We Gave Those Who Wished To Destroy, The Space To Do That As Well" -- Baltimore Mayor -- April 28, 2015

Update

July 11, 2015: NYC -- giving them "space to destroy." If the link is broken, it's simply about NYC council considering decriminalizing public urination, public drunkeness, jumping over subway turnstiles, being in a park after dark, and failure to obey park signs. Photograph of male urinating in middle of downtown street, NYC. Giving them space to destroy.

May 3, 2015: liar, liar, pants on fire. At least three Pinocchios. From The Daily Caller:

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake offered up regrets on “Meet The Press” Sunday for saying space was given to protesters in Baltimore who “wished to destroy.”

Rawlings-Blake told host Chuck Todd that she “certainly used the wrong phrase,” of which she received roundabout criticism as the riots escalated Monday.

“Do you regret using the phrase ‘space to destroy?'” host Chuck Todd asked.

“You know, I certainly think that it was taken out of context,” Rawlings-Blake started.

“Let me say this: I’m from Baltimore, my parents are from here, I’m raising my daughter here. I’m a public defender. As city council person, as mayor, I’ve always worked to strengthen my city. We fought to get those stores in our community. I would never condone rioting. Just period. I would never condone it.”

It was not taken out of context; I heard (and watched) the entire press conference. She was very clear in what she said; her police officers confirmed that she told them to "stand down." It was very clear that the police had been ordered to stand down that first night of rioting.

"... it was taken out of context [but I don't regret saying it]....."

"I would never condone rioting. I would never condone it [except this time]...."

By the way, President Obama said we should have been concerned about "Baltimore" way before now -- and he has never mentioned "Baltimore" in seven State of the Union addresses. 

If I were president and thought I knew an obvious way to bring peace and prosperity to troubled cities -- and felt pretty strongly about it -- I'd maybe mention it before my seventh year in office. Drop it into a State of the Union address, for example.

But it just isn't the case that we're a new federal program away from fixing the problems Obama identified. It isn't the case that conservatives are standing in the way of what everyone knows would work because we just don't share Obama's compassion.

Original Post

It was interesting that Fox News was the only one of the four to follow this story live all through the night (Fox News, CNN, HLN, MSNBC). After 10:00 p.m. or thereabouts, it was only Fox News covering this story, perhaps the biggest story right now.

From the Baltimore mayor, earlier in the week:

“It's a very delicate balancing act because while we tried to make sure they were protected from the cars and the other things that were going on, we gave those who wished to destroy space to do that, as well,” she said in the wake of Saturday's protests in Baltimore.

Last night:

However on Monday night, as rioters engaged in outbreaks of violence, Rawlings-Blake gave this statement. “I'm going to protect people's right to protest,” she said. “The fact that people exploited that does not mean that I do not have an obligation to protect people's right to protest. I never said, nor would I ever say, that we are giving people space to destroy our city. So my words should not be twisted.”

Video hurts.

The businesses destroyed were most likely ...

144 cars torched.

15 buildings burned ... including a brand new apartment building for seniors nearing the end of construction.

Yup, "we gave those who wished to destroy the space to do that as well." -- Baltimore mayor. Way in over her head.

Comment: say what you want, that has to be a most bizarre statement -- "We gave those who wished to destroy [other people's property] the space [and the right] to do that as well." That is way beyond my comprehension. It certainly suggests Baltimore is much more lawless than anything I've experienced in the wild, wild west.

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Screenshots

Oh, yeah!