This blogpost was originally written a few days after the George Floyd protests and riots began:

A couple of things on the riots going on:

ONE, there does seem to be some pretty credible evidence that White Supremacists/members of the alt-right are behind many of these riots (especially in Minneapolis). Let us remember the likes of Cliven Bundy and his many kids. There are many in the alt-right who hate the police and hate authority. It is highly credible that they are you using a platform with which to further their own causes. In addition, arrests show that members of White Supremacist groups were posing as leftists. That said, it would be irresponsible to not note that while there are tons of footage showing Whites breaking the law in these riots (of whichever political makeup) many Blacks are ransacking, are looting and destroying property, turning over and setting fire to police cars, etc. And it is a little insulting and White Savior to suggest they are all only doing this because they are being influenced by White right-wingers. They have brains and desires of their own. It is also irresponsible – and disingenuous – to suggest that members of Antifa could not indeed be partly behind this. Here too, there are people with an agenda, and it is foolish to pretend that many people who call themselves progressive cannot, in fact, be antisemitic, antifeminist, or to the point – as we saw in last weekend’s Central Park lady – racist. People intentionally and unintentionally let things get out of control. Trying to blame a single group at the expense of all other human beings is not really part of the solution. In any event, it seems clear multiple sides are to blame, if not equally, and it is way too early to point fingers with any degree of accuracy.

TWO, exactly what does Trump think he is doing by trying to designate the Antifa organization a terrorist organization? First off, Antifa is a movement, not an organization, like the GOP or the NAACP are. You can’t label a movement. Second, by law, only organizations with foreign elements can be labeled as terrorist. There is no domestic statute at this time dealing with domestic terrorism, thanks in part to GOP refusal to deal with White-led attacks. Ergo, he cannot designate them, even if they were an organization. It is probably authoritarian (and fascist) for a leader wanting to label a group whose main claim is to be against fascism as terrorists. Anyone else see the irony here?

THREE, I’ll add to the voices about the riots themselves. After decades of mistreatment, of continued oppression, when IS it okay to say enough? Why exactly is it okay for a White majority to approach government buildings armed to the teeth and demand that their rights to not wear a mask are being infringed upon, but it is not okay to march for one’s right to actually, you know, LIVE. I hate the destruction of property, and the injuries to protestors and bystanders alike. But everything else, from peaceful sit-ins (which Whites object to), to trying to effect change at the ballot box or in Congress, has not worked. What else is left? The last time Whites felt this frustrated it was our Founding Fathers, who committed treason and their own share of atrocities in their effort to gain freedom. Yet they are nearly worshiped by Americans. The fact is, as I said last week [see my separate post on civil war], the time has apparently arrived where greater action must be taken.

I hear people saying these marches are not about George Floyd. And you know, nobody seriously thinks they are. They are about the proverbial straw. Trayvon Martin. Michael Brown. Tamir Rice. Eric Garner. Many on through the years. In 2015, Sandra Bland. In 2016, Freddie Gray, Alton Sterling, and Philando Castile. In 2018, Botham Jean. Then, this year, Ahmaud Armery, BreonnaTaylor, George Floyd. If Amy Cooper had had her way, possibly Christian Cooper. And let’s not forget Rodney King, whose incident may have begun the post-modern Black Lives Matter, long before its naming. Mix all that in with a pandemic and self-isolation, it is no wonder this is happening.