The Double Standard in Political Violence: January 6th and BLM Riots

The events of January 6th, 2021, are seared into our national consciousness, a grim reminder of how easily a moment of anger can escalate into chaos. Let me be clear: I am adamantly against the events of January 6th. No matter the reason, be it the FBI, Ray Epps, or Antifa, the actions that took place that day were indefensible. It’s akin to being in a car with buddies who suddenly put on masks and declare they’re going to rob a store. My reaction? “No f’ing way,” and I’m jumping out of that car. There’s no excuse, no justification for such behavior, and I stand firmly against it.

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However, we must address the broader context. The riots over Trump’s presidency and the Black Lives Matter protests were equally, if not more, abhorrent. During these protests, we witnessed scenes that should have never occurred in a civilized society. Police officers were named and targeted, subjected to assaults with fireworks and feces. Federal buildings and police stations were set ablaze. Businesses, the lifeblood of local economies, were reduced to ashes. Lives were lost in the chaos.

The damage from these riots wasn’t just physical; it was economic, social, and psychological. The riots caused billions of dollars in damages. According to the Insurance Information Institute, the protests from May 26 to June 8, 2020, alone resulted in insured losses of over $1 billion, making it the costliest civil disorder in U.S. history. The numbers are staggering, but they only tell part of the story. The human toll—the injuries, the deaths, the shattered communities—paints a more harrowing picture.

Let’s talk specifics. In Minneapolis, George Floyd’s death sparked protests that quickly turned violent. On May 28, the 3rd Precinct police station was overrun and set on fire. In the ensuing days, the Twin Cities experienced widespread looting, arson, and destruction. Over 1,500 businesses were damaged or destroyed, with estimates of the total damages exceeding $500 million.

In Portland, nightly clashes between protesters and law enforcement became the norm. The Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse was a focal point of violence. On July 4, 2020, protesters launched fireworks at the courthouse, leading to a standoff with federal officers. This wasn’t an isolated incident. For over 100 consecutive nights, the city was a battleground, with repeated assaults on federal property and local businesses.

Seattle saw its own share of chaos with the establishment of the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ), later known as CHOP. This area was declared police-free by protesters. The result? Lawlessness. Shootings, assaults, and other violent crimes surged. It took weeks before the zone was dismantled, but the damage was already done.

In Chicago, protests devolved into riots on multiple occasions. On August 10, 2020, a police-involved shooting triggered widespread looting in the city’s downtown area. High-end stores along the Magnificent Mile were ransacked, causing millions in damages. The violence was so severe that the city had to raise drawbridges to restrict access to the downtown area.

Los Angeles, New York City, Atlanta—the list goes on. Each city experienced its own version of turmoil, leaving behind a trail of destruction and despair. These weren’t peaceful protests seeking justice. They were riots, plain and simple, characterized by violence, looting, and anarchy.

It’s high time we address this properly. One riot from what people consider the right does not compensate for 75 years of burning down neighborhoods and lawlessness. If January 6th was a violent attempt to overthrow our “democracy”, then so too is attacking a city in an effort to impact legislation and enforce change through violence. Both actions are against the law, and both are atrocious.

We can’t afford to be selective in our outrage. The rule of law must apply to everyone, regardless of political affiliation. We must hold those accountable who incite and engage in violence, whether it’s storming the Capitol or setting fire to a police station. Justice cannot be one-sided if we hope to maintain any semblance of order and fairness in our society.

The media and political leaders were quick to denounce the events of January 6th, as they should have been. Yet, many of those same voices were conspicuously silent, or worse, excused the violence that occurred during the summer of 2020. Some even went so far as to describe the riots as “mostly peaceful protests,” despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

This selective blindness does a disservice to our nation. It undermines the very principles of justice and equality that we claim to uphold. We must be consistent in our condemnation of violence, regardless of who perpetrates it or what cause they claim to support.

As we move forward, let’s remember the lessons from both January 6th and the summer of 2020. Violence is never the answer. Destroying property, attacking law enforcement, and endangering lives are never justified, no matter the grievance. We must find a way to address our differences through dialogue, debate, and democratic processes, not through destruction and chaos.

The double standard in our society today is glaring and undeniable. Overthrowing local city and state governments is somehow deemed acceptable as long as it aligns with certain ideological perspectives. This is not the answer. The media perpetuates this by selectively portraying events to manipulate public perception. The fact is, no police officers died on January 6th. Yet, the narrative pushed by the media seeks to paint a different picture, one designed to manipulate and control.

How long will it take for people to see this so clearly and still turn a blind eye to the truth? It’s as if we’re being asked to choose sides between two wrongs when, in reality, we can—and should—despise both January 6th and the BLM riots simultaneously. It is okay to hold both events in contempt. It’s not a matter of picking a lesser evil but recognizing that violence and lawlessness, no matter their source or justification, are fundamentally wrong.

We must stop excusing violence when it suits our narrative and condemning it when it doesn’t. The principles of justice and equality demand consistency. We must hold accountable those who incite and engage in violence, irrespective of their political affiliations. Justice should not be a tool of political convenience but a steadfast principle applied equally to all.

To move forward as a society, we need to reject this double standard unequivocally. We must demand truth from our media and accountability from those who break the law. Only then can we hope to heal the deep divisions in our nation and build a future grounded in true justice and equality. Recognizing and condemning all forms of political violence is not just okay; it is essential for the health and survival of our republic.