A non-criminal won’t

In 1977, electricity went off in New York City. During the time it was off, the rate of incidences of burning, looting, murder, and other knavery soared. Andrew Young, then the U.S. Ambassador to the UN, reportedly commented, “If you turn off the lights, people will steal.” My late father’s response was, “They could turn off the lights, leave the doors unlocked, and leave the safe open, and I wouldn’t steal anything.”

When peaceful protests degenerate into burning, looting, murder, and other knavery, put the blame squarely where it belongs — on the backs of the criminals. No one else, including society, is to blame. When a woman jogging through a city park is mugged and raped, don’t be tempted to blame the woman for showing a lack of judgment. Place the blame where it belongs — on the rapist. When a violent mob storms the Capitol, don’t blame the Capitol police for being overwhelmed. Put the blame where it belongs — on the insurrectionists, seditionists, trespassers, or whatever you wish to call them. Whatever term you use, the word “criminal” is a good catch-all.

A law-abiding citizen would not need Capitol police or even barricades to keep her or him out of the Capitol building. All that would be needed would be signs posted at regular intervals that read, “Unlawful for unauthorized visitors to go past this point.” Non-criminals would abide by the sign. They wouldn’t even need all caps. The Capitol police could spend more time at the doughnut shop.

GRISHAM PHILLIPS Benton