Copycats and Doom

I have had to pause in considerable measure the promotion of my novels and the cause is most concerning.

My cousin in Tulsa was attacked by a maniac with a sword when he tried to stop the perpetrator from burning down his church. The perp said, "God sent me."

My cousin suffered severe cuts on his hands, a severed artery and two broken bones in his left forearm. He is facing months of therapy. How much of the use of his hands he will regain is an intangible.

I hate to be such a fervid pessimist, but I can't help thinking that all the arson, looting and violence perpetrated against any form of authority sanctions like behavior from others. The church, after all, is seen by many as a member of the authority structure.

It strikes me that any lashing out (including the "mostly peaceful" demonstrations) is justified by the press, which legitimizes such violence and therefore encourages it.

It has now struck home for me.

The constant message from the media, academia and entertainment is that all authority is evil and resistance--including by violent protest--is always justified.

So we have the attacks on the police, on churches and, in response because it is apparently sanctioned, on the congress, on Paul Pelosi, etc., etc.

I fear it is the breakdown of American society. Maybe I'm an alarmist, but it is respect for law and order that is the necessary (but not sufficient) basis of a functioning democracy.

I fear we have lost all respect for differences of opinion. Those who disagree are therefore considered the enemy and worthy of condemnation and even violent resistance.

Insanity may not reign, but it is reaching very dangerous levels, and its spread is a worrying trend.