'Burn Baby Burn!' 2.0?

By Nadra Enzi —— Bio and Archives June 25, 2020

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The phrase, "Burn, baby, burn" was made famous as a war cry by participants in the 1965 Watts Riots which erupted after a combative traffic stop between a Black parolee and the Los Angeles Police Department. When word got around of the injury of a pregnant woman in his car, unrest spread like, no pun intended, wildfire. Fast forward to 2020 and Black Lives Matter Greater New York president Hawk Newsome (cool name, uncool commentary) seems intent on reigniting the spirit of this comment and widespread conflagration.

During a recent Interview with Fox News host Martha McCallum, Newsome said:

“If this country doesn’t give us what we want, then we will burn down this system and replace it.. I could be speaking figuratively. I could be speaking literally. It’s a matter of interpretation.”

Given his notoriety this statement has very real potential to instigate more national violence and vandalism. Whether investigation results remains to be seen. The statement is phrased to give plausible deniability when inevitable allegations of inciting riots arise. Critics will counter it's a dog whistle to those ready to commit mayhem. Reasonable people on all sides of the police brutality issue don't want more mass vandalism and arson. Is this a call for "Burn Baby burn" 2.0? Sounded like it to me.