A Tale of Two Cultures

 

Isn’t it fascinating to see unforeseen circumstances propel two worlds to the center stage of our collective attention, allowing us to assess and reorder our priorities? How illuminating it is, for instance, that while people in Kenosha, Wisconsin, were destroying innocent lives, assaulting business owners and burning down a life’s work out of that twisted and demonic sense of justice which compels mindless savagery; people in southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas were busy saving lives, reaching out to help strangers, providing shelter and food, or trying to restore businesses out of a genuine sense of love and that compassion which knows neither color, nor class, nor political affiliation.

Even more remarkable is the comparative speed with which these very different perspectives are spreading across our national landscape. Even now, professional and collegiate athletes, corporate marionettes, and the carnival barkers of the media are in a rush to praise, sanctify, exalt and consecrate … who exactly? The “Cajun Navy,” or any number of individual volunteers who set out in their private boats and vehicles and who are even now searching for hurricane survivors (or casualties) who might be trapped in an attic or stuck under a fallen structure or tree, or loved ones who haven’t checked in with their families?

No no, nothing as pedestrian as that, because our self-appointed betters are busy venerating a serial violent sexual offender who had a restraining order against him resulting from a third-degree sexual assault in which he broke into his ex-girlfriend’s home and assaulted her while she was in her bed with one of her children next to her, and then stole her car along with her debit card. This fine, upstanding pillar of the community had returned to his ex-girlfriend’s home on August 23, 2020, prompting her to call 911 for protection against this mostly peaceful violent attacker. The police responded, knowing that this courageous hero had a warrant for his arrest on felony assault charges. They attempted to arrest him, at which point he peacefully fought back, amicably putting one officer in a headlock while good-naturedly shrugging off two taser attempts while, according to the police union statement, being meekly armed with a knife.

During the confrontation, Venerable Jacob Blake non-confrontationally refused the orders of police officers, who were unable to subdue him by non-lethal means, not to enter his vehicle where it was believed he would retrieve further weapons. With officer’s guns pointed at him, Blake refused to comply and cordially reached into his vehicle where there was indeed a knife, at which point officers opened fire.

Of course, when such a fate befalls a wise and tranquil violent felon in the act of peacefully assaulting the police, the only logical recourse is for a mostly peaceful riot to destroy genuinely peaceful people and businesses and structures who had absolutely nothing to do with any of it — naturally in the name of justice. And so a community has been torched, lives have been lost and destroyed, millionaire athletes and people who are notable for being notable now prostrate themselves in the name of a barbaric jackass who broke into his ex-girlfriend’s home and sexually assaulted her with his finger, sniffed it and said, “Smells like you’ve been with other men.” That’s their hero, folks. In a choice between lionizing those who help the helpless, or criminals who attack and assault them, these twisted imbeciles have chosen the criminals and they insist that you do likewise lest you suffer their assaults as well. To which the proper response is to say, screw them.

Please note that I have not made any reference to the color or ethnicity of any of the participants in this horrid event. Why? Because, as people in my home town of Lake Charles, Louisiana have demonstrated in the face of catastrophe, it is decency that matters and not color. Because the victim of Jacob Blake’s sexual assault demands and deserves decency, and decency by definition is not an assessment based on the victim’s pigmentation, but rather on her dignity as human being. Because decency requires acknowledging that Jacob Blake is predator and a violent criminal lacking in decency, who assaulted his ex-girlfriend in an unthinkably brutal and savage way and then went on to assault police officers who tried to arrest him, and his color is utterly inconsequential in that assessment. Because it was his violent actions, not his color, that defined how the police reacted to him.  Whether he was black, white, yellow, or plaid is unrelated to the threat his actions posed to the officers.

It is our actions, not our color, that define our character and tell the world who we really are. To treat people as individuals, imbued with free agency to determine what course they will take in life, is just and decent. To insist that they be held accountable for those actions is the very definition of justice. To protect society from anarchists and social deviants who seek to intimidate the law-abiding on behalf of the lawless is the function of a decent and just society.

Mark Twain noted that a lie can go halfway around the world before the truth can even get it’s running shoes on.  We see today two very different models of human interaction. One seeks to uplift and preserve, the other to destroy and defile. Watch closely which model accrues the most attention and flies at light speed across the country and in an instant you will be able not only to diagnose the problem, but to see clearly the ideology from which it springs, which should thus illuminate your choices in November.

