Chickens come home to roost

When President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. Texas in 1963, Black Muslim leader Louis Farrakhan said – – it was just a case of the chickens coming home to roost.   When the World Trade Center was destroyed by a terrorist attack on September 11, 2001, Barack Obama’s minister Jeremiah Wright said – – it was just a case of the chicken’s coming home to roost.

Those comments echo through my mind when I think of the recent anti-establishment riots in downtown Olympia.  It’s just a case of the chickens coming home to roost.

Olympia’s ultra-liberal stance, particularly when protesters spout the same anti-Bush/Cheney stance as held by city officials, gives the chickens a safe place to roost.

We’ve known that violence was coming.   We’ve known it for some time now.    The City of Olympia’s inability or unwillingness to deal tough with demonstrators only reinforces the chicken’s feelings of security.

For May Day after May Day, protesters have shut down city streets, and city officials did nothing to stop them.   For years now, bicycle terrorists have taken to city streets, shutting down traffic and closing off city streets, and city officials did nothing.

The recent anti-war protests at the Port of Olympia, resulted in a few arrests, but the protesters were allowed to continue because their views echoed the views of city officials.

The concert riot at The Evergreen State College resulted in damage to a city-owned vehicle.  Some arrests have been made and more are on the way.  Now comes the protests in the downtown streets, where windows were broken and graffiti was sprayed on walls.   We must make it clear, that for the most part, these vandals were from out-of-town.   And that just makes my case.

Out-of-town activists have seen that it’s OK to protest in the streets of the City of Olympia and two things will happen.  Because it’s the state capital, the protests will be covered by the media.   And, because city officials have seldom taken protesters to court, nothing will happen to them if they engage in violence.

It’s just a case of the chicken’s coming home to roost.