Flip Wilson, the comedian, knew humans were flawed. Famously, when contemplating his own imperfect actions, he said, “the devil made me do it.” The comment got a laugh every time he said it—and he said it often. The lack of personal responsibility is tied into his rationalization. Knowing that he had done something wrong, but seeking redemption, he blamed it on God’s unseen enemy. In the more recent Orwellian world of left-wing reasoning, the excuse has come in handy—the devil, though, is your local police officer, they say. And this is war.
The first thing that happens in war is that the enemy is dehumanized, stereotyped, and labeled.
Flip Wilson, the comedian, knew humans were flawed. Famously, when contemplating his own imperfect actions, he said, “the devil made me do it.” The comment got a laugh every time he said it—and he said it often. The lack of personal responsibility is tied into his rationalization. Knowing that he had done something wrong, but seeking redemption, he blamed it on God’s unseen enemy. In the more recent Orwellian world of left-wing reasoning, the excuse has come in handy—the devil, though, is your local police officer, they say. And this is war.
The first thing that happens in war is that the enemy is dehumanized, stereotyped, and labeled.
During World War II, the Japanese were “Japs,” the Germans were “Krauts,” and depictions of them were stylized and denigrating. This derives from the view that an enemy is sub-human, not like us, and therefore is expendable like a tree whose roots have begun to undermine the foundation of a house. Humans find it difficult to destroy another human life without this lowering of the standard. While it might be argued that an extra-dimensional force caused evil to spring up in Japan and Germany in the 1930-40s, the same case cannot be made for all foul actions in every detail of venality inherent in human beings. When these human characteristics of dehumanization spring up it is a definite indicator that war has broken out. What difference is there between hate directed at a people because they are black and those who are labelled as blue?
In the past few months, the United States has experienced a volcanic eruption of violence from the left. The devil that made them do it was Minneapolis, Minnesota’s Derek Chauvin who killed George Floyd. Without knowing the condition of his sole, it is difficult to determine whether the descriptive term is to be taken literally or figuratively, but the killing was caught on camera and was widely condemned by every facet of American society. But Chauvin’s quick arrest and that of the three other officers present was not sufficient for the Left.
Conservatism Bittersweet readers are sophisticated and know the facts, but for the record Conservatism Bittersweet will review what has happened recently. The killing of George Floyd set off protests against racism around the country. In order to show their biracial egalitarianism, the rioters destroyed black and white businesses. Some African Americans attempted to avoid the carnage by posting, “black owned” on their windows with mixed results.
Again, finding a true racist is hard work. Racists are there, but few fingers can be pointed directly except at Chauvin and three other officers. That fingers couldn’t be pointed at anyone but the Minnesota officers, was not a problem for the Left. All police were pronounced bad. Who likes symbols of authority? For some, conveniently snagging a television or Louis Vuitton bag as a remembrance of Mr. Floyd was insufficient solace for their loss. But others, having found a justification for their moral superiority expended their grief by parading with signs and ultimately making demands to defund the police. Who benefits from defunding the police? Correct Answer: Criminals.
The criminals pointed their fingers at statues of mostly dead white guys and tore them off their pedestals. Although not historically correct, they even demolished a statue of an abolitionist. That doesn’t matter because the Left rewrites history anyway. The worst of their damage was reserved for the police. Two officers were killed in the looting, David Dorn and Patrick Underwood. Hundreds of police officers were, verbally abused, thrown to the ground, beaten, stoned, clubbed, burned out of their headquarters, and mercilessly attacked by the vengeful mob of justice seekers. “WITHOUT JUSTICE, THERE CAN BE NO PEACE,” they said. Of course, they did this in the name of Mr. Floyds memory.
A little hate speech makes the point. They claim it is “rage,” which is a word of entitlement as opposed to the word “hate,” which is not so peaceful a word. One of their weaknesses is a lack of sense of irony.
