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Wisp Slidecast on USA - Michael -Jacqueline -Huiting -Jennifer -LyonnTRANSCRIPT
The 1992 Los Angeles Riots
Otherwise known as the Rodney King riots
53 people died
Over 2000 injured
Damages in excess of $800m
Lasted 6 days
How did it start?How did it start?
Rodney King resisted arrestedRodney King resisted arrested
Led the police on a high speed pursuitLed the police on a high speed pursuit
When he pulled over and was When he pulled over and was apprehended, police alleged he was apprehended, police alleged he was
violently resisting arrestviolently resisting arrest
A nearby eyewitness started recording A nearby eyewitness started recording the arrestthe arrest
The Arrest
When the video started, the police were already beating and kicking
Rodney King
He was also tasered and clubbed with batons for over a minute
Public viewed it as police brutality
When the video started, the police were already beating and kicking
Rodney King
He was also tasered and clubbed with batons for over a minute
Public viewed it as police brutality
Became an international media
sensation
Was broadcastedand published
hundreds of times
The media saw it as a tragedy
Became an international media
sensation
Was broadcastedand published
hundreds of times
The media saw it as a tragedy
Assault charges were brought against the four officers in question
Jury consisted of 10 Whites, 1 Asian and 1 Hispanic
Assault charges were brought against the four officers in question
Jury consisted of 10 Whites, 1 Asian and 1 Hispanic
Jury could not agree on a verdict
Officers were acquitted of all charges
Jury based their decision on officer’s testimony that King had acted violent
and dangerous before the camera began rolling
Jury could not agree on a verdict
Officers were acquitted of all charges
Jury based their decision on officer’s testimony that King had acted violent
and dangerous before the camera began rolling
Unrest started immediately after the verdicts were announced
Reginald Denny, a white truck driver, was beaten repeatedly by a group of local black
residents
Stole $2000 from him
Was hit with a concrete block to the head
Police were called off for their own safety
Unrest started immediately after the verdicts were announced
Reginald Denny, a white truck driver, was beaten repeatedly by a group of local black
residents
Stole $2000 from him
Was hit with a concrete block to the head
Police were called off for their own safety
Denny was rescued by an unarmed black civilian, Bobby Green
Drove him to the hospital
Denny never fully recovered from the attack
Has speech and mobility problems
Denny was rescued by an unarmed black civilian, Bobby Green
Drove him to the hospital
Denny never fully recovered from the attack
Has speech and mobility problems
More beatings continued through the night
Arsonists targeted buildings and shops
Firefights between the public and police started breaking out
By the second day, situation escalatedKorean shopkeepers were targeted and
had to protect their stores with guns
More beatings continued through the night
Arsonists targeted buildings and shops
Firefights between the public and police started breaking out
By the second day, situation escalatedKorean shopkeepers were targeted and
had to protect their stores with guns
Police were helpless
National guard were called in
Were only able to enter the city on the third day
Riots only ended 6 days later and after 4000 soliders were poured into the city
to maintain order
Over 3,600 fires were started
Police were helpless
National guard were called in
Were only able to enter the city on the third day
Riots only ended 6 days later and after 4000 soliders were poured into the city
to maintain order
Over 3,600 fires were started
Why did it happen?Why did it happen?
The Rodney King incident was only the spark for the riots
For many years, Blacks felt that they were targeted by the police and were
constantly subjected to racism
They felt they did not have equal opportunity as everyone else and had
difficult time finding jobs
Poverty inside the city and lack of jobs caused unrest within the community
The Rodney King incident was only the spark for the riots
For many years, Blacks felt that they were targeted by the police and were
constantly subjected to racism
They felt they did not have equal opportunity as everyone else and had
difficult time finding jobs
Poverty inside the city and lack of jobs caused unrest within the community
Korean-American and African-American relations were strained because of
economic competition
As the money moved out of the city to the larger corporations, smaller shops
had less market share and had to compete with each other
Blacks felt that Korean-American shop owners were taken money out of their community and would not give them
jobs in their shops
Korean-American and African-American relations were strained because of
economic competition
As the money moved out of the city to the larger corporations, smaller shops
had less market share and had to compete with each other
Blacks felt that Korean-American shop owners were taken money out of their community and would not give them
jobs in their shops
A Korean-American shop owner had shot and
killed Latasha Harlins, an African American girl
Was killed a few months before the King verdict
Korean shop owner was given five years
probation for killing Latasha
Black community felt it was not enough time for
a murder
Similarities between the US situation & the 2009 Singapore
1) An undeniable fact that the Chinese population in Singapore is still dominating.
