Analysts Say Armed Groups At Protests Raise Specter Of A 'Street War'

[Coyote]

I think all the predictors are there: summer heat, months of Covid restrictions, huge unemployment, the new release of horrible economic news....lots of division and anger, a very volatile situation. Then you add in various armed groups of extremists and agitators who have hijacking these protests and it isn’t good. Peaceful protests don’t need guns.

Analysts Say Armed Groups At Protests Raise Specter Of A 'Street War'

Street clashes have erupted, involving a mix of protesters, authorities, extremists and agitators. With armed factions squaring off, terrorism analysts fear the worse is still to come.

www.npr.org

At a congressional hearing this month, extremism researcher J.J. MacNab delivered a warning: "There is a potential street war brewing."

MacNab cited the dangerous mix of armed factions squaring off at protests around the United States. Of all the current flashpoints for violence — the pandemic, the election, the economy — she called it the risk that worries her most.

"I am concerned that there will be a shootout at one or more of the Black Lives Matter protests," MacNab told House members. "There are too many guns at these events, held by too many groups with conflicting goals."

I think we are coming into very dangerous waters over the next couple of months," said Seth Jones of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "This has the potential for larger numbers and amounts of street violence between groups and networks on opposing sides. This is serious. I haven't seen this kind of domestic terrorism threat, really, in my lifetime."

Analysts say far-right and anti-government agitators are either attacking protesters or trying to glom onto their cause to push their own agendas. Other extremists see a chance to trigger a violent revolution; still others, a race war. Meanwhile, guns are increasingly visible on the protesters' side too. Some armed anti-fascist groups and Black gun clubs have joined the fray as self-proclaimed community defense forces.

Yeah, all the ingredients are there.

And as bad as any of them is the fact that there appear to be no cooler heads trying to be heard.

Like maybe democrats telling their brownshirts to stop?

And it would great if tbe Republicans would their white supremacist fascists to knock it off too.

I don’t these groups care about political parties.

I've changed my mind on something pretty important (to me) over the last couple of years. I always thought that anyone could grow up and choose to be part of the solution instead of part of the problem. That we all had that capacity in us.

I don't believe that any more. It's become clear to me that the ends of the spectrum are hopeless and worthless, at least for now, and that they need to be marginalized from any constructive conversation. You'll have no more success communicating with them than you would with a wild-eyed Jihadi on the streets of Damascus.

The contest now is between the crazed nutters on both ends, versus the rest of us. Obviously they're currently winning.

I don’t want to be that negative....But it is hard

Well, in a weird way, it could be a positive. I don't think it will take a huge number to turn the tide. It's about starting small, with the right voices, and then creating a momentum.

I still believe that a majority of this country wants to see things really improve, instead of being stuck on "beating" the other "side".

How does that work when one side is destroying cities?

They're not "destroying cities". That's just the shallow, simplistic hyperbole to which you are addicted.

There is a much bigger picture to this, but you're simply not going to see it.

Not my problem.

The Portland protests were described as being in a 2 by 4 foot block radius of a city that spans 145 sq miles. So while the property damage is real and a concern, it is also much exaggerated.

 

[Coyote]

Report: Protest damage cited by Portland cops skewed by mall

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Portland police said earlier this week that ongoing protests had cost businesses in the downtown area $23 million in property damage and lost revenue, but those figures are skewed by just one business — a mall already shut down by statewide coronavirus closures, a newspaper

apnews.com

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Portland police said earlier this week that ongoing protests had cost businesses in the downtown area $23 million in property damage and lost revenue, but those figures are skewed by just one business — a mall already shut down by statewide coronavirus closures, a newspaper reported Friday.

The Oregonian/OregonLive said the statistic came from the Portland Business Alliance, which surveyed its membership last month. Ninety-three of the 5,300 contacts who received the survey responded.

Almost 90% in reported damages and lost business came from one respondent, which reported $2.5 million in property damage and $18 million in lost sales. The newspaper says the Pioneer Place mall is the only place that could post those numbers because of its size, but it didn’t reopen until June 19 — the day after the alliance’s survey ended.

The remaining businesses reported a combined $2.3 million in damages amid the first three weeks of demonstrations. Seven businesses reported $407,000 in lost revenue, but many respondents noted that they were already closed because of COVID-19 restrictions and attributed their lost sales due to the demonstrations as $0.

 

[Mac1958]

I think all the predictors are there: summer heat, months of Covid restrictions, huge unemployment, the new release of horrible economic news....lots of division and anger, a very volatile situation. Then you add in various armed groups of extremists and agitators who have hijacking these protests and it isn’t good. Peaceful protests don’t need guns.

