Two Wrongs Are Still Two Wrongs

Dear Editor,

Violence is never excusable. 

Property damage and personal assault is atrocious.  They undermine arguments of those peacefully protesting.  They cause division among those who peacefully protest.  These acts open the door for opposition bias response, retribution and silence.  It makes supporters afraid to support the side for fear of being mislabeled.

The 2020 election continues to require an investigation.  There were too many “errors.”  There were too many last minute poorly handled out-of-court settlements that ignored proper legislative approval.  There were too many poorly handled executive actions that ignored proper legislative approval.  We need an investigation into what happened.  Too many whistleblowers signed too many affidavits claiming too many irregularities to ignore.

This is still a republic with democratic ideals and civil/constitutional rights.  Unfortunately, fighting for these rights didn’t end in 1776.  We have a right to fight using reason, argument and free speech.  Politicians have a right to energize supporters to protest in order to encourage legislators to record their concerns for posterity.

Violence should be put down.  The violent should be punished.  However, the degree of response has been hypocritical as compared to previous violence of opposing perspectives.   In many ways, the response has been more frightening than the original horrific misdeed.

Just as violence undermines an argument.  Actively ignoring the rights of those who peacefully protested undermines opposition arguments.  It makes the original issue more powerfully concerning.  The violence was abhorrent.  However, we need an investigation into the issues surrounding the 2020 election.  The response makes opposition look like they are trying to hide something.  Two wrongs are still two wrongs.

Alan Burke

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