ANALYSIS/OPINION:

The Chinese Communist coronavirus isnt the only epidemic in the land.

Americas news media are suffering mass amnesia, stuffing down a memory hole the extent of destruction from the ongoing Black Lives Matter/Antifa race riots.

Apart from lots of happy stories depicting the whole country kneeling to the BLMs anti-White, Marxist demands, you wont see much about the real costs.

Its gotten so bad that Rep. Jim Jordan, Ohio Republican, unleashed an eight-minute video during a House committee meeting that was grilling Attorney General William P. Barr last Tuesday.

The video begins with a mashup of a dozen or so reporters and politicians repeating the phrase peaceful protests or peaceful protesters followed by riot footage. The next portion features the widow of slain St. Louis retired police Capt. David Dorn, a father of five who was killed while responding to an alarm at a pawnshop. As she speaks, scenes of mob violence unfold.

The effect is devastating. Which is why the video has come under attack. CNNs Jake Tapper drew some blood, showing that two CNN reporters who use the phrase peaceful protests are taken out of context. Hes right. Both reporters note that while the daytime protests they were covering were peaceful, they were followed by nighttime violence. That part was omitted. Welcome to what happens to conservatives when theyre interviewed by Mr. Tappers network.

But two wrongs dont make a right, and well give you this one, Jake. You had the guts to report how similar editing created the colossal lie that President Trump praised White supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia, even though he unequivocally condemned them.

However, Mr. Tapper does not dent the Jordan videos powerful message. Extreme media bias pervades riot coverage and political stories. Just Google Trump. The media are really good at covering up what they dont want known. Theyve sugar-coated abortion for decades while serving up the party line about choice. Theyve played down horrific Black-on-Black urban violence, focusing instead on a handful of police brutality cases. Theyre doing the same with the current riots.

If it bleeds, it leads isnt in force now. If Americans actually saw the extent of lawlessness in Democrat-run cities, they might realize whos responsible.

Given the Democrats wink and a nod to the rioters while defunding police, its not a reach to describe BLM/Antifa as the militant wing of the Democratic Party. Those are not Young Republicans out smashing windows, looting stores, burning buildings, beating up people and overturning police cars.

Ive searched in vain for news about the riots overall cost. The media seem profoundly incurious. How many people have been killed? How many police officers have been injured or died? How many businesses have been destroyed? How much will it cost to fix everything thats been broken?

Theres anecdotal evidence. Between May 25 and June 8, at least 17 people were killed in what the media call unrest. More than 700 law enforcers were injured by early June.

Property damage has run into the billions, and were not done yet. Portland continues to simmer, and cities explode nightly, like Richmond this past week.

Looters have struck at least 250 CVS pharmacies and 350 Walgreens nationwide, according to an insurance website. Crime is out of control in several major cities, with Chicago enduring double-digit murder numbers on weekends. In Los Angeles, Democrats plan to cut the police budget by more than $100 million despite homicides rising by 250% in early June.

Since we dont have reliable, comprehensive data, lets go to the nations largest city for a snapshot.

New York Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio has cut $1 billion from the NYPD budget and disbanded the 600-member plainclothes police unit. Between June 1 and June 30, shootings increased by 130% over June 2019. Murders rose by more than 30%, burglaries increased by 118% and auto thefts rose by 52%.

As for New Yorks finest you know, the guys in blue who ran into the World Trade Center during the 9/11 attacks, most of whom never came out here are some of their costs.

Since May 28, a total of 458 officers of all ranks have been injured, according to spokeswoman Sgt. Mary Frances ODonnell. Seven officers were admitted to the hospital, 303 were treated and released from the hospital, five were treated by EMS and 150 refused medical attention. Forty-seven officers remain out sick due to their injuries.

From May 28 to July 22, 303 NYPD vehicles have been vandalized during the protests, she reported in an email, adding that, 14 vehicles were a total loss due to arson and condemned.

The damage so far is estimated at $996,700.Thats just for the department.

The NYPD has seen a surge in the number of officers filing for retirement, said Sgt. ODonnell.

Well, why not? When you work for a mayor who hates your guts and the media treat you as the bad guys, why risk your life?

As for the rest of us, just because the media have amnesia, we shouldnt forget the real costs of the Democrats experiment in street justice.

Or the ongoing sacrifices of the thin blue line.

Robert Knight is a contributor to The Washington Times. His website is robertHknight.com.

Read the original here:

Liberal media blurs costs and destruction of ongoing Black Lives Matter/Antifa race riots - Washington Times