“Some men aren’t looking for anything logical. They can’t be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.”

~ Alfred J. Pennyworth describing the Joker to Bruce Wayne

We are told that the various protests/riots/looting events around the country are the result of anger. We’re also told that unless we have experienced the same “existential” threats, we cannot understand that “anger” – and apparently, if your skin is white, no matter what your life experiences have been, it is impossible for you to have ever had the proper experiences.

OK. Let us try to reason this out.

First, there is the issue of just exactly about that which people are angry.

Then there is the issue of who or what is responsible for that which people are angry.

Lastly, there are three kinds of anger – rational and irrational.

And then there is what we are seeing in Minneapolis – a mix of all of it.

Is it about race?

I do not think it is – at least that is not the majority of the impetus behind the violence – but if so, since the riots are happening in cities long controlled by Democrats, what does that say? Sort of says that Democrats are far less effective in dealing with race issues than Republicans, doesn’t it?

Minneapolis is a Democrat/progressive stronghold. It hasn’t had a Republican mayor since Richard Erdhal served for two days from December 31, 1973 to January 2, 1974 (due to the resignation of the former mayor as he took over as Chief of Police) – before that, you have to go back to 1961. That is 59 years (less two days) of progressive control.

Louisville, Kentucky – where Breonna Taylor was shot to death in a no-knock raid – has been controlled by a Democrat mayor since 1969 – 51 years.

Atlanta has been controlled by Democrats since 1879 – a whopping 141 years.

If you look at the commonality of the high profile incidents leading to these riots going all the way back to Rodney King (LA has had one Republican mayor since 1961 and the King riots happened during the term of Tom Bradley, a Democrat), the failures have been the failures of governments run by progressive Democrats – or incited by progressives interested in carnage over truth in their quest for power and control.

I have seen so many disparate elements engaged in these “protests” across the country, it leads me to think this is more about the unfulfilled Utopian promises that are constantly handed out by progressive politicians – black and white – in exchange for votes, money and support and ultimately, power.

Burning down a city in response to police misconduct does not seem to be rational. The existence of businesses (especially those that are black owned) did not cause the incident, nor are they a threat to the community – just the opposite. They provide goods, services, tax revenues and employment for the community.

The anger is only rational if it is viewed as a response to the failures of progressivism – otherwise, looting a Target and burning down affordable housing and car parts stores does not make sense.

If that is true, then the “protesters” are angry at the failed progressive power structures in their cities and the disingenuous, unfulfilled promises. Those people are angry about the long history of empty, vacuous platitudes masquerading as action.

This is why progressives, and black progressives in particular, want this to be about race – because if it can be made about a hyper-charged emotional reaction, the role of progressive ideology in creating and maintaining these catastrophes will never be critically examined.

The fact is that ideology of early state “progressivism” (Teddy Roosevelt) was assumed to be about improving civilization, advancing the human condition. It should now be crystal clear that contemporary progressivism is about the destruction of civilization. It’s about progressives ruling over a smoking pile of rubble.