Analysts Say Armed Groups At Protests Raise Specter Of A 'Street War'

Street clashes have erupted, involving a mix of protesters, authorities, extremists and agitators. With armed factions squaring off, terrorism analysts fear the worse is still to come.

www.npr.org

At a congressional hearing this month, extremism researcher J.J. MacNab delivered a warning: "There is a potential street war brewing."

MacNab cited the dangerous mix of armed factions squaring off at protests around the United States. Of all the current flashpoints for violence — the pandemic, the election, the economy — she called it the risk that worries her most.

"I am concerned that there will be a shootout at one or more of the Black Lives Matter protests," MacNab told House members. "There are too many guns at these events, held by too many groups with conflicting goals."

I think we are coming into very dangerous waters over the next couple of months," said Seth Jones of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "This has the potential for larger numbers and amounts of street violence between groups and networks on opposing sides. This is serious. I haven't seen this kind of domestic terrorism threat, really, in my lifetime."

Analysts say far-right and anti-government agitators are either attacking protesters or trying to glom onto their cause to push their own agendas. Other extremists see a chance to trigger a violent revolution; still others, a race war. Meanwhile, guns are increasingly visible on the protesters' side too. Some armed anti-fascist groups and Black gun clubs have joined the fray as self-proclaimed community defense forces.

Yeah, all the ingredients are there.

And as bad as any of them is the fact that there appear to be no cooler heads trying to be heard.

Like maybe democrats telling their brownshirts to stop?

And it would great if tbe Republicans would their white supremacist fascists to knock it off too.

I don’t these groups care about political parties.

I've changed my mind on something pretty important (to me) over the last couple of years. I always thought that anyone could grow up and choose to be part of the solution instead of part of the problem. That we all had that capacity in us.

I don't believe that any more. It's become clear to me that the ends of the spectrum are hopeless and worthless, at least for now, and that they need to be marginalized from any constructive conversation. You'll have no more success communicating with them than you would with a wild-eyed Jihadi on the streets of Damascus.

The contest now is between the crazed nutters on both ends, versus the rest of us. Obviously they're currently winning.

I don’t want to be that negative....But it is hard

Well, in a weird way, it could be a positive. I don't think it will take a huge number to turn the tide. It's about starting small, with the right voices, and then creating a momentum.

I still believe that a majority of this country wants to see things really improve, instead of being stuck on "beating" the other "side".

How does that work when one side is destroying cities?

They're not "destroying cities". That's just the shallow, simplistic hyperbole to which you are addicted.

There is a much bigger picture to this, but you're simply not going to see it.

Not my problem.

The Portland protests were described as being in a 2 by 4 foot block radius of a city that spans 145 sq miles. So while the property damage is real and a concern, it is also much exaggerated.

These folks are conditioned to just go full hyperbole at every opportunity, so now entire cities are being destroyed, or will be soon. It's just silly.

This goes back to our other conversation -- there are going to be people who just won't be part of any constructive dialogue.

 

[Mac1958]

Report: Protest damage cited by Portland cops skewed by mall

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Portland police said earlier this week that ongoing protests had cost businesses in the downtown area $23 million in property damage and lost revenue, but those figures are skewed by just one business — a mall already shut down by statewide coronavirus closures, a newspaper

apnews.com

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Portland police said earlier this week that ongoing protests had cost businesses in the downtown area $23 million in property damage and lost revenue, but those figures are skewed by just one business — a mall already shut down by statewide coronavirus closures, a newspaper reported Friday.

The Oregonian/OregonLive said the statistic came from the Portland Business Alliance, which surveyed its membership last month. Ninety-three of the 5,300 contacts who received the survey responded.

Almost 90% in reported damages and lost business came from one respondent, which reported $2.5 million in property damage and $18 million in lost sales. The newspaper says the Pioneer Place mall is the only place that could post those numbers because of its size, but it didn’t reopen until June 19 — the day after the alliance’s survey ended.

The remaining businesses reported a combined $2.3 million in damages amid the first three weeks of demonstrations. Seven businesses reported $407,000 in lost revenue, but many respondents noted that they were already closed because of COVID-19 restrictions and attributed their lost sales due to the demonstrations as $0.

These idiot kids need to be arrested and held responsible.

On top of all this, they're making it easier for the Trumpsters to turn the conversation on race and inequality into a conversation on their violence and destruction. Bad freakin' idea.

