BLAME: Where it belongs

Reading Steve Cameron’s article in the Aug. 24 paper, he is upset by the president laying blame on all participants. The protesters had a right to be there with a permit granted by a judge. The counter-protesters did not have a permit so they were an unlawful assembly.

Some of the protesters spewed hate and racial slurs and wore helmets, and carried shields and clubs. Some of the counter-protesters wore helmets, and carried shields and clubs. This was a recipe for violence. Everyone knew it was going to happen and it did. Unfortunately, the Charlottesville police and the State Police were both prevented from acting as a buffer between the two groups (I still don’t know why).

The governor said he was acting to prevent the State Police from being hurt by the heavily armed protesters. The captain of the State Police denied this, saying: “We could have handled anything that happened,” but they didn’t get a chance until it was too late. (Interesting note — even though the protesters were armed with firearms, not one shot was fired.)

So as a disinterested party, it looks like there was plenty of blame to go around. However, because the protesters were using inflammatory language, it’s all their fault. In what universe is this a fact?

Interesting side note, an act of Congress in 1959 made all Confederate combatants U.S. veterans with equal rights as all other U.S. veterans.

DENNIS EDELBROCK

Hayden