Peaceful Protests Possible

To the Editor:

Judge Weber states that Americans don’t know how to execute peaceful protests anymore. America was founded on riots; they are the American way. Wikipedia lists over 330 riots, minor insurrections and revolts in the U.S. between 1783 and 2021. Many are included in our history textbooks; all the way back to the Boston Tea Party. Unfortunately, riots are not a great solution, but are usually caused by real injustices. These injustices have included labor disputes and political ploys, but mostly center around social and racial issues. Some of our country’s most effective changes have been gained through peaceful protests. The Suffrage Movement, the Delano Grape Boycott, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the raised fist atop the medal podium in the 1968 Summer Olympics, and the MLK March on D.C. in 1963. Peaceful protests are still happening in America; the Women’s March on D.C. in 2017 and the kneeling on the football field during the National Anthem.

Judge Weber said that the current turmoil was started by the Left and points out that this has been going on for three to four years. The issues being addressed by the Black Lives Matter movement began far longer in our history. It is based on real injustice. What happened four years ago? America got a new President. A President, whose followers, have recently started a movement (Stop the Steal) which has not been shown to be a real injustice (no evidence.) The deadly siege on our nation’s Capitol was a planned overthrow of our Democracy as insurrectionists arrived with zip-tie handcuffs, weapons and a noose and gallows accompanied with shouts of “Hang Mike Pence.” There is no comparison between BLM and what happened at the Capitol.

I agree with Judge Weber in that President Trump is not solely to blame. Pointing out Pelosi’s disrespectful tearing up Trump’s speech is an example of how the Right gets angered whenever someone attempts to protest peacefully. Why not mention Senator Ted Cruz’s and AG Ken Paxton’s attempts to overturn the valid election results? The Judge blames the governor of California for rioting, but says nothing to Giuliani’s fanning of the flames. Don’t claim to be unaffiliated with a party when you defend one and attack the other.

David McCall Waldeck

Waldeck