"AFTER THE RIOTS"

https://www.nytimes.com/1992/05/11/us/after-the-riots-los-angeles-riots-are-a-warning-americans-fear.html

This 1992 article from the New York Times, discusses the fear and anger displayed following the Los Angeles riots. The respondents were not only citizens of the Los Angeles area but the entire country. A large number of American's realized the riots statement on the changes that needed to be made. It was not an act of anger and violence to be an act of anger and violence. It was a "warning" as said in the Times article. A warning that there needed to be something done about the injustice displayed in this country. There needed to be an emphasis on the problems minorities faced. It needed to be given attention and the country as a whole needed to be made aware of just how much injustice there actually is. Americans viewed this act as the voice that needed to be heard. The public feared for their safety during the aftermath of the riots and realized that their needed to be changes in order to ensure their safety and the safety of their families. Minorities have been looked upon as inferior and unworthy of equal treatment as those considered "superior" time and time again. Americans did not see the LA riots as a form of destruction for law and order but as an act against the unrest of the social needs for the African American race and other minorities. According to the Times article, "[a] strong majority of the respondents, 61 percent, said the nation was spending "too little" on improving the conditions of black Americans, [a]nd 63 percent said the Federal Government was not paying enough attention to the needs and problems of minorities." The surveys conducted very noticeably displayed a large amount of people who recognized and made statements on the problems and still there is nothing being done to make any changes. Even President Bush was given backlash for his response to the Los Angeles riots and his lack of effort to aid the situation. This backlash was received by Americans both black and white, emphasizing the extent to which the problem reached the people. In fact 53 percent of whites and 76 percent of blacks who took part in the survey disapproved of the way Bush handled race relations in general.

It is clearly evident that the LA riots impacted Americans all over. There has been so much injustice in this country and the act that was thrust upon Rodney King was beyond cruel and showed the malevolence that this country contains and the authority who holds most of that power. The polls that continued to be conducted showed that the people understood that their was a lack of knowledge on how to resolve these problems but yet there was no effort being made to learn and come up with solutions for said issues.

The riots were a warning to the United States. That race relations needed to be taken care of and looked at with importance. There is too much prejudice and discrimination in this country. There is too much hatred and too much violence. We are in a country where situations such as riots are being done just so minorities can have their voices heard. Americans had become afraid of their country and afraid for their well being. A fear that can be stripped if the problems that are p

resent become addressed, not masked, and then solved. Which of course is easier said than done.

-Rebecca Hernandez-Chico