Someone once said that we fear that which we don't understand. Certainly the protests of the anarchists in our city have been somewhat frightening, this week, with their penchant for dressing in shrouded clothes and face coverings...and for throwing rocks and destroying things. They seem to have no tolerance for anyone else's views, all too willing to shout someone down...and when they get a microphone to speak into, they continually make the claim that they never start trouble--it's always the police who do that.
I have to say I don't understand these folks, so I did some reading about anarchism in an attempt to do so. There are numerous sub-headings to anarchism, including individual anarchism, mutual anarchism, egoism, and others. But the common theme is that they don't believe there should be any rules for anyone. Let the winner take all. No government, no system of punishment, no regulation of commerce whatsoever.
To make their point, they disguise themselves in these dark outfits with faces mostly covered, so that when they start destroying things, it will be hard to prove who did what to whom. And so they shout and break things and disrupt. Do you ever wonder how they have so much time on their hands that they can travel around to functions, such as G-20, and express in this way? I suppose it's because they don't work...and therefore hate those of us who do.
Personally, I will always like rules. It means we have to look out for each other and respect each other and take care of each other. The rule of law even protects those among us who hate the rule of law...and have zero appreciation for a country that provides it.
After seeing the positive notoriety Pittsburgh has been getting in international coverage, this week, I have come around to seeing the benefits of G-20 being here. But I do look forward to it being over with, so that our city can return to normal...and the anarchists can move on.
D-Bow
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