Yesterday, I was blogging about Rodney King, an unlikely civil rights figure who died yesterday at the age of 47. In 1991, King was pulled over by LAPD and savagely beaten by four police officers. They were charged, but three were acquitted and one’s trial ended in a deadlock. With a community upset by the trial results, riots exploded in Los Angeles. There was looting, burning, and attacks. After a plea from King himself (“People, I just want to say, can we all get along?”) and the Army National Guard and Marines were sent in, the violence finally ended. At … Continue reading →

Remember Rodney King? In the early ‘90s, he helped us see that social unrest was still alive and well in America. King died yesterday at the age of 47. He was found in the bottom of his pool, but the official cause of death may not be known for weeks. On the night of March 3, 1991, King saw blue lights in his rear view mirror while driving down Interstate 210 in Los Angeles. While most people would pull over for LAPD, King decided to drive a bit as he had been drinking, he was speeding, and a DUI would … Continue reading →