In condoning the destruction of statues and monuments on the basis of subjective judgement, we've established a precedent that we may well live to regret.
"In accommodating the agenda of the radical Left, America has precariously perched itself on a slippery slope that’s being shaken by seismic political activity. Giving self-righteous activists the green light to destroy rarely placates them; in the long run, it has an emboldening effect. Once you’ve signaled that these people are morally justified, they tend to ignore you when you blow the whistle."
----------
Ask Ted Wheeler how trying to control the red guard worked for him.
Portland mayor Ted Wheeler says he will be moving out of his condo to avoid the protests and rioting that have cropped up outside the building in recent days.
Wheeler announced the move in an email to other residents of the 16- floor high-rise on Tuesday, OregonLive.com reported, one day after a crowd of over 200 people gathered outside the building to demand his resignation, leaving fires and broken windows in their wake.
Many years ago I could see this coming. It is when I became politically active after being largely apolitical. For my efforts I had been roundly criticized as being hostile and overly abrasive... generally admonished to use a softer tone... to show respect for "the views of others". And generally my concerns were dismissed as being extreme and conspiratorial. Today my family and friends admonish me for not having been more insistent and vocal... because they say, shit is much worse than I had forecasted.
Bad times create strong men that create good times that create weak men that create bad times. We are living in a time of weak men.
If a person walks into a therapists office and expresses this perspective one would identify it as black and white thinking, and unfortunately many people who engage in it are often quite authoritarian by nature. It's my way or the highway. It's us, or them, and of course the us is quite superior and don't they come across like that? They are perfect, no imperfections, unlike president Washington, or Jefferson. A cousin before the 2020 elections had nothing to say but all bad things about Trump and in 2020 she claimed quite vehemently that Biden would be our savior. Trump all bad, Biden all good. After Biden's win they picked up a meme floating around Facebook, that defined Trump's base as an uneducated, immoral lot. Black and white thinking on display once again, and didn't the democrats push that kind of perspective during Trump's whole time in office, and how they lied to make sure people believed what they said including telling Twitter what could and couldn't be published and they even got the CIA to proclaim Hunter's laptop as Russian disinformation which is an all bad country, and one they used to try and dispose of Trump. Unfortunately the American people along with the press and too many on the left showed their inability to reject their authoritarian stance, as they accept those who tear down statues and try to impose their views on others
Brilliant article and a must read. And thanks for the link to Anton’s piece. I don’t know how I missed that back in 2021. He’s been my hero since the Flight 93 article.
Here’s something I’m wondering. The revolutions you describe where iconoclasm rules does not include our own American Revolution. It was different. King George and the lords of England weren’t beheaded by frenzied mobs, as with the French terror. It might be valuable to dive into that and find out what made our split different. It was more like a war between two countries, and not the overthrow of the government. And now, after two centuries, it’s devolved. Scarily it seems we’re following closer to the Mao path. Takes longer, but is more brutal. Why is that? What’s behind it?
Why was the American Revolution different? Because it was based in the philosophy of individual rights, and not on collectivism. History shows that revolutions for “the common good” always result in disaster and death.
Excellent essay. It’s clear we can no longer pretend that this is just a matter of different views, and can’t we all just get along? No, we can’t. Progressives are driving us into disaster, and we can’t compromise with them. We must stop them.
Don't call them progressives, they're not. Progressives are suppose to have tolerance with those who disagree. What amazes me is the contempt they have for people who deny climate change, and I'm not one of them, yet they proclaim to be such strong advocates for freedom of speech and loathe those they say are not.
If they are not progressives, what other label should be applied? We need some descriptor for this group. Clearly they arose from leftist philosophy, but it seems that everyone on the left is trying to distance themselves from this group. So what should they be called?
Progressives are not authoritarians and demand that everyone and anyone who disagrees with them be disregarded or vanquish. Real progressives are much more inclusive and tolerant of opposing positions. I didn't vote for Trump in 2016, but never a Hilary supporter I would never vote for her due to her war mongering policies. My choice, yet friends who claim to be progressive, and family who claimed the same, were openly, rude, and rejecting concerning my decision yet proclaim they are progressives. How can that be? Want to give them a name, well how about authoritarian self deluding asses.