Published in General
Like this post? Want to comment? Join Ricochet’s community of conservatives and be part of the conversation. Join Ricochet for Free.

There are 27 comments.

Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.
  1. Jim McConnell Member
    Jim McConnell
    @JimMcConnell

    I think we as a society are devolving into two cultures — the Builders and the Destructors.

    • #1
  2. Charles Mark Member
    Charles Mark
    @CharlesMark

    I take it Blake wasn’t “breaking up a domestic dispute” as stated by a US journo on Irish radio on Friday?

    • #2
  3. Doug Watt Member
    Doug Watt
    @DougWatt

    Because decency requires acknowledging that Jacob Blake is predator and a violent criminal lacking in decency, who assaulted his ex-girlfriend in an unthinkably brutal and savage way and then went on to assault police officers who tried to arrest him, and his color is utterly inconsequential in that assessment. Because it was his violent actions, not his color, that defined how the police reacted to him. Whether he was black, white, yellow, or plaid is unrelated to the threat his actions posed to the officers.

    Exactly this. All that matters is did the subject’s actions meet the elements of the law that define a specific criminal statute, or multiple statutes.

    • #3
  4. Robert E. Lee Member
    Robert E. Lee
    @RobertELee

    I think they could have taken him down without resort to seven shots in the back at point-blank range. Before I joined the Air Force I worked at a maxium security prison for the criminally insane, I know how strong and violent some people can be, but we managed with neither guns nor tasers to subdue people when we outnumbered them.

    According to reports from the Kenosha Police Department, the majority of those arrested are from out of town; lending further credence to my personal belief that outside agitators are turning legitimately peaceful protests into riots. I think and outsider caught rioting should be hammered with the full might of the law.

    People have lost faith, with good reason, in public institutions. The only way to restor that faith is to get people involved again in a system that has a vested interest in keeping them out. How, you ask? I’ve no idea, I’m just a broken down old G.I.

    • #4
  5. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Charles Mark (View Comment):

    I take it Blake wasn’t “breaking up a domestic dispute” as stated by a US journo on Irish radio on Friday?

    Umm … no. The only domestic dispute appears to have been between Blake and his former girlfriend.

    • #5
  6. Charles Mark Member
    Charles Mark
    @CharlesMark

    Percival (View Comment):

    Charles Mark (View Comment):

    I take it Blake wasn’t “breaking up a domestic dispute” as stated by a US journo on Irish radio on Friday?

    Umm … no. The only domestic dispute appears to have been between Blake and his former girlfriend.

    Amazing that a Dem-supporting press-guy could tell blatant lies to a gullible foreign audience!

    • #6
  7. Doug Watt Member
    Doug Watt
    @DougWatt

    I know this will offend some people. There appears to be a double-edged dagger in Mr. Blake’s hand as he’s walking towards the drivers door of the vehicle. That is considered a deadly weapon. There was a fight, two tasers were tried, and did not work. It appears that he was reaching for something on the floor of the car and then he was shot. The officers moved up to the next level of the force continuum, which is allowable.

    As a police officer I did not have to retrieve my police issued Louisville Slugger from the trunk of my police car if I was confronting a subject wielding a baseball bat. The same applied if they were displaying an edged weapon. I was not issued a chef’s knife for dealing with a subject with an edged weapon.

    Obey the commands and live.

    • #7
  8. Basil Fawlty Member
    Basil Fawlty
    @BasilFawlty

    Robert E. Lee (View Comment):
    I think they could have taken him down without resort to seven shots in the back at point-blank range. Before I joined the Air Force I worked at a maxium security prison for the criminally insane, I know how strong and violent some people can be, but we managed with neither guns nor tasers to subdue people when we outnumbered them.

    Probably easier to do in a maximum security prison than on the street.

    • #8
  9. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Charles Mark (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    Charles Mark (View Comment):

    I take it Blake wasn’t “breaking up a domestic dispute” as stated by a US journo on Irish radio on Friday?

    Umm … no. The only domestic dispute appears to have been between Blake and his former girlfriend.

    Amazing that a Dem-supporting press-guy could tell blatant lies to a gullible foreign audience!

