Urban Shopping Excursion

What a surprise it is to learn that the guilty verdict for the Oakland, California, transit cop has sparked rioting.  Imagine that, especially in light of the innocent verdict in the infamous double jeopardy Rodney King case that was the excuse for the rioting following that verdict.  Let's see.  There will be riots for either innocent or guilty verdicts; imagine the devastation that a mistrial might bring.

Rioting of this sort follows a pattern.  Having latched onto one convenient excuse or another, the fun usually begins at liquor stores.  Once the buzz sets in and if they are available, it is off to any place that might have guns.  If there are no pawnshops, gun shops, or sporting goods outlets with guns, the jewelery stores are next for the easy-to-carry items.

This is usually followed, and in no particular order, by raids on outlets that sell shoes, clothes, appliances, and electronics.  The final stop is almost always to food stores for a refreshing pre-dawn snack to replenish the strength after a strenuous night of sporting events that included grabbing-and-carrying, car burning, passersby beating, fleeing and eluding, and the looters' all time favorite, the rock-and-bottle-toss.

The only other universally popular looters' event is the ever present mugging for the CNN cameras to satisfy the emotional needs of the insignificant and attention starved who feel the need to grovel for attention.  Riots are the living proof of the need for draconian welfare reform.

May your gods be with you.