Stasis- Watts riots

The primary stasis in our image of the Watts riots of 1968 is cause and effect.  The recurring problem of police violence in black neighborhoods caused a response from a group of helpless people.  The effect was the worst riot in Los Angeles history, and the destruction of a neighborhood.  The two men in the picture, and everyone who contributed to the looting and violence were pushed to extreme measures after constant mistreatment.  This picture on its own might simply look like thieves stealing from a local shop.  But to get the true value out of the image, it is important to consider the full context, which is what caused these men to break the law.  Issues of police violence and police killings have caused people to turn to violence in several other cases, such as the Baltimore riots of 2015.