They are authoritarian asses. But not all are self-deluded. They are just taking leftist ideas to their logical conclusion. This is where progressive thinking always leads, as history has shown. I know that is painful for “moderate” liberals to acknowledge. They want to believe that government can solve all social and economic problems without descending into authoritarianism. That belief is the delusion.
That is really not my issue with them, and I'm sure that many involved in some of these movements are more moderate in their opinions and actions. I was very anti-war and was very active, marching, and calling and writing and attending all kinds of events until the movement basically died. So I'm not against activism, but the activism I see these people engaged in like tearing down statues, and other destructive behaviors as well as their outspoken contempt for those who disagree are not like me, or others who define themselves as progressives. If you didn't have anything bad to say about Trump you were on the side of the devil, and his base with whom they displayed open contempt were as well. How are they any different then those we call right wings extremists in their hatred of those who are different, and demand that they abide by their rules. They engage in bending others to their will, demand conformity to their perspective. They are mentally ridgid and aggressive and punitive towards those they believe are their enemies. They are what they claim to hate most, right wing authoritarians.
I was recently in Tallinn, Estonia. They have moved a large number of Soviet era statues to the Mueum of Contemporary History. Larger sites, like Maarjamae Memorial are neither repaired or destroyed. Just allowed to slowly age.
Good lord, I made the mistake of actually accessing and reading the "one of the little Maoists" hyperlink in your article. Hilariously, awfully, tragically, abysmally incoherent, stupid, puerile nonsense.
These are certainly “red flag” behaviors & individuals or groups should be deplatformed for any incident of encouraging or inciting this sort of psychopathic should be held criminally responsible for their actions & suitably punished & incarcerated.
"...the seething mob, which whets its anarchic appetite through blatant iconoclasm."
Hmm*...careful here; I would consider myself a populist half of the time, as in, what *exactly* is wrong with 1) iconoclasm, 2) "anarchic" (scare quotes because dontcha mean "freedom" here?) appetite, and/or 3) a righteously indignant people who are fed up with the feds?!?!
*(I suspect I have mis-interpreted, perhaps for selfish reasons...)
I understand what you're saying. Believe me, after today's FBI hearing I'm fed up with the feds too. But I believe that removing statues and monuments by wanton destruction usurps decision- making authority from the public. And when the monuments in question are privately owned, the vandals are violating the property rights and freedom of speech of the owners. In a free society, private individuals must have the right to put up such statues and images as they wish, regardless of what viewpoints are expressed.
By destroying statues of those you deem lack virtue in some respect sends a message and the message they send is that you better agree and be in alignment with what we say is true, Otherwise they'll be a price to pay. There were many examples of that in the George Floyd case even on so called left wing sites. Consortium News was such a site. I live in NY and thought there was too much violence and was critical of that, and Floyd's brother even expressed the same sentiments, but they wouldn't print it, and I responded that I was entitled to my opinion, and they just banned me. Screw them. That wouldn't have happened under Parry.
One could say the wokes are the adoloscent red guards of demolishing everything that was good and decent. It also seems according to some quora answers to specific questions regarding the time of the red guard of the cultural revolution, that the parents never really talk to their kids later on about those horrible times. Probably that they are experiencing terrible shame in thinking back... same with the german public in nazi times, maybe also the reason that the german gov make it an offense to talk about their moments in their own dark age. To wipe the memories perhaps, don't know. Thing is, you can't wipe those memories, you can only relive it and it will never heal if people are NOT allowed to talk about those terrible times.. same as now. We are not allowed to discuss and debate these wrong doings of our own governments, and if we try we are gaslighted and make us look ridiculous and by doing so, it gives those with malnourished, non-open minds the false pretence that they are "right", almost übermenshlich in nature.
"In accommodating the agenda of the radical Left, America has precariously perched itself on a slippery slope that’s being shaken by seismic political activity. Giving self-righteous activists the green light to destroy rarely placates them; in the long run, it has an emboldening effect. Once you’ve signaled that these people are morally justified, they tend to ignore you when you blow the whistle."
