I can remember, from not so long ago, that many who identified as conservative believed we enjoy listening to them talk about how invested they are in law and order. And if criminals can’t do the time, well, then they shouldn’t do the crime. Pretty much a shibboleth of the hard right ever since Nixon and Wallace times, and even today it can be hard to avoid neighbors and co-workers eager to share that with you.
A current iteration of the timeless heritage of strict constructionist belief is a well-marketed campaign declaring all must “Back the Blue.” Meaning you need to support police officers who administer law and order, especially to Black Lives Matter demonstrators.
This recurrence comes with a fine selection of commercially available banners derivative of Old Glory flying from the cargo beds of large pick-up trucks.
Which is why I was a little unnerved to read Susan Shelley’s column here last Sunday, “Surveillance state gets a strong push.” If I understood her correctly, she believes that many of those arrested after sacking the Capitol building last January now deserve judicial leniency, and in the name of Liberty, no less.
According to an article in The Washington Post Jan. 27, “Police union says 140 officers injured in Capitol riot,” the howling Trumpian horde invading the Capitol did not show much backing for the blue, even though many rioting that day did own the flags.
“The physical toll on officers who defended the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 attack by a pro-Trump mob is becoming clearer, with reports indicating that about 140 officers were injured, the head of the Capitol Police officers’ union said.” Three cops also died, two by their own hand.
Shelley seems willing to overlook those disturbing numbers, however, and does so with what she apparently feels are the best intentions. In her opinion the real problem isn’t the crimes committed by the “MAGA tourists” themselves, but rather the federal “intelligence resources” used to help facilitate their arrests. With steady zeal, Shelley shares this:
“Americans must be vigilant against the creeping mission of government agencies who think they can protect us by secretly spying on us. That’s a greater threat to the republic than anything that happened on Jan. 6.”
Because the FBI dogged these clowns down through their careless cell phone usage, or certain revealing things posted on not so secretive social media, they are being deprived of their Liberty and therefore deserve to be set free by the courts?
When I was a happy lad there were many on the right who expressed a profound loathing for judges willing to free criminals over such malarkey. Those judges, and the folks supporting them, were pejoratively known as Bleeding Heart Liberals. So are we entering another similarly contentious judicial era? Of course, if you want to pay homage to Liberty in Southern California, you need to spend some quality time in Huntington Beach.
They do Liberty with brio.
Born for adventure, I headed there last Sunday. The KKK had plotted something called a “White Lives Matter” demonstration, and numerous worthies and news publications were highly concerned. I needed to see for myself.
The bad guys didn’t show up much. There were a few die-hard Trumpers flying last year’s flags, but the Loyal White Knights largely stayed under their rocks. Similar demos were planned around the nation, but few Kluckers emerged.
I am beginning to believe one consequence of January’s MAGA riot in Washington is that it broke the back of the radical right in America. They appear to be in retreat.
Can it be those federal “intelligence resources” have spared us the misery of their continuing presence?
John Crawford is a writer in San Dimas.
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The sudden liking of judicial leniency on the right - The Pasadena Star-News
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