Academia, Bizarre, Criminal law, Media, Politics

Protesters Destroy Another North Carolina Statue And Post Pictures Of Celebration On UNC Campus

downloadEarlier this year, I was critical of the handling of the prosecution of various protesters in North Carolina who torn down a statue in public and then celebrated their criminal acts in broad daylight. Because the statue of a civil war memorial, the act of property destruction was condoned by many and Durham District Attorney Roger Echols caved to the pressure in dropping all charges against everyone.  It was effective immunity for a popular criminal act — a dangerous concept in any legal system.  Not surprisingly, others are now claiming the right to unilaterally destroy property. The latest were protesters on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s campus who took it upon themselves to destroy the controversial Silent Sam Confederate statue. 

 

Silent Sam has stood at the spot since 1913 as a memorial to the “sons of the University who died for their beloved Southland 1861-1865,” according to UNC’s website.

There has been simmering debate over these statues, including Silent Sam. The college community was debating its removal when these protesters decided that they did not have to wait for any decision or permission.  Given Echols’ earlier action, it is not surprising that they viewed themselves as immune from criminal laws.

What is astonishing is that this took hours but the college and police did nothing.  Protesters started during the day and then finally destroyed the statue by nightfall.  They then filmed themselves celebrating and kicking the statue with no concern for arrest as shown by the CNN affiliate WRAL-TV.

One person was arrested and that person was not arrested for the destruction of the statue but “concealing one’s face during a public rally and resisting arrest.”

Last November, Maya Little, a second-year PhD student in UNC’s History Department, appeared at a public meeting to call for the statue’s removal.  Months later, she took matters into her own hands and smeared her blood and red ink on the statue.  At the time, she faced expulsion and criminal charges for the incident.
There is a good-faith debate over the removal of civil war memorials, though I have been critical of the increasing calls for the removal of a wide array of memorials and statuary across the country from images of Columbus to Jefferson.  The merits of this debate however are irrelevant to the immediate question of whether citizens now have license to violate criminal law when such crimes are popular with the majority.  The destruction at UNC is the natural consequence of the decision of people like Echols who yield to public pressure to protect those who take the law into their own hands.  This is simply a form of vigilante justice.  The  government enable such conduct by portraying criminal destruction of property as excusable or remain passive in the face of such destruction.  The media also contributes to this growing problem by portraying such actions as a form of free speech as opposed to criminal conduct.
Again, I think that this is a debate worth having and that reasonable people can reach different decisions on the criteria and conditions for the removal of statues and memorials.  However, we should all agree that none of us has a right to make such decisions unilaterally or to claim immunity from criminal laws because our cause is just.
What do you think?

194 thoughts on “Protesters Destroy Another North Carolina Statue And Post Pictures Of Celebration On UNC Campus”

  2. I agree we need to find a better way to deal with this then unlawful destruction. These people need to be arrested. They express their free speech at meetings called to deal with this.

  3. This act, is destroying our history in which the Civil War was the reason to abolish slavery! So what did we learn from the deaths of all these Americans, black and white, poor souls who died??? Why is there NOW, a problem? Are we not understanding what our forefather’s, black and white, fought for, to live in peace among ourselves as Americans? We are Americans, Black Americans not African Americans; White Americans not Irish, English, Italian, Greek Spanish or any other nationality Americans! We are a melting pot, a tossed salad, a beautiful mixture from many nations to make up the one word that we are…and that is American!! We have a Constitution written by Americans, and a Bill of Rights written by Americans and those of us who claim these United States as our home are citizens of this great Nation! The past is the PAST, if those who protest and destroy, were not born here, either learn the history of what you are protesting about, therefore, you have no claims to legally protest against whatever place you came from whether it be legally or illegally. As a legal American Citizen and knowing the Laws of our land, the freedom we have because those who stayed in school learned about our government, a Democracy not like any place or government in the world, should know that we are a Christian nation and not act like barbarians!

