If you really want to understand what’s going on in Portland the best way to get it is to think about it as the Arab “Palestinians” vs the Jews of Israel.
It’s very simple to explain the difference between the Jews of Israel and the Arab “Palestinians” and their conflicts. If the Palestinians disarmed tomorrow, the Jews of Israel would not need to worry about being killed by them and both sides could get on with their lives. In fact if the Arabs didn’t even disarm but merely stopped trying to kill Jews (which has been the general effects of the barriers set up that terrorists have a hard time getting over) then there is no conflict period. This is a huge problem for the arabs as it means their “leadership” now has to deliver for their people rather than just enrich themselves.
In short if the Arabs either disarm or stop trying to kill jews the war would be over.
Ironically if the Jews disarmed and/or stopped defending themselves the war would also be over, because the Arab “Palestinians” would kill every single one of them.
This is pretty much what is going on in Portland and Seattle.
If the rioters dispersed tomorrow, the violence would end. Business could function, people could work, police officers could do their normal function of enforcing the law and serving and protecting the people and property of the city and the only cost to the community would be the normal costs of insane rules and taxes levied on the citizens the by left which while destructive to business generally doesn’t kill anybody
However as was amply demonstrated when the Feds removed themselves after a deal with the Governor of the state. Their departure didn’t end the violence, it expanded it even to the point that the Mayor who was blaming everything on Donald Trump suddenly is excoriating the rioters not only for putting city officials & workers in danger and attempting to commit murder but for doing something even worse helping to re-elect Donald Trump!
In fairness of all the arguments he might make to stop these thugs this is the one most likely to work as Allahpundit put it:
it speaks volumes that this is what this guy feels he has to resort to in order to try to reach the consciences of the droogs who are still attacking police in his city. Reminding them that cops have families won’t work. Emphasizing that bystanders are destined to get caught in the crossfire between them and the police and end up injured or dead won’t cut it either.
Appealing to their decency is a nonstarter.
But appealing to their hatred by claiming that someone whom they detest even more than the cops might be profiting from their rampage? Now you’re talking. America’s political culture is one of intense negative partisanship and Ted Wheeler is all in.
The irony of course is that thanks to the jungle primary system in portland the alternative to Wheeler’s being offered to the people thinks like this:
“Peaceful protests, in my opinion, might not necessarily be moving the conversation forward.”
If she doesn’t win in Portland she would fit right in running in the west bank.