So much for the peaceful approach. As noted, this is a war. Mark and Patricia McCloskey found that out when they tried to defend their St. Louis home. Reportedly, hundreds of protestors, some of them armed, broke down a gate and entered the McCloskey property to protest on behalf of Black Lives Matter, threatened the McCloskey’s and their dog with violence, but balked when the McCloskey’s appeared out of their renovated home bearing a pistol by her and an AR-15 by him. They did this only after calling the police and not receiving a response. Oops, someone fighting back. The mob retreated in a belief that the McCloskey’s were serious.
Within short order, there were arrests—the McCloskeys.
In a non-Orwellian world, the mob, or some part of it, would have been arrested by the police. But in the brave new world Americans now inhabit, the victims are arrested and the perpetrators go free. St. Louis Circuit District Attorney, Kim Gardner, the State’s attorney, charged each of the McCloskeys with one count of unlawful use of a weapon. If the weapon is not operable, it is not a crime. But wait minute. In a recent twist on the case, it has been reported that the two guns were found inoperable, but a police crime lab technician reassembled them into working condition. Voila, now it’s a crime. Actually not. The McCloskeys have some powerful allies. The Missouri governor and attorney general have stated their support and President Trump reportedly has ordered a U.S. police unit to guard the McCloskey residence. The governor said he will pardon them if convicted. Conviction is not likely as Missouri law protects people protecting their home.
Since the first of the rioting, the worst of it has abated. Except in Portland, Oregon which is now beyond its 60th day of downtown turmoil. President Trump sent in U.S. Marshalls to guard the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse. The Mayor blamed President Trump. Again, the upside down Left-world claims victimhood, yet continues to deny Portland citizens the right to use their downtown shops, businesses, and streets free from fear. Millions of dollars of destruction has taken place.
The left-wing press has had a field day portraying the victim police as the perpetrators for the sin of defending themselves against blinding laser beams aimed into their eyes, professional fireworks aimed and fired at them, and hard objects hurled by the “mostly peaceful” protestors. They are not playing by the “rules” according to Mayor Ted Wheeler. The Mayor thinks riots are a game. Here is the legal and moral truth: The police have a right to defend the Alamo-like Portland courthouse. They are the ones under attack by a class of professional haters. The livelihoods of Portlanders have been destroyed and a once beautiful city has been trashed. As collateral damage, the peaceful, but anti-racist protestors are now into their second month of rage. The actual justice seekers seem to be a combination of local Antifa and outside professional rioters who are financed well enough to enjoy the local upscale hotels. George Soros anyone? Just a guess. Well, anyway, the devil made them do it.
During World War II, the Japanese were “Japs,” the Germans were “Krauts,” and depictions of them were stylized and denigrating. This derives from the view that an enemy is sub-human, not like us, and therefore is expendable like a tree whose roots have begun to undermine the foundation of a house. Humans find it difficult to destroy another human life without this lowering of the standard. While it might be argued that an extra-dimensional force caused evil to spring up in Japan and Germany in the 1930-40s, the same case cannot be made for all foul actions in every detail of venality inherent in human beings. When these human characteristics of dehumanization spring up it is a definite indicator that war has broken out. What difference is there between hate directed at a people because they are black and those who are labelled as blue?
In the past few months, the United States has experienced a volcanic eruption of violence from the left. The devil that made them do it was Minneapolis, Minnesota’s Derek Chauvin who killed George Floyd. Without knowing the condition of his sole, it is difficult to determine whether the descriptive term is to be taken literally or figuratively, but the killing was caught on camera and was widely condemned by every facet of American society. But Chauvin’s quick arrest and that of the three other officers present was not sufficient for the Left.
Conservatism Bittersweet readers are sophisticated and know the facts, but for the record Conservatism Bittersweet will review what has happened recently. The killing of George Floyd set off protests against racism around the country. In order to show their biracial egalitarianism, the rioters destroyed black and white businesses. Some African Americans attempted to avoid the carnage by posting, “black owned” on their windows with mixed results.
