The about-face was instantaneous.
Ever since January 6, 2021, liberals have boasted of an extreme respect for this nation’s institutions. On that day, a group of protesters entered the U.S. Capitol Building, rushing past police barricades in the process. During the chaos in the Capitol Building, a protester, Ashli Babbitt, was shot and killed by a police officer. The protesters were eventually cleared out of the building, and many of them are now facing criminal charges.
The Democrats, never letting a good crisis go to waste, proceeded to use the January 6 riots as a platform to boast of their sincere love for America, hatred of Donald Trump, and above all, their profound respect for American institutions — institutions like the Capitol Building, which houses the meeting places for the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives.
Concerning the riots on January 6, President Biden has remarked that “in this sacred place, democracy was attacked — simply attacked. The will of the people was under assault. The Constitution — our Constitution — faced the gravest of threats.”
Vice President Kamala Harris likened the actions of the protesters to those of the Japanese and their attack on Pearl Harbor (which killed 2,403 Americans), and to the Islamic terrorists and their attack on September 11, 2001, (which killed 2,977 Americans).
Howard Bryant, a writer for the far-left (Disney-owned) ESPN, wrote that “the events of Jan. 6, where Americans stormed the most symbolically important legislative building in the free world...are the most unforgivable betrayals of the American ideal in your lifetime.”
For a year and a half now, the nation has watched as liberal politicians and media outlets carried the January 6 banner wherever they went. It seemed as though they possessed an extreme itch to mention January 6 in any and all contexts. The ESPN writer above is a perfect example, as he includes January 6 in his article about baseball and the July 4th holiday.
The Left, supposedly, cared very deeply about American institutions, and would never have wanted any of them violated, insulted, or invalidated.
At least, not until a few weeks ago.
During the past few weeks, the United States Supreme Court has released a torrent of conservative, pro-life, and pro-religious freedom rulings. The 2020 passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and the subsequent appointment of Justice Amy Coney Barrett, effectively exchanged a liberal, far-left justice with a conservative one. The nation’s highest Court then began to tilt (6 to 3) in favor of conservatism and religious rights.
On June 21, 2022, in the case of Carson v. Makin, the High Court barred the state of Maine from discriminating against religious schools regarding the allocation of tuition assistance funds.
On June 23, in the case of New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen, the Supreme Court struck down New York’s gun control law, which required citizens to provide “proper cause” to receive a license to carry a gun outside the home. The Court ruled that this law was unconstitutional and barred by the Second Amendment.
Four days later, in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, the Court sided with a Christian football coach who was fired by his public school employer after praying on the football field after games. The Supreme Court ruled that the coach’s actions were protected by the First Amendment’s Free Exercise and Free Speech clauses.
These losses at the nation’s highest Court were no doubt hard for the left to handle. However, they paled in comparison to the heart-wrenching loss progressives sustained on June 24.
On that day came the groundbreaking and historic decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, where the Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade and ruled that abortion is not a constitutional right. This decision uprooted precedent that had stood since 1973, a period of time that saw the killing of more than 60 million babies in America.
This pushed the progressives past their collective breaking point, and the left side of the aisle soon became unhinged. Abortion has remained a central battleground between conservatives and liberals in this country for many years. The other cases were unfortunate for the progressive cause. This loss was devastating.
And it quickly showed.
The Left’s previously prioritized notion of respect for America’s institutions was wholeheartedly abandoned. That flag no longer held value for the Democrats, so it was left by the wayside (similar to the LGBTQ flag the Democrats annually raise on June 1 and abandon on July 1).
In its place rose a deep vitriol and outrage towards the Supreme Court. All remnants of moral superiority and respect toward American institutions had magically dissipated in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decisions.
A Democrat representative from New York, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, said “The Supreme Court is actively delegitimizing itself” after overturning Roe.
Leftist and former news host Keith Olbermann wrote, “It has become necessary to dissolve the Supreme Court of the United States.”
Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) called the recent rulings “judicial attacks...from [an] illegitimate Supreme Court majority...”
Although five other Justices joined Justice Clarence Thomas in issuing these rulings (all four of the above rulings were decided by a 6-3 majority), the disdain and hatred have been directed towards him more than the others.
The mayor of Chicago, Lori Lightfoot, let loose a vulgar tirade during a rally.
Democrats quickly transformed from the supposed party of respect and patriotism to the established party of hatred and expletives. I, as well as many Democratic supporters I’m sure, was shocked and left wondering how so much sincere and heartfelt respect could evaporate so quickly.
Reverence for American institutions was a convenient mantra, an effective tool used by the Left to appear patriotic and pro-America.
In the Dobbs case, the Court ruled that a constitutional right to abortion never existed in the first place.
How fitting, since the same can be said of some Democrats’ respect for America.
