Oh well if they’re young suburban adults nvrmd

 

So, I was just hanging out with friends, enjoying a smoothie at this nice outdoor place – don’t worry, we had masks, everyone was distancing! We’re totally about that. We heard something coming around the corner, and it sounded like a parade? My friend Jinny gets on her phone (well TBH she was already on it) and googles whether there was a parade scheduled for tonight, like a circus thing, but before she gets her results we see them. It’s a bunch of guys dressed in black with signs and umbrellas, and they’re, like, chanting? I got it on my phone, and I think it was something like Hey Ho, Hey Ho, Oligarchical Capitalism and its Inherent Systemic Oppression of BIPOC and Non-Heteronormative Paradigm Gender Non-Conformity Has Got To Go, or something, and I’m like, whatever –

But then one of them smashes a window, and I thought, can you believe that?

“NBD,” says Jenni. “They have insurance. Trust me. My dad’s in insurance.”

“I know we’re just hanging around downtown to escape the stultifying milieu of our soul-sapping suburban lives,” says Todd, I know, that’s so Todd, “but I have this sudden welling of passion for a cause I’ve barely spent any time thinking about. The sight of these people, their manifest passion, makes me think we should find a store and set it on fire.”

“Awesome,” said Lee. “And let me just say here and now that several of those androgynous people have made me suddenly question my own identity, and I am now going to change my pronouns to ‘they.’”

I guess it was just the heat of the moment – literally the heat, the crowd had set fire to the restaurant where we were sitting – but we just got up and fell alongside, and started marching and chanting and throwing things, and IDK it felt like I was part of something for the first time, so we went inside the drug store and Todd jumped over the counter and got some lighter fluid and we went to the bookstore next door and drenched some stuff and set it on fire. We all did a group pose for the ‘Gram and called it a night, went back to the car and drove back to the boring burbs, laughing, like, what was that about.

You know how you get caught up in something and go with the moment and you’re burning a restaurant and the next day you’re, like, okay, we were in the moment, but then it turns out it was for justice? That’s awesome. I wonder if I can put it on my intern application resume.

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 120 comments.

Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.
  1. The Reticulator Member
    The Reticulator
    @TheReticulator

    Jon1979 (View Comment):

    The AP tweet is a bit of a companion piece to the normal soft bigotry of low expectations that progressive thinking exhibits. In this case, the AP seems to be trying to calm worried middle and upper-middle class suburban voters that all the mayhem over the some is being committed by inner city urbanites. Heck no! Those aren’t violent left-wing radicals from some big city environment — it’s just Timmy and Sally down the block expressing their outrage at the dystopian fascist nightmare Donald Trump has turned American into.

    So don’t be afraid that it’s some of those #Black Lives Matter people destroying the area. It’s the sons and daughters of the people you know who are doing it. They couldn’t possibly by psychotically angry left-wing radicals, so stop worrying about any threats to you, your family or your property and go mark that mail ballot for Joe Biden.

    The AP article is racist. 

    • #31
  2. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    CACrabtree (View Comment):

    A few months back the Washington Post had a pictorial that featured some “normal young suburbans” in their normal clothing and then in their Antifa outfits (full battle dress with their bicycle helmets and knee pads). Totally laughable until you realize the damage they have wreaked without any sort of punishment.

    When will be the day of reckoning for the irresponsible press that has attempted to make heroes of them?

    I hope they put up statues so we can tear them down . . .

    • #32
  3. cdor Member
    cdor
    @cdor

    Stad (View Comment):

    James Lileks: “NBD,” says Jenni. “They have insurance. Trust me. My dad’s in insurance.”

    Great piece as usual, James. Shame on the AP for downplaying the rioters. I guess they’d say the Nazis were “caught up in the moment” during Kristallnacht . . .

    There’ve been a few articles about how much the rioting and looting has cost the insurance companies. That has been used as a warped justification for the mayhem, saying the businesses won’t lose any money. Really? What about businesses that have little or no insurance? What about businesses whose policies don’t cover losses due to war or civil insurrection?