    I think they lie to people that they don’t need to lie to just for practice.

    • #9
  10. CuriousKevmo Inactive
    CuriousKevmo
    @CuriousKevmo

    I’m quite anxious about this election.  Not because I’m a fan of Trump, but that a Biden win means this Destructors will have scored a major victory.  Then what?  This abhorrent behavior is rewarded and I worry what comes next.

    Or perhaps Trump wins, but in the fashion of 2016 – an Electoral victory and a popular vote loss.  Then what?  More temper tantrums and riots?

    The only good that will come from this election is this COVID nonsense will finally likely be behind us.

     

    • #10
  11. JennaStocker Member
    JennaStocker
    @JennaStocker

    Great post! It’s truly stunning the dichotomy of good vs evil we’re witnessing playing out in our country right now – and to see ever clearly who is taking which side.

    • #11
  12. Basil Fawlty Member
    Basil Fawlty
    @BasilFawlty

    Percival (View Comment):
    I think they lie to people that they don’t need to lie to just for practice.

    Caught in the tangled web.

    • #12
  13. Richard Fulmer Inactive
    Richard Fulmer
    @RichardFulmer

    Dave’s post translated in light of anti-racist consciousness.

    Dave Carter: our self-appointed betters are busy venerating a serial violent sexual offender who had a restraining order against him resulting from a third-degree sexual assault in which he broke into his ex-girlfriend’s home and assaulted her while she was in her bed with one of her children next to her

    He’s in touch with his own healthy sexuality. 

    Dave Carter: and then stole her car along with her debit card

    He made a bold and brave statement against the vulgar materialism of our capitalist society.

    Dave Carter: The police responded, knowing that this courageous hero had a warrant for his arrest on felony assault charges.

    The warrant was a badge of honor, proof of his victimization by an unjust system.

    Dave Carter: prompting her to call 911 for protection

    Selling out to the system.

    Dave Carter: at which point he peacefully fought back, amicably putting one officer in a headlock while good-naturedly shrugging off two taser attempts while, according to the police union statement, being meekly armed with a knife.

    Bravely fighting oppression against overwhelming odds.

    Dave Carter: Of course, when such a fate befalls a wise and tranquil violent felon in the act of peacefully assaulting the police, the only logical recourse is for a mostly peaceful riot to destroy genuinely peaceful people and businesses and structures who had absolutely nothing to do with any of it — naturally in the name of justice.

    In the name of social justice.  Justice is giving each his due.  Social justice is giving to each what is due to others for the sake of equality.

    Dave Carter: Because, as people in my home town of Lake Charles, Louisiana have demonstrated in the face of catastrophe, it is decency that matters and not color.

    “Decency” is an artificial bourgeois value fabricated to maintain the current oppressor/oppressed power structure.  Color is everything.  Color is proof of victimization and, therefore, of innocence and nobility.  

    Dave Carter: To treat people as individuals, imbued with free agency to determine what course they will take in life, is just and decent.

    To insist that they be held accountable for those actions is the very definition of justice.

    Individual agency, justice, and decency are white constructs and tools of the oppressor.

    • #13
  14. Jim McConnell Member
    Jim McConnell
    @JimMcConnell

    Richard Fulmer (View Comment):

    Dave’s post translated in light of anti-racist consciousness.

    Dave Carter: our self-appointed betters are busy venerating a serial violent sexual offender who had a restraining order against him resulting from a third-degree sexual assault in which he broke into his ex-girlfriend’s home and assaulted her while she was in her bed with one of her children next to her

    He’s in touch with his own healthy sexuality.

    Dave Carter: and then stole her car along with her debit card

    He made a bold and brave statement against the vulgar materialism of our capitalist society.

    Dave Carter: The police responded, knowing that this courageous hero had a warrant for his arrest on felony assault charges.

    The warrant was a badge of honor, proof of his victimization by an unjust system.

    Dave Carter: prompting her to call 911 for protection

    Selling out to the system.

    Dave Carter: at which point he peacefully fought back, amicably putting one officer in a headlock while good-naturedly shrugging off two taser attempts while, according to the police union statement, being meekly armed with a knife.

    Bravely fighting oppression against overwhelming odds.

