In normal times, there would be tremendous public pressure to suppress riots in large urban centers. This pressure wouldn't just come from many of the people who live there, but from the suburbanites who live elsewhere and commute to the cities for work.
Most commuters from the suburbs have been working from home (or not working at all) during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Many of them have no interest in going back to work in the cities at all.
On top of all that, the recent gentrification efforts in most large U.S. cities have brought a large number of very wealthy people back into these cities from the suburbs. In the aftermath of COVID-19 many of these folks have already fled, or are making plans to get the hell out as soon as they can.
As a result of all this, there are many, many people who simply don't give a sh!t about what happens in our cities anymore.
Count me among them.
—while I mostly agree with the “let ‘em stew in their own juice” philosophy, there must be some decent people in that six-block area —what about them and their property?
As a result of all this, there are many, many people who simply don’t give a sh!t about what happens in our cities anymore.
Bingo.