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