What has happened to the rule of law in our society?
I watch the world news, and although I’m disgusted by the atrocities committed by some of our fellow human beings, I’m not surprised by it. Evil exists, and certain cultures on this planet embrace violence the way you and I seek comfort and peace in our lives. They raise their children to hate and kill their stated enemies at will—women and children alike. Rape, torture, and beheadings are activities in which some communities around the world partake, encourage, or at least watch with no apparent compunction.
So is it surprising that a comparable mentality has swept through our major cities, making some communities as deadly as many third-world countries?
Las Vegas Student Beaten to Death
On November 1, 2023, Jonathan Lewis, a seventeen-year-old Las Vegas high school student, was beaten by a mob of teens when he attempted to stand up for a friend who’d previously been robbed by some of the assailants. As a result of the beating, Jonathan spent six days on life support before succumbing to his injuries. The coroner’s office stated he died from blunt force trauma and ruled the death a homicide.
(I discussed this case with Ana Garcia on her True Crime Daily podcast.)
Video footage of the incident was captured on multiple devices and posted on multiple social media. Not surprising given the voyeuristic world in which we now live.
Eight Suspects Arrested
Since Lewis’s death, police have arrested eight suspects and are currently (at the time of this writing) trying to identify two others who were involved in the melee. Of the eight arrested, four have been charged as adults: Gianni Robinson, Damien Hernandez, Dontral Beave, and Treavion Randolph. Four others said to be 15 or younger await certification to be tried as adults. Their names have not yet been released.
Homicide Lieutenant Jason Johansson stated there is “no evidence at this time” to indicate that this was a hate crime. (I wonder if that would be the case had the racial components been reversed and ten white kids stomped a black student to death. Asking for a friend, Jason.)
Mob Rule
We witnessed the result of mob rule when some major cities throughout the country failed to quell the riots of 2020. Not only were police ordered (in many cases) to stand down and allow our communities to be destroyed, but some of those same politicians who intentionally mislabeled the organized violence as “peaceful protests” actively worked to see that those arrested would be freed. In the aftermath, activist prosecutors and judges were lenient on the riotous thugs while persecuting anyone who defended themselves in the face of grave danger (the McCloskeys and Kyle Rittenhouse come to mind.)
Since then, it seems there has been an increase in violence and mob rule throughout the nation, not to mention unprecedented violence against law enforcement officers. And why wouldn’t there be? The political left has been clear about their acceptance of (if not allegiance to) radical and violent activism, and corrupt federal law enforcement leaders have their backs.
When the mainstream media and many of our so-called community leaders and elected officials cheer on and embrace mob rule, why wouldn’t teenage thugs feel emboldened to act out viciously against their fellow students?
Activist Prosecutors and Judges
Half the major cities in America now have activist prosecutors and judges who refuse to hold criminals responsible for their behaviors. Judicial activism (no cash bail policies and diminished sentencing guidelines) is designed to coddle and protect criminals rather than protect law-abiding citizens from the scourge of our society. The result is emboldened predators and unchecked chaos on the streets.
Social media is replete with camera phone videos of fights and beatings and mobs of youths swarming their prey. When children know there are no consequences for bad behavior, many will misbehave. Look at the mobs looting retail stores regularly with apparently no concern for being held accountable for their actions—that tells you all you need to know about the soft-on-crime policies and the effects they are having on communities that once felt safe and peaceful.
Societal Collapse
Coming full circle, does anyone think that the teens who stomped on a boy’s head until they killed him were caught committing their first crimes that day? I don’t. And I won’t be surprised when leniency is offered to each and every one of them.
I believe these thugs and those like them across the nation are reveling in the turn of our society, the upside-down, nonsensical policies of the left to defund the police and free all the criminals. Of course, those championing this activity are unaffected by the ensuing chaos—never forget that. There is reason for the madness.
My heart breaks for the parents and loved ones of Jonathan Lewis but also for our country during these tumultuous times that could be the beginning of societal collapse. Only the rule of law allows us to live freely and peacefully in a civil society, and for some reason, the radical left is working hard to destroy it.
Pay attention and get involved however you can before it’s too late. We owe at least that to our children and grandchildren.
* * *
Thank you for reading my blog. I hope you will share it with your family and friends.
I’m 82 years old. Born in 1941, too young to be aware of WWII. Grew up in the 50’s, a great time when we could play outside until after dark and our parents never worried about us. Started my work career in the 60’s and started saving for the future. Never worried about locking our doors at night or when we were away. Retired at 68 and have been living a modest but comfortable middle class life. I can honestly say I lived most of my life in the most peaceful, prosperous, and safest time in the USA. I wish children born today could live that peacefully, but I know it’s not to be. So sad.
Thank you for caring and sharing your thoughts with us.
Thank you, sir. God bless!
I keep shaking my head and asking when does this insanity stop.
Or will it?
