Richert: Predicting Vigilantism is Calling For It

Kevin Richert has a beef with Bryan Fischer, who wrote on Wednesday:

“While it cannot be justified, we should not be surprised if we begin to see more individuals taking the law into their hands as they deal with the immense frustration of being victimized twice – once by the perpetrator and a second time by a justice system that is supposed to be on their side.”

Richert accuses Fischer of “stepping close to the ledge of playing to mob mentality” and says:

This is really about sympathizing with vigilante justice. Fischer doesn’t do that, and says this behavior “cannot be justified,”

One would wonder what the problem is then. Richert goes on:

but he certainly doesn’t come across as unsympathetic to would-be vigilantes. Fischer says vigilante justice leads to “anarchy and chaos,” yet suggests the Supreme Court has helped to enable a vigilante mindset.

That’s dangerous, especially coming from someone who aspires to influence public policy. I pray — and I’m not being at all flippant here — that Fischer’s readers recognize this.

So, Bryan Fischer shouldn’t suggest that the rulings of the court might have a consequence. Or perhaps, he should say, “I disagree with the court’s decision, but no biggee. This won’t hurt the country.” Apparently now, there are certain results one is not allowed to foresee because such results are unpleasant, and by identifying a consequence of a court’s ruling, one is calling for it, even if you declare the action “unjustifiable” and warn that it will lead to chaos, you’re still somehow responsible for it.

There are many parents out there who are peaceful law abiding folks. If the topic of some violence being done to children comes up, they’ll readily confess that they don’t know what they would do if someone harmed their child. Many parents of children killed in violent crimes will confess a desire to kill the killer. There are few instincts more natural than this. (Note: Natural does not equal good, and I agree that vigilantism is horrible for society.)

What constrains people from taking vengeance? Three things: 1) Religious belief, 2) faith in the criminal justice system, 3) fear of themselves being punished. As not everyone’s religious, and even many of those who are go through a crisis of faith when something like this happens to their child, that people have confidence in the Criminal Justice System is paramount. If parents come to conclude the criminal justice system does not work and is rather a system that protects criminals rather than children, they’ll lose confidence in it. If people lose confidence in the criminal justice system, you’ll have vigilantism. It’s not something I promote, it’s not certainly not something Reverend Fischer promotes. It’s what happened throughout the years as decent people have come to the conclusion that Civil government will not protect them and have taken matters into their own hands with  some very unpleasant results.

Here’s an idea. Rather than accusing the guys standing on deck screaming, “Iceberg!” of trying to make the ship hit the iceberg, why not help right the ship?