The Evil From Within

The Evil From Within
Commentary by Sanford D. Horn
June 22, 2020

It has become painfully obvious and with increasing numbers that the current crop of the 18-30 generation have lost their collective moral compasses as they support the violence, looting, pillaging, plundering, vandalism, graffiti, arson, and even murder that has besot many of this country’s cities, while rejecting the Constitution and the 10 Commandments.

Mob violence will only beget increasing violence ultimately leading to the next civil war in these United States. This is becoming an increasingly dangerous time not just in America, but across the globe as ochlocracy seems to be rearing its very ugly face. As hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of college age and young adults continue to take to the streets committing acts of domestic terrorism destroying other people’s property believing it will solve the growing racial unrest in this country, the reality is, it will only serve to enflame their opponents.

Most recently, sparked by outrage over the killing, possibly murder, of George Floyd, 46, in Minneapolis on May 25, by now former police officer Derek Chauvin, 44, peaceful protests were the correct response. That is until the likes of Antifa and the more extreme branches of Black Lives Matter decided violence would be the answer. Once the looting, vandalism, and arson began, virtually all credibility was lost.

Two wrongs do not a right make must have been drilled into all of us as children and it is still correct today. The absolutely abhorrent behavior by Chauvin as well as his three cohorts, complicit in the death of Floyd, is never acceptable, and he should be found guilty of murder, while the three bystander officers should be found guilty of accessory to murder. Floyd was being arrested for allegedly passing a counterfeit $20 bill. For eight minutes and 46 seconds, Chauvin drained the life out of Floyd by forcing his knee into Floyd’s neck, rendering Floyd unresponsive for the last two minutes and 53 seconds, after crying out for his deceased mother.

While that scene will remain vivid in people’s minds for a long time to come, the response of destruction, theft, and arson remains wholly unacceptable. Peaceful protests are acceptable all day long.

A much different scene presented itself in Atlanta about three weeks later, as on June 12 Rayshard Brooks, 27, ended up dead - shot twice in the back by now former police officer Garrett Rolfe, 27. With just the above information, one would suspect another gratuitous killing of an alleged black suspect by a white police officer. However, if one watches the full, available video, one should come away with a different conclusion in this particular case. For at least 20 minutes Rolfe engaged in conversation with Brooks, who was under suspicion for over the limit alcohol consumption. The exchange was cordial, polite, and professional between the two men. Only at the time Rolfe attempted to place Brooks in handcuffs, did Brooks wrestle Rolfe and one other officer to the ground, eventually steal Rolfe’s taser gun, and begin to flee. After Brooks fired Rolfe’s taser gun at Rolfe, did he return fire with the two shots that hit and killed Brooks.

With no investigation Rolfe was immediately fired, brought up on charges, and could actually face the death penalty. Rolfe should not only have not been fired, but he should not be facing a possible death sentence. Quite frankly, I am not the biggest fan of the police, although I was raised to respect law enforcement. That said, and understanding that in Georgia, among other states, the taser is considered a deadly weapon, Rolfe had legitimate reason to return fire in order to defend himself. Brooks’ actions lead to his own demise. His death could very well have been avoided. Watch the video and judge for yourself. 

Far too many people, with their knee-jerk progressive liberal reaction, agreed with the charges against Rolfe. In fact, quite a few people have literally said a black suspect should not be fired upon by a white officer in any circumstance. That is patently absurd.

While there clearly is an issue between alleged black suspects and the police - not always white officers, by the way, the violence, destruction of property and businesses, looting, and arson remain unacceptable. These actions solve nothing. Yet more and more of the 18-30 crowd, becoming increasingly agitated, have become agitators themselves defending their actions as appropriate and legitimate because they garner attention and lead to reform. What they will lead to is increased resentment that extortion is not the answer. Give us what we demand or we’ll torch the city. This is the evil from within.