  4. I think the same way the right wing has caved to its fringe elements to accept extremes such as racism and nationalism and armed insurrection like taking over private or federal property at gun point, I think the left wing is caving to its fringe elements to accept extremes like these criminal acts, the violent protests, etc. I think its time for reasonable people to come together on both sides and stand up to this extremist nonsense on both sides.

  6. WASHINGTON POST USES “CO-CONSPIRITOR” IN HEADLINE

    TURLEY’S UPDATE PENDING

    RIGHT-WING COMMENTERS EXPECTED TO DENY

    In the next couple hours Professor Turley will be telling us the gig is up for Trump. That Trump’s sham of a presidency is about to unravel.

    Trump is an un-indicted co-conspiritor to Campaign Finance Fraud. By directing his personal lawyer to arrange cash transfers for the purpose of concealing extramarital affairs from American voters.

    Trump supporters on this thread are strongly advised to seek the counsel of clergymen. Such action would be the morally advisable Instead of recklessly attacking liberals on this thread. Your malicious assaults on our characters has strayed from Christian principles.

    HERE IS THE WASHINGTON POST EDITORIAL ENTITLED:

    “AN ALLEGED CO-CONSPIRITOR IN THE WHITE HOUSE”

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/an-alleged-co-conspirator-in-the-white-house/2018/08/21/a23e3558-a589-11e8-8fac-12e98c13528d_story.html?utm_term=.7b1b05b8b8df

    1. “WASHINGTON POST USES “CO-CONSPIRITOR” IN HEADLINE”

      That is because the WP has become a trashy newspaper with an agenda and likes making money off of headlines.

      I wonder how Peter matches his quote “Trump is an un-indicted co-conspiritor to Campaign Finance Fraud” with the WP’s “AN ALLEGED CO-CONSPIRITOR IN THE WHITE HOUSE” Take note of the important word “alleged”.

      Actually IMO the ability to use the term un-indicted co-conspirator is a way for a prosecutor to make a challange that may be true or false but doesn’t give the attacked person a legitiamate way to dispute it. It’s actually an unfair advantage the prosecutor has to tarnish the name of one he doesn’t like. Thus if Peter Shill was somewhere at the wrong time when things went down he could be called an un-indicted co-conspirator because a crime was committed in his presence and he may (or my not) have been involved. He is un-indicted because there is a lack of proof and he might just have been there by coincidence.

      Peter likes to play with those types of words and shadows always intentionally forcing the perception in one way and that makes Peter a liar.

      “Your malicious assaults on our characters has strayed from Christian principles.”

      I won’t speak for anyone else or any religion but when one lies they are called liars and when one has character flaws they are there for all to see. Peter, if you have a problem stop lying and correct your character flaws. There is a reason you are called Peter Shill.

    2. “Trump’s sham of a presidency is about to unravel.”

      Man, if I just had a dime for every time I read something like that.

  7. NEWS FLASH

    On Fox News today, Professor Turley asserted that Trump is essentially an “unindicted co-conspirator” in the Michael Cohen case.

    See the Fox News website for a video of the Professor’s analysis.

        1. Unfortunately, Anonymous, you like Peter Shill misuse the English language. There is a big difference between the words “essentially an “unindicted co-conspirator”” and ” Could Be ‘Unindicted Co-Conspirator’” [It could be said that Peter Shill Could be unindicted co-conspiritator”.

          I don’t necessarily expect you to understand the difference because you are of limited intellect. Should Peter Shill know the difference. He does but he likes to lie.

          By the way every President has been involved in violating election laws so this isn’t a very big thing. We don’t even know if the guilt claimed is Constitutional. They hit John Edwards in a similar claim and he was aquitted.

          Judge Ellis has it right: Paraphrasing: When they squeeze a defendent they squeeze them not only to sing but to compose. All the witness has to do is embellish and get years off of a sentence which makes what they say very unreliable.

