I was a big fan of the TV show The Sopranos. The world of organized crime meeting small town New Jersey was done well and was pretty compelling at the time. There was also the shock factor of big characters you knew well who would get knocked off once a season or so, not to mention the violence that Tony Soprano's crew would inflict on those both deserving and undeserving.
I remember one episode with a friend of Tony's, played by Robert Patrick of Terminator 2 fame. He knew Tony was involved in crime, but he wasn't a part of it. They had a cordial relationship based on sports, their sons' athletic endeavors, and not of things more seedier. That was somewhat refreshing to see for Tony, that he could be this normal guy with regular friends. However, his friend started to succumb to an addiction to gambling. He owned a sporting goods store and started taking money from the till to pay off his debts. He got a little behind because he gambled too much and could not make payroll at work, so he turned to Tony for help. His problems compounded and in the end the mob just took over the business and destroyed it, because that's just what they do. He was fine up until the point he let the mob into his life and his business. He was in debt that would have caused bankruptcy and financial ruin for his family, but instead of admitting to his addiction, he turned to the dark side for support. Tony's crew was a support structure that didn't care anything about him or his family, one that had its own horrible underbelly of problems.
We too are letting the mob into our lives, into big business, and into our culture. It's not the mafia, but mob mentality. We do this while ignoring the fact that their mentality is built on lies, doesn't care about the truth, and will ruin everything that we believe in. In this case the mob isn't organized crime but it's acceptance of a culture and attitude founded on a lack of responsibility, ignoring the true reasons behind systemic problems in our country, and denying the truth behind tragic current events. We look at certain organizations that supposedly advocate for these victims, as if they are some paragons of virtue, but they really don't care about anything but money.
When a policeman is called to a scene he doesn't get a vote on who he will meet, or the color, age, race, or the economic status of the people he will interact with as he tries to protect and serve. He is there to restore peace, correct wrongs, determine fault, and uphold the law. What the mob is doing recently is ignoring some of the early facts of a case, often the most important ones, jumping right to a sensationalized narrative that is not only false but is extremely dangerous to our society. When a cop has to pull his gun and shoot someone in most cases it is because he has no other choice. He does not have the time, nor the tools, that can stop a situation from progressing while guaranteeing no one else, including himself will be hurt.
I have seen video, either cell phone video or bodycam images, of policemen having to fire on citizens. What we often see is just that image, and rarely are we given the full story. What often precedes the tragic end is an interaction between the police and a person that is far from respectful, one that is escalatory, and in many cases shows blatant disregard for the policeman's instructions, often the fast, violent, and dangerous resisting of arrest. When a cop is trying to put handcuffs on a suspect who then squirms away and jumps into a vehicle, a cop has no other choice but to pull his weapon and probably have to use it, because of the danger that often follows that type of non-compliance.
The media, is participating in that mob mentality by carefully editing of the video to only show the tragic end, not the escalation. The even go so far as to intentionally omit certain key facts, like a person wielding a knife, or even blurring out that part of the video. Celebrities, Twitter, woke corporations, and others on social media participate in mob mentality by condemning the cops and ignoring the full facts of a case. What makes it worse is when that the people that employ them, the cities and attorneys general, the ones who know the real truth of these situations, bow down to the mob, firing and prosecuting these protectors for doing the job they were trained and hired to do. It's clear that when the media does that, they are blatantly rooting against the police, hoping they'll go down. Your friends and neighbors are joining the mob when they buy into the BS that uses phrases with words like "systemic" and "privilege" in them. We are enabling the mob when we keep our heads down, silently shaking our heads, when we know the truth but don't say anything for fear of the mob's wrath. When we're afraid of being cancelled.
The thing is, is that the mob doesn't care whether you are aligned with them or not. Whether you posted a black square or not. Whether you donated to their cause or not. They just want to watch the world burn.
Here in San Diego a young teenager wore a "Catholics vs Convicts" t-shirt to a football game between Cathedral Catholic High School and Lincoln High. This was a shirt that was popular on social media a few years back when Notre Dame played Clemson University, which had at the time a few players that had gotten in trouble with the law. Cathedral Catholic here is an expensive private school in an affluent neighborhood, while Lincoln High is not in the best part of town. The only reason we know about the situation is because a student from Lincoln took a photo of it and shared it on social media to his entire high School. That got picked up by local news stations, thereby further escalating the situation, getting a lot of people very riled up, and stoking the flames of anger and racism.
