Violent Protests

But when you talk about destruction, Don't you know that you can count me out. – Lennon & McCartney

The violence seems to be spreading and is now hitting closer to home. Only a few miles from where I live, protests have turned violent and buildings have been looted and even destroyed. It included a Champs sporting goods store that I was frankly unfamiliar with. It also included a CVS pharmacy that my sister in law and her husband use regularly and which I’ve been in. There was damage to a gas station that I drive by regularly, though I don’t stop there since I think they are over-priced.

When the Beatles wrote and sang “Revolution”, they said everything would be all right. I can only hope it all ends up all right, because it sure isn’t that way now. I understand the causes for this and fully support peaceful protests. Too many police officers are too quick to act violently toward black suspects. Other people, invariably racist are also quick to resort to violence against blacks and Hispanics. Just in the past week, we have had three incidents where black people were killed unjustly.

That has to change, and no, we cannot simply sit around and offer thoughts and prayers. We have to protest and have to call people, including police to account when they act violently against blacks and other minorities. I do not and will not condone violence and looting, but I fully support protests. Sadly, the only time people seem to pay attention is when protests turn violent. There were protests in my town against what has happened, but little or no mention of them, until they turned violent.

I saw something on social media about a protest planned for today near me. I had expressed some interest, but under the circumstances, have no intention of being anywhere near it. Quite apart from social distancing and Covid-19 concerns, I will not be party to violence. Too many people will blame the violence solely on one group or another, but sadly there are those on both sides of the political spectrum and of all ethnicities who choose to escalate protests into violence.

And the person who should be trying to calm people down and assure them things will change – he is instead enflaming people with his own violent rhetoric. When I was much younger, I took part in protests against the Vietnam War. In at least one of those, there was violence instigated by the police. Say what you will, but I was there and saw the whole thing myself. I want change, and will speak out for change and vote for change. I may even take part in protests if I’m sure they will be peaceful.

I want no part of violence, and I want no part of destruction. I fully sympathize with those protesting and agree with their aims of making this country a racially just country. I want an end to violence perpetrated against people because of the color of their skin or because of which deity they choose to worship. I want this country to have justice for all its citizens, not just the white, Christian, middle class citizens. I will clearly promote my beliefs, but can never take part in violence.

Right Wing Insults

I see far too many right wing people who are downright rude and insulting about people who are left of center. That is frankly disturbing, but sadly there is not much I can do about it. I am decidedly left of center and will make no apologies for that. I’ve spent years reading and listening in building my political views, but I do not dismiss others based on their politics.

I will disagree with policies that I think are misguided. I will condemn actions that I feel are harmful to others or to society as a whole. I want to be civil in my views however and not be insulting to people who don’t agree with me.

Frankly, there are conservatives whom I respect. I may often disagree with their positions, but I can respect them because they are thoughtful and civil in how they present their views. Among pundits I respect David Brooks and George Will, along with Charles Krauthammer, who passed a couple of years ago. I also respected William F. Buckley, who passed some years ago.

There have been several Republican presidents who I’ve had a great deal of respect for, including Dwight Eisenhower, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. More recently, I think Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush were good men, though not necessarily good presidents. I have some respect for Mitt Romney and had respect for John McCain, though I voted against each.

For all his faults, and he had many, Richard Nixon established the Environmental Protection Agency and opened relations with China. I disagreed with many of his policies, but Ronald Reagan was not a hard core ideologue, and was willing to compromise. I was not at all fond of George W. Bush, though compared to Donald Trump, he was a shining beacon of light.

We now have a Republican president who lies constantly, who insults anyone who disagrees with him, and who seems determined to enrich himself and promote his ego at the expense of the country as a whole. He is enabled by a GOP Senate that largely rubber stamps anything that he wants. He also seems to encourage and excuse bigotry and violence among his supporters.

There was a time when we had bipartisanship. Republicans and Democrats could work together for joint goals for the betterment of the country. That has basically disappeared. You can try to blame both sides, but it seems the GOP is quite unwilling to compromise at this point. They seem to have placed their party and Mr. Trump above the good of the country. That is sad.

I won’t get into my policy positions at this point, but on the whole, there is little or nothing in Mr. Trump’s agenda that I could ever support. Because of my views, I’ve been called a libtard, a snowflake, and a moron, among other things. I cannot find common ground with anyone who would so blithely resort to insults.