    2. Here it is:

      “Turley on Cohen Plea Deal: Trump Could Be ‘Unindicted Co-Conspirator’ on Campaign Finance Violation”

      http://insider.foxnews.com/2018/08/21/jonathan-turley-michael-cohen-case-trump-might-be-unindicted-co-conspirator-campaign

      “Law Professor Jonathan Turley reacted to former Trump attorney Michael Cohen pleading guilty to eight charges in federal court in Lower Manhattan, N.Y. Tuesday.

      “Turley said on “Special Report” that President Donald Trump may end up an “unindicted co-conspirator” in the matter.

      “Cohen pleaded guilty to five counts of tax evasion, one count of making false statements, one count of making an unlawful corporate contribution and one count of making an excessive campaign contribution.

      “Turley, of George Washington University in Foggy Bottom, D.C., said that “unless this unidentified candidate is Bernie Sanders, it’s going to be bad news” for Team Trump.

      “”If prosecutors accept what is in this indictment, then the president just became an unindicted co-conspirator,” Turley said. “If they believe that’s what’s in this indictment was true [that] he was directed to make this payment.”

      “Trump reacted to the Cohen news while en route to a campaign rally in Kanawha County, W.Va.

      “Turley said the Cohen case is “more dangerous” for Trump than the Manafort case.”

      Thanks to Peter. And as he said, there’s a video, as well.

      1. Read my comment above. I urge everyone to read what was actually said and not the spin Peter throws nor anonymous’s love of following up when garbage is thrown. She doesn’t have the slightest idea of what she is talking about.

        1. Allan, I encouraged readers to see Fox News for actual coverage. I would have posted the link but I was away from home and busy. For you to say I was trying to “spin it with lies” is ridiculous. But you always are ridiculous.

          1. If the embellishment that significantly altered the meaning was occasional one might say it was an accident but such embellishments with you occur all the time and in only one direction. That makes it an intentional lie.

      2. Thanks for posting that, Anonymous. I would have posted it myself but I was away from my main computer.

    3. Allan:

      Actually what was said by JT was an “if-then” statement. It was “if the prosecutors accept what is said in this indictment to be true, then Trump becomes an indicted co-conspirator.” A statement that is heavily premised on Cohen’s credibility which JT has spent countless words and hours on these pages telling us is nonexistent.

      2. Thank you for highlighting the quote. JT did not state that Trump was “essentially an “unindicted co-conspirator” ”

        If he becomes one that in my mind is near meaningless. There is no law Trump couldn’t pay Stormy Daniels. Did Cohen make a campaign contribution directed by Trump to give money to Stormy? That might be an election law violation but is the law even Constitutional? What Presidential campaign hasn’t been involved in such campaign violations? Edwards was aquitted.

        What does all this mean? It is nothing more than all the other attempts to void the election. Hopefully the American public will see through all this nonsense and recognize how this attempt to change the results of a legal election and this attempt is harmful to America and its people.

        Right now the important things are that the President has been doing a great job.

          2. If all of your associates are losers, it is a sure bet you are one too. Allan, tRump, George, Olly, you, etc., see how that works.

            1. So far Trump has been a winner.
              Olly is as smart and honest as can be.
              I don’t know George

              So far I feel as if I am a winner and that was until you came along.

        2. “Right now the important things are that the President has been doing a great job.”
          *********************

          That’s all that matters.

        3. Allan to mespo:

          “Thank you for highlighting the quote.”

          Because you certainly wouldn’t bother, Allan. You’re too busy running your yapper — something you love, love, love to do.

          1. I quote plenty of things. It’s not my job to correct Peter’s lies with quotes. He can go back, look up what was said and then appologize. If you don’t like my yapper, don’t read it and go back to your hole.

        4. Yeah!!!!! he has been doing a great job conspiring,lying, destroying our hard earned democrasy and trying to please putin at any cost.

          1. “Yeah!!!!! he has been doing a great job conspiring,lying”

            OK Ms. Smart-y-pants list the significant lies of the President that have to do with his Presidency and provide proof.