One thing that was good to hear was how the football coach from Lincoln high didn't become part of the mob. He said that that the Lincoln student did a stupid thing, posting of the photo, which only escalated the issue. He didn't cater to those chanting racism or allow them to stoke the fire even more. He said it was all blown out of proportion, and he tried to keep the situation from growing.
We cannot give in to the mob, we can't allow them to control the narrative when it is so blatantly false. We have to call looting for what it is, criminal behavior, and not turn a blind eye to it. We can't be silent in the face of such action, ceding territory to those that don't deserve it. We have to call out riots and burning as domestic terrorism. We have to call out the media when they report irresponsibly. We have to demand our Attorneys General call for the investigation into groups fomenting the riots, who funds them, who organizes them. We have to say the words that we must have calm, and peaceful, and respectful interactions with police. We have to call out (and vote out) the politicians that incite violence and energize the mob. We have to loudly say that you cannot resist arrest, and we must highlight the fact that this is a common thread in many of these police shootings. We have to say that the statistics do not support the narrative that cops are indiscriminately shooting unarmed black men. We have to say that while tragic, a cop may have to shoot one person in order to defend the life of another. We have to take into account drug use and health issues of a victim that dies during a police interaction. And we have to admit that the lack of fathers is the root of much of this evil. Otherwise we are putting cops in danger, we are putting all of our lives in danger, because cops will find that the job isn't worth it and they will not be there to protect and serve us if they are continually pilloried or attacked in the public square for doing their job.
There's a saying that the way for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. We have to be willing to engage in calm and rational dialogue with others. We have to counter false statements with factual ones, and we have to push for respect of our institutions. I'm not saying everyone needs to be as vocal as I am on social media, but being able to pull out a few calm and factual talking points from your back pocket when faced with falsehoods is probably a good thing. If we stay silent, we are allowing the mob to run wild.
How do we get the above onto the editorial page of the newspapers ? Old Guns
ReplyDeleteBut evil seems very much the agenda of the Left. The press seems to be OK with this.
ReplyDeleteThe press doesn't only seem to be OK but complicit.
DeleteHow does one engage in "calm and rational dialog" with those who are by choice neither calm nor rational? How does one "vote out" corrupt politicians when elections are rigged? I
ReplyDeleteYou're living in the past. TINWTVYOOT.
Boat Guy
I feel the same frustration, but we shouldn't give up. Keep voting, keep speaking, find a way to get your point across.
DeleteBe the better man. Speak to reason. Speak the truth.
DeleteDoesn't mean you're not ready to unleash hell upon idiots and fools who cross you.
But we do need to try to speak to reason and sense in dark times.
Just don't be overly stupid about it.
How do we have a "calm and rational dialog" with people who brought long guns to demonstrations in clear acts of intimidation? How do we have a rational discussion with people who believe, despite all evidence to the contrary, that the 2020 election was rigged? How do we have a dialog with people who sought to overturn the results of the election by violence? How do we have a dialog with people who who betrayed their oath of loyalty to the Constitution and, instead, followed the urgings of a single man?
DeleteI'd like to know.
CM, you just described the DNC since Ferguson. 7 years making riot, arson, looting, and vandalism normal and acceptable political expression. Then those who lauded and encouraged such behavior bawl like calves at roundup when those they have spent 7 years beating up take a page from their playbook.
DeleteHeck, Rep. Maxine Waters told her rioters to step up the violence if a verdict was returned that they didn't like.
And remember the Bernie Bro who fired over 100 shots at the GOP Congressional baseball squad after listening to the inflammatory vitriol from Sanders?
Indeed, how do you reason with people who have spent the better part of a decade making violence and attempted murder into legitimate political expression?
I'm done, Joe. I'll come back for the WW2 fiction, but you guys on the Right can keep on complaining about the mote inother people's eyes and ignoring the log in your own.
DeleteCM, I would like to see some actual investigation into the last election. I heard of, read of, and saw video of very strange things happening during the election that have never been looked into, investigated, or explained. "Evidence to the contrary" has only been people saying it was above board. For one, why was the counting stopped at 1am in 3 different states, but then continued once most people had left? Never explained, never justified, or anything. As for the long guns, they have a right to do it, and we shouldn't live in fear of people expressing their right.
DeleteAs to how to have a calm and rational dialogue is to not raise our voices, come prepared with facts instead of hyperbole, leaving emotion out of it. Like adults, without judging. This goes for both sides of an issue. It can be done, but we see our political differences as this huge barrier which they don't have to be. Social media isn't the best place for that, but using individual messages to discuss something can work. As would actually inviting a conservative or a liberal out for a drink. A rally isn't a place for that discussion.
