In July I noted that what The Wall Street Journal had described as our “Jacobin moment” cannot be stopped by an accord between the far left and traditional conservatism, because traditionalists no longer have a seat at the table. The mobs in the street and their fellow travelers are not about to listen to them because they think traditional conservatism is illegitimate. I repeat: This is where long overdue leadership comes in and it must come from whatever elements of the liberal establishment that still have the moral authority and courage to say STOP! Then the leaders of our most authoritative institutions–corporate, foundations, universities, cultural, religious, and media–must come together, stand up to the mob, and bring order, both in the streets and elsewhere in our culture.
The kicker, however, is that this conversation must begin with an admission on the part of this establishment that their crowning accomplishment, the Great Society urban policy reforms, have been a failure–a difficult pill to swallow. But if they can’t or won’t assume this leadership responsibility, then we truly are at a Jacobin moment, not to mention a major backlash that will not be pretty. In fact, the escalating violent events resulting in shooting deaths in Portland and Kenosha over the past several days are an omen that this backlash from the far right has begun in earnest. Joe Biden can call this “Trump’s country” if he likes, but the truth is looking more like a call to arms by the so far silent majority who have seen enough of this nihilism in the streets. I agree with the suggestion that Trump should drop the provocations, ask his supporters to avoid confrontation with the mob, and switch to a call for calm, but these violent mobs are not of the right, they are from the anarchist left, largely allied with and enabled by the far left wing, including many local office holders, of the Democratic Party, “Biden’s country”.
Avoiding confrontation, calling for calm are simply giving in to the bullies of BLM and Antifa. They will not stop unless Biden is elected.
Read this about BLM, in today’s City Journal:
https://www.city-journal.org/marxist-revolutionaries-black-lives-matter
I keep trying to equate the current violence to the unrest of the late sixties and early seventies. The problem is that time was largely different in both the issues, leaders and tactics. The civil rights movement was led nearly exclusively by non-violent thinkers whose goal was the peaceful assimilation of black Americans into the mainstream. The peace movement revolved around one goal, end the Vietnam war. Today’s civil rights movement has been hijacked by far left radicals, Marxists and anarchists’ intent on the overthrow of a constitutional republic and it’s capitalist economic system. I feel sure they will fail, because I don’t believe most Americans, of all races, are that much different than me. At some point, the citizens of these cities are going to say enough and demand action by their mayors and governors. Of course, we’ll still be left with the corrupt underlying ideology being taught in our universities. There is no truth.
You’re right, Danny, this crisis is much more dangerous than 1968, because it is totally nihilistic.
Danny,
Your hope that at some point ” the citizens of these cities are going to say enough and demand action by their mayors and governors” is a vain hope. The rioting, arson, looting has been in Democratic-governed cities and states. Where have the good citizens of Portland been for the past 95 days while their cops are demonized, hamstrung, and the city’s economy is ruined?
And in Kenosha, where has the voice of law and order been?
Answer: the voices have been stilled out of fear.
“No justice no peace” cry the BLM-Antifa mobs. I fear black/anarchist justice!
America is the next Venezuela. Protect yourself.
What we must seal in our mind is–“We wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with “Principalities and Powers of the Air”, the devils work force.
If you look at History,and/or, read the scriptures–you will notice the same exact thing repeating itself over and over. Most societies that have entered our stage Had no guts to defend what they had, Some of it due to disbelief and some of it due too lack of courage. I, on the other hand.remember a hard line being drawn in the sand !