The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-07-31

HllCH ueldll mere, DcSduSe VI spdCS,
do give us some insight into the
footing and destruction Of property
that took place on Hastings and
other streets in the Negro sections
during the rioting hours.
The breaking of the windows by
Negroes Of white merchants. not
only represented a breaking of the
windows. but was q breaking out
of the Negro from his enclosed
ghetto. II was \ psychological at
tempt TO smash through his pro-
scription and to escape from his
degradation and misery. He felt
himself hemmed in by the preju-
dice of the white world" and the
authorities. II we read carefully
the accounts Of what the people
did in Sicily upon the invasion
by the allied forces of the island,
we will discover that the people
rioted in the streets and destroys ed
property. or course there were
those who welcomed the invaders
with understanding but the great
majority experienced fear OF what
would happen; and whenever n
people experience fear OF their an
inhalation and feel helpless 10 do
anything about il, they begin 10
break out things. which satisfies mo-
mentarily a psychological need TO
break away from the impending
destructive force. In this same con-
nection people have tried to read
into the breaking OF windows and
the footing OF stores. some anti
SemiticiSm or hatred Of the Jews.
Such a conclusion is erroneous and
shows a lack Of understanding.
Jewish people are white and they
are the symbols in the mind Of the
crushed Negro groups Of the total
white mans oppression and pro-
scriptiOn Of the Negro. So. II the
Negro is expressing resentment
against action Of whites toward
him, he expresses violence against
all people around him who have
Caucasian celebrations. This idea
explains also. the reason why mum
bers Of light skinned Negroes were
attacked and killed by Negroes.
The loo;ng in the Negro Sec
tons represented a fear OF starva-
ton. Deep in the psychological
framework. OF the Negro masses, is
the aWareness OF the control OF
food and clothing by the whites. a
riot increases this consciousness and
brings 10 the fore how easily the
white dominated world in lis fear
Of the Negro could use the controls
of food and other goods 10 starve
the Negro population out Of exist
ence. Thus some reason for the
Negroes who had jobs and standing
in the community. taking food,
clothing and other useful articles
from the stores after the windows
were broken.
The Iooting also represents a
punishment technique OF the Ne
gro. Whenever an individual,
whether adult or child feels in
secure and helpless his psychology
cal weapon against these feelings
Is punishment. The Young children
Of England who dropped toys on
the heads of their playmates were
expressing their feeling OF inse-
curity and therefore satisfy the
need TO punish. When the Negro
people were breaking out windows
and taking merchandise from the
stores they were Furnishing them
selves and their white opprsssors.
They were furnishing themselves
because they knew that they would
be arrested and sentenced II caught.
People who are insecure whether
individually or collectively. will
always do this. They were punish
ing the merchants who were white
by taking away their goods and
causing them hardships and In
many cases material destruction.
They knew that this would mean
pain and suffering.
II mast be understood, however,
that none OF these things are done
on the conscious level but are
worked out and carried on in the
realm OF the sub-conscious. Any
other Interpretation OF the looting
and destruction OF property is an
attempt also on the sub-conscious
level % certain people 10 punish
and 10 dscredit the Negro COM
munity.
Next week we Will deal with
some OF the psychological reasons
Why the police killed so many Ne
groesD