DeleteWell, the answer is to speak the truth and be logical. Let the leftists be all illogical and stupid. And you will see people who see through the BS.
DeleteLike, well, the McCloskys. Yaknow, that couple who were very anti-gun, until the world started falling apart, and suddenly they discover the truth of the reasons behind the 2nd Amendment. That weapons are for all the people, because government can't be trusted to do their job of protecting the citizens.
And look at all the moderate leftists who in the last 2 years have moved farther right, some very farther right, because they've finally seen the stupidity of their ex movement. The Walk Away movement is a good example. Or that liberal rich father who pulled his kid out of a well-known leftist school in NYC because he couldn't take the BS anymore.
If we're strong and sane, then more people will see us as better than the shrill and insane.
As to when is it slitting throats time, gee, don't know, maybe after all sane conversation has been used up.
DeleteAnd if we were at SLT, I wouldn't openly say it over the internets. That way lies meeting certain governmental agencies in a bad way.
While I do agree with boat guy, and there is certainly no way to vote our way out of this!
ReplyDeleteWe still have to raise our voices against this. Even though we sometimes feel as though we are screaming in the forest and no one hears us, scream.
We can turn this around before it goes hot. No one wants what I think is coming, and those that think they do will change their minds when it shows up on their doorstep.
I'd be very interested to know how "we can turn this around before..."
DeleteBG
Oh and Tuna; the cops are not there to "protect" you. The courts have consistently found they are under no obligation to do so.
Keep voting, keep speaking. Don't give an inch.
DeleteNo, the cops are not here to protect us. They are here to clean up after the act. Thus the fallacy of 'restraining orders.'
DeleteThe problem the Right has is it doesn't do 'Mob' well. And it's the responsibility of us on the not socialist-left to become better. Don't do 'mob' but do do 'likeminded group' or 'social organization.'
Like, well, Tuna belongs to the 'Knights of Columbus' and has connections through them to other 'knights' and other organizations that have knights in them. The VFW or American Legion are good groups to belong to. That type of thing.
Don't be a mob. Be better than a mob.
"Voting" got us to where we are today.
DeleteBG
I do worry that continual pandemics will allow continual absentee voting, which is very problematic, despite what the left wants to make us believe. I have 6 instances in my own family or group of friends, where they had moved from one address to another, and getting ballots at both locations. Fortunately in each case, a friend or relative was still at the old location.
DeleteHR1 seeks to implement all of the things that allowed the last general election to be stolen before our eyes. And yes, they'll continue the WuFlu panic-porn to serve their purposes.
DeleteThe left doesn't give a tinker's damn what we "believe" else they wouldn't have been so brazen in their theft.
BG
One thing you said would have made dad perk up. "He is there to restore peace, correct wrongs, determine fault, and uphold the law." He is only there to restore peace. Dad was a Texas Peace Officer. That was the title. The judge enforces the law through the legal process: i.e.restitution orders, determining fault, jailing, releasing, etc. When they relabeled it to law enforcement, he said they made a mistake. And with that mistake, they put an idea out that really shouldn't be there. An arrest is just your induction into the legal process where the above is decided: guilt or innocence; fine or imprisionment or deferred adjudication.
ReplyDeleteTell that to Amadou Diallo!!!
DeleteThanks, STxAR. I was reading along and got to "He is there to restore peace, correct wrongs, determine fault, and uphold the law." and felt my hackles raise. Restore peace, yes, uphold the law, yes, in general. But "correct wrongs, determine fault?" \Nope. That is for the courts or some other part of the legal (can't bring myself to call it justice) system.
DeleteOther than that, a very well thought out and well written piece.
Joe Lovell, you beat me to the reply I had for STxAR. I was on a tablet that is a pain to type on.
DeleteLEO only in part uphold the law as the legal system is the final arbitrator of whether the law was broken or not.
Point taken. But my point is that the police have a tough job that doesn't get Any easier when they aren't supported.
DeleteAs usual, STxAR beat me to making a point I was thinking about Otherwise, Tuna, agree on your thoughts. The reason we've gotten to this point is not enough push back to the mob and its agents, which has emboldened them to keep going. They are bullies, and there is only one way to deal with bullies - push back twice as hard.
ReplyDeleteIf I think like you do, then I am on the way to brilliance! I feel like a backwoods hick when I read most of the commenters here after I've dropped my two centavos. I appreciate your compliment. We must be two halves of a highly developed brain..... heh
DeleteTuna, this is well thought out and well written. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThe one thing which appears - at least to me - to be an difficulty is that so much of the media and major influencers of society are complicit. We can push back as you have said, but it is often after the impression has already been made and emotions have flared.
