As we watch Minneapolis spiraling out of control with riots, some on the left and in media not only aren’t condemning the rioters, they seem to want to excuse them or justify them.

Two thoughts that can be held at the same time: you can still believe that the killing of George Floyd may have been wrong and that rioters destroying the neighborhood is also wrong and serves no one. It’s a simple thought.

Democratic Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey didn’t condemn the rioting, indeed, he said it was due not just to Floyd but to “400 years” of sadness. So burn down the Auto Zone, the check-cashing place, and the low-income housing and the “sadness” becomes better how?

In fact, even with all the rioting and the violence, MSNBC apparently has decided that you’re not allowed to call what’s happening a “riot.”

Here’s what MMSNBC anchor Craig Melvin had to say as we reported on Thursday.

This will guide our reporting in MN. “While the situation on the ground in Minneapolis is fluid, and there has been violence, it is most accurate at this time to describe what is happening there as "protests"–not riots.”

— Craig Melvin (@craigmelvin) May 28, 2020

Why? Some argue calling it a “riot” is a dog whistle. What? So now apparently calling a riot a riot is racist. So pretend there are no riots going on here, people, MSNBC is doing an Orwellian thing: down is up, truth is lie and you’re not allowed to say it.

Even standing in front of it, you’re not allowed to call it a riot, as my colleague Sister Toldjah reported earlier. It’s not generally unruly, Velshi says, as the flames go up behind him.

MSNBC reporter just now: "I want to be clear on how I characterize this. This is mostly a protest. It is not generally speaking unruly."

The guy is literally standing in front of a burning building in the middle of a riot. pic.twitter.com/IzCV6On4sF

— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) May 29, 2020

Uh-huh, that’s why the National Guard has been called in, because people are “unruly.”

Is there any wonder people don’t trust the media with such nonsense?

But MSNBC Chris Hayes decided to top it all off with a horrible take that may win the prize for worst tweet of the day.

I think a lot of Americans really don't know how much the American Revolution was precipitated by the Crown's abuse of the policing power against the colonists. It was *central*, and often led to unrest, riots, tarring and feathering and the like.

— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) May 29, 2020

“I think a lot of Americans really don’t know how much the American Revolution was precipitated by the Crown’s abuse of the policing power against the colonists,” Hayes opined. “It was *central*, and often led to unrest, riots, tarring and feathering and the like.”

Did he really just do that? Did he compare rioters to the American Revolution? Why yes, he just did.

Um, burning down your neighborhood is not a protest against the state, it’s a stupid, destructive harm that hurts the very people living there. Lost jobs, lost stores, and then they don’t come back, because what store wants to come back to an area that might burn them down? Meanwhile, the focus is on destruction, not actually on George Floyd.

On Wednesday, Hayes had complained about why the armed protesters in Michigan weren’t treated like the rioters and the looters in Minneapolis were, just completely ignoring the very different actions by both groups.