Althouse: "In the Scriptures, the prophet Jeremiah denounces false prophets for crying 'peace, peace when there is no peace.'"

September 24, 2016

"In the Scriptures, the prophet Jeremiah denounces false prophets for crying 'peace, peace when there is no peace.'"

"We cannot condemn the violence of a small minority of protesters without also condemning the overwhelming violence that millions suffer every day. Instead, let’s look again at the vast, diverse majority of the protesters. This is what democracy looks like. We cannot let politicians use the protests as an excuse to back reactionary 'law and order' measures. Instead, we must march and vote together for policies that will lift up the whole and ensure the justice that makes true peace possible."

Writes William Barber II, president of the North Carolina N.A.A.C.P., in a NYT op-ed titled "Why We Are Protesting in Charlotte."

94 comments:

Rusty said...: They're rioting in Charlotte.
Protesting is something else.

What this country needs are more Korean shop owners.; 9/24/16, 6:56 AM
Tommy Duncan said...: "We cannot condemn the violence of a small minority of protesters without also condemning the overwhelming violence that millions suffer every day. Instead, let’s look again at the vast, diverse majority of the protesters. This is what democracy looks like.

Why am I reminded of this:

Otter: "But you can't hold a whole fraternity responsible for the behavior of a few, sick twisted individuals. For if you do, then shouldn't we blame the whole fraternity system? And if the whole fraternity system is guilty, then isn't this an indictment of our educational institutions in general? I put it to you, Greg - isn't this an indictment of our entire American society? Well, you can do whatever you want to us, but we're not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America."; 9/24/16, 6:57 AM
Ann Althouse said...: "They're rioting in Charlotte./Protesting is something else."

Your use of "They" is a problem for at least 2 reasons.; 9/24/16, 7:01 AM
David Begley said...: Lawless. Chaos.

And where does this black "leader" get the notion that police violence is committed against millions of blacks? Millions!

If blacks would stop committing crimes, the cops would stop arresting them.

The vast majority of shootings in Omaha are drug-related black on black crime.

And what an abuse of scripture.; 9/24/16, 7:02 AM
tim maguire said...: So Barber supports violence that furthers his causes? I can see no other reading of that statement.

It has been said that a movement has come of age when it can control the extremists in its own ranks. Unfortunately, the North Carolina NAACP still finds the idiots useful.; 9/24/16, 7:03 AM
David Begley said...: Tommy Duncan

Great reference to "Animal House." Priceless.; 9/24/16, 7:04 AM
Ipso Fatso said...: And how many of the "protesters" are funded by George Soros? Barber conveniently leaves that out. It turns out that many of those that were arrested or detained are from outside the state of NC. Reeks of SEIU and other left wing goons busing in their "protesters".; 9/24/16, 7:05 AM
Shouting Thomas said...: A black police office shot the black guy in Charlotte.

Conveniently excluded from this standard rant about how white racism, "institutional" of course and thus invisible, is the bogey man who is responsible for all problems suffered by blacks.

"You won't give us more stuff," appears to be the central argument. "So, you deserve whatever violence we want to deal out."; 9/24/16, 7:07 AM
Rusty said...: Ann Althouse said...
"They're rioting in Charlotte./Protesting is something else."

Your use of "They" is a problem for at least 2 reasons.

What? My percieved racism showing?
They're
They are
They
The people rioting in Charlotte.; 9/24/16, 7:07 AM
tim maguire said...: Prof., what is wrong with using "they" when referencing an essay that talks about "we"? (Why We Are Protesting in Charlotte.); 9/24/16, 7:09 AM
damikesc said...: Most of the daily violence is brought by those same people. Whites aren't killing blacks in the hood.; 9/24/16, 7:13 AM
Tommy Duncan said...: Rusty, you committed an unintentional micro-aggression. You need to more finely calibrate your sensibilities regarding the utterance of trigger words. The University of Wisconsin has diversity classes that can fix what ails you. Of course, if you are white you won't understand the diversity class. That part they can't fix.

