L.A. Riots and Y2K

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Has anyone had exposure to the L.A. riots, and would they please comment on the possibility/probability of a repeat event occuring around 1/1/2000? What steps were effective in minimizing impact, both personal and governmental? What is different now - better, worse? And what about _other_ cities or areas? I would expect very, very few of us have experienced a riot, or similar major event, firsthand, and might learn from others having faced such trauma.

-- A. Hambley (a.hambley@usa.net), May 16, 1999

Answers

Lived through the 67 riot here in Detroit. There were almost 10,000 arrested and placed on an island park in the Detroit River.

This time we are getting out of the burbs.

I saw the National Guard riding shotgun for the local Gas company and helicopter gunships. Parts of the city had elect. and gas turned off because of the fires.

The danger as I see it, is anyone with an axe to grind with state, federal or local govt. will come out of the woodwork.

People today have lower moral code than they did 30 years ago. Ever been to a K-Mart store in its closing weeks knows what I am taking about. The store is a complete mess!

AR-15 with plenty of SS109's is mandatory for this event. Just as in LA or Detroit you will dial 911 and DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ern Been There Done That

Any guestions E-Mail me

-- Ern (edsexcel@ameritec.net), May 16, 1999.


A- Good question. I was outside of L.A. when the RK riots broke out. I had family inside the city at the time. Based on what happened during that riot, and others, I wouldn't be surprised if a riot happened in some big city at midnight 1-1-00 whether the lights stay on or not. Of course if the lights go out, then I'll be expecting riots. One thing that the media has shown us about riots is that we have them for reasons considered both historic and trivial. We riot when verdicts are handed down that we disagree with. We riot when the electricity fails. We riot when our favorite footballsoccerbasketball team wins (or loses) and important game. During the LA riots, police and national guard forces, firefighters and medics responded in both heroic and negligent ways. Some businesses and homes were saved from deadly fire while others were bypassed and left to burn because the area was either unsafe (due to gunfire) or had no water available (due to sabotage or poor maintenance). Many people were rushed to medical centers to care for wounds and illnesses while some lay injured and ill for many hours. Safety and lack of manpower were just some of the reasons that things got as bad as they did. Remember also that the men and women who responded to this crisis were human beings. Some dedicated to the safety of the citizenry and others, probably very few, who were their to flex their muscles, and pound some arses into the ground. After all, the people rioted because they were 'fed up'. Well what do Nat'l guardsmen do when they are fed up? They're humans too. IMO, the city govt and military were able to contain the major part of the rioting by moving to its perimeter and keeping the violence inside an area that could be defended against. The big problem with that is that everyone on the inside of the circle are on their own until they make it out.

-- A.P. (grim2k@hotmail.com), May 16, 1999.

The Rodney King Riot ended the day the welfare cheques arrived at the post office but were not delivered because of safety concerns. The people had to stop rioting and line up at the post offices to collect their *benefit*.

What will stop the 2000 Riots I wonder?

-- Sheila (sross@bconnex.net), May 16, 1999.


Sorta commented on that issue coupled with the Northridge quake in a long ago thread.

I think the major difference in whether people panic, riot or pull together is in how they "feel" about "current" events.

If really angry ... expect riots.

If scared ... expect a pulling together.

Time and duration can shift initial emotions and life circumstances. Best to have "everyone" who can, get ready instead of continue "clueless." Their reaction to "problems," especially extended ones, could well be of earthquake magnitude ... depending.

Diane

See thread for personal story ...

The Energy Of Emotions -- Y2K Lessons From L.A.

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id= 000FUZ



-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), May 16, 1999.


I was a teenager living in West L.A. when the Watts riots exploded in the early 60's , cant remember what the reason was, but somewhere in the back of my mind I think it was due to the hot weather. In 1987 I was living in the Napa Valley and was a part-time Sheriff deputy, when the "100 year flood hit". The only way looting and god knows what else was deverted. Was the visual effect of massive numbers of uniformed officers, armed to the teeth. The last big power failure in New York City, the police reported store front windows being broken out and "the discount shoppers" hauling off any thing they could get their hands on. Ten minutes after the lights went out. The question of if, should be when the rioting starts. Curfews, APC's rolling down the streets may make Joe Average think twice, But large groups in the riot and loot mode does'nt have a social conscious or basic common sense. Do we have enough law enforcement, national gaurd to keep it all under control ? I would'nt bet on it ! Hambley, I belive you mentioned on posting one time that you live in same part of the country I do. If true, we are in alot better shape that Lower America.....Good Luck.....

-- Capt Dennis (souza@ptialaska.net), May 16, 1999.


The funniest part of the LA riots where when good liberal, gun control friends came by, wanting to borrow a weapon when they realized the 15 day waiting period they were so hot for prevented them from getting one. At that point I offered to let them stay but would not lend them a weapon as they had no experience or training. Of course the rioters DID NOT have to worry about that waiting period they just helped themselves.....

-- kozak (kozak@formerusaf.guv), May 16, 1999.

Although i have never actually experienced a riot, i lived in the inner city as a child. One fine day as my mother was walking home from the local grocery store two teens approached her from the oppisite direction bearing hand guns.They decided she had no right to be on "their" sidewalk and she took to the busy street to make her way home. Now the teens didn't harm her, they merely contributed to the beginning of her gray hair. It wasn't too long after that,my father,(a man of great forsight), announced to us that the city was getting too dangerous to raise girls and moved us into the country!

Just 2 summers later the Hough riots broke out in Cleveland. Many of our old friends and neighbors suffered property damage. The stores that we shopped in were burned to the ground and many were never rebuilt.

There is great resentment and anger festering in our inner city's today, and they are the people that really are DGI's. Someone that they respect and will listen to had better sound the warning to anyone that will listen (and make no mistake, there are decent, law abiding, citizens trapped there) so they can minimize the risk as much as possible to their own families.

I have been reading the belief that riots are basically expected when the SHTF, but no where have i seen anyone mention that these people deserve the knowledge to prepare as best they can just like you and me. I think there is a way and i hope to relay it to Ed for his papers as i believe it will take too long to explain to pop into a 5 minute speech.

May we all appraoch this impending "storm" with our arms outstretched in the brotherhood of man. If we forget those who least have access to the info. and means to implement it, we will pay for that lack of humanity with the distruction of our cities.

-- kitten (kitten@vcn.net), May 17, 1999.


"May we all appraoch this impending "storm" with our arms outstretched in the brotherhood of man."

Yeah, kitty, they're outstreatched NOW in giving information that no one wants to hear. They may not be quite so outstreatched in a few months when the neighbors, who ignored our many warnings, start asking us for food.

Case in point: Our neighbors are slacking off on their preparations. They figure y2k probably won't be much of a problem. They're looking to buy an expensive motorcycle instead. How sympathetic do you think I will be next year if they start to run out of food because of this pathetic error in judgement...?

-- not looking (forward@to.it), May 17, 1999.


Yes, I was a college student living in gereater Los Angeles when the Watts riots broke out... I also lived through the Rodney King riots, including the curfews.

I would expect a fair likelihood of rioting when Y2K hits...even if there were no problems. I no longer live in LA, by choice. IMLTHO, if shortages/electrical failure/water failure/lack of Police presence on the streets occur, there will likely be rioting, looting, etc. It seemed that a major problem with the handling of the Rodney King problem was the withdrawal of police from the problem areas. Of course, if much of the LA basin is a problem area...

I also am concerned about terroritst/gangs who may see this as an opportunity to work on disruptions. Damage to infrastructure at this critical time would be twice as damaging as normal.

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), May 17, 1999.


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