“You Can’t Stop the Revolution!” But One State is Making Plans
The season for potentially violent street protests is upon us, sparked by the latest police shooting of a Black man in a suburb of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Officers in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota pulled over a car because it had an expired registration tag. They discovered the driver, Daunte Wright, 20, also had an outstanding warrant, reportedly, for carrying a gun without a permit and running away from police last June.
Wright resisted arrest and wriggled back into his car to flee. As police tried to subdue him one officer yelled “taser, taser!” but instead, the Chief of Police said, that officer accidently pulled the trigger on her service revolver. The wounded Wright sped away and minutes later he was dead.
Wright’s foolish resistance sealed his fate. It also assured violent protests led by those shouting “Black Lives Matter!” and “You can’t stop the revolution!” would follow, both in Minnesota and several other states.
Just how looters stealing every flat screen TV from Brooklyn Center’s Walmart achieves justice or satisfies claims of police discrimination against Blacks is beyond me. And I can’t help but wonder what would have happened if Wright, and so many other suspects, had simply followed police instructions to surrender and face the consequences of their past bad choices.
As far as I can tell only one state – Florida – is taking legislative steps to make sure rioting protesters are punished. For too long, and in too many locations, citizens have watched their police being attacked by a barrage of rocks, bricks and blinding fireworks. They’ve endured rampaging demonstrators closing streets, setting fires, looting stores and damaging government buildings and monuments. In way too many cases only a few (or no) protestors were arrested and prosecuted.
In Florida, a bill is winding its way to a receptive governor entitled “Combatting Public Disorder.” In short, it would enhance punishments for a host of crimes perpetrated during a riot. Commit assault and battery against a cop or any first responder and face a felony charge. Damage a memorial or historic property and go straight to lockup. Incite a riot, fight in public during a protest, commit burglary (looting), block a public road or highway or get caught with control substances and you will face enhanced penalties. Repeat offenders automatically face felony charges. Oh, and those taken into custody won’t get out while awaiting trial, they will remain behind bars until the court case is called.
Some believe this legislation discriminates against minorities.
“The people across the state of Florida are worried about the chilling effect of this bill,” African American State Senator Darryl Rouson told the Tampa Bay Times. “This is going to lead to a misapplication of the law, and we know Black and brown people will suffer disproportionately,” he said.
Here’s an idea. Let’s instill in Black, Brown, White and all colors of Americans who want to exercise their constitutional right to protest to keep it peaceful. A reasonable suggestion: If violence breaks out at a protest you should promptly leave the area.
And while we’re passing along advise, how about if parents everywhere teach their children to obey a law enforcement officer’s command because in most states it is illegal to ignore such an order. Young people should learn that defying police only insures a swift and forceful response. If the officer is at fault argue about it later, file a complaint, and maybe the end result will be a big monetary settlement.
We are in a terrible cycle. A slice of the citizenry say they don’t trust police, want them de-funded and disbanded. The media highlights their anger and destruction. Meanwhile, anxious police don’t trust that “peaceful protests” will remain non-violent. When angry crowds converge and begin to throw things at cops, stomp on patrol cars and try to destroy whole neighborhoods officers are duty bound to take actions to control the crowd. Invariably riots get ugly – sometimes deadly – but for police to stand down and fail to arrest lawbreakers only invites more costly destruction. That should never be tolerated.
I really like the Florida get-tough approach. If someone loots, burns or otherwise attacks people or property they are a criminal and must be punished. More states should follow Florida’s lead.
Katarina Zarlengo writes:
It’s about time! Hope more states do the same.
John writes:
This is spot on.
Can’t believe we have to even have this discussion!
ken core writes:
Enact Mandatory hard prison time for looters – and you will get less looting.
It’s not rocket science.
Jareb Baer writes:
I live in outstate Minnesota but routinely visited my family who lived in Brooklyn Center in the 1980’s as a kid. It was a really nice part of the metro area back then. We’d play in the park and walk all over town without a care in the world. Celebrated my great grandpas 90th birthday there in the summer of 1984. It’s cringing to see what’s going on there now.
kel3at writes:
BLM, ANTiFA and the leftist democrats need racism in order to exist. I really hope many more minorities come out openly against BLM’s spread of this hatred. BLM has done more damage than any other organization at bringing racial harmony. They are no better than the KKK.
