Note to Baltimore City Councilman Brandon Scott and U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings: I know it is hard to accept how things got so ugly in downtown Baltimore this week ("What we know about the Freddie Gray case," April 27). The Freddie Gray demonstration during the day Saturday went off without any hitches. The local citizens as well as people from other states joined in on the peaceful march through the streets of Baltimore.
But sadly, some juvenile jackals took it upon themselves to raise some hell after the crowd had begun to leave City Hall. Baltimore City Police arrest records show the lawbreakers were almost all from Baltimore.
Why can Congressman Cummings and Councilman Scott not accept that the unfortunate incidents were carried out by local teens? They both keep stating they were urged on by "outside influences." The bottom line is that the acts were carried out by local teens. Deal with it and move on. But to blame influences from other states on the actions of the destructive local teens is most hypocritical.
Gentlemen, none of us wants to accept the fact that the ones who went on a rampage were from here. It leaves many of us asking how and why things went so wrong. But I am insulted by the attempt to slough off the violence by blaming outsiders. This is a Baltimore issue. You should own up to it.
Patrick R. Lynch, Nottingham