It is really interesting to me (and by that, I mean, it really pisses me off) that a few years ago I got demonized in the American press for advocating targeted non-violent economic system disruption of corporate interests in Egypt through disabling supply chains, strategic interference in operational efficiency, and imposing repeated excess costs while demanding these companies use their influence to support democracy in the country and force the Coup out of power; and these same media outlets (like the New York Times) are literally saying today about the protest movement in America that rioting, looting, vandalism and arson are all acceptable and legitimate actions to take against oppression.
You’ve got Trevor Noah saying it’s fine to loot Target stores, Nikole Hannah-Jones of the New York Times saying “property damage isn’t violence” and Chris Cuomo — the brother of the governor of New York, saying on national television “whoever said protests have to be peaceful?”
What I called for was never chaos, was never wide-scale social turmoil, was never indiscriminate property damage, was never destruction for its own sake. I advocated highly limited, disciplined, targeted disruption with a clearly defined and articulated purpose; and I was portrayed like some kind of terrorist mastermind. But rioters and looters burning cities in the US right now, are being portrayed as sympathetic heroes in the best tradition of American dissent.