Oops, I used the word "they".; 9/24/16, 7:20 AM
Shouting Thomas said...: Belief in witches and curses is common throughout black Africa. This is the ancestral tradition of America blacks, too.

The invisible, undefinable "institutional racism" so often referred to by blacks is a manifestation of this belief in witches and curses. And, it's no accident that in black Africa, the opposing tribe is so often thought of as engaging in witchcraft.

Genocidal wars are common throughout Africa, most often triggered by a belief that the enemy tribe has conjured up spells and curses.; 9/24/16, 7:21 AM
Bruce Hayden said...: The absurdity of the BLM movement is that the people most in need of protection in these big cities are the innocents among the black communities, the women, children, etc. Almost inevitably, the person whose death is being exploited for these riots were violent thugs. In this case, it very much looks like the decedent waived a gun around in from not of the cops, and didn't respond to orders to put it down the cops may not go into the black communities as much now there, but they will often shoot first and ask questions later when faced with a gun. Esp with known violent thugs.; 9/24/16, 7:30 AM
Birkel said...: "We cannot let politicians use the protests as an excuse to back reactionary 'law and order' measures. Instead, we must march and vote together for policies that will lift up the whole and ensure the justice that makes true peace possible."

Possible translation:
Crimes should not be punished. Vote Democrat.; 9/24/16, 7:35 AM
Eric the Fruit Bat said...: I guess there's a reason why Mr. Barber didn't say something more along the lines of "knock it off, you effing knuckle-heads, you're only making things worse."

As to what that reason is, I can only guess.; 9/24/16, 7:41 AM
Laslo Spatula said...: Imagine how much more terrible these riots would be if other blacks took time off their jobs to participate.

I am The Replacement Laslo.; 9/24/16, 7:52 AM
Eric the Fruit Bat said...: Belief in witches and curses is common throughout black Africa. This is the ancestral tradition of America blacks, too.

Interesting. I read a while ago that the sort of religiousity that believes in an unseen world of supernatural causation is only a baby-step away from witches and ghosts and black magic.

Wouldn't the next step be a nebulous sort of conspiracy theorizing? The point is, I was listening to some essay by Jonathan Franzen about why some postal district in Chicago was such a mess and he told the story of some scandal where some postal executive got booted in disgrace for spending scads of dollars turning her office into some kind of luxury suite.

She was black, and his take on it was that she was a victim of the racism that creates belief in some African-Americans that they are following the lead of white people (mainstream white culture) who are getting away with as much as they can, legitimacy being irrelevant.

I'm sure I'm misrepresenting his perspective. Just thought I'd throw that out there.; 9/24/16, 7:58 AM
Ignorance is Bliss said...: We cannot condemn the violence of a small minority of protesters without also condemning the overwhelming violence that millions suffer every day.

Please, condemn the overwhelming violence that millions suffer every day. And support the police, who are fighting against that violence. Yes, there is some collateral damage. In a very small number of cases, so extreme or reckless that it crosses over into the criminal, which should be prosecuted. The case you are currently protesting is not such a case.; 9/24/16, 7:58 AM
AllenS said...: Ann Althouse said...
"They're rioting in Charlotte./Protesting is something else."

Your use of "They" is a problem for at least 2 reasons.

Man, I can hardly wait for the two reasons.; 9/24/16, 8:14 AM
buwaya said...: I believe that many things are caused by supernatural influences, especially demonic intervention in the creation and propagation of cultural memes.; 9/24/16, 8:25 AM
Rusty said...: AllenS said...
Ann Althouse said...
"They're rioting in Charlotte./Protesting is something else."

Your use of "They" is a problem for at least 2 reasons.

Man, I can hardly wait for the two reasons.