    Dave Carter: Of course, when such a fate befalls a wise and tranquil violent felon in the act of peacefully assaulting the police, the only logical recourse is for a mostly peaceful riot to destroy genuinely peaceful people and businesses and structures who had absolutely nothing to do with any of it — naturally in the name of justice.

    In the name of social justice. Justice is giving each his due. Social justice is giving to each what is due to others for the sake of equality.

    Dave Carter: Because, as people in my home town of Lake Charles, Louisiana have demonstrated in the face of catastrophe, it is decency that matters and not color.

    “Decency” is an artificial bourgeois value fabricated to maintain the current oppressor/oppressed power structure. Color is everything. Color is proof of victimization and, therefore, of innocence and nobility.

    Dave Carter: To treat people as individuals, imbued with free agency to determine what course they will take in life, is just and decent.

    To insist that they be held accountable for those actions is the very definition of justice.

    Individual agency, justice, and decency are white constructs and tools of the oppressor.

    I’s say you have the Narrative down pat. Are you a reformed/recovered journalist?

    • #14
  15. Richard Fulmer Inactive
    Richard Fulmer
    @RichardFulmer

    Jim McConnell (View Comment):
    I’s say you have the Narrative down pat. Are you a reformed/recovered journalist?

    I read that the dean of diversity at a big university gets $400,000 a year, so I’m auditioning.  Who knew that peddling hatred is so rewarding? 

    • #15
  16. Robert E. Lee Member
    Robert E. Lee
    @RobertELee

    I nominate David B. Carter for President! He’s a man I trust!

    • #16
  17. Dave Carter Podcaster
    Dave Carter
    @DaveCarter

    Robert E. Lee (View Comment):

    I nominate David B. Carter for President! He’s a man I trust!

    Oh bartender…..

    • #17
  18. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Dave Carter (View Comment):

    Robert E. Lee (View Comment):

    I nominate David B. Carter for President! He’s a man I trust!

    Oh bartender…..

    You ordering a round, or are you going to have him cut REL off?

    • #18
  19. TBA Coolidge
    TBA
    @RobtGilsdorf

    I get the idea behind black lives matter – that black people fare less well when they meet up with cops. Leaving aside that there are mostly legitimate reasons why this happens in the aggregate, I am disgusted by the poster children on offer. 

    This guy was human scum and he worked very hard to get himself shot and he is no deader than a white guy doing the same thing would be. 

    • #19
  20. Dave Carter Podcaster
    Dave Carter
    @DaveCarter

    Robert E. Lee (View Comment):

    I think they could have taken him down without resort to seven shots in the back at point-blank range. Before I joined the Air Force I worked at a maxium security prison for the criminally insane, I know how strong and violent some people can be, but we managed with neither guns nor tasers to subdue people when we outnumbered them.

    According to reports from the Kenosha Police Department, the majority of those arrested are from out of town; lending further credence to my personal belief that outside agitators are turning legitimately peaceful protests into riots. I think and outsider caught rioting should be hammered with the full might of the law.

    People have lost faith, with good reason, in public institutions. The only way to restor that faith is to get people involved again in a system that has a vested interest in keeping them out. How, you ask? I’ve no idea, I’m just a broken down old G.I.

    Well, they tried with various “hands-on” techniques and had to resort to using tasers twice, to no effect. I also note that there were two children in the SUV, and their lives would have been in grave jeopardy had he jumped into a vehicle that wasn’t his and sped off. It’s also been noted that he had immediate possession of one blade, and there was another one in the vehicle when he reached inside. Respectfully, the cops have no affirmative duty to wait until he uses a weapon on them or weaponizes the vehicle with children inside before using deadly force to stop him. He brought this entire situation on himself and he owns it completely. 

    • #20
  21. Dave Carter Podcaster
    Dave Carter
    @DaveCarter

    CuriousKevmo (View Comment):

    I’m quite anxious about this election. Not because I’m a fan of Trump, but that a Biden win means this Destructors will have scored a major victory. Then what? This abhorrent behavior is rewarded and I worry what comes next.

    Or perhaps Trump wins, but in the fashion of 2016 – an Electoral victory and a popular vote loss. Then what? More temper tantrums and riots?

    The only good that will come from this election is this COVID nonsense will finally likely be behind us.

