I visited downtown Portland again today, and (of course) ran into another protest. This one was directed at the Federal Government. They were demanding that Federal agents be removed from Portland. This is the subject of an ongoing lawsuit. The City of Portland is suing the Federal Government for (allegedly) unlawfully kidnapping peaceful protesters and taking them away in unmarked vans.
Many Portlanders are publicly protesting the presence of Federal agents, but who know how many welcome them? Those of us who welcome Federal agents cannot speak up publicly, or we’ll be targeted for violence. In the early 60s, Federal marshals were sent to the South to enforce racial integration. Just as the Federal Government stepped in to advance the interests of minorities back then, so too should the Federal Government step in now, to protect the interests of conservatives, who are a minority in Portland.
It’s possible that Federal agents have acted inappropriately; I wasn’t there, so I don’t know. But if the City of Portland is concerned about the way the Federal government is handling the situation, then Portland’s government should have thought of that before allowing the city to descend into anarchy and chaos. The City of Portland should have laid down the law, to protesters, that they’re welcome to protest – but not to destroy public property, and not to unlawfully block public roads.
Speaking of which, I saw three large motorcycles, with large motorcyclists bearing official-looking BLM placards, blocking a major street to make way for the protest. The City of Portland has ceded power to the Authority of BLM.
Politically, I’m libertarian. I believe in individual freedom, and I have a problem with government authority in many situations. Over the years, I’ve come to terms with it. But now we have a new layer of authority: BLM. This I cannot come to terms with. Even though I was on foot, and I wasn’t inconvenienced, it irked me that this was being done.
This is not the first time I’ve seen public streets blocked by leftist lunatics. Each time this happens, I have a little less respect for traffic laws. After all, if they can openly violate traffic laws, and suffer no consequences, why can’t I? As long as it’s safe, I see no reason to respect laws that are only selectively enforced.
