Charlotsville Incidents
Out of context: Reply #101
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- sarahfailin1
"As members of a largely anarchist movement, antifascists don’t want the government to stop white supremacists from gathering. They want to do so themselves, rendering the government impotent. . . .
"Antifa believes it is pursuing the opposite of authoritarianism. Many of its activists oppose the very notion of a centralized state. But in the name of protecting the vulnerable, antifascists have granted themselves the authority to decide which Americans may publicly assemble and which may not. That authority rests on no democratic foundation. Unlike the politicians they revile, the men and women of antifa cannot be voted out of office. Generally, they don’t even disclose their names.
"Antifa’s perceived legitimacy is inversely correlated with the government’s. Which is why, in the Trump era, the movement is growing like never before."
https://www.theatlantic.com/maga…
As a flaming leftist and activist for forever, I feel discouraged and alienated by the escalating violence coming from the left, and I worry how things will escalate as more protests occur. Trump talked about violence on both sides, and it would be easier to say our side was without sin, were it not for these forces who are advocating violence and unilaterally shutting down people's ability to speak and demonstrate.
The Alt-Right is setting up a fake enemy in the "Alt-Left," but this would be harder to do if there weren't forces of violent, leftist activists. The violence of the far right remains, and has been historically, much worse. But that fact should not legitimize any amount of physical violence against people who are demonstrating peacefully.
People on both sides are showing up to each other's demonstrations with battle armor, shields, clubs, knives and guns. The resulting melees are launching what would otherwise be small rallies (Like in Sacramento in June 2016 when 10 people were stabbed) to headline, national news.
I feel like I can only plea to my own side to remain peaceful. Impinging on lawful (however repugnant) demonstrations will only garner sympathy for the Alt-Right and Crocodile-Tears Cantwell.
/rant
- yupmonospaced
- I'm apparently a mid left anarchist. I denounce all violence. I can't help feel that the far let and far right are as bad as each other.mugwart