OPINION:
It’s never a good day when a young man is killed in the streets or when a police officer is forced to use his service weapon, and it’s never, ever a good day when riots take place in cities across America.
We’ve had some very bad days recently.
Just because you’ve had a bad day, you didn’t get your way or somebody tells you what to do or say (rhyming hat tip to Al Sharpton) doesn’t give you the right to go into the streets, destroying property and lives along the way. We are witnessing a mass temper tantrum, bringing out the worst of human nature.
As a writer and a talk show host I have a special kinship with the First Amendment, which gives us all the right to freedom of speech. We all have the right to go in the street and say what we want in an attempt to change the minds of men (yes, and women, too). But when that rhetoric moves from the mind to the physical the line has been crossed, and it is there where we the people must accept the responsibility to stop it.
You do not have the right to do what Louis Head, stepfather of Michael Brown, did.
After the Ferguson Grand Jury findings were read, with all eyes glued on his wife, he repeatedly yelled, “Burn this [expletive] down. Burn this [expletive] down!” He didn’t just say it once; it was over and over and over — making his point and giving orders.
The people listened, and it stimulated the mob in Missouri to carry out its purpose —riot. Not just in Ferguson, but in scores of cities across the country.
The chants of “Hands up — don’t shoot,” like the cries of the villagers with torches and pitchforks against Frankenstein have spread, as if Michael Brown was just an innocent bystander, with no record, no motive or no means of attack — all of which have been proven false.
No matter what evidence is presented, how open the process, how many witnesses testified, how many hours of carefully examination or even a videotaped robbery with the suspect easily identified, all of it means nothing when it comes to race or left-wing politics.
Some rioters protest because of the untimely death of Michael Brown. Others insidiously seek to promote their liberal pet causes and take to the streets for their 15 minutes of fame. Unions, communists, homosexuals, environmentalists, pro-amnesty organizations, pro-Palestinian groups, Planned Parenthood and plenty more clamor for their turn in the spotlight. These are usually the first people to hypocritically quote Dr. Martin Luther King and spout words of nonviolence while attacking the Tea Party when they march and protest the government through nonviolent ways.
Murder, mayhem, looting, vandalism and other attacks on the safety and security of American citizens continue, for what? So Jessie Jackson can remain relevant? So Al Sharpton can earn more dollars he won’t pay taxes on, or so Planned Parenthood can promote more abortions?
The crimes of “the gentle giant” Michael Brown, the reported 72 percent of African-Americans born out of wedlock, the breakdown of the black community, the lack of respect for both the police and parents from all areas of today’s youth culture — these are the things that should be targeted — not the small businesses and people of Ferguson, Mo. This is madness and serves no one but the agitators.
For their lack of truthfulness when is comes to the facts in this crime, for the abuse of the police, the law, their fellow citizens and for their overwhelming attitude of victimhood, members of the mob in Missouri are the Liberal Bullies of the Week.
• Rusty Humphries, a nationally syndicated talk-radio host, is a contributor to The Washington Times.
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