<p>Well … that is a pretty bold headline. But not outrageous when you consider the facts – you know, those pesky things of which the left falsely claims ownership.</p>
<p>The problem with the left is that they cannot seem to see any difference between protesting, demonstrations and peacefully assembling and rioting, looting, burning and destroying – and even injuring and killing.</p>
<p>Violence has been an iconic tool of left-wing political protests. Violence has even undermined the legitimate causes that bring concerned citizens to the streets to demand change. It is our right and obligation as Americans to collectively raise our voices against corruption, inequality and injustice wherever these evils rear their oppressive heads.</p>
<p>The left, however, is not constrained by legality or constitutionality when taking to the streets. They rationalize violence as tactical and strategic necessities. In the extreme, they openly claim that violence is necessary to achieve their goals.</p>
<p>While most people on the left are not violent by nature, they do tend to have a tolerance for it. Unlike most Americans who have zero tolerance for violence – including violence cloaked by the shadow of a seemingly good cause – left-wing activists encourage it by lack of condemnation.</p>
<p>Part of the problem is what those on the left describe as peaceful demonstrations. They may make lip service condemnations of the outrageous looting and arson, but excuse other serious crimes, such as throwing rocks, urine, and Molotov Cocktails at police. Or, spraying graffiti on every possible surface and tearing down statues. Blocking highways or hindering the operation of businesses.</p>
<p>Any time the police are allowed to enforce the law, it is described as violently attacking peaceful protesters regardless of the amount of abuse directed at the officers. Police cars are burned and ransacked. In Portland, Oregon a fire was set in the offices of the police union.</p>
<p>And speaking of Portland …</p>
<p>The city has endured almost 60 days of demonstrations that seem to have lost any unifying purpose other than to vent rage and destruction. Whatever the intent of most protesters, these outbursts of public unrest cannot be honestly described as peaceful. Maybe most demonstrators may have acted peacefully. But too many did not – and police are sworn to protect the peaceful and engage and arrest the criminal elements.</p>
<p>People have been injured in the “peaceful” protests in Portland. Property has been damaged and destroyed. Businesses have been unable to operate. The rioters attacked police with rocks, lead pipes and other injury-causing missiles. The local police were either unable to quell the violence – or prevented from doing so by Portland’s political leadership.</p>
<p>When threats were made and attacks carried out against federal buildings, federal law enforcement officers were deployed to protect the property and to arrest the perpetrators of violence. And the response of Mayor Edward Wheeler of Portland and Governor Kate Brown of Oregon were to accuse the federal officers of inciting the unrest. They demanded that all federal law enforcement be removed from the city – leaving the streets to the riotous criminal elements and federal buildings unprotected.</p>
<p>In addition to the damage to non-federal public and private buildings, there have been 30 days –so far &#8212; of specific attacks on federal buildings alone – with attacks on multiple buildings on most days. The attacks included breaking windows, tearing down fences, pelleting the buildings with rocks, filth and paint. Buildings were covered in graffiti. Fireworks were used as weapons against police and shot inside buildings in an attempt to start fires. A Molotov Cocktail-like firebomb ignited a fire in the Hatfield Courthouse. Lasers were used to cause eye injuries to police.</p>
<p>The buildings attacked – many repeatedly – include the Hatfield Federal Courthouse, the Edith Green-Wenell Wyatt Building, Terry Schrunk Plaza, the 911 Federal Building, Pioneer Federal Courthouse, the Gus J. Solomon Courthouse, the U.S. Customs House and the Justice Center.</p>
<p>At one point, the Portland police had to issue a disbursal warning for unlawful assembly – at which point any protesters refusing to disburse were in violation of the law and subject to arrest. The protesters had far exceeded and abused their constitutional right of assembly. Resistances to arrest – a criminal felony – were captured on news video but interpreted as police violence.</p>
<p>By siding with the vandals – and their hatred of the police &#8212; Brown and Wheeler signaled their support not for peaceful protesters, but for those committing the vandalism and violence. They literally incited further mob violence by putting their imprimatur on violent protest – falsely making the police doing their job at great risk of the bad folks.</p>
<p>When our elected officials – mostly left-wing Democrats – cannot tell the difference between a peaceful protest and violent rioting, this nation is in deep trouble – and we the people at great peril.</p>
<p>So, there ‘tis.</p>