I'm not versed in the subtleties of constitutional law and as my spelling and punctuation can attest, I'm not very good at my native language either.
I too await attribution of intent.; 9/24/16, 8:27 AM
Rusty said...: Blogger Tommy Duncan said...
"Rusty, you committed an unintentional micro-aggression. You need to more finely calibrate your sensibilities regarding the utterance of trigger words. The University of Wisconsin has diversity classes that can fix what ails you. Of course, if you are white you won't understand the diversity class. That part they can't fix.

Oops, I used the word "they"."

Yeah, well. Fuck em.

em
them
the people who would abrade away free speech with very fine sandpaper.
Those people
those
they; 9/24/16, 8:32 AM
Ipso Fatso said...: Your use of "They" is a problem for at least 2 reasons. --Ann Althouse

Ann, please elaborate.; 9/24/16, 8:43 AM
William said...: There's some measure of meager comfort to be had in reading the NYT comments on this article. Not every NYT reader agrees with Mr. Barber. Most, but not all.......I wonder why Mr. Barber does not include the black police officer among his constituents. If this officer had shot a white man under similar circumstances and a white crowd was howling for his punishment, then maybe he would step up, How about the black protester that got shot by another protester? Should his death go unmourned because he didn't die under circumstances that advance the cause?........I have seen pastors protest the innocence of OJ and Mike Tyson and have, over the years, developed a certain amount of cynicism on the subject of black causes and their spokesmen.; 9/24/16, 8:44 AM
William said...: Your use of the word "your" I find problematic. There is no "you" or "they" in this community. We are all we or us in this gelatinous mass of love, good will, and peace that gather here to celebrate our unique sameness.; 9/24/16, 8:49 AM
rhhardin said...: "They're rioting in Charlotte./Protesting is something else."

Your use of "They" is a problem for at least 2 reasons.

Gender identification violence.; 9/24/16, 8:51 AM
rhhardin said...: I remember when fretful academic males just had to lace their talks with "he or she" to pass feminist muster. Now there's a thousand genders to list.; 9/24/16, 8:52 AM
rhhardin said...: The problem in Charlotte is the low quality of media narratives. There's nothing real to choose from.; 9/24/16, 8:54 AM
rhhardin said...: Justice for the not-very-bright community or no peace.; 9/24/16, 8:54 AM
rhhardin said...: Mr. Right is a pretty good DVD. Crazy girlfriend empowerment.

A metaphor for a happy marriage.; 9/24/16, 8:56 AM
JCC said...: What is typical of contested police shootings?

Eyewitnesses who provide dramatic and completely untrue narratives, picked up by the media and then repeated over and over. See Ferguson (he was kneeling with his hands up) or the latest (shot by a white cop while reading a book). Long-time patterns of violations of law, prison sentences, felon in possession of a firearm, under the influence of drugs, all of which might provide state of mind or the basis for resistance...all ignored by the same media. Then we get the so-called leaders, who are trying desperately to stay ahead of the curve, so Hillary condemning incidents about which she knows nothing, local ministers and such making inflammatory statements, all of which tends to justify whatever happens in the minds of the rioters.

Then we have wholesale looting and destruction, as people get in their early Christmas shopping. See "Looting is a political statement."

What a load of tripe. "Millions" of people are not being oppressed or threatened, except by the violence within their own house.

And, by the way, the percentage of cops killed by blacks is higher than the percentage of blacks killed by cops (considering racial make-up of cop-killer suspects and the racial makeup of those fatally shot by police). So, if we're doing this who-should-be-afraid thing, then maybe the cops are rightfully worried about violence directed at them.

But, of course, it all comes down to money. We need more money for black communities, as though the trillions of dollars spent there already don't count.

And yes, we're seeing the same issues of police training and police standards, but of course, affirmative action in police hiring and police management fly in the face of trying to improve either. You cannot demand better cops while simultaneously lowering standards to be more inclusive. For example, consider that in 1970, the big push was for more college-educated cops. But then you effectively eliminate most minority candidates, because the black college graduate isn't interested in a police career when
private industry is facing the same demand for qualified minorities. By the way, the Federal programs which encouraged and paid for college education in law enforcement died under President Carter.

