Giving Irony a Bad Name

We have been relentlessly lectured of late that, even if “peaceful protesters” sometimes become rioters and hooligans, we need to remember that their initial motivation was to demand respect and justice for black people.  Too often, it’s said, those demanding “law and order” just ignore the sacrifices black people have made to achieve even the measure of equality America gives them.

Yes, well, that’s the lecture. 

Here’s the reality (emphasis added):

Rioters Deface Monument to Black Civil War Veterans Who Served in the Union

A monument honoring the first northern all-volunteer black regiment of the Union Army during the Civil War was damaged by rioters over the weekend.

The Shaw Memorial depicts the 54th Massachusetts Regiment led by Col. Robert Gould Shaw and stands at the edge of the Boston Common in Boston, Massachusetts.

“This monument is considered one of the nation’s greatest pieces of public art and the greatest piece to come out of the Civil War,” Liz Vizza, executive director of the Friends of the Public Garden, told WBUR-FM.

“It was, amazingly enough, dedicated 123 years ao on May 31st — the day it was defaced.”

On Sunday, a peaceful protest turned violent and destructive, and the plywood that had been put in place to protect the statue during restoration was covered in obscene graffiti.

The granite backside of the monument also was painted with swear words and phrases including, “Black Lives Matter,” “No Justice, No Peace” and “Police are Pigs.”

The $3 million restoration project had been granted clearance last week.