People took to Twitter this weekend to mock the riots that broke out near a pumpkin festival in Keene, N.H. on Saturday and noted the difference between the way race was covered there compared to recent unrest in Ferguson, Mo.
The 24th Annual Pumpkin festival devolved into a riot that brought out cops, tear gas and pepper spray, according to the Associated Press. It even led to a statement from the New Hampshire governor’s office.
Many on Twitter noted the people clashing with the police in Keene appeared to be white.
They compared the media coverage to that of the rioting that broke out in Ferguson following the shooting death of black unarmed teenager Michael Brown.
Below, some of the outrage expressed via Twitter:
White students vandalizing. Where are the leaders who will speak about this culture of violence?! #pumpkinfest #Keene pic.twitter.com/CRuwcxRS88
— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) October 19, 2014
“White people riot for this—”
Puts a pumpkin on the stage.
“Black people riot for *this*—”
Simulates being shot by a cop.
— Jamelle Ghoulie (@jbouie) October 19, 2014
I am urging the parents of white youngsters particularly to not let their children go out wearing LL Bean. #Keene
— Tina Dupuy (@TinaDupuy) October 19, 2014
Your media guide to the differences between #Ferguson and #pumpkinfest pic.twitter.com/XfRjlhgei0
— Matt Weinecke (@MattTW) October 19, 2014
Don’t these people have jobs? Where are the white fathers? What will end this corrosive culture of violence?! http://t.co/1uqu4DAYnn
— Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) October 19, 2014
black people are protesting for their lives while white people are rioting at a pumpkin fest? #WhiteOnPumpkinCrime
— Ashley D (@ghesquieremuse) October 19, 2014
Drunk white kids rioting in #Keene for what? Where are the people who were calling the #Ferguson protestors “animals”?
— Phoenix Universe (@PhoeB_loves) October 19, 2014
h/t Mediaite
Drunken riot in New Hampshire? Palin family kicking off Bible Spice’s 2016 primary campaign?
Instead of “Bible Spice”, would this make her “Pumpkin Spice”?
Belittling a riot by drunks and sociopaths by saying it’s not as bad as something else is absurd. Not one is trying to conflate a riot by college babies and roving angry white males with the routine killing of black folks by white cops. When folks riot, cops roll – whether it’s at a pumpkin festival or because of the welling up of black outrage after decades of systematic abuse and discrimination. Hey – at least Keene’s cops didn’t roll out their Bearcat.
That’s kind of the point.
How many cops were stormtrooping over the rioters? How many arrests? How many beatings? Are there pictures of cops in full riot gear grabbing reporters?
They “broke out the tear gas”? That doesn’t mean they used it. Where’s the pictures? Is it because white college kids don’t get Obamaphones? Is that why we get no pictures?
There is a whole other language for white misbehavior and criminality. Student Mitt Romney could dress up like a cop and pull people over and that’s all good, clean American fun. Student Mitt Romney could beat the living daylights out of another student and it’s considered hijinks and high-spiritedness.None of those episodes ever stained him. Mitt was no angel, but alas, he grew up to be a billionaire (because he’s hiding his billions offshore, but we don’t care about that). And he just might be our first Mormon president, replete with magical underwear (but we’re not supposed to inquire about the bogus religion started by a schizophrenic con man or those weird underwear). White privilege is an amazing thing.