SteveL, I hear what you're saying, and I agree there are times when violence is the best,  last recourse, but now isn't  one of them.  At the same time we need to be  prepared to defend the weak, and ourselves, from  violence by others. 
Most liberals  would agree that violence is generally counterproductive as well as unethical.  The street violence we're seeing now is likely caused not by liberals, but by radicals and anarchists.  And radicals, with their passions, often complain - justifiably- that liberals do nothing but talk and quibble when there is work to be done.
SteveL, you are right, we are facing a strange new situation that requires extra energy on our part.  However I agree with Gary Crum here that violence isn't the answer and it goes against our values.  Together, Steve, with your radical passion, Gary's solid liberalism, and the decency and common sense of traditional American conservatives, we can defeat this wave of irrational right-wing populism.