54% of the public say that the #GeorgeFloydProtests are justified, and they've inspired imitations across Europe. This despite the fact that violent images are plastered all over social media.
Can the riots really be considered "bad optics" for the Left?
Can the riots really be considered "bad optics" for the Left?
The riots are ultimately not "revolutionary" in the strict sense of the term—they're not about seizing power. They're about demanding recognition and concessions, venting negative energy, taking goods, and demoralizing the existing power structure.
In other words—despite some bold claims by Cornell West about the failed American experiment—and despite the fact that violence genuinely scares suburban liberals—the demands of the protestors can ultimately be satisfied, at least temporarily, by the existing power structure.
