A mob is not democracy

The problem is when some people take their beliefs for incontrovertible facts ('The Truth').

Is the implicit message of a mob that they not only that they are the most vociferous, most aggressive and implacable among the citizenry, but will also not tolerate opposition to their message, by overpowering others?


The demonstrations of the past few weeks, including those in the past week since Thanksgiving Day in Seattle, have degenerated into the actions of a mob.

This is the group behavior of those who do not tolerate dissent and whom I would not try to have a rational discussion of a heated topic on which we disagree.  Many if not most do not have a desire or willingness to see things from all sides.

I don't doubt I, or anyone, would be physically attacked and verbally abused (as in "Hey, you, shut the f--- up. What are you, racist?" taken right out of the playbook of The Stranger) if I uttered so much as a word of doubt or disagreement in the midst of these people who are ostensibly demonstrating for justice but in fact do not know or understand what justice is.  Fairness, openness...

This is the behavior of individuals that I would not want to meet in a back alley on a dark night.

You can try to ask them, "If Michael Brown had been white, would Darren Wilson have acted differently?" (I am not so sure he would not acted exactly the same way, only the protesters and rioters know with absolute certainty), but you might get a violent reaction from them.

The force of the many overpowers an individual conscience.

* * * * *

During an anti-Vietnam demonstration in Washington, D.C. during the early 1970's, I was so moved and angry at what the U.S. military was doing that I uttered a tearful "Kill the military!"  An older (white) woman admonished me in a firm but pacifistic manner, "NO.  That is not right, what we want, etc."

She was right.

We were idealistic, very idealistic.   And violence and hatred was not a goal in itself as it seems to be today for so many Americans.

I doubt that anyone will dare to take some of these young demonstrators aside and try to explain the difference.