Never Go to Charlotte Without These 3 Things

Facts officially do not matter.

Law officially does not matter.

Logic officially does not matter.

Giving vent to feelings is now all that matters. Feelings of rage and injustice are let loose in a torrent of hate, destruction, and mayhem. Regardless of facts, logic, or law. Feelings reign supreme, consequences be damned.

As a result, black lives no longer truly matter in the eyes of these so-called protesters. White lives, brown lives, any color of life no longer holds any meaning if that life happens to oppose their point of view or wear a uniform.

Define: Protest

Though they apparently do not matter any longer to many, let’s get into the facts of the matter. Black police officer Brently Vinson fatally shot a black man named Keith Lamont Scott in Charlotte, North Carolina on September 20, 2016. According to police, he was armed and refused repeated, clearly audible commands to drop his gun.

Despite the fact that all indications are the police were justified in their actions, and that both individuals were black, so-called protesters took to the streets of Charlotte, turning the city into a violent danger zone. During the protests, a 24 year-old black man, Justin Carr, was shot for no apparent reason by another black man Raquan Borum who is a wanted felon.

A prayer vigil turned into an angry march, which turned into a full blown riot under the guise of a protest. Rocks, bottles and dirt were thrown at police, at least 9 civilians were hurt and at least 5 officers, video shows a white man being beaten and dragged through the street, rioters attempted to throw a white photographer into a fire, businesses were looted, fires were set, and an interstate was shut down because of rioters blocking traffic.

Define: Protest:  “2. To make a solemn declaration expressive of opposition; with against; as, he protests against your votes. 3. To make a formal declaration in writing against a public law or measure...” ~Noah Webster

Define: Riot: “1. In a general sense, tumult; uproar; hence technically, in law, a riotous assembling of twelve persons or more, and not dispersing upon proclamation.” ~Noah Webster

These definitions make it clear that what happened in Charlotte was by no means a protest. However, the term riot seems a bit understated for what took place in that city. Let’s look at one more definition, shall we?

“The use of violent acts to frighten the people in an area as a way of trying to achieve a political goal.”

This is the definition of terrorism.

It is doubtless true that there were good, decent people who attended the original prayer vigil that night with no intention of violence. These were protesters. However, also present in Charlotte were rioters and terrorists.

A Nation of Laws

John Adams said a republic was “...to be a government of laws, and not of men.”

The protests/riots/terrorism in Ferguson, Baltimore, Charlotte, etc. have shown that a large number of Americans do not believe this. The displays of utter disregard for the law by participants show that they view themselves as arbiters of right and wrong.

America is slipping. Slipping from rule of law, to the rule of men.

Legitimate, good laws are put in place to protect our liberties. Every protection of your liberty will necessarily limit the liberty of another. As the saying goes, “Your liberty to swing your fist ends just where my nose begins.”

The police are tasked with enforcing these laws with the ultimate goal of protecting our freedoms. When Americans let their feelings rule their actions without the guiding boundaries of facts and logic, police are seen as an enemy. Laws are seen as obstacles to be overcome.

When this occurs, freedom is not secure. When laws designed to protect our liberties are regularly trampled on, when those tasked with enforcing those laws are hated and reviled, your freedom will rest in the hands of an angry mob.

This is what will be if we continue to become a nation ruled by men instead of laws.

Accomplishing Your Goal

Logic dictates a certain progression of thought. For instance:

Anytime you protest, anytime you have a political discussion with someone, chances are you are trying to enact change. Chances are there is something wrong that you are seeking to make right. Once you have identified what needs to change and why, the question then becomes - what is the most effective way to make this change happen?

Option #1 involves screaming, cursing, foul language, looting innocent businesses, physically harming innocent individuals, setting fires, blocking traffic, and other assorted borderline terrorist activities that will cost your city hundreds of thousands of dollars and generally ruin most people’s day.

Option #2 involves peacefully, calmly, protesting by making a solemn declaration expressing your opposition. This can be done by standing unobtrusively outside a courthouse or police station, wearing a T-shirt, holding a sign, posting to social media, etc.

Now, if you’ve read Paineful Truth for long, you are aware that we generally abhor boxed-in, binary choices. In most cases, there is a third option.

Option #3 involves the hardest thing in the world - changing yourself. It is easy, and often very satisfying to our ego, to look at those around us, and criticize all their failings. Far harder is to turn our eyes inward and examine the darkness within.

Only when we change can we expect the same out of others. It is the most basic “law of nature and nature’s God” (as Jefferson put it) - Do to others what you want them to do to you. It is utterly simple, yet utterly difficult.

The protesters, rioters and terrorists all claim to want to be treated like humans, not targets. If that is the treatment they desire, then it is the treatment they must give to others, including the police.

The protesters, rioters and terrorists all claim to want justice, to not be all lumped together as one “criminal race”. If that is the treatment they desire, then it is the treatment they must give to others, including police. They cannot lump all white people into the “white devil” category, neither all police into the “racist pig” category.

Change does not begin with burning someone else’s car. Change never begins with smashing windows at the local Walmart. Change never begins with throwing rocks and bottles at police officers who have sworn to protect and serve.

Change always begins with you.

Facts, law, logic. Never go to Charlotte without them.

Jonathan Paine

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