INSIGHT Q&A: Baltimore shows we are closely connected

When did you work in Baltimore and what did you do?

I lived in Baltimore from 1999-2004. I spent the last three years working as a Program Manager at the Franciscan Youth Center on 22nd and Greenmount, on the campus of St. Ann's Church. My job was developing religious, academic, athletic and civic activities for youth ages 8 to 18, with a focus on giving them access to activities that are often unavailable in the neighborhood.

Watching events unfold in that city this past week, what do you think were some root causes of the unrest?

I first flash back to the images of a city that I once called home. When I lived there, Baltimore was the heroin capital of the nation. This drug flooded the streets of the city, and was coming from the Far East.

With the abundance of drugs there is a large contingent of law enforcement in the neighborhood, and very poor relations between residents and police, who are often seen as using brutal tactics to enforce drug laws.

If the people in the inner city were responsible for the flood of heroin into the neighborhood, then the arrest records are justified. If not, then those in our nation with the responsibility for limiting access to our shores aren't doing their job. They are either incompetent or complicit.

The way Baltimore Police treated people in the low income areas definitely contributes to the visible unrest. Some neighborhoods are commonly called open-air drug markets.

Other contributing factors are high unemployment and a lack of good educational outlets, abandoned houses and limited access to basic resources, such as grocery stores with healthy choices.

Do you think those issues are unique to Baltimore?

These issues are consistent in most major cities in America. Until we as a nation have as much concern for our urban centers as we do our suburban neighborhoods, then this trend will continue.

The major issue in this case, and many that have been sparked across the nation, is the manner in which people are treated by law enforcement. The death of any unarmed person, young or old, tends to scare many of the residents, and put the rest on heightened alert. This tense atmosphere is like a powder keg waiting for a match.

As long as there are neighborhoods with few educational and employment opportunities, which serve as dumping grounds for drugs and violence, violence will continue to occur from all parties involved.

Is the situation in Baltimore relevant to communities in The Corridor? How?

Yes it is relevant. Regardless of how you feel about anyone, we are so closely connected as a country, and violence tolerated by any community or group will only allow that violence to spread.

People adjust to a new normal pretty quickly, and what is perceived as tolerable in one city will certainly spread to a community near you. This creates an unsafe environment for all of us regardless of race, religion, economic status or geographic location.

Other thoughts?

I am very uncomfortable about a trend that I see developing which is creating more fear, anger and distrust. That's the number of people who are dying while in police custody.

Most recently, it was Freddie Gray of Baltimore, his spine severed in three places. Before that, it was Eric Garner of Staten Island, N.Y., who was choked to death. Walter L. Scott of South Carolina was shot in the back five times. Twelve-year-old Tamir Rice of Cleveland was shot in a park because he had a toy gun.

People are often prepared to say the killings are justified because of the danger involved in law enforcement. It is important to not allow our hearts to celebrate or condone any group or person to end any human life unless it is absolutely necessary. I truly fear we are heading toward a police state.

The men and women who we have entrusted with our lives, must model the ideals of restraint. Pre-emptive strikes against people (who are innocent until proven guilty) must never be allowed to become the norm.

' Karl Cassell is President and CEO of Horizons, A Family Service Alliance. Comments: kcassell@horizonsfamily.org