State of the Union - pre/post election & whatever...

[Il Segaiolo Pedantesco]

When are you going to realize that the constitution is not a suicide pact, and the scum who want to kill non-whites should be trampled into the dust until they go back into hiding again? Your Whataboutism is distraction trolling, and nothing more, because you don't want people to pick on your friends.

The original ANTIFA:

He does have a point...

Unless one's falsely shouting fire in a crowded theatre or inciting a crowd to violence, the First Amendment applies equally, no matter the views of the person(s) in question - this isn't Banhammer Germany. Read up on how anti-war protestors in WWI and suffragettes were treated by Wilsonian progressives and everyone knows about Japanese interment camps in WWII - do you want a return to the days of mob rule and personal vendettas?

[Il Segaiolo Pedantesco]

While I am not a big fan of Twitter for many reasons even beyond Orange Sphincterism, it seems that folks are using Twitter and other social media to identify rally participants from Charlottesville and out them using the hashtag you are a racist and at least one of those asshats has been fired.

You should be free to speak however vile the speech but equally free to suffer the consequences of speech your employer, church, neighborhood or social set finds unacceptable.

Like in the GDR...

[General Apathy]

The answer seems obvious to me - you go as far as is necessary.

You've just defined mob rule and anarchy. Under your approach anyone who believes they are the ones who can decide what is best can similarly excuse their violence. And you are implying that the law should just sit back and let the "right people" do "the right thing."

I see a difference between civil disobedience for a cause, and getting arrested if need be for peacefully protesting in support of a cause, as opposed to finding the evil bad guys, burning their homes down in the middle of the night and shooting them if they try to escape. Apparently to you there is no difference. Their kids as well. They weren't old enough to have been participants, but you can't take any chances. Oh, and their women. Can't be bringing any more of those people not the world. They can only afford to do what they do because they have jobs. So burn those places down. And kill everyone who works there for they silently acquiesce to the wrong and by being a co worker, they support the industry that employs the bad guys, so they are culpable as well. The folks who flew in? Gotta blow up some airplanes as well, I guess. Whatever it takes. And so on and so on... and in so doing, you become Timothy McVeigh, and the weight of law enforcement is after you and not the evil men you are going after

[rebelyell2006]

Like I said Condi, it is not a suicide pact. We do not allow ISIS to fundraise here, despite money being considered political speech in the USA (thanks to the Citizens United ruling). People trying to subvert and destroy American liberties and democracy and trying to kill minorities should not be permitted to do so in the name of free speech.

[McKinstry]

The vast majority of the counter-protesters were not ANTIFA whereas, contrary to the claim by the Orange Sphincter, virtually 100% of the alt-right assholes were doing the "take back our country" tiki torch nazi klan white supremacy thing. The statue of Saint Robert the Vastly Overrated was an excuse for the grand gathering of failed white trash, not a separate cause for the mythical "fine folks".

If the authorities can prove specific criminal acts by any party, left or right, they should go for it BUT if a black guy gets indicted for punching a klan hole or a Jew for smacking a Nazi, I hope they get a jury trial of genuine peers.

[rebelyell2006]

The fact is, the white supremacists have made it clear that if they win, they intend to kill or disenfranchise minorities. That in and of itself is an incitement to violence. This isn't a debate over whether tariffs should be 15% or 18%, there are human lives at stake.

[General Apathy]

People trying to subvert and destroy American liberties and democracy and trying to kill minorities should not be permitted to do so in the name of free speech.

That isn't free speech. It seems y'all are the ones advocating destroying American liberties. But killing has nothing to do with the first amendment and you conflating the two as the same thing is bullshit.

[Guest]

The law (and therefore the government) are there to serve the people, not the other way around.

It doesn't lead to mob rule or anarchy. That's a typical misdirection.

When the people of Italy decided to depose Mussolini they did what was necessary.
The people in Tiananmen Square did what was necessary.
The people of Romania did what was necessary.
The people of South Africa did what was necessary.
The people of the world did what was necessary with the rise of fascism.

And the lives of the people were better for it, not anarchic.
Sometimes the rule of law is wrong and you do what is necessary. But it doesn't lead to anarchy, not at all. It leads to a better life.

[rebelyell2006]

Oh, Grampa Apathy. "You're the true fascists for wanting to stop fascists". And yet, you cry crocodile tears whenever people claim you are defending the nazis.

[Levied Troop]

Apathy/Terrement/Mole has been defending Nazis and lying about it since he first turned up here in the Jo Cox thread. I rather hope most people here have understood exactly what he is.