Doug Swatlowski writes:
Oh my, Darryl Rouson, how stupid are you!!!! The law applies to everyone!! So, another words your admitting that it’s all minorities that are rioters? It sure appears that way!! Even if that were the case, and we all know it isn’t, then they are welcome to the same set of rules and laws as anyone else!! They are no different than anyone else, so stop making pathetic excuses!!! YOU are the problem!!!
Caryn Hays writes:
15% of the US population is black and committing 95% of the crime in the US is a breakdown that starts with the parents of these kids. They are directly responsible for teaching or not teaching being decent human beings. Living in poverty is no excuse for violence either. Right now it is only going to get worse because they feel their skin color is a get out of jail free card. And the government is trying to take law abiding citizens guns away. They should focus on the illegal guns in this Country which far out number registered ones. I personally praise ALL the people who rose above poverty, got an education and stay a law-abiding citizens. I am one of those kids. It can be done.
DD replies:
I’m not sure where you get your percentages, Caryn, but I take your point that good parenting makes all the difference in the world!
TX red writes:
Here’s a novel idea….be a good human whatever the color of your skin. Get to know your neighbors, smile at a stranger, open a door for someone and OH, stop thinking about yourself first. Alas, our society lacks morals and conviction to better themselves. The libtards have a narrative and it will play out. I’ll sit back in my lil town in TX and be ready for when the time comes…..and it will come.
Daniel Barnett writes:
Here’s a racist statement:
African American State Sen. Darryl Rouson told the Tampa Bay Times. “This is going to lead to a misapplication of the law, and we know black and brown people will suffer disproportionately,” he said.
Is he saying that this group of people are more prone to being criminal?
Darryl, get a brain.
Loveward writes:
Go Florida!!!!! Texas???
Portia S. writes:
The problem is that no one holds anyone to accountability anymore. Where are the parents? Blame them, it’s ultimately a parents fault if they do not raise their damn children properly! I’m tired of seeing some 30-year-old trying to look 20 years old and crying on the news about racism and police brutality when their 18 year old is unfortunately killed bc they wouldn’t comply when pulled over, have a gun, run from police, act unlawful and so on! Stop worrying about your hair, clothes, cars, nails and everything else and PARENT!!!!!
Relaxed and paying attention writes:
Pitting us against each other only allows greater control over all over us.
If we realized we are all brothers and sisters we would be a dangerous force against this overreaching government.
Daniel Barnett writes:
Here’s a racist statement:
African American State Sen. Darryl Rouson told the Tampa Bay Times. “This is going to lead to a misapplication of the law, and we know black and brown people will suffer disproportionately,” he said.
Is he saying that this group of people are more prone to being criminal?
Darryl, get a brain.
Portia S. writes:
The problem is that no one holds anyone to accountability anymore. Where are the parents? Blame them, it’s ultimately a parents fault if they do not raise their damn children properly! I’m tired of seeing some 30-year-old trying to look 20 years old and crying on the news about racism and police brutality when their 18 year old is unfortunately killed bc they wouldn’t comply when pulled over, have a gun, run from police, act unlawful and so on! Stop worrying about your hair, clothes, cars, nails and everything else and PARENT!!!!!
relaxed and paying attention writes:
Pitting us against each other only allows greater control over all over us.
If we realized we are all brothers and sisters we would be a dangerous force against this overreaching government.
Cbradsmith writes:
Raise an idiot get bad results, in both cases! Commit crimes, avoid arrest…you can expect nothing good is going to come of it! On the other hand, this woman should never have been in the field as a Police Officer! You would NEVER carry a taser where your firearm is…period! Lack of training or just STUPIDITY was the cause of this tragedy. Only your firearm should be on your dominate side…taser on the opposite…never get confused that way…period!
