Let he without sins cast the first stone!

As an American ideal, the expression “black lives matter” petitions the government for a redress of grievances: black Americans have unalienable rights. That is a unity message (equality) the founding fathers enshrined as an enlightened ideal to guide (constitution) future Americans toward a more perfect republic. Sadly, anti-Americans don’t understand the creative genius in 1787 Philadelphia, where “more perfect” meant aspiring to enlightened ideals.

All social justice in America was envisioned by the imperfect men at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 in Philadelphia – even the abolition of slavery – who warned of two dangers upon us today. One is the angry mob that tears down historic monuments and plunders private property. The other is an autocratic minority that censures free speech (all lives matter) and purges inconvenient truths (US history). Reality: no statue will ever honor Seattle’s cowardly mayor (Jenny Durkan).

Consider America’s heroes. Columbus is a hero who sailed into the unknown and made (advanced) Europe aware of the (less advanced) Americas, but also subjugated natives. Washington is a hero who led an inferior army against an empire and refused a kingship, but also owned slaves. Grant is a hero who defeated the slave states and humbly accepted Lee’s surrender, but also waged a covert war against the Lakota Indians. Martin Luther King is a hero who championed justice through non-violent protests, but also had extramarital affairs (despite being a preacher).

Almost everyone remembers these four men for their achievements and not their sins. Mind you, some men (Hitler) are remembered for their sins and not their achievements (VW Beetle) – and they have no memorials or statues. So, why do cancel-culture autocrats ban films, burn books and tear down monuments? There’s no excuse, but intellectual-yet-idiotic professors teach US history as the study of America’s sins – not achievements or ideals – thereby tearing away at American exceptionalism.

It’s troubling that today’s autocratic minorities – ISIS, ANTIFA and BLM – share cowardly tactics with the KKK and Nazis. They conceal identities in order to harm persons and property and return to their day jobs in the morning, and they embrace terror over civilized constructs (e.g. courts). To wit, masked radicals burn a fellow Muslim, hooded anarchists bomb policemen, and violent rioters loot businesses at night. These cowards are no better than the cloaked racists that lynched fellow Americans or the Nazis behind 1938’s Kristallnacht.

ANTIFA began in the late 1970s to prevent skinheads from infiltrating the English punk-rock scene, evolving into an array of autonomous anti-authoritarian and anti-capitalist groups. They now advance anarchy and Marxism, having rejected “liberal democracy” (source: Vox), and embrace violence because “they believe elites control the government and media” (source: CSU-SB). Because ANTIFA doesn’t peaceably assemble and denies freedom of expression to others, the DOJ now labels them a “domestic terrorist organization.” Finally, employers will see their faces in a court of law.

As a movement, Black Lives Matter opposes systemic racism, which should mean unequal opportunities in jobs, education and healthcare, as well as 50 years of broken Democrat promises. Instead, they oppose unconscious racial bias, ignore inconvenient truths (e.g. police kill more whites than blacks), incite violence, and muzzle free speech (“all lives matter” is hate speech). BLM has no Dr. King, a hero who’d work with Tim Scott and Donald Trump to actually get positive legislation.

ANTIFA’s members won’t get a statue, because that’s reserved for bravery and lasting contributions (see G. Washington). And, unlike BLM night rioters, Dr. King’s day job was marching in broad daylight and spreading the gospel. The Boston Tea Party is part of US history, but the FATHER OF AMERICA is the man that had everything to lose (his life for treason) and launched the USA. There’s a simple truth here: any kid can don a ski mask and topple a statue – – then what?

By Spencer Morten

The writer is a retired CEO of a US corporation, whose views were informed by studies and work in the US and abroad. An economist by education, and pragmatist by experience, he believes the greatest threat to peace and prosperity are the loudest voices with the least experience and expertise.