We’ve hit a point in this country that’s difficult to describe—because on paper, we should be advancing. But socially? Culturally? Morally? Some days it feels like we’re sprinting backward, blindfolded.
I’m not here to give you a political lecture. I’m not here to take sides. As a criminal defense lawyer in Queens, I’ve represented people from every political stripe, every background, every ideology you can name. It doesn’t matter whether someone is liberal, conservative, white, Black, Latino, transgender, rich, broke, atheist, religious, or just plain lost—everyone deserves legal protection under the Constitution.
But what does matter—and what I can’t pretend not to notice—is this growing idea that violence or vandalism is an acceptable way to express your beliefs.
And nowhere has that been more obvious than in the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk.
A 22-Year-Old Decides It’s His Call
Charlie Kirk, whatever you think of his politics, was a man speaking at a college campus. That’s it. He was using his voice. And for that, a 22-year-old felt justified in ending Charlie’s life. Like he was authorized. He had the final say… while still living off of his parents and playing video games.
Let that sink in: we now have young adults in America who think assassination is a form of expression. That it’s some sort of personal prerogative. That if they dislike your views strongly enough, they can erase you entirely.
I don’t care who you vote for or what signs you put in your lawn—this is insanity.
A disconnection with reality.
Destruction Isn’t Dialogue—It’s Just Noise
What’s fueling this trend? Why are we seeing more and more young people destroy to be heard? I don’t just mean in the extreme. I mean the day-to-day nonsense:
- Soup splashed on priceless artwork.
- Dealerships set on fire.
- Businesses looted “in protest.”
- Statues toppled not in debate, but by masked mobs at 3 a.m.
None of this changes hearts. None of it changes laws. It’s not persuasion. It’s not even protest. It’s tantrum theater—and it’s making people more polarized, not less.
If you have something to say, use words. Organize. Run for office. Start a podcast. March. Write. Vote. But burning things to the ground or taking someone’s life isn’t noble. It’s cowardice with a bullhorn.
When Did Universities Become Daycare for Discontent?
I’m old enough to remember when college was where you went to challenge your own views—not just confirm them. To be pushed, not coddled. To become an adult.
Now? Too many campuses have become glorified holding pens for kids who aren’t ready for the real world—but whose parents are willing to shell out $80,000 a year just to keep them out of their hair and out of their lives. I have even heard parents say things like, “Thank God Johnny’s away at school—we don’t have to deal with his numb-nut ideas and rainbow-colored weirdness.” And as long as the tuition is paid, academic institutions have no problem babysitting.
Calling a Spade a Spade: The Irony of Performative Protest
It’s no wonder the Phoebe Plummers of the world think soup-splashing is activism. They live in a world with no consequences. But let’s look at that more closely, shall we? Take the now-infamous Just Stop Oil protestor Phoebe Plummer. You know—the one who throws soup at paintings while wearing, in every picture, the full uniform of industrial hypocrisy:
- Rubber-soled boots (made from oil)
- Plastic sunglasses (oil)
- A high-vis vinyl safety vest (oil again)
- Color-of-the-week dyed hair, courtesy of synthetic chemical dye that comes in a plastic bottle, the diesel fuel truck that drives on a highway to bring it to the store, and applied with—you guessed it—plastic or vinyl gloves so it doesn’t stain her hands.
You can’t make this stuff up.
She doesn’t vandalize her own parents’ home (which is reportedly worth $5.5 million). She doesn’t start by cutting herself off from the oil-based products she wears daily. She doesn’t give up her 20-selfies-a-day habit on a phone made of plastic and rare metals shipped across the globe. She doesn’t stop streaming her protests on platforms built on servers powered by fossil fuels.
Because it was never about real change. It’s performance. It’s pageantry. It’s privilege. It’s the Selfie Boat.
And it’s the same type of hypocrisy that fuels rage on college campuses across the country. Kids who have every comfort imaginable—but carry the conviction of having been wronged by… what? Too many conveniences?
In the Courtroom, We Don’t Deal in Vibes—or Hurt Feelings. And Definitely Not Tantrums. We Deal in Facts
As a criminal defense attorney in Queens, I don’t deal in hashtags. I deal in facts, records, footage, evidence, and testimony. When someone crosses the line from speech to violence, from protest to criminal destruction, there are consequences.
I’ve represented clients caught up in protests that turned sideways. I’ve defended college students who didn’t know better. I’ve also represented people who were wrongly accused in politically charged climates.
But one thing is always true: once you throw the punch, light the match, or fire the shot, you don’t get to control the narrative anymore.
The justice system kicks in. And it’s rarely forgiving.
When the Mouth Doesn’t Match the Mind: Watch the Words
Let’s talk about one more example of this odd cultural moment—@RtothepowerofX on Twitter (or X, as it’s now called). During the Charlie Kirk incident, while most were crouched in fear or confusion, this guy stood up and double-fisted the air in celebration like his favorite footbal team just scored a field goal.
Days later, when trying to explain himself, (video time 1:14) he fumbled the word “instinctively”—badly… I stick-tively… stink-tickly… stiff-trinkly…. https://x.com/RtothepowerofX/status/1966564146217910643
Now, I don’t point this out to be petty. I point it out because as a criminal defense lawyer, I’ve spent years observing people under pressure. And one of the most telling indicators of a lie is when someone stumbles over a word that’s not normally in their vocabulary.
Muscle memory in speech is a real thing. When someone is speaking naturally, their tongue, lips, and jaw move with practiced ease. But when they’re reading off a script—or saying something outside their normal thought-flow—it shows. This gentleman doesn’t realized that we all saw how he was attempting to explain himself with a word he clearly doesn’t use often. He tries to say “instinctively” and we get, “I stink-tively… stick-tively… stink tickley…”
To a trained ear—judge, cop, lawyer, investigator—that’s a red flag. The mouth is revealing what the brain doesn’t fully believe. The man was clearly out of his element. And frankly? A detective would likely watch that and say, “The jig is up, man. Quit while you’re behind.”
Also, small detail: there’s no visible security team in the background of the video. So what exactly were you reacting to? What instincts were you operating on?
Here’s a free tip from someone who actually defends people in court: just say you messed up. Say, “I f’ed up. I’m sorry. I’ve since graduated the school of FAFO, and I have recalibrated myself.” People respect honesty. People respect a lapse in judgement. People would respect you and be more forgiving.
But when you try to backpedal with a mouth full of words that aren’t yours? You just dig deeper. Don’t double-down with a second video about your “soldiers”. My advice again, quit while you’re behind.
We Can’t Defend What We Refuse to Name
You don’t have to agree with Charlie Kirk to be horrified by his assassination. You just have to be a decent human being. You don’t have to support Just Stop Oil to see the absurdity of someone dressed in oil-based gear lecturing others about oil use.
It’s time we called this what it is: a generation of young people raised on outrage and contradictions, who haven’t been taught how to lose an argument without destroying something—or someone.
That is the entire definition of a tantrum.
Final Thought: Grow Up. Speak Up. But Don’t Burn It Down.
This isn’t about politics. It’s about proportion.
You don’t like someone’s speech? Use yours. You think a policy is unjust? Rally. Campaign. Vote. But if your first instinct is to break, smash, attack, or kill, you’ve already lost the argument—and your place in civil society.
We need more adults in the room. More people willing to say: enough with the stunts. Enough with the hypocrisy. Enough with the pretending that rage is the same as righteousness.
Speak your mind. But keep your hands—and your weapons—to yourself.
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