The Patriot Post® · Land of Confusion

By Mark Fowler

In March 2020, following the death of George Floyd, some Democrat leaders knelt in a very public prayer service (to whom were they praying?) for Floyd. At the time of his demise, Floyd had multiple convictions for distributing cocaine; possession of cocaine; theft; refusing to identify himself; and armed robbery. The reason for his arrest was an accusation that he used a counterfeit bill to buy cigarettes. When he died, he had lethal levels of fentanyl in his system.

In June 2020, a group of protesters in Seattle declared an autonomous zone in which police were not welcome. The police headquarters in that sector was abandoned and boarded up. More than once, it was set on fire. Inside the zone, some described it as a “block party.” In this “block party,” several were shot and killed. It was anarchy. There were rapes, burglaries, arson, and property damage. Police shut it down after 23 days.

In May 2023 in New York City, Daniel Penny, a retired Marine sergeant, tackled and restrained a black man who was deranged and menacing passengers on the train. That man, Jordan Neely, said, “I don’t mind going to jail and getting life in prison. I’m ready to die.” Neely had a criminal history of assaults and mental health issues, and multiple encounters with police. Unfortunately, Neely died while being restrained. Witnesses reported that Penny did not appear to have the situation under control as Neely continued to struggle. Some said Penny should be prosecuted for murder. He was. After a lengthy trial, he was acquitted. Some said Penny was a racist. Some called for his imprisonment.

Too many say that all police officers are racist or are too violent or use excessive force. In reality, there are extensive safeguards in place to prevent police malfeasance, but make no mistake: Police officers are human. They do make mistakes, and there are some bad policemen. Good policemen despise them. Some say the police should be defunded or policing should be reimagined. Some say that social workers should be dispatched to deal with mental health cases or domestic disputes — two categories of cases where the danger to policemen is the greatest. But an increased police presence makes the streets safer.

In August 2020, a reporter — part of the “some” who say so much that is false — declared while a fire raged in the background that protests were mostly peaceful. Mostly peaceful except for the arson clearly visible in the background.

In Chicago, some of the leaders deny there is a crime problem, despite 570 murders in 2024 and 470 murders so far this year. They declaim “peace and safety” but live behind walls with a phalanx of armed guards surrounding them. Neither peace nor safety prevail in the south and west parts of Chicago. But those who say all is calm will look bad if they admit to the chaos in Chicago.

Recently, a Ukrainian refugee — ordinarily a member of a class some say they care for — was slaughtered by Decarlos Brown Jr., a man with a 14-year history of violence and mental illness. Some say he was the victim of a system that failed to care for him or provide for his mental health needs. They overlook the fact that an innocent woman, bothering no one, was viciously attacked for no reason other than to satisfy Brown’s urge to commit violence. Some in power applauded the media for withholding the facts of this murder. In Daniel Penny’s case, The New York Times published over 100 stories on that incident.

Now, Charlie Kirk has been assassinated by an assailant because he spoke the truth about morality, about sensitive social issues, and about his unabashed faith. Social media is filled with hateful comments about Kirk, mocking him and claiming he deserved it. Some say Charlie said hateful things. But there is abundant video of him debating social issues with skill, knowledge, and humility. Some say he is “hate-filled” simply because he says things they disagree with.

Two thousand years ago, some people — whipped into a fury, filled with hate, and unwilling to tolerate the truth — called for the release of Barrabas. Whose voice shall this country heed?

Mark Fowler is a board-certified physician and former attorney. He can be reached at [email protected].