We saw this same pattern in the late '60's and early '70's, crime justified by racial animus. It led directly to the following ultra-violent years, especially in the early 1980's. We finally found a way to reduce the violence, through min-man laws and enhanced penalties for repeat offenders, etc. But we're now reversing all that, at the same time we are experiencing a resurgence of the inner-city violence.

Just as it was 50 years ago, this is a Democrat conceived and led phenomena. And we're beginning to see mainstream Reupblican leaders embracing the idea, probably in a cynical grab for a piece of the electoral pie.

Smart.

By the way, what's with the extremely annoying and stupid "Pick all the pictures showing a storefront" validation thing. Get rid of it.; 9/24/16, 8:56 AM
Big Mike said...: Apparently I've used up my ration of free articles in the Times for the month, and I'd throw my beloved older child into the fires of Moloch before I'd give them a nickel. So I'll just have to make do with the tiny smidgen of the article that the Times shows us where Barber refers to his movement as "peaceful."

Dirty lying bastard.

Barber can perhaps fool a young kid like Althouse, but Barber doesn't fool septuagenarians like me -- we remember what peaceful protests looked like fifty years ago as led by Martin Luther King, Jr. Some of us even participated. Trying to throw a photographer into a fire wasn't one of his tactics.

@Althouse, your comment about Rusty's use of "They" being a problem, is a problem.; 9/24/16, 9:45 AM
rhhardin said...: Doth protest too much.; 9/24/16, 9:47 AM
Rusty said...: @Althouse, your comment about Rusty's use of "They" being a problem, is a problem.

Let's not make it more than it is.

Assigning intent. " When I wrote it both god and I knew what it meant. Now god only knows."; 9/24/16, 9:49 AM
JCC said...: I'll cite this as an example.

A man in the Charlotte crowd shoots another man in the crowd. People on the scene tell the cops and the press it may have been gang related, because members of rival gangs had been in a shoving match just before the shooting. The man who was shot has a past for carrying a firearm and drugs. The man who did the shooting also has a criminal history.

But a group in the crowd, including several "activist" ministers claim the cops shot the man and it was an "ambush." Of course, this lie played into the work of the activists ministers, who in the past have demonstrated at Ft Benning, who support Leonard Peltier and Mumia Aba-Jamar, etc. But of course, the lie in service of the greater good seems not to bother these "ministers" in service to social justice.

Some links:
http://heavy.com/news/2016/09/justin-carr-jroc-charlotte-riots-shooting-protester-killed-death-video-photos-police-charlotte-officer-facebook-demonstrator-omni-mother-ann/

Twitter feed claiming it was the cops: https://twitter.com/lsarsour/status/778787358867087360

The ministers...http://transformnetwork.org/speakerstrainers/; 9/24/16, 9:50 AM
Birkel said...: So the preacher cited the Old Testament.

I wonder what Jesus would say about that.; 9/24/16, 9:52 AM
Amadeus 48 said...: Rusty--embrace the healing power of "and". People are both protesting and rioting in Charlotte. As the Instapundit has noted, it is possible to be against both civil disorder and overly aggressive policing. A person has a second amendment right to carry a firearm for self-defense. Have you heard any detailled discussion of the events in Charlotte that would justify a law enforcement officer firing on a civilian? I haven't. The police chief has said that the incident is being investigated. Let's see what happens. Why did the officer fire on the man?; 9/24/16, 9:53 AM
damikesc said...: BTW, with these words, would he be offended if whites decided to start killing blacks? Whites seem to be bear an awful lot of the brunt of the violence in these "protests".

Note: I said, on Facebook, that people who support the protest should be quite upset that the people are called protestors and not rioters.

Apparently, I was wrong. The protestors side with the rioters. They are the same group. There is no delineation.