This Las Vegas atrocity once again shows the disparity of media coverage of horrific events. The breakdown of the family unit and the drug epidemic has gone hand in hand with this breakdown of society. The criminal is seen not as a predator, but a “victim” of an “unjust society.” This myth has been propagated by the left for decades and it has seeped into our educational system and courts to the extent that no one is held accountable. And as the saying goes, the revolution always devours itself. Take a look at the recent riot at the DNC last week. More of that is coming. I’m bracing for the 2024 Democratic Convention here in Chicago. And this time the “defunded”and demoralized CPD is going to have its hands full. It ain’t gonna be pretty. I’m afraid it’s going to make 1968 look like a picnic.
Excellent points, Mike. I hope you’re wrong about the convention, but doubt you are. Stay safe, brother. Danny
“some major cities throughout the country failed to quell the riots of 2020.”
Of course they did. The truly hard Left -the revolutionary Left as opposed to the gradualist, evolutionary Left- sees the riots as part of the process of destroying the Capitalist Entity. They are actively opposed to quelling the riots, actively in favor of rioting, because they want America to be destroyed. They have made no secret of that, either. They say so. The Capitalist Entity must be destroyed.
“nonsensical policies of the left to defund the police and free all the criminals.”
Those policies aren’t at all nonsensical when you understand that the goal of the hard Left is and always has been to destroy capitalism, and that they see America as the quintessential capitalist country. These policies make complete sense when you listen to them saying that America must be destroyed. Believe them when they say that. They mean it.
Back in the mid-1970s I spent a few months living with German Marxists in West Berlin. We spent a lot of time arguing politics. They genuinely believed that capitalism was evil, developed for the purpose of enslaving the masses. They realized the Soviet Union was evil as well, but claimed that was because True Marxism had never been tried, that if True Marxism ever was tried that it would NECESSARILY produce the peace, prosperity, and freedom which Marx had predicted. The many Marxist ‘experiments’ which existed around the world which had instead produced conflict, poverty, and oppression were irrelevant to them because those were obviously not True Marxism.
They really believed that the real world failures of Marxist regimes simply proved that they weren’t practicing True Marxism. It was a religious-like faith that Marx was right. Evidence was irrelevant.
To the hard Left any debate is criminal: if they have the power to kill anyone who advocates for individualism or capitalism, they will blow their brains out, just like Islamic fundamentalists will and do murder apostates. Look at college campuses, where conservatives are shouted down, sometimes physically assaulted: they don’t tolerate dissent because it is evidence of capitalist criminality.
Their policies make perfect sense when you understand their goals.
No argument here!
First, thanks for posting your thoughts about what we are witnessing in this country now, Danny. Throughout the decades I have known you, I have never known you to lack the courage to speak out with the truth–whether it was with consequences or not. Glad to see you have not relinquished that character trait! Tom hit the nail on the head with his assessment. A lot of good solid Americans label what is happening to this nation as extreme stupidity or unprecedented societal craziness, But those orchestrating this are neither stupid nor crazy. I am not speaking of a conspiracy where evil masterminds meet in dimly lit backrooms to plan their actions, but rather a simple commonality in ideology. After years of being influenced by so called educators, entertainers, sports heroes, social media shot callers, and even clergy, many simply subscribe to an ideology that simplistically (and erroneously) separates persons into two categories— oppressors and the oppressed. As such, we are looking at a very deliberate and diabolical methodology being put into action for the purpose of destroying the American capitalist society. A former president announced for every American to hear that he was going to “fundamentally transform” the U.S. And, true to his word, he set about to do just that. The politician cowards who realize something is desperately wrong with what is transpiring, yet refuse to speak out, are enablers. By the way, capitalism, despite its imperfections, has created the means for more people to climb out of poverty than any other economic system the world as ever known. Period.
Thanks, Sonny… I appreciate your kind words, and I always enjoy your wise and thoughtful discourse.
Hi Danny,
I am so sorry for the family losing their son so needlessly. When will people wake up to the violence perpetrated on our cities streets so easily? Responsibility for individual actions must be reinstated before real progress can be made.
I agree. Thank you, Sarah.
The Bible says that in the last days mankind will get worse. Vicious unloving hating their parents not having any love or respect for others. 2 Timothy 3. I believe we’re seeing that come to pass
I believe it.
I am also in complete agreement on this. I never comment on anything with the word politician in it, but this atrocity ranks among the worst. As a young man, I walked where I pleased hitchhiked thousands of miles without fear. Now, there are entire cities I fear to enter. Thank you.
Yeah I hate using the P word in my blogs… but it’s at the point where the truth needs to be spoken by anyone with the courage and a platform. People will unsubscribe to my newsletter because of it, but it hardly matters at this point. Thanks, George.
Stand up for one another and pray that God helps us all my brother.
Amen, brother!
Danny,
You know I am in complete agreement with you on this. We have had this discussion previously. Thank you for being vocal on this issue. The only reason for posting this comment is to publicly express my support. Brother, I’ve got your six on this.
Thank you, my brother!