Very much complicit, but don't silence yourself, help to calm the storm once emotions have flared. It's a bit like Ghandi, but their methods will eventually be seen as unnecessarily violent against calm behaviors from us.
Delete"We have to call out (and vote out) the politicians that incite violence and energize the mob."
ReplyDeleteI wish we could.
I think we learned in November '20 that the voting process of which we've been so proud and we've come to trust for so many years has been destroyed.
I don't know what the next step is.
The next step is the difficult one. Wherein right-minded people continue to speak truth (without being stupid about it) while preparing for, sadly, conflict.
DeleteDon't do anything stupid to bring doom upon yourself. But keep you and yours as safe as possible.
And wait.
If enough sane, rational people wait and prepare, we may be able to wait while they turn upon themselves. It's already happening. BLM has lamented that Slo Jo (all government actions now belong to him/her/it/they) has sent in the NG military much more than during Trump's presidency did. (Almost like, well, governors were not sending in their NG in order to allow chaos to grow in their cities...)
Wait. Doesn't mean prepare to get on the cattle cars. It means prepare. Go look up the Mormons' food and supply prepping system (they prep for a year of trouble, be it conflict, loss of work or funds, sickness, whatever.) It's not too late yet to put things away, to prepare for summer storms of all varieties.
Just don't be stupid.
98% of the media is owned by those who want what is happening today & the media (today) IS able to shape our society.
ReplyDeleteFinding the common ground to begin the reasonable conversation is increasingly difficult.
ReplyDeleteAmong the problems is the lack of critical thinking.
Of a certain age, we grew up where even the most basic of school science courses taught the scientific method and we would move out into the world the the actual ability to reason and think.
I've stopped saying "if the wheels come off" and I've changed to saying "when."
Hit the publish button just a squeak early.
DeleteLaw Enforcement. Yes to the other commenters, and the St. Louis couple who simply stood outside with guns were arrested and are being prosecuted while the "peaceful protesters" are released without being charged.
Much has already been written about how to use the existing legal system as a weapon.
I fully agree with the lack of critical thinking, so we have to provide examples, and be somewhat didactic in our presentation of an issue. I also support the Law Enforcement Defense Fund. I agree that the wheels will come off, but I will keep speaking, keep voting. Maybe some fresh tires will be found when the left finds that their beloved emperors have no clothes.
DeleteThe media has manipulated the fact for a loooong time. How many have ever seen the 8-10 minutes of Rodney King resisting and fighting the cops before they started wailing on him? How many remember seeing the whole video of Reginald Denny being pulled out of his semi and being beaten nigh unto death?
ReplyDeleteWe, the right-thinking and critical thinking people, can and do combat media falsehoods by doing what we are best at. Disseminating information. See a video or a twitter that shows the whole truth or shows the leftists saying something really horrible (like Lebron James opening his fat trap... and then deleting it) and copy, save, disseminate, spread, post the truth.
Be less Walter Mitty and more Sabo the street artist, without getting you and yours attacked or fired or both, of course.
And when it comes down to malfeasance by the governments, well, the Bundy Ranch Standoff is a good example. Citizens used their own video to prove that the government was lying. Citizens used their own equipment to make the government back down. And most important, Citizens got the message out in spite of the Media, in spite of the Government, in spite of the fact that the Bundys were a bunch of friggin jerks (who happened to be right, still complete jerks, but right about their rights.)
Just be careful. Document, find responsible people to communicate with. Don't expose yourself too much.
Excellent post, Tuna. In these dark times it is way too easy to drift away into silence because it seems that one's voice is unheard. But our voices are heard. You can tell that by the frantic ways in which the administrations and the media are reacting to everything.
Stay strong, and stay safe. Prepare, but wait. We will know when and how to act locally and nationally,
Thanks. I've been silent too, but I've learned to throw out a few phrases and comments that call into question their entire narrative. With much of the news about police shootings, I either comment with "I wonder what would have happened if he didn't resist arrest" or I'll ask if they saw the part of the video where the guy fought with the cops.
DeleteSo far, all of the police shootings that THEY have been screaming about have involved felons or people committing felonies doing bad things and resisting violently. All. Every one.
DeleteExcept, of course, Justine Damond or Ashli Babbitt...
Although we might like to think "We are surrounded, so we have the enemy just where we want them" I think we are in a situation more like Custer surrounded by lots of hostiles, with no relief in sight.