Again, finding a true racist is hard work. Racists are there, but few fingers can be pointed directly except at Chauvin and three other officers. That fingers couldn’t be pointed at anyone but the Minnesota officers, was not a problem for the Left. All police were pronounced bad. Who likes symbols of authority? For some, conveniently snagging a television or Louis Vuitton bag as a remembrance of Mr. Floyd was insufficient solace for their loss. But others, having found a justification for their moral superiority expended their grief by parading with signs and ultimately making demands to defund the police. Who benefits from defunding the police? Correct Answer: Criminals.
The criminals pointed their fingers at statues of mostly dead white guys and tore them off their pedestals. Although not historically correct, they even demolished a statue of an abolitionist. That doesn’t matter because the Left rewrites history anyway. The worst of their damage was reserved for the police. Two officers were killed in the looting, David Dorn and Patrick Underwood. Hundreds of police officers were, verbally abused, thrown to the ground, beaten, stoned, clubbed, burned out of their headquarters, and mercilessly attacked by the vengeful mob of justice seekers. “No justice, No Peace,” they said. Of course, they did this in the name of Mr. Floyds memory.
A little hate speech makes the point. They claim it is “rage,” which is a word of entitlement as opposed to the word “hate,” which is not so peaceful a word. One of their weaknesses is a lack of sense of irony.
So much for the peaceful approach. As noted, this is a war. Mark and Patricia McCloskey found that out when they tried to defend their St. Louis home. Reportedly, hundreds of protestors, some of them armed, broke down a gate and entered the McCloskey property to protest on behalf of Black Lives Matter, threatened the McCloskey’s and their dog with violence, but balked when the McCloskey’s appeared out of their renovated home bearing a pistol by her and an AR-15 by him. They did this only after calling the police and not receiving a response. Oops, someone fighting back. The mob retreated in a belief that the McCloskey’s were serious.
Within short order, there were arrests—the McCloskeys.
In a non-Orwellian world, the mob, or some part of it, would have been arrested by the police. But in the brave new world Americans now inhabit, the victims are arrested and the perpetrators go free. St. Louis Circuit District Attorney, Kim Gardner, the State’s attorney, charged each of the McCloskeys with one count of unlawful use of a weapon. If the weapon is not operable, it is not a crime. But wait minute. In a recent twist on the case, it has been reported that the two guns were found inoperable, but a police crime lab technician reassembled them into working condition. Voila, now it’s a crime. Actually not. The McCloskeys have some powerful allies. The Missouri governor and attorney general have stated their support and President Trump reportedly has ordered a U.S. police unit to guard the McCloskey residence. The governor said he will pardon them if convicted. Conviction is not likely as Missouri law protects people protecting their home.
Since the first of the rioting, the worst of it has abated. Except in Portland, Oregon which is now beyond its 60th day of downtown turmoil. President Trump sent in U.S. Marshalls to guard the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse. The Mayor blamed President Trump. Again, the upside down Left-world claims victimhood, yet continues to deny Portland citizens the right to use their downtown shops, businesses, and streets free from fear. Millions of dollars of destruction has taken place.
The left-wing press has had a field day portraying the victim police as the perpetrators for the sin of defending themselves against blinding laser beams aimed into their eyes, professional fireworks aimed and fired at them, and hard objects hurled by the “mostly peaceful” protestors. They are not playing by the “rules” according to Mayor Ted Wheeler. The Mayor thinks riots are a game. Here is the legal and moral truth: The police have a right to defend the Alamo-like Portland courthouse. They are the ones under attack by a class of professional haters. The livelihoods of Portlanders have been destroyed and a once beautiful city has been trashed. As collateral damage, the peaceful, but anti-racist protestors are now into their second month of rage. The actual justice seekers seem to be a combination of local Antifa and outside professional rioters who are financed well enough to enjoy the local upscale hotels. George Soros anyone? Just a guess. Well, anyway, the devil made them do it.