By John Friend
Given recent events, America is witnessing a total inversion of the rule of law, where violent criminals, looters, rioters, and vandals can operate with impunity while police officers and average citizens attempting to either enforce the law or defend themselves are punished to the fullest extent of the law.
Destructive protests that have taken place in virtually every major American city over the course of the past month, inspired by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, have morphed into a larger revolution, with radical left-wing activists associated with Antifa, other anarchist groups, and Black Lives Matter demanding the dismantling of police departments and the removal of any form of “white supremacy” on display in America. The original protests in the aftermath of Floyd’s death quickly devolved into large-scale riots, massive looting of private businesses, attacks on law enforcement officers, their vehicles and precinct stations, and other mayhem. Most major law enforcement agencies across the country have refused to engage with or stop the rioters and looters, while many that have been arrested have had charges against them dropped by local district attorneys.
Meanwhile, police departments in major American cities are firing and reprimanding their officers on a massive scale for attempting to maintain law and order. In mid-June, the Los Angeles Police Department assigned 40 investigators to pursue allegations of police misconduct, abuse, and use of excessive force against protesters, according to The Los Angeles Times. Other departments across the country have followed suit, as law enforcement officers dealing with extremely hostile and often violent crowds are placed under severe scrutiny while the actions of the protesters, rioters, and looters are totally ignored.
The Atlanta Police officers responsible for the recent death of Rayshard Brooks, a young black man with a lengthy criminal record, were immediately fired and charged with a number of serious offenses, despite the fact Brooks resisted arrest, struggled with the officers, stole one of their tasers and fired it, and
attempted to flee. Officer Garrett Rolfe, who fatally shot Brooks after he took possession of the taser, fled, and attempted to discharge the taser, has been charged with felony murder as well as aggravated assault and first-degree criminal damage to property, while officer Devin Brosnan was charged with aggravated assault and violation of oath.
Civilians standing up to the looters and destroyers are similarly being punished. In Albuquerque, N.M., a man named Steven Baca has been arrested and charged for shooting a radical leftist protestor who appeared to be wielding a knife and was violently pursuing Baca at a demonstration in mid-June. Several radical neo- Bolshevik protesters attacked and chased Baca, resulting in the shooting. Upon arriving at the scene, police immediately arrested Baca, who was defending himself from violent assaults, and charged him with aggravated battery and unlawfully carrying a weapon, among other charges. The district attorney has indicated more charges against Baca may be forthcoming as state police continue their investigation.
In recent weeks, criminals masquerading as protestors have continued their destruction, as vandals deface and destroy historic monuments and statues across the country. Many have been toppled in major cities including Portland, San Francisco, and Richmond, among other places. Once again, the destroyers toppling and destroying statues and other cherished pieces of American history and art have largely operated with impunity, as law enforcement officers refuse to engage and local politicians and leaders provide cover and justification for the destruction.
“This is a neo-Marxist insurgency operating with tacit consent of major institutions to extralegally destroy property, attack American history, and dispossess historic Americans,” Jeff Giesea, a political commentator, recently argued. “It’s a soft revolution.”
The inversion of the rule of law has empowered and emboldened criminals to continue their violent crime spree in the open. Egregious and entirely unprovoked assaults on American citizens, most of whom are white, are increasing, while the mass media downplays or outright covers up the blatant crimes committed daily. A white man was assaulted in a totally unprovoked attack by a black man at a Macy’s department store in Michigan, an incident that was caught on film and shared on social media. Thus far, the criminal has yet to be arrested.
John Friend is a freelance writer based in California.
RIP AMERICA. THIS IS A DISGRACE.