The accusation has been leveled that (white) Christian leaders' criticism of, and outrage over, the Trump riot/coup is hypocritical if they did not make equally strong criticisms of the vandalism in some of the racial justice protests.

Bad take, for (at least) four reasons:

1. The racial justice protests were based on something real: a long history of oppression and injustice.

By contrast, the attack on the Capitol was predicated on a conspiracy theory that the US Presidential election had been stolen.

2. For a white Christian leader to change the subject from legitimate black voices would be tone deaf and morally wrong.

By contrast, the attack on the Capitol was not only completely baseless, but perpetuated by white people claiming Christianity. These are *our* people.

3. The excesses of the racial justice protests were the breaking of the law, the destruction of private property.

By contrast, the attack on the Capitol was, whatever the insurrectionists believed about themselves, an attack on the rule of law itself and an assault on the State.

4. The people responsible for the violence and destruction in the racial justice protests were ordinary citizens without special responsibilities.

By contrast, the attack on the Capitol was instigated and encouraged by the President of the United States himself!

So, do I have more to say about what we saw on January 6th, 2021 than I did about, for example, buildings being burned in some of the BLM protests? Yes. And for good reason.

Caveat: I never did, and would NEVER, condone violence or destruction.