The actions of BLM and ANTIFA remind me of the "persecution" of the Christians in ancient Rome, who -in open defiance of Empirical law- took to the streets burning ritual scrolls and attacking temples with blood, feces and hammers as they battled the Emperor's Praetorian Guard who tried to maintain order. And -then as now- they all screamed they were the victims and being unjustly persecuted as they repeatedly committed capitol crimes... and all in the name of their 'God-given" rights.

Further, today's targeted federal buildings, courthouses, police stations and churches are especially similar since they are our modern temples of Justice and social order!

Today's rioters are very lucky that -unlike the Rome of 100AD- we do not have a system where the Church/State are totally intertwined, because then to attack one was to attack the other and to attack either was a capitol offense punishable by execution. Even so, few of those holy anarchists ended up on a cross [or as Lion-lunch in an arena] as early Catholic texts -or 1950's MGM epics- would have you believe, because they just weren't that important. Yet another ancient attitude mimicked today.

Instead, the common penalty was expulsion from Rome and exile within the rest of the Empire. No SMALL sentence! The condemned were first branded with an "E" on their forehead and then quick-marched to Rome's gates with the more violent extremists actually hauled to the furthest reaches of the Empire and tossed into the wilderness... if they weren't killed before they even arrived there.

That "E" meant you lost ALL rights as a citizen, freeborn or not. Your property was seized and you were not allowed to work, sleep in a hostel or eat in a public place. You were constantly shunned because those who gave you aid/comfort would share your fate. And, if you wandered outside the Empire's boundaries you were at the mercy of barbarians who were even less hospitable!

So, as stupid creatures of habit we once again witness an endlessly repeating history; but this time the irony is that instead of the Empire suppressing crimes of religious fervor it's the other way around and we have a government attempting to not only uphold the law of the land but also the beliefs that are its foundation!

Branding irons, anyone??