Please, condemn the overwhelming violence that millions suffer every day. And support the police, who are fighting against that violence. Yes, there is some collateral damage. In a very small number of cases, so extreme or reckless that it crosses over into the criminal, which should be prosecuted. The case you are currently protesting is not such a case.

I've wondered that, too. They bemoan the number of deaths and oppose the police. If the police simply left and did nothing, do they really think the death toll would go down?

See Ferguson (he was kneeling with his hands up) or the latest (shot by a white cop while reading a book).

It's also astonishing how these life-long thugs and criminals suddenly cleaned themselves up and were paragons of virtue.; 9/24/16, 9:57 AM
Ken B said...: Tom McGuire asks a great question. Althouse has not answered it.

Is one of the reasons I that it's not a new more inclusive pronoun? Would xey be better?; 9/24/16, 9:57 AM
chuck said...: Is the NAACP still a thing?; 9/24/16, 10:00 AM
Sebastian said...: "We cannot condemn the violence of a small minority of protesters without also condemning the overwhelming violence that millions suffer every day." We can do that very well. In fact, distinguishing between violent looters and reasonable protesters is a mark of political sanity and a sign of good will toward people with real grievances. But if the people with grievances want to be identified with the violent thugs, then we recognize them as unworthy of respect. The only alternative left is to fight back.

"This is what democracy looks like." Mobocracy is not democracy.

"we must march and vote together for policies that will lift up the whole and ensure the justice that makes true peace possible." marching is fine. Burning the bitch down is not. It makes justice and true peace impossible.; 9/24/16, 10:10 AM
jg said...: there are surely at least *some* people protesting and wishing others wouldn't riot. i guess some would complain when you don't spell out your 'they' - i wouldn't.; 9/24/16, 10:10 AM
Karen said...: Why aren't they protesting in Tulsa? That is a much more egregious example of police brutality. But we all know why, don't we? Oklahoma is a RedState there are no votes to be had there so there's no need to stir things up.; 9/24/16, 10:11 AM
Sebastian said...: ""They're rioting in Charlotte./Protesting is something else." // Your use of "They" is a problem for at least 2 reasons."

This is irritating for at least three reasons.; 9/24/16, 10:11 AM
jg said...: re: take our policing and go home, to the extent that this is what police do when they get no cooperation from a neighborhood, sure, we should try to help complainers understand that sometimes grownups have to look for an approach that works for the other guy too and isn't just temper-tantrum

but as an intentional social-ill-solving tactic it leaves a lot to be desired. we don't failure for any of our team-america fellow-travelers, no matter how atrocious their behavior and self-defeating their thoughts+proscriptions. and i think people know that - it's just a thought experiment, a lesson.

let's keep the policing, but erode the support for breath-holding destruction-tantrum as an effective form of political bargaining. i think (but haven't heard them out) that this includes not rewarding the NAACP for what seems to be a "more riots until you give us what we want" approach.; 9/24/16, 10:18 AM
jg said...: we don't *want* failure for; 9/24/16, 10:18 AM
mockturtle said...: Jeremiah also said, "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked".

Birkel mused: So the preacher cited the Old Testament.

I wonder what Jesus would say about that.

Jesus quoted Jeremiah often. Also Isaiah, Hosea, et al.; 9/24/16, 10:18 AM
Eric the Fruit Bat said...: Maybe part of the problem is that community leaders don't have to be very smart.

They only have to be a little bit smarter than the followers they want to lead.

Hell, maybe they don't even need to be smarter at all.

Maybe they just need to want to be leaders and then willing to do what it takes to be one.; 9/24/16, 10:19 AM
mockturtle said...: It is my understanding that MOST of the rioters came from outside Charlotte.