    What’s the other thing they say? Oh yes, “It’s only property.” When you set a building on fire, you have no idea if someone is inside or not.

    These riots and the destruction flowing from them will raise insurance premiums for years to come. So besides the businesses who are unfortunately underinsured or poorly insured and as a result could very well lose their businesses altogether, those that do survive, along with every other business in the area, will suffer significant costs in the form of higher prices. I have to say, we have a lot of very ignorant people in this country who think they are really, really smart.

    • #33
  4. Blondie Thatcher
    Blondie
    @Blondie

    cdor (View Comment):

    Stad (View Comment):

    James Lileks: “NBD,” says Jenni. “They have insurance. Trust me. My dad’s in insurance.”

    There’ve been a few articles about how much the rioting and looting has cost the insurance companies. That has been used as a warped justification for the mayhem, saying the businesses won’t lose any money. Really? What about businesses that have little or no insurance? What about businesses whose policies don’t cover losses due to war or civil insurrection?

    What’s the other thing they say? Oh yes, “It’s only property.” When you set a building on fire, you have no idea if someone is inside or not.

    These riots and the destruction flowing from them will raise insurance premiums for years to come. So besides the businesses who are unfortunately underinsured or poorly insured and as a result could very well lose their businesses altogether, those that do survive, along with every other business in the area, will suffer significant costs in the form of higher prices. I have to say, we have a lot of very ignorant people in this country who think they are really, really smart.

    I always hear this when I hear the “smart people” talking about insurance paying for their destruction. 

    • #34
  5. Vance Richards Inactive
    Vance Richards
    @VanceRichards

    regular citizens caught up in the moment – many are young suburban adults.

    I think what AP is trying to say is, “these are upper-middle class white college kids . . . you know . . . the people we like.” Because if they were urban minorities then it we should fear them?

    So, if you don’t understand what people mean by “systemic racism” is, it is what AP is practicing in this article.

    • #35
  6. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    She (View Comment):
    Yes, it’s such a ridiculous and easy meme to parody.

    They keep throwing those out there for us:

    • #36
  7. A-Squared Inactive
    A-Squared
    @ASquared

    Earlier, we were told that we couldn’t arrest looters because they really needed the stuff they were stealing.

    Now, somehow, we are told that the looters are really just rich white kids from the suburbs.  If that is the case, then they didn’t really need the stuff they were stealing and they should be arrested and put in jail for stealing, unless the AP is saying that it is ok to steal if you are rich and white, which I sincerely doubt.

     

    • #37
  8. DrewInWisconsin, Man of Constant Sorrow Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Man of Constant Sorrow
    @DrewInWisconsin

    A-Squared (View Comment):

    Earlier, we were told that we couldn’t arrest looters because they really needed the stuff they were stealing.

    Now, somehow, we are told that the looters are really just rich white kids from the suburbs. If that is the case, then they didn’t really need the stuff they were stealing and they should be arrested and put in jail for stealing, unless the AP is saying that it is ok to steal if you are rich and white, which I sincerely doubt.

     

    Ah! You seek narrative consistency!

    You shall seek forever and never find!

    • #38
  9. Eridemus Coolidge
    Eridemus
    @Eridemus

    So, if you don’t understand what people mean by “systemic racism” is, it is what AP is practicing in this article.

    Except it’s ALWAYS the conservatives calling for law enforcement and some jail time no matter who did the crime….who are called racist. Back in reality world, it’s the anti-establishment anti-business attitude the press wants celebrity and leniency for. The kids will grow up and eventually need jobs and nothing equals a bad police report to torpedo your interview chances. I hope their record follows them for years and they eventually reflect on who truly led them astray.

