Does the word “Amontillado” ring a bell? High school English class, maybe?
In Edgar Allen Poe’s 1846 short story “A Cask of Amontillado,” a character bricks his hapless victim into a catacombs niche. High school students have been reading it for over 150 years. The story has exactly the ghoulish flavor teenage boys relish, and generations of English teachers have exploited that susceptibility to fullest to pound literature into malleable minds.
Somewhat along the same lines, a real life notorious medieval countess accused of murder (okay, lots of murders) allegedly was immured (i.e. bricked) into her castle chamber, with meals shoved through a crack under the door until she died four years later, on orders of the Hungarian king, who had been receiving complaints about young women (okay, lots of young women) disappearing in the vicinity of the countess’ castle. The legends that she bathed in their blood to keep herself beautiful have no evidence to support them, but we can presume her guilty because she’s been dead over 400 years and her lawyers are dead, too.
Then there’s Desmond David-Pitts, 19, the protester with the megaphone in the photo below.
According to Seattle’s KOMO-4 TV station, which is owned by the odious rightwing Sinclair Broadcasting Group, David-Pitts has been arrested and charged in federal court with arson, and could get up to 20 years, which may seem like too much or not enough depending on one’s political persuasion, for allegedly trying
“to set fire to the Seattle Police Department’s East Precinct building after using a fast drying concrete compound to try and lock the building’s occupants inside,”
during a night of unrest (referred to as a “riot” in some media) on Monday, Aug. 24, 2020. (Read story here.) This is no joking matter, and isn’t the least bit funny:
“A police spokesperson told KOMO News earlier in the week that protesters were deliberate in their efforts to trap officers inside the East Precinct building Monday night before setting fires,”
KOMO‘s story says, which quotes the police:
“’That’s not a protest, that’s not a demonstration that’s a directed attack against the police,’ said Sgt. Randy Huserik with the Seattle Police Department.”
I agree. That’s not a protest or demonstration, it’s attempted murder, although it’s easier for prosecutors to make arson charges stick, which I assume is why they merely charged him with arson. You have to prove intent for attempted murder, which could be difficult. Continuing, David-Pitts is from Alaska, not Seattle, and
“Federal law enforcement authorities said [he] arrived in Seattle three days before the protest. After marching with the group in downtown, he was seen on video compiling [piling? — ed.] trash and repeatedly lighting it on fire and feeding the blaze with more combustible materials over an 11-minute time frame captured on camera …”
And,
“His younger brother was shot and killed by police in Alaska in February, according to a report in the Anchorage Daily News.“
So there’s a possible motive, and it has nothing to do with George Floyd or demonstrating for police reform or defunding or whatever. It’s about taking raw, visceral revenge against police officers in another state who had nothing to do with his brother’s death, simply because they’re available and they’re police. That’s if he did it and that’s why; he’s presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The protests against police racism and brutality that started with George Floyd’s murder have attracted all sorts of people, from peaceful protesters (bless ’em) to rightwing vigilantes (whew, something stinks around here) and provocateurs like the “umbrella man”, and at least one stupid 17-year-old kid in illegal possession of an assault weapon who crossed state lines to participate in a riot that everybody, including peaceful protesters, is calling a “riot” and allegedly killed two people when he got there. He, too, is presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law.
None of these bozos and misfits are a valid reason to discredit BLM’s peaceful protests or legitimate goals. The police need reforming, and the demonstrations should go on. People who know better but have a vested interest in perpetuating our racist policing system will say stupid and dishonest things to whip up mobs (okay, rallies). Such as Trump accusing protesters of “burning cities down” when actually a tiny few angry individuals are trying to burn down police stations, and aren’t even very good at it, which is no excuse. The law and courts will deal with those individuals. They are no friends of BLM, peaceful protesters, and legitimate protest aims. Smart people won’t conflate them. Republicans will, and already are. They will exploit people’s susceptibility and attraction to the lurid like high school English teachers, but with malevolent rather than innocent purpose.
Photos: (Above right) What’s left of Countess Elizabeth Bathory’s castle, now a tourist attraction; everybody wants to see “the room.” (Below left) Desmond David-Pitts at a protest in Anchorage, Alaska.
If you drink sherry it is a big deal. Or you can go for white Russians.