            There is proof he hasn’t tried to please Putin while Obama promised to be flexible and bowed to all those despots.

              1. Mespo, do you think I expect a reasonable answer? We are not dealing with reasonable or logical people. We are dealing with screamers who do not think.

  8. You can’t or won’t answer the question. Name other country’s that honor traitors.

    1. LOL, the U.K., Germany, Italy, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, China, Malaysia, Venezuela, Brazil, Mexico ….. and those are just a few countries with REAL traitors.

      1. Ron, Fishwings doesn’t know what the word traitor means and doesn’t know his history so he doesn’t know that there is a difference between a traitor and one engaged in a revolutionary act. He also doesn’t realize that they were pardoned and given amnesty. Forgive Fishwings for his ignorance. He is still working on color by number.

    2. You’re basing your question on the assumption that they were traitors, which is a false assumption. So, to answer your question would not make sense.

      Another way to answer your silly question would be to write, the pre civil war USA. Any monument celebrating our independence from the British Empire.

  10. If these hyphenates don’t like America, why don’t they just go home rather than resort to violent acts?

    Don’t worry.

    Be happy,

    Go home.

    Isn’t that how the song goes?
    __________________________________________________

    “Can’t we all just get along…

    home?”

    – Wrappin’ Rodney King

      1. No, that’s what is commonly known as the Anarchist who work for Leftist. Get up to date wild man.

  11. I find it funny that the same crowd that yelled LOCK HER UP, see’s nothing wrong with Trump and Russians, yells law and order, yet does not like the laws that are putting Trump’s people in jail. Are the same ones that don’t like statues of traitors being pulled down.

    1. The reason people yell lock Hillary up is because she is probably guilty of a lot of significant things that occurred while she was in office. That is not true of the others you talk about. A great Republican recongized the need for us to be one people united and he pardoned those fighting for the south. Lincoln knew courage and generosity. You know neither.

  12. They should be charged and found guilty of destroying public property and be sentenced to community service. This statue has been a cancer on UNC – my alma mater – for a long time and should be tossed in a warehouse somewhere or melted down. Perhaps they can put up instead a statue honoring the contributions of the thousands of slaves in NC on whose backs a bunch of old southern, vicious, white bigots made a lot of money over the past few hundred years.

    Chapel Hill is an interesting mix of progressive thinking and centuries [including the the present] of nasty southern racism and white supremacy. Bye-bye, Sam.

    1. … “NC on whose backs a bunch of old southern, vicious, white bigots made a lot of money over the past few hundred years.”

      You left out something

      … “NC on whose backs a bunch of old southern, vicious, white “Democrat” bigots made a lot of money over the past few hundred years.

      Fixed it for you.

  13. I’m happy to see renovations of these historical monuments by mindless crowds of crazies. The statutes will be rebuilt afresh with money from the fines.

    BTB, more confederate statues went up last year than went down. Crazies get the press (well cause the press are crazies); but regular folks get the win: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2018/08/06/confederate-memorials-list-longer-usa-public-remove/891739002/

    I love that part in the movie when the psycho actually thinks he’s winning. The fall is usually in the next scene.

  15. From an August 8, 2018 article by David French in National Review titled “The Great White Culture War”.

    Earlier this week, my colleague Reihan Salam wrote a fascinating piece in The Atlantic making the point that white-bashing is actually a way in which the progressive white elite distinguishes itself from “lower” white rivals, a form of “intra-white status jockeying.”

    Here’s Reihan: “It is almost as though we’re living through a strange sort of ethnogenesis, in which those who see themselves as (for lack of a better term) upper-whites are doing everything they can to disaffiliate themselves from those they’ve deemed lower-whites. Note that to be “upper” or “lower” isn’t just about class status, though of course that’s always hovering in the background. Rather, it is about the supposed nobility that flows from racial self-flagellation.”