    • #39
  10. Doug Watt Member
    Doug Watt
    @DougWatt

    I got caught up in the moment is a variation of he/she is really a good person, or they were turning their lives around, or they made a bad choice. It’s something street cop’s have heard hundreds of times. I didn’t care if someone I arrested started a hamster rescue shelter, it’s the criminal act itself that matters. I didn’t call someone’s former sixth grade teacher, priest, minister, or rabbi for a character reference before they went to booking.

    • #40
  11. Kephalithos Member
    Kephalithos
    @Kephalithos

    If smashing windows, burning down buildings, and bullying diners is what “regular citizens caught up in the moment” do, then something is seriously wrong with our “regular citizens.”

    • #41
  12. Michael Brehm Lincoln
    Michael Brehm
    @MichaelBrehm

    A friendly word of advice from Uncle Mike to all suburban revolutionaries:

    It’s all fun and games until someone shoots you in the chest, then clubs you with the stock while you’re bubbling away on the pavement.

    • #42
  13. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    cdor (View Comment):
    These riots and the destruction flowing from them will raise insurance premiums for years to come.

    That, and any business that locates in an urban area will probably have higher premiums too – if they can even get insurance . . .

    • #43
  14. Jon1979 Inactive
    Jon1979
    @Jon1979

    It’s also worth remembering that while Bill Ayers wasn’t a suburban yute, his dad was CEO of Commonwealth Edison. And yet for some reason, I don’t think his privileged upbringing mollified any of the neighbors on West 11th Street 50 years ago, when Ayers and his friends blew up the Greenwich Village townhouse…

    • #44
  15. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Eridemus (View Comment):

    So, if you don’t understand what people mean by “systemic racism” is, it is what AP is practicing in this article.

    Except it’s ALWAYS the conservatives calling for law enforcement and some jail time no matter who did the crime….who are called racist. Back in reality world, it’s the anti-establishment anti-business attitude the press wants celebrity and leniency for. The kids will grow up and eventually need jobs and nothing equals a bad police report to torpedo your interview chances. I hope their record follows them for years and they eventually reflect on who truly led them astray.

    I doubt they will ever blame those TRULY responsible.

    • #45
  16. Vance Richards Inactive
    Vance Richards
    @VanceRichards

    James Lileks: Hey Ho, Hey Ho, Oligarchical Capitalism and its Inherent Systemic Oppression of BIPOC and Non-Heteronormative Paradigm Gender Non-Conformity Has Got To Go

    A versatile chant to say the least, but I believe the correct form is “Hey Hey, Ho Ho”

    • #46
  17. ctlaw Coolidge
    ctlaw
    @ctlaw

    Vance Richards (View Comment):

    James Lileks: Hey Ho, Hey Ho, Oligarchical Capitalism and its Inherent Systemic Oppression of BIPOC and Non-Heteronormative Paradigm Gender Non-Conformity Has Got To Go

    A versatile chant to say the least, but I believe the correct for is “Hey Hey, Ho Ho”

    “there”?

    • #47
  18. Vance Richards Inactive
    Vance Richards
    @VanceRichards

    ctlaw (View Comment):

    Vance Richards (View Comment):

    James Lileks: Hey Ho, Hey Ho, Oligarchical Capitalism and its Inherent Systemic Oppression of BIPOC and Non-Heteronormative Paradigm Gender Non-Conformity Has Got To Go

    A versatile chant to say the least, but I believe the correct for is “Hey Hey, Ho Ho”

    “there”?

    Which is interesting when the point is to make fun of someone else’s IQ

    • #48
  19. TBA Coolidge
    TBA
    @RobtGilsdorf

    Jon1979 (View Comment):

    The AP tweet is a bit of a companion piece to the normal soft bigotry of low expectations that progressive thinking exhibits. In this case, the AP seems to be trying to calm worried middle and upper-middle class suburban voters that all the mayhem over the summer is being committed by inner city urbanites. Heck no! Those aren’t violent left-wing radicals from some big city environment — it’s just Timmy and Sally down the block expressing their outrage at the dystopian fascist nightmare Donald Trump has turned American into.

