Instinctive Reaction – Rationalizing Criminal Behavior

Having been around on this spinning planet for quite some time, I thought I’d heard most of the excuses for bad behavior.  But; there’s a prosecutor in the Portland area who added a new twist, a dangerous precedent in rationalizing criminal behavior.

 It was difficult believing what my eyes were reading in a PJ Media article explaining that most of the individuals arrested for rioting in Portland would not be charged or their charges dropped due to their Instinctive Reaction to extreme circumstances caused by…the police.

“Multnomah DA Mike Schmidt says some of the actions of protestors represent “the instinctive reaction of people who have been gassed repeatedly, who have been struck with kinetic projectile weapons, and who have seen other protestors arrested in ways they deeply disapprove of”…

Well, there you have it; when you are involved with a riotous group and don’t want to leave when the police tell you that you’re violating the law it’s now permissible to set dumpsters on fire, burn the American Flag, spit on anyone wearing a MAGA hat or throw rocks at those attempting to enforce the law because it’s only an instinctive reaction.

My head is still spinning after reading what a District Attorney has claimed is reason enough to drop charges against those arrested in the Portland riots.

The Rule of Law is being tossed in the garbage along with common sense. 

Let’s take this “Instinctive Reaction” for a test spin, see what it can do; kind of like taking a new sports car out of the showroom prior to purchasing one…

Consider if you will...There’s a line of police officers standing in front of an unruly mob burning American flags, aiming high powered lasers at them in an attempt to blind them while at the same time tossing flaming bottles of incendiary liquids at them.  Is that a fair picture of what’s been going on in Portland?

Instead of ordering the rioters to leave or be arrested, some of the officers “deeply disapprove” of how these individuals are behaving based on societal norms.  Using the DA’s own words, these police officers “deeply disapprove” of the assaults being waged against them and draw their weapons in defense of life and property.  A hail of bullets takes out several rioters and the rest leave with their tails tucked between their legs.

According to the rationalization of “Instinctive Reaction”, the police officers shouldn’t be charged with any criminal act since they had been subjected to hours of harassment and minor physical assaults which culminated in their “deep disapproval” of the situation.

I remember the first time I watched the movie, The Blues Brothers, where the NAZI Party was holding a protest, shouting and rebuking those who didn’t agree with their cause.  It was a welcome sight to see the Blues Brothers drive their car through over the bridge forcing these NAZI protesters to jump into the water in order to keep from being run over.  I suppose the Blues Brothers “deeply disapproved”, as did most of those watching the movie as folks were laughing and slapping their knees in agreement.

I don’t think America is ready for the application of criminal law that would turn America into a lawless chaotic third world country, a country devoid of the Rule of Law.  Perhaps Portland’s citizenry will figure out that “Instinctive Reaction” is just another excuse for not upholding the laws of the land, they’ll replace their District Attorney with someone who actually intends to do their job.