ReplyDeleteIt is us versus the leftist mobs. And the media. And the education system, especially higher ed, and nearly all public schools. And, about half of all politicians. Even large portions of our government can no longer be relied on to support and defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic. The nation's premier law enforcement agency, the FBI, has several years of "curious" actions by its top leadership, although rank and file agents still seem honorable and credible.
Four years of "Russian collusion," lying to FISA courts, lack of interest in Clintonian security lapses or outright foreign conniving; the blind eye to Hunter Biden's Ukraine and China corruption (not to mention Joe's other family members with incredible financial success). The FBI's recent conclusion the the lefty who shot up Republican Congressional baseball practice was "suicide by cop" not political, and their foot-dragging failures on FOIA requests on the puzzling 2016 Seth Rich (DNC IT guy) murder all suggest that there is indeed a two track justice system and that all animals may be equal, but some are damn sure more equal than others.
Throw in the "defund the police" insanity and all our lives and property are at greater risk, and our individual responsibility to prudently prepare for lawful self defense.
As bad as those influences are, the rest of the problem comes from a sizeable percentage of the population who are indeed "low information voters," addicted to free stuff, and content to remain dependent on government's wealth transfer from the makers to the takers. Throw in the easily aggrieved or misled who think the consequences of every bad choice of their own is "systemic racism" and you have a potentially violent powder keg.
The spark for that powder keg will likely come from economic sources. When free stuff diminishes, or the welfare checks will not buy as much, when inflation wipes out all savings, or when confiscatory taxes convince workers to no longer work for free, there will be trouble. Eventually our children and grandchildren will confront the reality that $30+ trillion dollars cannot ever be repaid, even if tax rates on those with income or wealth become unbearably onerous.
So, fall back into hollow square formation, and be prepared for the onslaught of those who hate us, and hate everything which has made our country great, with its incredibly real opportunities for those willing to work for success, and where the rule of law and equal justice under that law were bedrock principles. Now, we are told all that is bad and we much self-flagellate and confess our imaginary sins, and "pay our fair share" to those who want free stuff rather than opportunities to earn stuff.
Meanwhile, don't give in to the left's demands. Slow roll every response. Keep posting positive responses on new forums (with as much anonymity and brevity as possible. Don't engage in twitter wars or extended pig wrestling. Selectively give actual money to conservative politicians, conservative groups who are effective. (Some I like are Second Amendment Foundation; Turning Point USA; Club for Growth; Hillsdale College, etc.)
Victory is not assured, but the world is run by those who show up and make things happen. Others watch what happens, and others wonder what happened.
During the American Revolution, perhaps a third were actual patriots engaged in the struggle, a third contented loyalists, and a third didn't give a damn- they just wanted to be left alone to live their life as best they could. Which will you be?
John Blackshoe
Well said. Thanks.
DeleteI'm with you on outfits like SAF, Hillsdale et al.
ReplyDeleteAs for which third? I'm descended from a Minuteman; can I do any less?
Boat Guy
The police make me nervous, many are bullies by nature...let's face it, being the nice guy in many situations they face is not productive. When I have been pulled over, I open the window, put my hands on the wheel and ask for permission to get out my wallet if it was not already out. Many people who are "mis-treated" by the police do not know how to make sure the officer also feels safe. I know that black people do face more unjust stops than white people and that is not right, but if people knew how to not incite a situation, everyone would be safe. Do changes need to be made in law enforcement? Yes, but equally important everyone needs to learn how to respect the law even when the law might seem to be in the wrong.
ReplyDeleteBTW, excellent post!
DeleteThanks. Unfortunately, I happen to know that that is a learned behavior because of people treating them like s#1t. My cousin is a cop and is still a cool guy, but he's faced with BS every single day so it makes them jaded. They're defensive even with normal and nice people.
DeleteMy son is a retired San José CA police Sergeant (30 years). He is hard now.
ReplyDeleteTimely, well put.
ReplyDeleteI could have written this 5 years ago too, but the recent MN case and spate of justified shootings that certain Bball stars want to criticize was a cattle prod to my muse.
DeleteSame problems over this side of the pond Trial by you tube, experienced officers leaving in droves. I mean if you can pull down a six figure salary for driving a train then you'd probably do that instead of dealing with people that everyone else would cross the road to avoid wouldn't you? Add a government that is composed of mainly third rate people and a hostile media (both left and right wing)and I wonder why anyone would do the job now. I wouldn't.
ReplyDeleteRetired
Our military is facing similar concerns. Not the hate, but the constant claims of extremism in the ranks, the need for diversity (we have tons), plus being overworked and doing back to back deployments with no port visits.
Delete