For some Americans, no matter the context, it’s all or nothing. We won’t settle for half measures or second place and partial victories mean nothing.
I’m talking about the radical left and radical right. These extreme activists believe that it’s their way or the highway, and both sides have a tendency to violently lash out when things do not go their way.
A recent example of this is the attack on the United States Capitol and Antifa’s protests against the inauguration of President Joe Biden.
More than 100 anti-fascist demonstrators in Portland attacked police and vandalized the city’s Democratic Party of Oregon building Wednesday afternoon, breaking several windows in the process, according to police.
Before descending on the offices of the Democratic Party of Oregon, the crowd scuffled with police on bikes, who were monitoring the area where the group had told supporters to meet.
Police say the demonstrators used similar language in flyers announcing the Jan. 20 event as other rallies held months prior that “were punctuated by violence and destruction.” The fliers advertising a gathering at Revolution Hall discouraged live streaming or police, according to the city’s police bureau.
Then, if any doubt remained about their strength of their angst, this happened.
Reuters reports that one of the banners held by the demonstrators said, “We don’t want Biden. We want revenge for police murders, imperialist wars, and fascist massacres.” Some members of the group then moved dumpsters into the street and lit them on fire before the crowd started to disperse.
It doesn’t appear that Biden’s message of unity and healing has made it to the Pacific Northwest just yet.