Rwgroover writes:
Wright’s warrant wasn’t just for carrying a gun without a permit. It was for using that gun in an attempted armed robbery to take a woman’s rent money!
rx4piano writes:
If blm- prove it!
Shelley Winters replies:
x4piano. What?? Your comment can be taken 2 different ways. Please clarify if this is a serious comment.
rx4piano replies:
Do something constructive: design something, build something, provide literature, philosophy, develop a better civilization, stop the regression to tribalism, respect the law, stop looting and burning, practice self mastery, contribute to society constructively etc etc!!!
Life is Good writes:
If the judicial system start upholding their own state laws for criminal activities instead of giving them a free pass because they are afraid of that word Racist (which is being used for everything except on any crimes on a white person), people would think twice before doing the crime…not going to stop crime no matter what laws we have, but it would deliver the message no more “get out of jail free cards”.
Ian Indorf writes:
So, if you have a warrant out for your arrest, get caught, and then attempt to aggressively flee from the police, WTF do you expect to happen?????
These people must be “plants” by the Left because NO ONE COULD POSSIBLY BE THAT STUPID!!!!
I do not support the death, but it was OBVIOUSLY accidental. That lady cop has to live with that the rest of her life. That will be really hard on her.
dmcromwell95 writes:
Sound legislation. Protests should be peaceful & not the violent looting we have observed for the past year in pathetic weak blue states. Arrest the people conducting violence. MN & OR or have insurrection. It must be stopped.
TheWatchtower writes:
“African American State Sen. Darryl Rouson” teach your lawless constituents to obey THE LAW and stop being CRIMINALS and maybe they would stop ending up dead or in prison.
Ian Indorf writes:
If ML King were alive he would be throwing fits at his race for being so ridiculous! Equality with peace and harmony was the goal. What is the end game of this Nonsense? Certainly NOT a unification of races.
Ezra Tross writes:
If you’ve been wondering what “the bigotry of low expectations” means, this quote is it: “this law will disproportionately affect black and brown people.”
Free Lady writes:
No one here seems to see the clear picture. Look at most all BLM photos. White 20+ y/o, college bound or virtual college with nothing better to do, other than what their prof’s incited them.
Wake up American, sending your kids to university’s that teach hogwash, this is what you get.
Go FL, doing the right thing will keep these internal terrorist out of your state.
Stephen Tomassetti4 writes:
So before, per the current laws, if you destroyed public and private property or hurt people no serious justice would happen to the perpetrators? Really?? The current laws are THAT lax?
I think the real problem is upholding and executing ‘The Law’.
This is an executive problem. Mayors and governors own this.
Making new laws seems to be more like window dressing the problem to placate the people into believing something is being done. Mayors and Governors need to do their job and execute the laws on the books.
GearMode writes:
Let’s see, don’t start a riot and the law will not affect you. I think rioting and destroying property is already illegal but i guess more layers of law are needed.
Terry Purchase writes:
Cheers to Florida, so far the only state legislature to have a backbone and stand up to all this criminal anti-American rioting and violence!
GOOD ON FLORIDA!!!!!
douglas_waterman writes:
Black Lives Matter is a racist group.
Gabbytx writes:
I’m a brown woman born in 1982 and live in a community of 94% hispanics The fact this politician says it will impact people of black and brown communities doesn’t make it a discriminatory bill its the majority of the time its black communities who destroy their own communities while brown people don’t do the same. The fact is people no matter of what color, race, or creed will break laws and its the governments we fund to hold and bring them to justice no matter what color. I applaud Florida for their efforts and quiet frankly when my husband and I retire will not consider moving to New York, Oregon, or any other state where this hog shit is tolerated by leaders.
Good Reader replies to GabbTx:
Interesting perspective. How would you feel about referring to yourself as American rather than hispanic? Nobody but leftists, politicians and newsmen who like to pigeonhole people into groups cares about your race. You’re a citizen? You’re an American!
L L replies:
This is a point we make almost on a daily basis (unfortunately) during these times. Our family consists of every color under the rainbow, yet that’s not our focus. We don’t see color, we see family. We see people. We see human beings.