- The government / parliament body.
- High rank jobs – CEOs, Managers etc.
2) Foreign workers are occupying too much jobs in Singapore, regardless of low-ranking jobs or high-ranking jobs.
- E.G. From construction workers to managers of big companies
3) Government: believes that having many foreign workers / talents in Singapore would boost our economy.
- Singaporeans: felt that foreign workers are “degrading” our standard of living, and foreign talents are “sucking” away Singapore’s money with their high-pay jobs.
Differences between the US situation & the 2009 Singapore
1) The government has been taking measurements to ensure racial harmony in Singapore.
- Singapore pledge
- Racial Harmony celebrated in Primary and Secondary
School
- Focuses on youths, especially Primary and Secondary students.
- Attempt to educate the people from young.
Problems that might surface
1. A stereotyping fact that Singaporeans think that Malays and Indians are not as competent than Chinese.
- Frustration due to inability to break the society class level, thus feeling outcasted by the society.
2. Government too over concerned about the economy of Singapore.
- Could have neglected Singaporean’s feelings; their
struggles to survive under the bad economy due to the
strong competition between us and the foreign workers / talents
3. Too much focus on the young generation in educating the population on the importance of racial harmony
- Might lose focus on the older generation (tertiary institutions onwards)
- Frustration among the older generation due to the lack of education on racial harmony might thus build up and lead to the imagined future of 2061 caused by the problems mentioned in (1) and (2).
What can we do to prevent the imagined future of 2061 from becoming a reality?
-The increasing dominance of Chinese in the society,
for example, in the parliament.
We could implement a ratio quota in the government,
like there should be a certain amount of Chinese and other races in it
and it should not be over that certain amount.
Likewise, it should be fixed in most high paying jobs as well
in order to prevent a hidden hierarchy in most cushy positions.
-Problem [implementing a quota]
It would be extremely dangerous and also sensitive when dealing with political matters.
Because as we know, there are several old fashioned-minded strong political powers in
Singapore,
and trying to decrease the number of Chinese in the government could make them think
that their power
over the government is diminishing.
This could cause many problems in the future politically (think of the past racial riots).
-The supposed invasion of the foreign workers in Singapore.
While the government is busily trying to persuade the Singaporeans about how great it is to
have foreign workers over, it would be better to show the effects instead.
For example, how many Singaporeans will be willing to toil in the hot sun to finish our buildings?
Or clear the drains? Or wash our toilets? The clear answer is, not many.
The significant dwindling of old people(who used to do such jobs) has led us to resort
to using foreign workers. Instead of being against them, we should be grateful that there
are people out there who are willing to do the jobs that most will find revolted or perhaps oven
undeserving of their status.
-Problem [Campaigns]
The main root here is not the government, but in fact acceptance from the
common people. It’ll take a long time to get people to accept the foreign
people as part of our society as it has been taught to us since young
that those people who are doing the belittling physical work are below us.
Even though there are several campaigns going on to increase
acceptance among us,
it’ll evidently take more than that to change the minds of an entire nation.
-Government too over concerned with the economy.
It is hard for the government to oversee everything in a country,but when one ignores the cries of their people (which is noted in public domains and many people’s corners speakers) in order to boost their economy / encourage diplomacy between countries. There should be a quota of how many foreign workers can be hired a year/ per company so that there would still be space for local workers in the local industry.
-Problem [Economy]
For a government, it’s hard to weigh the importance
between the economy and politics. By putting one above the
other, it could cause a lot of problems between little people,
who obviously would not be pleased if only one of the other is thriving
(either there is peace but the economy is down, or they are
rich, but wars/riots/ unbalanced social stability are abound everywhere.)
-Too much focus on the younger generation.
The government should also emphasize on re-educating the older generation on the cons of racial prejudice in Singapore’s society as it is quite obvious that most of the prejudice towards the foreign workers stem from the older generation(who is more obstinate towards accepting different people.) and then they will pass it down to future generations.
-Problem [Stubborn Old people]
It’s hard to get a leopard to change its spots, and it’s even more so
for old people to change their mental thinking
(which they have thought since young) that foreign workers
(who are evidently not their people) are equal and therefore require
the same respect that they give to themselves