would be biased against the white police defendants.” (Pg. 213)
Author Terry McMillan states, “My brother is in prison right now. He was arrested 10 miles from Simi Valley for drunk driving. Fortunately, he didn’t get beaten. How many white men have gone to jail for the same offense? Mow many innocent Black men who have been beaten never made it on videotape? And now, what difference would it make?” (Pg. 239)
Haki Madhubuti concludes, “Willie Horton elected George Bush. Pat Buchanan sends out an unmistakable message to white America to ‘take back OUR cities and take back OUR culture and take back OUR country.’ Guess who ‘our’ is… During the 1980s, violent crimes increased more than 25%... The FBI report also states that ‘1,429 of every 100,000 black youth were arrested for violent crime in 1990, a rate five times that for white youth.’ Somehow the rulership would like to forget that poverty stimulated self-protective reactions; poverty in the midst of socially determined riches often fosters violent actions against the HAVES by the NAVE NOTS.” (Pg. 285-286)
This book will be of great interest to those wanting perceptive “alternative” viewpoints to the 1992 uprising.
June 4, 2011
Some of the essays were rather similar, but the righteous indignation & articulate rage made every page engaging. The poem 'Riot' & chapter 'We Are Not Just Here' were favorites. As an Angeleno too young to remember the riots, it's a valuable collection for understanding the current landscape of my city, but is full of intelligent writing for anyone to enjoy.
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November 30, 2009I had to read this for class when I was a student at Kent State. It was for my Black Experience II course, which I took the year after the L.A. Riots occurred in L.A. after the Rodney King beating, and my professor had a poem in the book (Okantah)
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews