In the aftermath of one of the worst days in modern American history — when violent rioters stormed the US Capitol building — President-elect Joe Biden and his Vice President Kamala Harris had two choices. The first was to deliver on their calls for “unity.” The second was to bang the oft-used political drum of identity politics with an eye to capitalize on the chaos. In an act which stands as a precursor for the revolting strategy they will no doubt apply throughout their administration, they chose the latter.
Joe Biden said that “a group of Black Lives Matter” protesters would have been “treated very, very differently,” and that “we all know that’s true.”
Joe Biden called the difference between how police treated Trump rioters versus Black Lives Matter protesters "unacceptable" pic.twitter.com/qj8DbH42zQ
— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) January 7, 2021
Kamala Harris took this statement one step further by presenting the appalling actions of the rioters as being demonstrative of a wider issue, “a justice system that does not work equally for all.”
The challenge we’re facing in our country is about more than the actions of a few. It’s about how to transform a justice system that doesn’t work equally for all. pic.twitter.com/w2ONQWUxjN
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) January 7, 2021
Setting aside the unbelievable irony that Joe Biden — the author of the 1994 crime bill — and Kamala Harris — a former District Attorney and Attorney General who has jailed more black people than nearly any other American citizen — are assigned authority on “criminal justice reform,” it’s crucial that we reject these statements for what they are: racist, inflammatory garbage.
The narrative that the “white pro-Trump rioters” who stormed the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C. were treated “better” than “Black Lives Matter protesters” is simply untrue.
Police clashed violently with rioters on January 6th. One police officer tragically lost his life, and one rioter — an unarmed white woman — was shot and killed. Tear gas and other crowd control tactics were used as law enforcement regained control. The actions of the rioters was immediately and unequivocally condemned by mainstream conservatives, liberals, and leftists alike. Finally, the mainstream media reported on the events with unforgiving and concrete language.
Now, let’s compare the widespread reaction to the multiple Black Lives Matter protests and riots which gripped the country last year. Police stations were destroyed, entire city blocks were occupied, and homes and businesses were ransacked and burned to the ground. In response, Democrat politicians and media members ignored the violence, often explaining that it was a necessary reaction to systemic issues. When Black Lives Matter was painted on city streets, local politicians fell over themselves to be photographed alongside their allies. While Joe Biden took weeks to even acknowledge the existence of Black Lives Matter riots, he couldn’t find a microphone fast enough when the right political opportunity presented itself.
Not only that, the media provided a coordinated campaign of defense and justification for the violence which left multiple American cities in ashes. Perhaps most memorably, CNN’s Chris Cuomo asked his audience to “show me where it says that protests are supposed to be polite and peaceful.”
SUERCUT!
Media: Yes, violence is the answer pic.twitter.com/1juSdYtKvD
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) January 7, 2021
By choosing to promote a racially inflammatory lie with such shameless boldness, Biden and Harris provided us with incontrovertible proof that their calls for “unity” are nothing of the sort. On the evening of January 6th, the United States was at a crossroads. With the vast majority of Americans — regardless of political affiliation — expressing unquestionable shock and horror in their condemnation of the riots in Washington D.C., Biden and Harris had a golden opportunity to unite on the simple and inarguable position that violence against the non-violent is unacceptable.
Instead, they cashed in for petty and racial political profit. Don’t expect anything to change.
Ian Haworth is host of The Ian Haworth Show and The Truth in 60 Seconds. Follow him on Twitter at @ighaworth.
The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.