A LOOTING EPIDEMIC

It’s a Crime, Not a Mostly Peaceful Protest

It’s Happening Now

To my shock, I learned that the Nordstrom’s in Walnut Creek’s popular shopping area was looted by 80 thieves on Sunday.  In San Francisco, high-end stores, like Louis Vuitton, Burberry and others lost thousands of dollars in merchandise to a pack of thieves, making this look like organized theft.  Jewelry stores are seeing smash-and-grab looting, and the perps are armed with bats, pepper spray and more, hurting anyone who happens to be in their path.

These well-orchestrated events have come just prior to the Christmas shopping rush, terrifying shoppers and the store owners who count on the holiday season to survive. Especially after the impact of the CCP virus and lockdowns, no one can afford the loss of business, nor the loss of their valuable merchandise.  As word spreads of these disgusting crimes, more will jump in, feeling entitled to their own share of the loot.

What Options Do We Have?

At one time, looting was considered as a very serious matter, happening too often during emergencies, like fires and floods. Devastated people find that what was left of their property after the disaster has been taken by creeps who skulk around taking advantage of other people’s pain.  For many years, you had the right to shoot looters on sight, whether at your home or your business.  When that was the law, few risked it and people felt safer.  In most cases, you aren’t protected from the law if you shoot a looter, even as they mostly come armed and ready to hurt you if you try to stop them.  To me, that’s self-defense.  You devoted your life to earning the money and building the business; when someone does this, they are attacking you at your core.

Sadly, in California, we have few options.  Demoralized cops, having been defunded and treated like dirt during the “most peaceful protests” of BLM and Antifa, are reluctant to face more rage when they try to break the looting parties up and arrest the perps.  Walnut Creek police did their best this time, rounding up three suspects, but given that the dirtbags had organized getaway cars, blocking access, it’s amazing the police could do even that much.

Starting in 2014, California started encouraging looting and burglary by making it easy to commit property crimes.  You can readily steal up to $950 worth of goods with only a misdemeanor on your record and a fine, and only if you get caught, which is unlikely (Proposition 47.)  Store owners can be readily sued if they try to stop these losers, and police are encouraged just to “disperse” looters, which likely leaves them with the purloined goods.  Sadly, as so many of the looters are minorities, people are afraid to be accused or bigotry.  Yet, if you are part of a “mass grab and dash” robbery, you are a criminal. 

Our Governor’s Stance

“Among the most basic needs for all Californians is to feel safe at home, at the park, or walking to school,” said Governor Newsom. “As we pursue nation-leading criminal justice reforms – all with an eye to making our communities safer – a more holistic approach is called for. We must invest in public safety while, at the same time, tackling the root causes of these increases.”

And here’s the problem.   The focus is on the latter—the root cause—not on protecting the public.  Like so many laws in California, politicians want to “help” the criminal, not protect the public.  And it isn’t working.  All these social justice moves just encourage these a—holes.  AB 331, a relatively new idea, creates a regional property crimes task force, which is supposed to solve the problem, but just is another bureaucracy, with no teeth in enforcement.   

It Starts with the Fed

The more people feel entitled to free stuff, the more they expect.  And when it isn’t provided, they simply take what they want.  Beginning with Obama, Democrats increasingly offer “free” goodies (which are never free, as taxpayers have to pay for them), in a way to achieve election success and increase their power.  The more you rely on the government, the more freedom you give away, a situation that has never worked in any totalitarian government, whether you consider the USSR, Venezuela, Cuba or China. 

Biden has opened up Santa’s bag even more with Build Back Better, which is just another enormous handout.  And beyond that, tolerating the destructive, violent actions of the past year and not holding anyone accountable has empowered people to commit crimes.

Two Answers

First, affected businesses should have the right to sue the legislators personally and individually for policy decisions that led inevitably to this problem.  Not the government:  that would mean we would pay for this.

Second, and this will be controversial, but I believe America is in a state of emergency.  As such, certain laws should be suspended until such time as we return to a civil state.  Property and business owners should temporarily have the right to use deadly force against looters, protecting not just their property, but their lives.  There should be no recourse for the criminals who lose their lives.  It probably wouldn’t take long for looting, criminal street violence, vandalism and destruction to end as again, the cost would be too high for the perpetrators.  It’s time for us to regain our safety, our freedom and our sanity.