    So don’t be afraid that it’s some of those #Black Lives Matter people destroying the area. It’s the sons and daughters of the people you know who are doing it. They couldn’t possibly by psychotically angry left-wing radicals, so stop worrying about any threats to you, your family or your property and go mark that mail ballot for Joe Biden.

    Step 1: Assume that anyone who objects to rioting is doing so because he is a bigot and doesn’t like leftists. 

    Step 2: Demonstrate #notallrioters. 

    Step 2: Sit back and wait for the assumed bigots to die of cognitive dissonance. 

    What the don’t realize is that we really don’t care about the politics of people who commit crimes, we just want them to be either prevented from committing the crimes or arrested and prosecuted soon after they commit the crimes. 

    Of note: being young, white, and suburban does not prevent someone from being a radical leftist. Obvs. 

    • #49
  20. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    Jon1979 (View Comment):

    It’s also worth remembering that while Bill Ayers wasn’t a suburban yute, his dad was CEO of Commonwealth Edison. And yet for some reason, I don’t think his privileged upbringing mollified any of the neighbors on West 11th Street 50 years ago, when Ayers and his friends blew up the Greenwich Village townhouse…

    Hey, isn’t that @roblong‘s new pad?

    • #50
  21. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    ctlaw (View Comment):

    Vance Richards (View Comment):

    James Lileks: Hey Ho, Hey Ho, Oligarchical Capitalism and its Inherent Systemic Oppression of BIPOC and Non-Heteronormative Paradigm Gender Non-Conformity Has Got To Go

    A versatile chant to say the least, but I believe the correct for is “Hey Hey, Ho Ho”

    “there”?

    Yeah, bad.

    • #51
  22. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    Vance Richards (View Comment):

    ctlaw (View Comment):

    Vance Richards (View Comment):

    James Lileks: Hey Ho, Hey Ho, Oligarchical Capitalism and its Inherent Systemic Oppression of BIPOC and Non-Heteronormative Paradigm Gender Non-Conformity Has Got To Go

    A versatile chant to say the least, but I believe the correct for is “Hey Hey, Ho Ho”

    “there”?

    Which is interesting when the point is to make fun of someone else’s IQ

    Failure to proofread is not indicative of a low IQ.  But it is a rather boneheaded mistake to make . . .

    • #52
  23. TBA Coolidge
    TBA
    @RobtGilsdorf

    Eridemus (View Comment):

    So, if you don’t understand what people mean by “systemic racism” is, it is what AP is practicing in this article.

    Except it’s ALWAYS the conservatives calling for law enforcement and some jail time no matter who did the crime….who are called racist. Back in reality world, it’s the anti-establishment anti-business attitude the press wants celebrity and leniency for. The kids will grow up and eventually need jobs and nothing equals a bad police report to torpedo your interview chances. I hope their record follows them for years and they eventually reflect on who truly led them astray.

    Seriously. If I was hiring and I saw a shoplifting charge or a drug charge in an applicant’s youth I might overlook it, but a willingness to loot or burn businesses in the name of righteousness? That is not a person I would trust to behave ethically on my company’s behalf. Everyone has a lapse of judgement now and again. Some people exhibit a lack of judgement, but this kind of thing is an evil moral principle and it is unlikely to fade with time. 

    • #53
  24. Barry Jones Thatcher
    Barry Jones
    @BarryJones

    The New Gap Year might(should?) end up being 6-10 months in the County lockup and picking up trash on the side of the road while wearing orange…

    • #54
  25. She Member
    She
    @She

    Vance Richards (View Comment):

    James Lileks: Hey Ho, Hey Ho . . .

    A versatile chant to say the least, but I believe the correct form is “Hey Hey, Ho Ho”

    You are correct.  “Hey Ho, Hey Ho” (usually with the archaic spelling and pronunciation “heigh”) is what precedes the next line of “It’s off to work we go.”  A situation that it appears that these spoiled rich kids have never had to come to terms with in their life.

    Perish the thought.