When filling out forms that ask for race and ethic background, I’ve stopped providing the answer they want. I’ve started filling in just one answer, ‘American.’
As you say, one party cares about race. That party also wants to destroy this country. Conservatives could care less about a person’s race. They care about a person’s values, morals, and a desire to live free in the country our forefathers founded.
lad93050 writes:
A government does have the word govern in it… which means it has a duty to take care of its citizens… all citizens… including the ones that have bottles & bullets & bricks hurled at them… why these government “officials” have done nothing yet to curb this activity by BLM, ANTIFA & basic hoods is beyond comprehension! Where is authority…
Inciting & encouraging more of it!!!
Patti King writes:
I see a lot of white people in the loud violent crowds. It shouldn’t matter what color you are if you’re not peacefully protesting and your rioting, throwing things at police and breaking into stores you’re a criminal and you should go to jail. It’s common sense, we all know it…but it goes against the narrative of destroying America! I live in Florida and I’m proud of my governor!
Stephanie Pendegraph writes:
Always yelling discrimination. It’s just ridiculous. No where does this bill say “only minorities go to jail.”
If any group of people Continue to break the law then they go to jail maybe that group of people would stop doing wrong then they wouldn’t keep going to jail or Putting themselves in a situation where they might get shot because they don’t obey the officer then. I don’t blame the officer just like in Dante right (sic) he had a warrant for carrying a gun unlawfully them cops didn’t know if he had one in the car right then that wasn’t racial if he wouldn’t of resisted arrest he wouldn’t be dead right now just like Floyd
George Kehas writes:
It’s pretty damn simple, obey the law and obey the police when you break it…problem solved. But these anti-American left wing radicals want to burn down the country. I hope every state in the union follows Florida’s lead and we get these animals locked up. It’s long, long overdue.
davbran64 writes:
Governor DeSantis is a great example of governing with a common sense approach which used to be the standard in this great country. We need more like him and this states legislation to take hold and get this country back from the false narrative currently taking the eye off the (ball emoji)
Ron Neff writes:
I sometimes wonder what I would do if I were a minority and my fellow minority members were constantly standing up and making excuses for criminal thugs who get shot for breaking the law. I would hope that I would not let it slide that these people are violating the law by resisting arrest and attacking the police. it does not take a mental giant to realize that when you attack the police you may end up in a box or in a jail cell. In almost all of the cases of a minority getting shot by the police the person getting shot is resisting arrest, fleeing the scene of a suspected crime or is actually fighting with the police. Seems that minority leaders should maybe——just maybe——suggest their members not turn to crime and not resist arrest. Too much to ask ???
Maybe if a few of the leaders in the minority community would upbraid these thugs that break the law rather than stand up for them, the rest of us would have a little more respect for them.
And….forget about suggesting that looting and burning is the way to solve any issue.
aimeew.lord writes:
Florida is looking more and more appealing as time goes on. We’ll have to see what that means at some point in the future. DeSantis has shown he knows how to lead and not cave to the crazy. Good for him.
AmericaFirst writes:
The “race baiting” and idiotic statements of people who seem to think “black and brown’ cannot read, find their driver’s licenses or other forms of ID is really insulting. It is insulting to all of us and simply feed the fuel of division and the “hate” they say exists in all white people. I submit that these purveyors of hate and division are a tiny speck , a cancer if you will, among our citizenry. They use the education system, media, infidels in public offices, and the stupidity of people in large groups to incite violence and break down the trust and faith among Americans.
Frankly, if you ask 90+ percent of Americans what is right…you will find we are at our core, still a nation that believes in law and order, respect one another, want our freedoms and the truth.
I am thankful to see where some states and politicians have the guts to stand up against the communist bullies.
Kat writes:
“The people across the state of Florida are worried about the chilling effect of this bill,”….”
Not all of us, Senator. The only ones “worried” are the ones that are screwed out of burning and looting everything in sight and getting away with it.
I would venture to say most people in FL are thrilled about this bill in light of all of the hell on earth unleashed during last summer’s riots around the country.