    Given the awesome power these “upper-whites” exercise in elite American institutions, there are incentives for other people to bash whites as well. In some instances, white-bashing can actually serve as a means of ascent. The liberal desire for racial justice is embedded within a larger world view that is antithetical on other grounds to white conservatives, and embedded within manners, mores, and habits of life that are substantially different from the manners, mores, and habits of life of more rural and exurban America. Urban America and heartland #Murica are two very, very different places.

    Thus, conservative white Americans look at urban multicultural liberalism and notice an important fact: Its white elite remains, and continues to enjoy staggering amounts of power and privilege. So when that same white elite applauds the decline of “white America,” what conservatives often hear isn’t a cheer for racial justice but another salvo in our ongoing cultural grudge match, with the victors seeking to elevate black and brown voices while remaining on top themselves.

    I see it as a group of so called progressive whites who believe they are demonstrating moral superiority by opposing the beliefs and values of those deemed to be representative of “lower whites”. This is elitism at its worst.

    2. I think it’s more self-loathing and guilt for something they didn’t do to people who weren’t the historical victims. Makes ’em feel good to wear sackcloths and ashes while experiencing metaphysical moral superiority. I never wonder why there are masochists and sadists. i just wonder why there aren’t more.

    3. Original intent of the American Founders:

      Naturalization Act of 1790

      “…free white person(s)…”
      ____________________

      Reiteration of Original Intent:

      “Crazy Abe” Lincoln:

      “If all earthly power were given me,” said Lincoln in a speech delivered in Peoria, Illinois, on October 16, 1854, “I should not know what to do, as to the existing institution [of slavery]. My first impulse would be to free all the slaves, and send them to Liberia, to their own native land.” “…he asked whether freed blacks should be made “politically and socially our equals?” “My own feelings will not admit of this,” he said, “and [even] if mine would, we well know that those of the great mass of white people will not … We can not, then, make them equals.”
      ____________________________________________

      Imposition of Unconstitutional Marxist Social Engineering:

      Compulsory Unnatural Integration

      Oil and Water Do Not Mix – Artificial Mixture is Forced by an Emulsifier

      Even when you mix oil and water together they still separate. The oil always floats to the top because it is less dense than water. Oil and water don’t mix because water molecules are more attracted to each other than to oil molecules. Detergent molecules are attracted to both water and oil. When you add the detergent, one end of each a detergent molecule attaches to a water molecule and the other attaches to an oil molecule. The detergent creates a mixture of water with droplets of oil spread through it.

      Molecules of water are strongly attracted to each other because they are polar. Oil and water molecules are not attracted to each other because oil molecules are non-polar and hydrophobic or ‘water-fearing’. Oil has a lower density than water, so it always floats on top.

      Detergent is attracted to both oil and water because one end is hydrophilic (or ‘water-loving’) and sticks to water and the other end is hydrophobic and sticks to oil. When we add detergent to oil and water and shake the mixture, the liquids are held to each other by the detergent molecules and form an emulsion. An emulsion is a stable mixture of two or more liquids that would not normally mix.

    4. @ Darrell A. Baker

      When it comes to mating and migratory habits there is virtually no difference between the KKK and elite whites. The latter love virtue signaling about diversity while sending their kids to private schools and living in exclusive neighborhoods.

      Virtue signaling is not virtue, nor does it require getting one’s hands dirty. Just expressing the right beliefs is enough.

    5. There is a class dimension to this. But it’s not upper class whites as much as those who pretend to be or think they can get there. That’s usually a pipe dream. Illusory class then perhaps. I dont want to get to “fussel-y” about this. Ha ha get the pun?

      Managerial caste people are rarely able to make it to true upper let alone anybody else. So when we are talking liberals we are usually just talking fools who think they can avoid the mess waiting for whites by disassociating.

      They will either get reeducated or one day the savages will scalp them like so many missionaries gone off to preach the Gospel to the barbarians. Or cooked in the pot in Micronesia.

      Main thing is they need to be relentlessly corrected. One way or another.

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