1992 civil unrest in Los Angeles
On
April 29,
1992, immediately following and in response to the acquittal of four white police officers charged with the use of excessive force in their beating of black motorist
"Rodney" Glen King, thousands of people in
Los Angeles took part in mass law-breaking, including taking goods from stores, and setting fires. These acts, most commonly characterized as riots, though characterized as an uprising, rebellion, or insurrection by some, lasted about four days. Estimates of the number of lives lost during the unrest vary between 50 and 60, and estimates of the material damage done vary between about $800 million and $1 billion. Approximately 600 fires were set, and about 10,000 people were arrested. In addition to the
Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), about 10,000 soldiers from the California
National Guard, and thousands of soldiers from the United States Army and Marines were deployed to suppress the crowds. Smaller, concommitant riots occurred in other United States cities, including
San Francisco,
New York,
Seattle, and
Chicago.
Of those arrested, about 42% were African-American, 44% Latino, 9% White, and 2% other. These numbers are proportionate to the number of residents in the areas of Los Angeles where the events occurred, although they are not proportional to the racial make-up of Los Angeles as a whole. Stores owned by Korean immigrants were widely targeted, although stores owned by whites and blacks were also targeted.
In addition to the immediate trigger of the Rodney King verdict, there were many other factors cited as reasons for the unrest, including: the extremely high unemployment among residents of the South Central neighborhood, which had been hit very hard by the nation-wide recession; a long-standing perception that the LAPD engaged in racial profiling and used excessive force; and specific anger over the light sentence given to a Korean shop-owner for the shooting of Latasha Harlins, a young African-American. Additionally, in the time between the public revelation of King's beating and the trial verdict, the two largest LA street gangs, the Crips and the Bloods, agreed to a truce with each other, and began working together to make political demands of the police and the LA political establishment.
In the News
Learning To Prevent Medical Mistakes In Caring For Stroke Patients
Medical errors and adverse events can happen in patients with stroke, and hospital procedures need to be modified to reduce the likelihood of error and patients getting hurt, according to a study published in the February 20, 2007, issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Wii Sports: Future of Fitness?
Experts from the International Sports Sciences Association say "exertainment" combines fun and fitness in a way that could provide a lifetime of benefits. In Game|Life. Study Questions Widespread Use Of C-reactive Protein Test To Assess Ca
A new study concludes that widespread screening for cardiovascular risk by measuring blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a protein produced by the liver, should not be advocated, because CRP appears to be tightly linked to traditional risk factors for heart disease rather than being an independent risk factor.
Yale Scientists Decipher 'Wiring Pattern' Of Cell Signaling Networks
A team of scientists at Yale University has completed the first comprehensive map of the proteins and kinase signaling network that controls how cells of higher organisms operate, according to a report this week in the journal Nature. The study is a breakthrough in understanding mechanisms of how proteins operate in different cell types under the control of master regulator molecules called protein kinases. CES Preview: Huge LCDs, Wireless Dominate Home Entertainment
At CES 2008, home entertainment will be dominated by a move towards various forms of wireless connectivity -- and, of course, enormous TVs. This year, LCD technology appears to have definitively won out over plasma and rear-projection, even for very large displays. High Blood Pressure A Greater Risk For Stroke And HeartDisease In Asia
A new study on risk factors in cardiovascular disease in Asia has found that blood pressure is more strongly related to coronary heart disease and stroke in Asia, as compared with Western countries such as Australia and New Zealand. Can Antioxidants Protect Scuba Divers?
A new study, published in the Journal of Physiology, shows that acute oral intake of largely accepted antioxidants Vitamin C and E prior to a scuba dive can reduce alterations in cardiovascular function, particularly acute endothelial dysfunction, that are caused by a single field air dive. Captive Passage: The Transatlantic Slave Trade and the Making of the A
"The transatlantic slave trade was the second leg of a triangular economic route between Europe, Africa, and the Americas."This online exhibit examines this slave trade and "seeks to increase understanding of this maritime epic and its legacies in the modern world."Topics addressed include departure, middle passage, arrival, abolition, and legacy (such as food, education, religion, and music). Also includes images, a quiz, and a bibliography. From The Mariners' Museum, Newport News, Virginia. DOE-Sponsored Project Turns Coal Waste Into Valuable Building Material
Working under a $7.2 million U.S. Department of Energy cooperative agreement, a Western Pennsylvania-based company recently converted 430 tons of coal combustion by-products (CCB) into valuable building material. In doing so, the company took a major step forward in reducing significant plant operating costs while taking a strong environmental initiative. New Genetic Risk Factors For Multiple Sclerosis Identified -- First In
A pair of large-scale genetic studies supported by the National Institutes of Health has revealed two genes that influence the risk of getting multiple sclerosis -- data sought since the discovery of the only other known MS susceptibility gene decades ago. The findings could shed new light on what causes MS -- a puzzling mix of genes, environment and immunity -- and on potential treatments for at least 350,000 Americans who have the disease.
MP3 Music Downloads
Preview songs, Download Free Music,Burn CDs at ITunes.com
 
|
