OPINION:
In the late 1970s, a series of action movies starring Mel Gibson as “Mad Max” showed what life in Australia would be like when the inmates, so to speak, take over the asylum and societal standards of behavior utterly collapse, and motorcycle gang members with zero moral bearings unleash their violence onto the public.
That’s Scenes From Seattle, circa 2020.
That’s how Seattle seems right now, with protesters’ takeover of City Hall, expelling police from the area, and establishing a six-block section of the community as an “autonomous zone” — meaning, free of law and order.
What the freak, America?
It’s a mad, mad, “Mad Max” world out there — actually, in here, within the boundaries of what used to be a nation run by law and order, a Constitution and structured government. The rabid foxes are within the hen house.
“Reports emerge that appear Raz Simone has established himself as a ’warlord’ within the CHAZ,” short for “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone,” The Daily Mail reported.
The guy with the sane response, President Donald Trump, is the guy who’s being characterized as off his rocker.
“This is not a game,” Trump said, after protesters established a perimeter and booted out police, demanding the end of racial injustice and the dismantling of law enforcement departments.
He labeled the protesters “domestic terrorists.” And they are.
“Take back your city NOW,” Trump tweeted to Gov. Jay Inslee and to Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan. “If you don’t do it, I will. This is not a game. These ugly Anarchists must be sto[pp]ed. IMMEDIATELY. MOVE FAST!” Only Trump spelled “stopped” as “stooped” by mistake.
So how did Durkan and Inslee respond? With mocking and derision.
“A man who is totally incapable of governing should stay out of Washington state’s business. ’Stoop’ tweeting,” Inslee tweeted.
And from Durkan, this tweet: “Make us all safe. Go back to your bunker.”
But if any time called for tough, aggressive police or even military crackdown to quell the violence on America’s streets — this is it. These are not poor misguided youth exercising their First Amendment rights. These are criminals. Violent criminals, intimidating law abiding innocent citizens with their criminal behaviors and threats.
Citizens can’t take over city streets and demand identification of anyone who seeks to enter.
Protesters, no matter how angry, no matter the cause, can’t gate off whole blocks of streets and patrol to keep out police.
Social justice activists can’t corral off roads and sections of cities, keeping businesses within their established borders from conducting business, preventing residents captured within their declared “autonomous zone” from coming and going as pleasing, in safety — just because they have a list of demands.
“A map created by protesters shows the ’Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone,’ or CHAZ, in Seattle, where protesters are manning barricades and controlling entry,” The Daily Mail reported. “The CHAZ includes apartments, businesses and an abandoned police precinct.”
And how about this?
“Armed men are seen manning checkpoints controlling entry to the CHAZ,” The Daily Mail also reported, beneath a picture of two masked and well-armed “protesters.” Protesters, indeed.
“Police say,” the caption continued, “they have received complaints that protesters are demanding cash to enter the zone, and shaking down businesses inside [the zone] for ’protection money.’”
This is America?
This isn’t America.
This is some third-world chaotic country crap, where loons and drug addicted deranged and soulless evil rise up and mount an assault on society — launch a coup on law and order.
This is “Mad Max” motorcycle-riding murderers taking over the streets and targeting police to kill.
Really, truthfully, this is the shame of the Democrats; the banner of the Democratic Party: No law, no order — just mayhem.
Just a “new normal.”
A photographed sign on one of the barricades the “protesters” set around their perimeter read: “You are now leaving the USA.”
Sadly, horribly, that’s just not true.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter by clicking HERE.
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