    • #55
  26. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Vance Richards (View Comment):

    ctlaw (View Comment):

    Vance Richards (View Comment):

    James Lileks: Hey Ho, Hey Ho, Oligarchical Capitalism and its Inherent Systemic Oppression of BIPOC and Non-Heteronormative Paradigm Gender Non-Conformity Has Got To Go

    A versatile chant to say the least, but I believe the correct for is “Hey Hey, Ho Ho”

    “there”?

    Which is interesting when the point is to make fun of someone else’s IQ

    Or someone’s pronounced circumlocutory pretentiousness. Like mine.

    • #56
  27. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    TBA (View Comment):

    Eridemus (View Comment):

    So, if you don’t understand what people mean by “systemic racism” is, it is what AP is practicing in this article.

    Except it’s ALWAYS the conservatives calling for law enforcement and some jail time no matter who did the crime….who are called racist. Back in reality world, it’s the anti-establishment anti-business attitude the press wants celebrity and leniency for. The kids will grow up and eventually need jobs and nothing equals a bad police report to torpedo your interview chances. I hope their record follows them for years and they eventually reflect on who truly led them astray.

    Seriously. If I was hiring and I saw a shoplifting charge or a drug charge in an applicant’s youth I might overlook it, but a willingness to loot or burn businesses in the name of righteousness? That is not a person I would trust to behave ethically on my company’s behalf. Everyone has a lapse of judgement now and again. Some people exhibit a lack of judgement, but this kind of thing is an evil moral principle and it is unlikely to fade with time.

    Even if they get charged/convicted, it might have been lowered to something like “disorderly conduct” or “disturbing the peace” and you won’t know what they REALLY did.  That’s one big reason why so many people are in prison for “non-violent” drug crimes:  plea-bargaining.

    • #57
  28. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    She (View Comment):

    Vance Richards (View Comment):

    James Lileks: Hey Ho, Hey Ho . . .

    A versatile chant to say the least, but I believe the correct form is “Hey Hey, Ho Ho”

    You are correct. “Hey Ho, Hey Ho” (usually with the archaic spelling and pronunciation “heigh”) is what precedes the next line of “It’s off to work we go.” A situation that it appears that these spoiled rich kids have never had to come to terms with in their life.

    Perish the thought.

    Can it be indicative of an intelligence problem when sometimes titles a video “High Ho” when the subtitles text is right in front of them with the correct spelling?

    Along with its instead of it’s, of course.

    • #58
  29. Vance Richards Inactive
    Vance Richards
    @VanceRichards

    Stad (View Comment):

    Vance Richards (View Comment):

    ctlaw (View Comment):

    Vance Richards (View Comment):

    James Lileks: Hey Ho, Hey Ho, Oligarchical Capitalism and its Inherent Systemic Oppression of BIPOC and Non-Heteronormative Paradigm Gender Non-Conformity Has Got To Go

    A versatile chant to say the least, but I believe the correct for is “Hey Hey, Ho Ho”

    “there”?

    Which is interesting when the point is to make fun of someone else’s IQ

    Failure to proofread is not indicative of a low IQ. But it is a rather boneheaded mistake to make . . .

    But I would still bet that whoever typed that is still smarter than the girl in the video

    • #59
  30. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Vance Richards (View Comment):

    Stad (View Comment):

    Vance Richards (View Comment):

    ctlaw (View Comment):

    Vance Richards (View Comment):

    James Lileks: Hey Ho, Hey Ho, Oligarchical Capitalism and its Inherent Systemic Oppression of BIPOC and Non-Heteronormative Paradigm Gender Non-Conformity Has Got To Go

    A versatile chant to say the least, but I believe the correct for is “Hey Hey, Ho Ho”

    “there”?

    Which is interesting when the point is to make fun of someone else’s IQ

    Failure to proofread is not indicative of a low IQ. But it is a rather boneheaded mistake to make . . .

    But I would still bet that whoever typed that is still smarter than the girl in the video

    Another low bar…

    • #60
Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.