June 23, 2020
Contrary to the media’s narrative, neither the riots, looting, and mass protests are just about black lives, and a backlash against police brutality. Yes, many who have taken to the streets, hate and even want to defund the police. However, the protests are about a much larger, more encompassing grievance.
The angry mobs roaming the streets believe that the entire system upon which our country operates is fundamentally flawed and unjust. With the destruction of American symbols and artifacts of our nation’s history, the leftist mobs have confirmed their hatred for America and its founding principles.
Over the weekend in California, “protesters” were out in full force. Statues of Father Junipero Serra were toppled in both San Francisco and Los Angeles. Father Serra founded Spanish missions throughout California. The objective of the missions was to convert the Native populations to Catholicism and assimilate them into European culture.
The angry crowd in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park knocked down a statue of American war hero Ulysses S. Grant. This destruction underscores the indiscriminate hatred of those among the protesters. Grant, as general of the Union armies, led the defeat of the Confederacy during the Civil war, which ended slavery. However, according to the marauding mobs, Grant must be relegated to oblivion because he owned a slave. Never mind that he opposed slavery, and after one year he set his slave free.
Proving their irrational hatred for every facet of America’s founding, protesters even vandalized a statue honoring a Philadelphia abolitionist Mathias Baldwin. During the early 1800’s Baldwin was an outspoken critic of slavery. Yet, they defaced his statue with the words “colonizer” and “murderer”. Because it’s not possible that any American who had a role in our country’s inception was a decent human being – according to those whose disdain has been brewing for decades, but has openly gripped our country for the past month.
Even our first and third presidents, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, are not safe from the ire of the leftists attempting to remake our country.
Members of the New York City Council are demanding the removal of a statue of Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson not only wrote the Declaration of Independence he also ushered into our government ideals known today as, “Jeffersonian Democracy”, which include a free press, free voting, and opposition to the aristocracy and a tyrannical government.
There is also no shortage of vitriol for the founding father who helped our country achieve independence by leading the victory in the Revolutionary War. The statue of George Washington in Baltimore was sprayed with red paint and defaced with the words “destroy racists” and “BLM”.
Another statue of Washington in Portland, Oregon was draped with a burning American flag. It was then toppled and spray-painted with the words “genocidal colonist” and “1619”.
“1619” is a reference to the year when the first African slaves were brought to the Americas. The year “1619” has gained notoriety since an initiative, dubbed “the 1619 Project” was instigated by New York Times reporter, Nikole Hannah-Jones. According to her ahistorical retelling, the objective of the Revolutionary War was to enable American colonists to have slaves.
Our prescient President was roundly mocked and criticized by many in 2017, including comedian John Oliver, when he questioned whether the removal of confederate statues was a slippery slope. “I wonder is it George Washington next week? And is it Thomas Jefferson the week after? You really have to ask yourself where does it stop?”
2017: So-called comedian John Oliver mocks President @realDonaldTrump for suggesting statues of Washington and Jefferson would be next. Trump was right. pic.twitter.com/wV5SkslFMw
— Yaakov Pollak (@Yanky_Pollak) June 21, 2020
If the left has their way it will not stop until every statue, artifact, book, movie, and person who does not hew to their distorted definition of morality, and agree with their identity politics, must be destroyed or cast aside.
The latest fatality to succumb to the mob is our 26th president, Teddy Roosevelt. Since 1940 the equestrian statue of Roosevelt has stood on the steps of the Museum of Natural History in New York City- the museum which was founded in part by Roosevelt’s father. But, never mind, the left has rendered their verdict. The statue of a Native-American and African man standing on either side of President Roosevelt on horseback depicts subjugation- so it must be banished.
The explorer whom most were taught discovered America, Christopher Columbus is also not exempt. The Mayor of Columbus, Ohio has announced that they plan to remove the statue of the city’s namesake that stands in front of City Hall in favor of “diversity and inclusion”.
Even Jesus is not safe. A prominent activist associated with the Black Lives Matter movement- Shaun King tweeted that all “statues of the white European they claim is Jesus should also come down. They are a form of white supremacy.”
The audacity of the actions of those on the left is not only misguided and destructive, it is selfish. The statues do not belong to them. In many cases, they are the property of local and federal governments. But, beyond that, they belong to all Americans, past, present, and future, so that they may know our country’s complex, incredible and imperfect founding, along with the tremendous progress that has been made.
The demonization of Americas’ historical figures is only the beginning. The Black Lives Matter organization, which is behind many of the loudest and most angry voices among the discontented protesters, is not just looking to improve the lives of black Americans. If they were, they would not be silent about black on black crime, the black high school drop out rate, and the disintegration of the black American family.
The objective of the Black Lives Matter activists is to tear-down what they believe is our irredeemable unjust country, and replace it with their far-left improved version. One of the founders of the BLM group, Patrisse Cullors admitted in 2014, that she and fellow founder Alicia Garza are “trained Marxists”.
Last night the protesters attempted to topple the memorial to Andrew Jackson, near the White House in Lafayette Park. Thankfully they were thwarted by U.S. park police, which takes their orders from Trump’s Interior Secretary, who tweeted;
“Let me be clear: we will not bow to anarchists.”
Inspired by Seattle’s CHOP autonomous zone, rioters spray-painted “BHAZ” (Black House Autonomous Zone) on the historic St. John’s Church, which was set ablaze weeks ago during a night of rioting. Tents were also erected on the street newly named, Black Lives Matter Plaza.
The Trump administration, unlike the state governments under Democratic rule, swiftly condemned the lawlessness, and the attempt to occupy a section of Washington D.C.
Early this morning Trump tweeted:
“I have authorized the Federal government to arrest anyone who vandalizes or destroys any monument or statue or other such federal property in the U.S. with up to 10 years in prison, per the Veteran’s memorial Preservation Act, or such other laws that may be pertinent…This action is taken effective immediately, but may also be used retroactively for destruction or vandalism already caused. There will be no exceptions!”
Trump also tweeted that:
“There will never be an “Autonomous Zone” in Washington D.C., as long as I’m your President. If they try they will be met with serious force!” Incredibly, Twitter flagged this Tweet as violating their rules about “abusive behavior”.
Unfortunately, except for President Trump, and a few Republican lawmakers, the lack of pushback against those who want to erase American history, and transform America’s future is disturbing.
Joe Biden has not said a word against the angry mobs because they are his constituents- the mobs, and Black Lives Matter activists are the Democratic party.
The election in November is not just Trump vs. Biden. It is a choice between preserving America’s greatness and the rule of law, vs. Emboldening the anarchists intent on destroying our country’s greatness.