Carl Gottlieb@c_cgottlieb writes:
More good stuff from @DiDimond one of the few reporters not afraid to tell the truth about current events. Add her to Taibbi, Weiss, and Greenwald as must reads. Psst, you don’t have to agree with everything they write to admire their work. dianedimond.com/you-cant-stop-…
Stephanie Kovac writes:
Amen, Diane. Thank you for having the courage to write this piece. I’m all for peaceful protests but not only should looters be held accountable so should Congressional representatives like Maxine Waters who are doing nothing but stoking the violence. Sadly, I’m convinced that Minneapolis will burn regardless of the outcome of the Derek Chauvin trial. So many states and municipalities have allowed the violence to continue over the past year as the media reported on “peaceful protests” with buildings burning behind them, it’s going to be hard to stem that tide now.
Diane replies to Stephanie:
I’m with you re: Maxine Waters. She travelled all that way from DC to Brooklyn Center, Minnesota just to rile up the crowd and let them know the strength of the US Congress was behind them.
There’s a law against what she did:
Here’s the federal statute :
18 U.S. Code § 2101 – Riots
“(a)Whoever travels in interstate or foreign commerce or uses any facility of interstate or foreign commerce, including, but not limited to, the mail, telegraph, telephone, radio, or television, with intent— to incite a riot; or
to organize, promote, encourage, participate in, or carry on a riot; or to commit any act of violence in furtherance of a riot; or to aid or abet any person in inciting or participating in or carrying on a riot or committing any act of violence in furtherance of a riot; and who either during the course of any such travel or use or thereafter performs or attempts to perform any other overt act for any purpose specified in subparagraph (A), (B), ©, or (D) of this paragraph— [1]
Shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.”
Think Waters will be charged? Yeahhhh. Me neither.
Joya Colucci Lord writes:
I like the Florida approach. I hope it’s used on the January 6th US Capitol rioters. Every. Last. One.
Diane replies:
I’m with you, Joya. EVERYONE should be held to the same letter of the law. EVERYONE. If you riot – destroy property, commit an illegal entry, loot, set fires, etc you should be held accountable.
Richadio writes:
The blm protestors just look for any reason to gather and riot. If you are against police brutality then fine, protest that cause and redress gov’t for the change. When you go to a protest and break into retail shops, loot and burn down private business for kicks, then you are not peaceful protestor looking for change, you are a thug, gangster, loser.
Mark Simmermon writes:
I totally agree Diane! What is totally unfortunate today is that if I were to comment on your Instagram page then I would be automatically considered a racist. It a sad state of affairs in our Country right now! We can destroy businesses and even take lives in riots throughout last summer and that’s ok? Don’t think so!!! It has to stop now!
joejam2845 writes:
The Jan 6th incident pales in comparison to God knows how many Buildings BLM burned the ground during 3-4 weeks of rioting!
Rob Farella writes:
Yes, it’s disgraceful that so many of the rioters and looters as well as those who assaulted are not held accountable, mainly because of mayors of cities who order police to “stand down”. Glad to see a governor taking action, otherwise if not this will continue if there’s no penalty to break the law.
gimpy502003 writes:
Incident would have NOT happened if the young man had simply obeyed instructions of police officer.
Hate to say; but Wright probably learned at young age in confines of a dysfunctional family structure………. it’s NOT important to obey or respect persons in positions of leadership. His decision to react like he did GUARANTEED a deadly outcome.
This specific case, of course, the officers’ mistake made it certain Wright was in HUGE trouble.
JeffreyBee writes:
People are moving to Florida because of bills like this. Despite Hurricanes and Alligators they feel like violent rioters and looters won’t be tolerated there.
Carla Mazurik writes:
I just read your editorial about Florida’s rioting bill, and I must tell you it is the best I have EVER read! I’ve said hundreds of times, “if they would only comply…..” My local newspaper won’t publish my conservative letters to the editor, so your article was particularly heartwarming. Thank you! You brightened my day!
Jack Zellie writes:
I just want to commend you for the excellent article in today’s local newspaper regarding Florida’s lead on rioting. As a retired law enforcement officer from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, it was a heartwarming story that was wonderful and endearing. Good for you.