Baltimore in a nutshell: "The machine can work without the operator."

Thanks to Jeff G for the link. Badger's essay is clear, sad and not at all restricted in scope to Baltimore. That's because this isn't about the tip of the iceberg, as displayed in Baltimore and glimpsed on social media feeds. Rather, it's about those long decades of contributing factors preceding it, there and elsewhere.

The long, painful and repetitive history of how Baltimore became Baltimore, by Emily Badger (Washington Post)

... These cycles are not unique to Baltimore, which is also why the unrest in Baltimore this week feels more like a movement that's bound to spread than the mere outburst of a few "thugs."

It's not about police versus thugs, but the way that we all -- ALL -- are made to dance like marionettes to the tune of the 1%, which is the only entity profiting from purpose-built and ongoing societal schisms.

Surely it is not insignificant that in New Albany, per 1,000 residents, the arrest rate three years ago showed three times as many blacks as non-blacks. As Jeff noted:

It's easy to offer judgments and commentary about Baltimore and other cities. It's harder to ask questions at home. With just a few days left until the primary, which candidates will publicly ask about this?

The envelope, please ... and the answer is, none. But we have another prayer inclusion resolution coming to council next Monday.

Choices for reading are endless. Last week we took a glance here: Take time to consider Heinberg's "Fight of the Century: Localization in a Globalized World." President Obama's comments also are worthy of note: "This is not new. This has been going on for decades."

In The Nation, Dave Zirin steps in where the usual sports stenographers fear to tread with Apartheid Games: Baltimore, Urban America, and Camden Yards, while at Jacobin, an older piece written during the time of Ferguson explains When Rioting is Rational.