Also: The videotapes should be aired. If the police reported the incident correctly, it should serve to calm the storm. If not, then shame on the police. I am very supportive of LEOs but I do know that they are inclined to lie to protect each other. And that's wrong.; 9/24/16, 10:23 AM
Ann Althouse said...: I aim to irritate.; 9/24/16, 10:24 AM
mockturtle said...: I don't think you irritate, Ann. But sometimes your blouse falls open and reveals the large 'PC' tattoo on your chest.; 9/24/16, 10:28 AM
Ken B said...: Aiming to irritate is good, but ducking a pertinent question is not. On what ways is 'they' a problem when 'we' is not?

I won't be irritated if you don't answer, but I will lose a bit of respect for your intellectual integrity, of which I usually have a great deal.; 9/24/16, 10:33 AM
Rusty said...: Blogger Ann Althouse said...
I aim to irritate.

When is this going to happen? Is it happening now? Should we be irritated? I'm really bad at these social cues. What should I do?; 9/24/16, 10:49 AM
rhhardin said...: False profits are sometimes detected in the assets line, like "goodwill."; 9/24/16, 10:52 AM
rhhardin said...: Thou are Peter and thou shalt pick pecks of pickled peppers. - Mary Ann Madden; 9/24/16, 10:54 AM
Lyle Smith said...: The protests are exceedingly small.; 9/24/16, 11:16 AM
mikee said...: The protests in Charlotte are meant to get Hillary elected President, and 70% of those arrested for violence are from out of state. Where are the press stories on the origins of non-local protesters?; 9/24/16, 11:24 AM
Roughcoat said...: I don't aim to irritate, but I seem to irritate anyway.

Win-win.; 9/24/16, 11:37 AM
Eric the Fruit Bat said...: I aim to irritate.

It took me a while to realize how very much you and Trooper York were alike in that regard.

Not that it matters.; 9/24/16, 11:41 AM
HoodlumDoodlum said...: So, essentially: "We won't condemn rioting because what the riots are about is so important."
Very well, then.
It must therefore be true, though, that it's ok for the rest of us to conflate the riots with the protests...if the protest-supporters are explicitly linking the two (and refusing to separate themselves from the rioters) then it's acceptable for the rest of us to consider the rioters and the protesters part of the same group.
If the protesters want to be associated with, and want to be tainted by, the rioters, then it's not wrong or racist for others to make that association and consider both groups (rioters & protesters) together.

If that is their rule, I will follow it.; 9/24/16, 12:02 PM
HoodlumDoodlum said...: Try it out on something more specific:
"We can't condemn the attempted murder or Reginald Denny by a crowd of rioters because to do so would be to condemn all those people protesting against LA police brutality and injustice. Since both things are wrong we have to put the attack on Denny in CONTEXT. His personal innocence doesn't matter, since he is a white man and the white system is violent against blacks. Both kinds of violence are wrong, so let's not focus too much on what actually happened to Denny."

Still palatable, Professor?; 9/24/16, 12:07 PM
JCC said...: @ Amadeus 48 -

Walking toward the cops while holding a firearm, and simultaneously ignoring their shouts to "Stop" and "Drop the gun" seems pretty obviously to me to be a self-defense situation for the cops.

What else would you have them do? Retreat? Wait until he's right on top of them? That would exhaust the possibilities I think. And, of course, the man with the gun- a convicted felon - was breaking the law just by possessing the firearm, he has an arrest history of multiple occasions being charged with assault and attempted murder, etc. Now, the cops didn't know any of that at the time, but it can explain the suspect's state of mind - 'I'm going to prison for the gun I'm not supposed to have' is one possibility - and his actions seems out of touch with that of a reasonable person, so we may find that his tox screen shows the presence of drugs.

And, by the way, despite the many claims that blacks are in griveous danger from the menace of bloosthirsty police, in both Tulsa and Charlotte, the suspect in fact acted as though the cops and their threats were meaningless and that the cops were not a threat at all, since both suspects rather obviously ignored the cops and just did something contrary to police orders. I doubt either would have reacted that way of they truly felt in mortal danger.

