I don’t consider property destruction “violence”. Violence for me can only occur if there is a nervous system involved. Defining it otherwise seems a bit disingenuous, imo. Vandalism is not the same as an act against a person or animal.

Property damage is not violence against civilians.

It’s obviously not an absolutism, though I think we’d be surprised how many people it covers. Propaganda runs deep in this country and the distorted funhouse mirror that they view the world through is pretty effective. Certainly there are bad actors, but it’s a small part of the whole. Even those on “the left” (in truth they are mostly center right) have a skewed and highly misinformed view of politics. Many people’s hearts are in the right place but their brains are mush and the Overton window is so far right that they can’t tell their asses from a hole in the ground. Generational trauma has created a country of Stockholm Syndrome victims who identify with their captors (the rich). To paraphrase Warren Buffet “It’s a class war and the rich are winning”. Working class unity and class consciousness are the only thing that might save us. I’m not convinced that THAT will happen though, given what I see going on and the response. I really hope I’m wrong.

Never assume malfeasance where plain incompetence will suffice as an explanation.