----------
Ask Ted Wheeler how trying to control the red guard worked for him.
https://news.yahoo.com/portland-mayor-moving-avoid-rioters-164853046.html
Portland mayor Ted Wheeler says he will be moving out of his condo to avoid the protests and rioting that have cropped up outside the building in recent days.
Wheeler announced the move in an email to other residents of the 16- floor high-rise on Tuesday, OregonLive.com reported, one day after a crowd of over 200 people gathered outside the building to demand his resignation, leaving fires and broken windows in their wake.
So true, completely forgot about that.
He was able to escape. Nice guy.
Weeping for what we’ve lost. Beautiful haunting moving essay.
"myrmidons" awesome word. I had to look it up.
Many years ago I could see this coming. It is when I became politically active after being largely apolitical. For my efforts I had been roundly criticized as being hostile and overly abrasive... generally admonished to use a softer tone... to show respect for "the views of others". And generally my concerns were dismissed as being extreme and conspiratorial. Today my family and friends admonish me for not having been more insistent and vocal... because they say, shit is much worse than I had forecasted.
Bad times create strong men that create good times that create weak men that create bad times. We are living in a time of weak men.
If a person walks into a therapists office and expresses this perspective one would identify it as black and white thinking, and unfortunately many people who engage in it are often quite authoritarian by nature. It's my way or the highway. It's us, or them, and of course the us is quite superior and don't they come across like that? They are perfect, no imperfections, unlike president Washington, or Jefferson. A cousin before the 2020 elections had nothing to say but all bad things about Trump and in 2020 she claimed quite vehemently that Biden would be our savior. Trump all bad, Biden all good. After Biden's win they picked up a meme floating around Facebook, that defined Trump's base as an uneducated, immoral lot. Black and white thinking on display once again, and didn't the democrats push that kind of perspective during Trump's whole time in office, and how they lied to make sure people believed what they said including telling Twitter what could and couldn't be published and they even got the CIA to proclaim Hunter's laptop as Russian disinformation which is an all bad country, and one they used to try and dispose of Trump. Unfortunately the American people along with the press and too many on the left showed their inability to reject their authoritarian stance, as they accept those who tear down statues and try to impose their views on others
Brilliant article and a must read. And thanks for the link to Anton’s piece. I don’t know how I missed that back in 2021. He’s been my hero since the Flight 93 article.
Here’s something I’m wondering. The revolutions you describe where iconoclasm rules does not include our own American Revolution. It was different. King George and the lords of England weren’t beheaded by frenzied mobs, as with the French terror. It might be valuable to dive into that and find out what made our split different. It was more like a war between two countries, and not the overthrow of the government. And now, after two centuries, it’s devolved. Scarily it seems we’re following closer to the Mao path. Takes longer, but is more brutal. Why is that? What’s behind it?
Great questions.
Why was the American Revolution different? Because it was based in the philosophy of individual rights, and not on collectivism. History shows that revolutions for “the common good” always result in disaster and death.
Excellent essay. It’s clear we can no longer pretend that this is just a matter of different views, and can’t we all just get along? No, we can’t. Progressives are driving us into disaster, and we can’t compromise with them. We must stop them.
Don't call them progressives, they're not. Progressives are suppose to have tolerance with those who disagree. What amazes me is the contempt they have for people who deny climate change, and I'm not one of them, yet they proclaim to be such strong advocates for freedom of speech and loathe those they say are not.
Wokes are much more racist than those that are not..
If they are not progressives, what other label should be applied? We need some descriptor for this group. Clearly they arose from leftist philosophy, but it seems that everyone on the left is trying to distance themselves from this group. So what should they be called?
Progressives are not authoritarians and demand that everyone and anyone who disagrees with them be disregarded or vanquish. Real progressives are much more inclusive and tolerant of opposing positions. I didn't vote for Trump in 2016, but never a Hilary supporter I would never vote for her due to her war mongering policies. My choice, yet friends who claim to be progressive, and family who claimed the same, were openly, rude, and rejecting concerning my decision yet proclaim they are progressives. How can that be? Want to give them a name, well how about authoritarian self deluding asses.
They are authoritarian asses. But not all are self-deluded. They are just taking leftist ideas to their logical conclusion. This is where progressive thinking always leads, as history has shown. I know that is painful for “moderate” liberals to acknowledge. They want to believe that government can solve all social and economic problems without descending into authoritarianism. That belief is the delusion.
