We can all agree that violence on either side is wrong and should be avoided.
What we seemingly cannot agree upon is why so many feel the need to engage in whataboutism and mention a protest in favor of following our laws done in Portland with an insurrection on our democracy itself trying to dismantle our laws in Washington DC.
Whether intentionally or not, this suggests an equivalence between the events which is false and which only distracts us from dealing with each separately, appropriately, and in accordance with our laws.
Person A: Climate change is a major problem.
Person B: What about covid?! That’s a problem, too.
Me: Both are. They’re not equivalent. They’re not mutually exclusive. We must deal with both at once. Walk and chew bubble gum.
Simply replace climate and covid with DC and Portland. This isn’t exactly rocket science.