In between those two incidents, on June 2, David Dorn, 77, a retired police captain in St. Louis, was fatally shot by a looter during the Floyd protests. The 38 year police veteran was responding to a pawn shop break-in. Where was the outrage over the slaying of a black police officer? Selective outrage as the murder of Dorn does not fit the narrative of the liberal progressive socialists. Some of those progressive socialists justified the killing of Dorn because his uniform was blue, while disregarding that his skin was black.

There is enough video footage to identify at least some of the perpetrators in each instance who should be charged to fullest extent of the law. A message must be sent that the acts of thugary should no more be accepted than that of the police brutality being witnessed.

As more and more police officers are fired for inappropriate behavior, and as fewer and fewer police departments have the support of their mayors, the level of police officers to take their places will become increasingly deleterious. The bar will eventually need to be lowered, which sounds like a frightening proposition. Also a frightening proposition is the thought of there being no law enforcement available when truly needed. More and more cities, towns, and individuals are demanding city councils defund their police forces and in some cases, put them out of business altogether. That is not the answer.

Better vetting of officer candidates, longer training, and an increase in community policing are a good start. If police officers are in the same neighborhoods on a regular basis they should get to know the communities in an effort to win back even a modicum of good will. Overzealous officers are not the answer either, nor are complicit officers. The “thin blue line” that thousands of police departments swear by only serves to convince the general population that the fix is in and that officers will stand by their fellow officers no matter what. That does not increase good will.

The calls for anarchy, chaos, and abject lawlessness solves nothing either, and only makes a bad situation infinitely worse. When I hear people attempt to justify, defend, and support their criminal behavior or that of others in the name of civil rights or justice, that simply frightens me to the core. Those people are more than just slightly misguided. Assaulting police officers with bricks, bottles, human excrement also solves nothing other than to convince police officers it isn’t safe for them out in the communities. Shouting obscenities, calling officers pigs, and that all police are bastards does not lessen the tensions between police and community residents.

More cop-cams will help. Make them lighter weight and less obtrusive for officers to wear as they do their jobs, make their rounds, and respond to calls. While the level of police brutality seems to be on the rise, and perhaps it is, these are the cases that make the news. What does not make the news is that “today, 99 percent of police officers did their jobs without incident.” Boring. The media lives for the salacious - it sells papers and television advertising.

The issue of profiling, and again, overzealousness, will probably not go away any time soon. It should, at the very least, wane more and more over time. I don’t have the solution for driving while black or walking while black. These cases and situations are, obviously, unfortunate and undignified. When a Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) is stopped on numerous occasions by Capitol Hill police, who should know him and see his identification that all members of Congress are required to have on their person, it’s no wonder these stops continue to occur - it’s wrong, but I don’t have the solution.

It is also important to remember one cannot avenge the past. No one is either a slave nor a slave owner in the United States in 2020. The War Between the States ended in 1865. The millions and millions of families who have migrated to the United States since that time, such as my family, are not, nor should be held responsible for what occurred before their collective arrival.

There must be more education. More history must be required for graduation in both high school and college. And not that watered down, fake news, indoctrination that passes for history. I have a number of years of classroom instruction from grade six through the college level so I know what history curriculum looks like. It’s disgraceful. History can’t be whitewashed. Warts and all, the good, the bad, and the ugly must be taught. People can’t see the progress that has been made without the study of history. From there, people can use those lessons to continue down a positive path. Books authored by Mark Twain should not be censored simply because the name of one of Twain’s characters is unacceptable in 2020 - it’s demonstrative of progress. Stand in the face of adversity and mock it.

Who was taught about the following in high school history and can confidently discuss:

Black Wall Street
Brandeis, Louis
Bleeding Kansas
Dawes Severalty Act (1887)
Doby, Larry
Manhattan Project
Manzanar
Missouri Compromise (1820)
Rankin, Jeannette
Tulsa Race Massacre (1921)

“Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.” - attributed to George Santayana (1863-1952)

May G-d save and preserve the Union.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and educator living in Westfield, IN.