     

    Good questions!  I have a podcast coming up on Friday that will address at least some of what you raise, if not all.  Stay tuned…

    • #21
  22. Dave Carter Podcaster
    Dave Carter
    @DaveCarter

    JennaStocker (View Comment):

    Great post! It’s truly stunning the dichotomy of good vs evil we’re witnessing playing out in our country right now – and to see ever clearly who is taking which side.

    Thanks so much!! And yes, the sides are crystal clear. 

    • #22
  23. Dave Carter Podcaster
    Dave Carter
    @DaveCarter

    Richard Fulmer (View Comment):

    Dave’s post translated in light of anti-racist consciousness.

    Dave Carter: our self-appointed betters are busy venerating a serial violent sexual offender who had a restraining order against him resulting from a third-degree sexual assault in which he broke into his ex-girlfriend’s home and assaulted her while she was in her bed with one of her children next to her

    He’s in touch with his own healthy sexuality.

    Dave Carter: and then stole her car along with her debit card

    He made a bold and brave statement against the vulgar materialism of our capitalist society.

    Dave Carter: The police responded, knowing that this courageous hero had a warrant for his arrest on felony assault charges.

    The warrant was a badge of honor, proof of his victimization by an unjust system.

    Dave Carter: prompting her to call 911 for protection

    Selling out to the system.

    Dave Carter: at which point he peacefully fought back, amicably putting one officer in a headlock while good-naturedly shrugging off two taser attempts while, according to the police union statement, being meekly armed with a knife.

    Bravely fighting oppression against overwhelming odds.

    Dave Carter: Of course, when such a fate befalls a wise and tranquil violent felon in the act of peacefully assaulting the police, the only logical recourse is for a mostly peaceful riot to destroy genuinely peaceful people and businesses and structures who had absolutely nothing to do with any of it — naturally in the name of justice.

    In the name of social justice. Justice is giving each his due. Social justice is giving to each what is due to others for the sake of equality.

    Dave Carter: Because, as people in my home town of Lake Charles, Louisiana have demonstrated in the face of catastrophe, it is decency that matters and not color.

    “Decency” is an artificial bourgeois value fabricated to maintain the current oppressor/oppressed power structure. Color is everything. Color is proof of victimization and, therefore, of innocence and nobility.

    Dave Carter: To treat people as individuals, imbued with free agency to determine what course they will take in life, is just and decent.

    To insist that they be held accountable for those actions is the very definition of justice.

    Individual agency, justice, and decency are white constructs and tools of the oppressor.

    You don’t happen to have an extra Social Justice Decoder Ring, do you?  That was stellar!

    • #23
  24. Dave Carter Podcaster
    Dave Carter
    @DaveCarter

    Percival (View Comment):

    Dave Carter (View Comment):

    Robert E. Lee (View Comment):

    I nominate David B. Carter for President! He’s a man I trust!

    Oh bartender…..

    You ordering a round, or are you going to have him cut REL off?

    I’m ordering a drink for me and ordering Bob a double espresso. He’s already had too much high octane stuff.  

    • #24
  25. Dave Carter Podcaster
    Dave Carter
    @DaveCarter

    TBA (View Comment):

    I get the idea behind black lives matter – that black people fare less well when they meet up with cops. Leaving aside that there are mostly legitimate reasons why this happens in the aggregate, I am disgusted by the poster children on offer.

    This guy was human scum and he worked very hard to get himself shot and he is no deader than a white guy doing the same thing would be.

    I agree,..though I don’t think he’s deceased. I read someplace that he might be paralyzed, which would stunt his burgeoning criminal career and presumably be a relief to his assault victim and her children.  As I said earlier, this is all his creation, and he deserves the credit. 

    • #25
  26. Richard Fulmer Inactive
    Richard Fulmer
    @RichardFulmer

    Dave Carter (View Comment):
    You don’t happen to have an extra Social Justice Decoder Ring, do you?

    I’m getting too good at mimicking SJWs.  I probably need therapy.

    • #26
  27. Dave Carter Podcaster
    Dave Carter
    @DaveCarter

    Richard Fulmer (View Comment):

    Dave Carter (View Comment):
    You don’t happen to have an extra Social Justice Decoder Ring, do you?

    I’m getting too good at mimicking SJWs. I probably need therapy.

    Well, until professional intervention takes place, please keep holding a mirror up to these people. 

    • #27
Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.