I Don't Get It, And Neither Do The Rioters

Let's distill this down to its basic elements: a bunch of white supremacist wingnuts decided they wanted to march in Toledo, Ohio, yesterday except they didn't get to march, per se.

"Authorities said there was little they could do to stop the group, because they did not apply for a parade permit and instead planned to walk along sidewalks." Mayor Jack Ford, who is black, said "They do have a right to walk on the Toledo sidewalks." Ford at one point confronted leaders of the mob and tried to settle them down.

"A gang member in a mask threatened to shoot him (Mayor Ford), and others cursed him for allowing the march, the mayor said. He said he didn't know if the man who threatened him was actually armed, but he blamed gangs for much of the violence. The march had been called off because of the crowds, and the white supremacists had left."

In all, 114 people got arrested. Buildings got burned. Property was destroyed, cars were overturned, crowds threw rocks and objects at police and fire personnel. You likely saw the video on Saturday. From Yahoo news:

Neighbors were divided about the city allowing the march. "They don't have the right to bring hate to my front yard," said Terrance Anderson, who lives near a bar that was destroyed. Other neighbors said the group had a right to have their say. "Too bad the people couldn't ignore them," said Dee Huntley.

I don't get it. Maybe I'm just thick. A bunch of idiots come to your neighborhood and you decide to participate in a riot that ends up destroying businesses and infrastructure where you live.

And apparently Terrance Anderson doesn't get it either -- rioters burned his neighborhood bar. What's the upside of that?

Lawfully, the First Amendment (Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.) still applies -- like it or not.

Organize your own march. Keep it peaceful. Keep your neighborhood intact. But trash your own backyard? To borrow a phrase from a General I admire: those folks are "stuck on stupid."