On Wednesday, thousands gathered to protest an election they believe to be fraudulent. At some point, hundreds decided to break into the Capital Building, with dozens vandalizing, breaking windows and trespassing, and about four people died, though the connection between their deaths and the actual events is still pending. This was called a coup, an insurrection, a civil war, a threat to our very democracy, and the worst evil Washington has ever seen. They were universally condemned by politicians on both sides, religious leaders and media outlets. Police and National Guard were called, tear gas was used, and at least one protester shot and killed. Medical experts are saying it could lead to a super-spreader for Covid.
Last summer, tens upon tens of thousands of people gathered for weeks across multiple cities to protest the killing of George Floyd. During that time thousands of rioters destroyed property, burned buildings, looted and robbed, ruined livelihoods, assaulted media outlets, Federal buildings and burned churches, killed and assaulted dozens of innocent people, and it was called ‘mostly peaceful protesters’ time and again, as politicians on both sides, religious leaders, and media outlets lent their full support to the protests. Police and National Guard were called in, tear gas was used, and protesters were shot, with some fatalities. Oh, and medical experts assured us none of these protests could lead to a super-spreader for Covid.
As an aside, a growing list of pundits, celebrities, religious leaders, politicians and journalists insist the stark difference in how law enforcement handled these two events proves systemic racism. In addition, various tech corporations and media giants, at times with the support of Democrats, began banning Republican politicians, pundits, activists and others in any way linked to the Wednesday protests from modern media and communication platforms.
If people want to know why there is a seething rage among half the US population, this is it.
"Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed." That was an understatement.
ReplyDeleteYour last comment, by contrast, is an overstatement. There's not so much "seething" as "indigestion" -- an irritation we hope to ignore long enough for it to go away on its own. Sometimes, of course, what is perceived as heartburn is really a heart attack.
I think the anger is there, I just don't think we know what to do about it, and we can't get everyone on the same page about how and why to do anything about it.
DeleteI’ve been told that the George Floyd riots this summer we’re wrong but “understandable” given centuries of systemic racism in our country. Seems we can no longer understand right vs wrong. Any riot can be “understandable”. That have nothing to do with it’s legitimacy.
ReplyDeleteI was just shocked to see how fast 'violence became an acceptable answer' when, for my entire life, one of the most sacred mantras of post-war liberalism was 'violence is NEVER the answer'. Like so many things, the modern Left is almost the negative image of the liberalism we all grew up with.
DeleteLet me try again, since my first reply has disappeared. In all fairness, this country has been celebrating rioters since the Boston Tea Party. Then there was the Union canonization of John Brown: "John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave, But his soul goes marching on." For good or for ill, we have never been a country that aspires to meek obedience. The British celebrate the failure of the Gunpowder Plot; we would be more likely to celebrate the attempt itself. We celebrate Jesse James and pour contempt on "the dirty little coward who shot Mr. Howard."
DeleteCanada was founded as an abandoned colony granted independence by a retreating empire. The USA, on the other hand, was founded by a revolution, and that makes a difference in how Americans think; if we lose that, we lose something central to our national identity, something which is good, though of course it may be used for evil. No American really believes in his heart that violence (or, to be pedantic, force) is NEVER the answer, so we had better be ready with explanations why force is or is not permissible in each situation.
The Catholic Church should be able to help with that, having spent many centuries pondering just such problems. Sadly, it appears that neither the Pope nor the majority of the bishops still believe in Just War Theory, which is where we would have to start. Failing to think about this problem will not bring wars to an end, but it will do much to make them more barbaric -- just as "ending the death penalty" would not prevent the state from killing people, it would just eliminate the trials, making police the judges, juries, and executioners.
I would argue that civilization is the golden mean between barbarism and domestication. That golden mean is needed in the heart of every citizen.
I get what you're saying. America has always had that attitude, one reason why the Pilgrims have always gotten so much love. But I had to chuckle at the Brown reference. Growing up, he was one of many 'Americans could be bad, too' examples I learned about. An example of being for the right cause but doing the wrong thing. Whatever the Union had thought about him almost 200 years ago, by my childhood, Brown was a cautionary tale.
DeleteAnd I think that's what is happening now and catching everyone off guard - including the Church. Growing up, one of the most sacred mantras pounded into my head was 'Violence is NEVER the answer.' Now, the same progressive country that taught me that taught me last summer that sometimes a little of the old ultra-violence is quite acceptable. Same with judging. Same with never forgiving. Same with imposing values on others. Same with condemning based on ethnic identity. Same with banning free speech. Same with removing books or movies based on content. Same with telling people their religion is wrong. And on and on.
Everyone, including Christians and their leaders, appeared to have bought into the post-war 'no truth, let's just all get along' sermonizing. Now those who preached that sermon of niceness are turning on us like Otto turning on Archie in A Fish Called Wanda. And it's caught everyone flatfooted.
I get what you're saying, too, but I perhaps I grew up under somewhat different circumstances. I suppose I just never believed that the "Violence is NEVER justified" crowd was being honest -- sort of like those people who say, "It is better that ten guilty men go free than that one innocent man is convicted," only because they assume those ten guilty men will be living in SOMEONE ELSE's neighborhood. Please tell me you aren't actually surprised that the "Defund the police!" crowd is making sure the police track down every last person in that bunch of hooligans who entered the Capitol building. (I mean the hooligans who do not work there, of course.)
DeleteWere you really taught to never tell anyone his religion is wrong? Ugh. Maybe that's why we have a thousand nones for ever nun.
I'm not saying I believed it, but it was clearly the main lesson of the age. From Gandhi to Atticus Finch to Hawkeye Pierce, the gold standard of never resisting with anything other than a smile was the mandate. Which is why watching violence and even killing so easily justified today is almost as shocking as imagining someone making a case for slavery again - and being listened to. Which for me is the problem. When you're dealing with something willing to insist X is true and demands conformity, only to throw X out the window tomorrow without even making excuses, it's going to be a tough struggle.
DeleteLord please save us from the tyrants who would oppress us for our own good.
ReplyDeleteThe worst kind.
DeleteHelllo mate nice post
ReplyDelete