Portland defunded its police, and now it takes down the fence protecting the federal court house. Result: Antifa, BLM mob again attacks court house, sets fires. Last time I checked, committing arson in federal building is more serious that breaking windows, as was done in Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Last time I checked, setting fire to an occupied building is equivalent to attempted murder.
So what can we learn, assuming we are willing to learn anything?
- You get more of what you reward. You reward rioting by defunding the police, you get more rioting.
- When you allow a court house to be attacked, you allow striking at the heart of civilization. One of the first things the Bible tells us to do in Genesis is to establish courts.
- Courts were established to substitute for family vendettas and personal revenge. The less you value courts, the more you will have of vendettas and revenge.
- You put up a fence to protect what you value – your home, your school, your courthouse, your national border. Taking down a fence is a sign not of your openness, but a sign of how little you value that object.
Americans tend to be independent and to resent rules. Our ancestors self-selected for independence – they left their oppressive homelands while the apathetic and subservient remained. But our tolerance for disorder has limits. Our intolerance of authority is not infinite.
At some point, probably sooner rather than later, our patience will be at an end. Either the government will prevent violent disorder, or vigilantes will do so. If you doubt this, read the history of Gold Rush San Francisco. As people crowded in seeking riches, outmanned police were unable to keep order. If even rowdy gold-seekers refused to tolerate disorder, what will more laid-back folks do today?
Plywood on federal courthouse building on fire, federal officers just came out to extinguish it and push crowd back once again @fox12oregon pic.twitter.com/FTlnPoTZER
— Camila Orti (@CamilaOrtiTV) March 12, 2021