But it comes down to this: what should the cops have done differently? I mean, what reaasonable thing should they have done that would not have exposed them to danger from a man with a gun?; 9/24/16, 12:12 PM
Paco Wové said...: Or, to condense HoodlumDoodlum still further:

"Injustice somewhere excuses violence anywhere."; 9/24/16, 12:17 PM
JAORE said...: "Prof., what is wrong with using "they" when referencing an essay that talks about "we"? (Why We Are Protesting in Charlotte.)"

For the same reason your foot comes up when the doctor smacks you below the knee cap with that little hammer.; 9/24/16, 12:33 PM
Char Char Binks, Esq. said...: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Good thing I don't live anywhere near George Zimmerman, Darren Wilson, or Brantley Vinson.; 9/24/16, 12:35 PM
Lewis Wetzel said...: Jeremiah 6:14.
They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

Matthew 5:39.
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.; 9/24/16, 12:48 PM
clint said...: Why people are protesting is boring, because it's obvious.

The more interesting question is why so many people are rioting.; 9/24/16, 1:00 PM
Rick67 said...: "This is what democracy looks like".

Seriously? Not seeing the persuasion or the voting here. Burn, break, beat, and loot is a large part of what we see. Several of my classmates from graduate school live in North Carolina and are fans of Barber. I am not. So if conservatives act like this... it is the obvious question in response to cliches like this. Is that still what democracy looks like? What does even mean?; 9/24/16, 1:01 PM
Anonymous said...: Writes William Barber II, president of the North Carolina N.A.A.C.P. "We cannot condemn the violence of a small minority of protesters without also condemning the overwhelming violence that millions suffer every day."

Wrong.

We can not, and will not, condemn the "violence" you are complaining about, so long as you are not condemning the violence those "on your side" are carrying out against other innocents.

You don't get to complain about violence (some of which is against the guilty) while excusing violence against innocent people.

Congratulations, Mr. Barber, you've completely destroyed your argument. Come back when you're willing to be a decent human being.; 9/24/16, 2:13 PM
damikesc said...: Let me guess...he probably demanded the Tea Party apologize for the alleged racists in their midst.

We can not, and will not, condemn the "violence" you are complaining about, so long as you are not condemning the violence those "on your side" are carrying out against other innocents.

Good point. It is perverse to expect others to agree that the violence is bad when your side appears to be just as bad and even more random with it.; 9/24/16, 2:31 PM
Lewis Wetzel said...: In violent crimes where the victim and perpetrator are of different races, the perpetrator is much more likely to be Black and the victim white than the other way around.
So, fuck you, Mister Barber.; 9/24/16, 2:57 PM
HoodlumDoodlum said...: He's not wrong, though, in saying "this is what democracy looks like." Democracy, in a pure form, looks a lot like a riot--the many preying upon the few, using their greater numbers and threat of force to get their way, etc.
Our system of government was set up by very smart men (regrettably, of course, non-Progressive white men) who designed things so that the democracy used is constrained within a republican framework. Those limitations and constraints are so of what people lament when they say "our government doesn't work!" (Such people exist on the Left and the Right, both).
A riot can be an expression of pure democracy. That's not an argument for rioting! A lynch mob can be democratic.; 9/24/16, 3:33 PM
Jon Ericson said...: Origin of 'they' kerfluffle; 9/24/16, 3:36 PM
mockturtle said...: Hoodlum: A lynch mob can be democratic.

As the old cliche goes, democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.

