Over the last several hundred years, while repressive monarchs, dictators and fascist governments terrorized their citizens, anarchists were often the lone voice demanding change. It is not hard to picture them as folk heroes, especially when their foes were communists in the Soviet Union or the Nazis in Germany.

Fast forward to the present, from the WTO riots in 1999 to the Mayday debacle last Tuesday, and one is left with the inescapable conclusion: Anarchy ain’t what it used to be.

The modern day anarchist presents the image of a jack-booted thug, dressed in …

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On any given weekend, anywhere in the country, there is a wild teenage party. When the roof starts to shake and glass starts to break, the cops show up.

“It wasn’t my fault – I didn’t invite them!”

This is the typical explanation that the anxious and naïve teenager gives in reference to the few party crashers whose outrageous behavior has ruined everybody’s good time.

It’s an immature and lame response, but understandable with teenagers. It does not, however, excuse adults who provide a similar venue for all-comers. The  Occupy Wall Street protest’s peaceful protesters made numerous similar comments, none of …

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The 2010 Olympics were too hard a target. The WTO meetings that same year were too soft. But for anarchists, the Vancouver Canucks’ agonizing Stanley Cup Game 7 loss was just right.

Video footage of a raging mob burning cars, looting stores and attacking police played out in prime time on TV screens all over the world, causing many to wonder just what the heck happened to that polite and beautiful city up North. The response from Canadians, who share a quietly fierce pride in their country, was a collectively ironic, “Woe, Canada.”

First B.C.’s Premier, then Vancouver’s Mayor and finally Police Chief Jim Chu stood before reporters and stated the Canadian version of their former monarch’s words, “We are not amused.” Nor were Canadians anywhere.

Unfortunately, Vancouver is learning what Seattle discovered in the wake of the 1999 WTO riots–that bad things can happen to good cities. In both instances, that particular bad thing was anarchists.

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