That is really not my issue with them, and I'm sure that many involved in some of these movements are more moderate in their opinions and actions. I was very anti-war and was very active, marching, and calling and writing and attending all kinds of events until the movement basically died. So I'm not against activism, but the activism I see these people engaged in like tearing down statues, and other destructive behaviors as well as their outspoken contempt for those who disagree are not like me, or others who define themselves as progressives. If you didn't have anything bad to say about Trump you were on the side of the devil, and his base with whom they displayed open contempt were as well. How are they any different then those we call right wings extremists in their hatred of those who are different, and demand that they abide by their rules. They engage in bending others to their will, demand conformity to their perspective. They are mentally ridgid and aggressive and punitive towards those they believe are their enemies. They are what they claim to hate most, right wing authoritarians.
Aristocracy
I was recently in Tallinn, Estonia. They have moved a large number of Soviet era statues to the Mueum of Contemporary History. Larger sites, like Maarjamae Memorial are neither repaired or destroyed. Just allowed to slowly age.
Masterful, M. Brad!
Excellent, spot on history, told from the "realism" aspect (scare quotes because objective reality depends upon honest history).
Good lord, I made the mistake of actually accessing and reading the "one of the little Maoists" hyperlink in your article. Hilariously, awfully, tragically, abysmally incoherent, stupid, puerile nonsense.
1st (First) comment:
"quarter-millennial-long"
I sure like the sound of that!
The damage to statues follows closely psychopathic behavior of practice before human torture & murder.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/in-excess/201611/the-psychology-animal-torture
https://cops.usdoj.gov/html/dispatch/04-2019/animal_cruelty.html
These are certainly “red flag” behaviors & individuals or groups should be deplatformed for any incident of encouraging or inciting this sort of psychopathic should be held criminally responsible for their actions & suitably punished & incarcerated.
"...the seething mob, which whets its anarchic appetite through blatant iconoclasm."
Hmm*...careful here; I would consider myself a populist half of the time, as in, what *exactly* is wrong with 1) iconoclasm, 2) "anarchic" (scare quotes because dontcha mean "freedom" here?) appetite, and/or 3) a righteously indignant people who are fed up with the feds?!?!
*(I suspect I have mis-interpreted, perhaps for selfish reasons...)
I understand what you're saying. Believe me, after today's FBI hearing I'm fed up with the feds too. But I believe that removing statues and monuments by wanton destruction usurps decision- making authority from the public. And when the monuments in question are privately owned, the vandals are violating the property rights and freedom of speech of the owners. In a free society, private individuals must have the right to put up such statues and images as they wish, regardless of what viewpoints are expressed.
I absolutely agree, and I fully plead guilty to poking fun at double-edged words.
Again, destroying *any* work of Man, whether that work is in support or denial of deeply-held personal belief, is so...Talibannish.
By destroying statues of those you deem lack virtue in some respect sends a message and the message they send is that you better agree and be in alignment with what we say is true, Otherwise they'll be a price to pay. There were many examples of that in the George Floyd case even on so called left wing sites. Consortium News was such a site. I live in NY and thought there was too much violence and was critical of that, and Floyd's brother even expressed the same sentiments, but they wouldn't print it, and I responded that I was entitled to my opinion, and they just banned me. Screw them. That wouldn't have happened under Parry.
One could say the wokes are the adoloscent red guards of demolishing everything that was good and decent. It also seems according to some quora answers to specific questions regarding the time of the red guard of the cultural revolution, that the parents never really talk to their kids later on about those horrible times. Probably that they are experiencing terrible shame in thinking back... same with the german public in nazi times, maybe also the reason that the german gov make it an offense to talk about their moments in their own dark age. To wipe the memories perhaps, don't know. Thing is, you can't wipe those memories, you can only relive it and it will never heal if people are NOT allowed to talk about those terrible times.. same as now. We are not allowed to discuss and debate these wrong doings of our own governments, and if we try we are gaslighted and make us look ridiculous and by doing so, it gives those with malnourished, non-open minds the false pretence that they are "right", almost übermenshlich in nature.
Well said!
Statuary is a form of expression, or speech.