That said, we do need a populist revolt from time to time to shake things up. Like now.; 9/24/16, 3:43 PM
Quaestor said...: While we're at it Mr. Barber, let's throw another Biblical non sequitur into the conversation. From the Gospel of Matthew, 7th chapter, 3rd verse, And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? The beam being 551, year to date, that's only Chicago.; 9/24/16, 3:56 PM
mockturtle said...: The Charlotte PD has apparently decided to release the police body cam videos sometime today.; 9/24/16, 4:03 PM
Lewis Wetzel said...: Barber is delusional. Something seems to be broken in his brain.
Our protests are about more than the Scott case. Every child on that bus — every person in Mr. Scott’s neighborhood — is subject to systemic violence every day, violence that will only increase if Mr. Trump and others continue to exploit the specter of violent protests for political gain.
Scott was going to pick up his child from a schoolbus (if we believe Scott's daughter) while illegally carrying a gun.
You cannot reason with people like Barber, because they are not reasonable people.; 9/24/16, 4:06 PM
Jon Ericson said...: “My pronouns are they!”

she cried out, bringing in the support of another interloper at the meeting.

“From now on, when you speak to them, you use they/them/their, because we’ve shown you the respect to refer to you by your name, so from now on you will refer to them as they, because that is the appropriate thing to do when you are above the age of fucking 12,”

the man says, his voice quivering in anger.; 9/24/16, 4:26 PM
Amadeus 48 said...: JCC--All I said is that we don't know what happened yet. I guess the police decided their officers acted properly, based on a news alert on my phone.; 9/24/16, 4:35 PM
mockturtle said...: Amadeus 48, the police almost always defend their actions whether or not they are defensible. But you can bet that, with social media in the forefront, every action will be videotaped and scrutinized. And protested. It's not easy being a LEO nowadays.; 9/24/16, 4:41 PM
Quaestor said...: Your use of "They" is a problem for at least 2 reasons.

One possible reason Althouse finds Rusty's pronoun problematical — seems to a theme these, problematical pronouns —could be the the claim that not all that attended the riot were rioting.

Reminds me of the standard plea of the getaway guy, All I did was drive...; 9/24/16, 4:44 PM
hombre said...: The mediaswine make Barber's alternative reality possible by promoting his nonsense.

Young black males constituting at most 5-6% of the population have for decades committed at least 50% of the violent crime in America. Most of their thousands of victims have been black, many are not. Black community leaders refuse to decry or even acknowledge these facts. Rather, like this man, by rationalizing the protests/riots, they indirectly condone, even encourage, continuation of the carnage.

A competent, moral fourth estate would confront this man's perfidy and shame him out of the public arena.; 9/24/16, 5:01 PM
mockturtle said...: A competent, moral fourth estate would confront this man's perfidy and shame him out of the public arena.

What a utopian notion! ;-); 9/24/16, 5:15 PM
Rusty said...: Quaestor 4:44

Honestly. At this point does anybody really care?; 9/24/16, 9:08 PM
Jon Ericson said...: Does anybody know what time it is?; 9/24/16, 9:27 PM
Jon Ericson said...: They know.; 9/24/16, 9:42 PM
Ken B said...: Quaestor, you are probably right, but as your tag line suggests everyone who attends knows the protest will be violent. Always. Unless it's specifically organized as non violent and at some remove from the events and in the daylight it will be violent, and *everyone* knows this, so those who attend to lend their imprimatur to the event lend it also to the violence. I get tired of reading they "turned" violent. This is like saying the lake turned wet.

Althouse still has not answered why they is a problem but we is not.; 9/24/16, 11:01 PM
Jon Ericson said...: Oh, gimmie a break!
see my 3:36 post.
Sheesh!; 9/24/16, 11:06 PM
Bad Lieutenant said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 9/24/16, 11:54 PM
Bad Lieutenant said...: Althouse still has not answered why they is a problem but we is not.

I literally do not get this thing of not saying what you mean.; 9/24/16, 11:55 PM
Rusty said...: Bad Lieutenant said...
Althouse still has not answered why they is a problem but we is not.

I'm beginning to think it's about me.But I fairly shit kindness and understanding.
Wait. No. That's undigested corn and something else. What the hell is that? I didn't est that.; 9/25/16, 8:00 AM
Rusty said...: eat
or est
whatever.; 9/25/16, 8:01 AM
Rusty said...: eat
or est
whatever.; 9/25/16, 8:02 AM