Seeing the Light on Crime and Disorder

The WSJ has this editorial:

A well-known politician on Friday denounced “self-described anarchists who engage in regular criminal destruction” and want to “burn,” “bash” and “intimidate.” He called for “higher bail” and “tougher pretrial restrictions” on rioters. And he pleaded with the public to cooperate with police and identify miscreants: “Our job is to unmask them, arrest them, and prosecute them.”

Donald Trump ? Sheriff Arpaio ? Nope.

That was Portland, Ore., Mayor Ted Wheeler, the über-progressive, who made a national reputation last year by apologizing for vandals and rioters he said were merely exercising their right to protest against an unjust America. Now he’s had an epiphany, after his indulgence has made parts of Portland a battle zone.

The “woke” approach to crime is so completely lacking in common sense and so obviously headed to disaster that I have expected for some time that there would be a general awakening across party lines. Many and hopefully most people who bought this nonsense, or pretended to out of fear of being called a racist if they dared dissent, will eventually wake up and smell the coffee.

There are other encouraging signs as well. We haven’t turned the corner yet, but the other side’s momentum is slowing.