Yes, America, You Are Under Martial Law

I know I've been rough on CNN's coverage of the Baltimore protests, but even the corporate media may, at long last, be seeing the light.

One of its reporters finally spoke truth to power last night. When police physically prevented Miguel Marquez from interviewing a demonstrator and "kettled" him and other journalists behind barricades (presumably to prevent filming of police beatings and arrests), Marquez said, “It is shocking that in a city like this that it would come to this. I think that the First Amendment and the Constitution still applies in Baltimore.”

But then Don Lemon had to ruin the journalistic moment by admonishing Marquez that any Fourth Estate challenge of the police state is "not worth it." You can always count on Don Lemon to side with authority.

So, I guess it comes down to this: now that the official state apparatus has moved more swiftly than expected to charge six police officers with the death of Freddie Gray, everybody should just go home and calm down. Even a relatively joyous celebration of a paper indictment was apparently too much for officialdom.
It was supposed to be enough that State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby (instantly crowned by the media as a "badass" rock-star) appeared before the TV cameras to announce the surprise indictments as proof that the security state is on the people's side.

 “To the people of Baltimore and the demonstrators across the United States,” she said, “I heard your call for ‘No Justice, No Peace.’ Your peace is sincerely needed as I work to deliver justice on behalf of this young man.”

People didn't get her subliminal message to shut the hell up ("your peace is sincerely needed") and just let the expert grinders handle the wheels of justice. People still took to the streets. And the police proceeded to crack down with a viciousness and vigor not seen since the "unrest" began. The beatings and arrests will continue,  because other cities have caught the solidarity bug too. And on May Day no less. American officials are so terrified of May Day that a long time ago they changed it to a three-day September weekend to celebrate consumerism and picnics. We are instructed to celebrate the last unofficial day of summer listening to bloviating politicians instead of remembering and honoring labor activists and labor rights.

The beatings and arrests will continue as the six accused officers quickly made bail and remain free to plot their legal defense strategies.

It makes the post-indictment statements of Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake all the more ironic:

There will be justice for Mr. Gray, there will be justice for his family and there will be justice for the people of Baltimore.No one is above the law in our city. Justice must apply to all of us equally. 

The family of Mr. Gray wants answers. I want answers. Our entire city deserves answers. We will remain vigilant on this path to justice.

But don't ask questions. Don't challenge authority. No one is above The Law, personified by cops in riot gear and National Guard troops in camouflage and military helicopters buzzing over your heads like predator drones in the Disposition Matrix. The state shall remain vigilant in its right to maintain total power over the citizenry as the long and winding road to legal delays, secret plea bargains and closed courtroom hearings for the symbols of state power proceed apace.

Meanwhile, President Obama himself still callously stands by his right-wing usage of the word "thugs" to describe people who have finally snapped after enduring years of Reaganomic austerity and right-wing policies.

As Stephen Graham writes in Cities Under Siege: The New Military Urbanism, "We are now learning what countries across the developing world have experienced over three decades: unstable and inequitable neoliberal economics leads to unacceptable levels of social disruption and hardship that can only be contained by brutal repression."

Meanwhile, the New York Times reports that city officials are "bracing" for more rowdy protesters. A black lawyer (an "outside agitator" from all of 40 miles away) is making them nervous.

Proclaims the Gray Lady without a hint of irony:"With the National Guard still patrolling the streets, and a 10 p.m. citywide curfew in place, officials expect that this Saturday will be more peaceful than last".

The National Guard: Like a good neighbor, always ready to inflict peace upon the Thug-folk.