 

[Dogmaphobe]

Report: Protest damage cited by Portland cops skewed by mall

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Portland police said earlier this week that ongoing protests had cost businesses in the downtown area $23 million in property damage and lost revenue, but those figures are skewed by just one business — a mall already shut down by statewide coronavirus closures, a newspaper

apnews.com

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Portland police said earlier this week that ongoing protests had cost businesses in the downtown area $23 million in property damage and lost revenue, but those figures are skewed by just one business — a mall already shut down by statewide coronavirus closures, a newspaper reported Friday.

The Oregonian/OregonLive said the statistic came from the Portland Business Alliance, which surveyed its membership last month. Ninety-three of the 5,300 contacts who received the survey responded.

Almost 90% in reported damages and lost business came from one respondent, which reported $2.5 million in property damage and $18 million in lost sales. The newspaper says the Pioneer Place mall is the only place that could post those numbers because of its size, but it didn’t reopen until June 19 — the day after the alliance’s survey ended.

The remaining businesses reported a combined $2.3 million in damages amid the first three weeks of demonstrations. Seven businesses reported $407,000 in lost revenue, but many respondents noted that they were already closed because of COVID-19 restrictions and attributed their lost sales due to the demonstrations as $0.

These idiot kids need to be arrested and held responsible.

On top of all this, they're making it easier for the Trumpsters to turn the conversation on race and inequality into a conversation on their violence and destruction. Bad freakin' idea.

Mac - I was wondering if we could set up a time for me to burn down your house for social justice. Tuesdays and Fridays are generally best for me, but I am flexible with the time.

thanks in advance.

 

[Mac1958]

Report: Protest damage cited by Portland cops skewed by mall

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Portland police said earlier this week that ongoing protests had cost businesses in the downtown area $23 million in property damage and lost revenue, but those figures are skewed by just one business — a mall already shut down by statewide coronavirus closures, a newspaper

apnews.com

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Portland police said earlier this week that ongoing protests had cost businesses in the downtown area $23 million in property damage and lost revenue, but those figures are skewed by just one business — a mall already shut down by statewide coronavirus closures, a newspaper reported Friday.

The Oregonian/OregonLive said the statistic came from the Portland Business Alliance, which surveyed its membership last month. Ninety-three of the 5,300 contacts who received the survey responded.

Almost 90% in reported damages and lost business came from one respondent, which reported $2.5 million in property damage and $18 million in lost sales. The newspaper says the Pioneer Place mall is the only place that could post those numbers because of its size, but it didn’t reopen until June 19 — the day after the alliance’s survey ended.

The remaining businesses reported a combined $2.3 million in damages amid the first three weeks of demonstrations. Seven businesses reported $407,000 in lost revenue, but many respondents noted that they were already closed because of COVID-19 restrictions and attributed their lost sales due to the demonstrations as $0.

These idiot kids need to be arrested and held responsible.

On top of all this, they're making it easier for the Trumpsters to turn the conversation on race and inequality into a conversation on their violence and destruction. Bad freakin' idea.

Mac - I was wondering if we could set up a time for me to burn down your house for social justice. Tuesdays and Fridays are generally best for me, but I am flexible with the time.

thanks in advance.

So you want to be "arrested and held responsible" for burning down my house?

Don't you have a life of some kind?

 

[Olde Europe]

Report: Protest damage cited by Portland cops skewed by mall

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Portland police said earlier this week that ongoing protests had cost businesses in the downtown area $23 million in property damage and lost revenue, but those figures are skewed by just one business — a mall already shut down by statewide coronavirus closures, a newspaper

apnews.com

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Portland police said earlier this week that ongoing protests had cost businesses in the downtown area $23 million in property damage and lost revenue, but those figures are skewed by just one business — a mall already shut down by statewide coronavirus closures, a newspaper reported Friday.

The Oregonian/OregonLive said the statistic came from the Portland Business Alliance, which surveyed its membership last month. Ninety-three of the 5,300 contacts who received the survey responded.

Almost 90% in reported damages and lost business came from one respondent, which reported $2.5 million in property damage and $18 million in lost sales. The newspaper says the Pioneer Place mall is the only place that could post those numbers because of its size, but it didn’t reopen until June 19 — the day after the alliance’s survey ended.

The remaining businesses reported a combined $2.3 million in damages amid the first three weeks of demonstrations. Seven businesses reported $407,000 in lost revenue, but many respondents noted that they were already closed because of COVID-19 restrictions and attributed their lost sales due to the demonstrations as $0.

These idiot kids need to be arrested and held responsible.

On top of all this, they're making it easier for the Trumpsters to turn the conversation on race and inequality into a conversation on their violence and destruction. Bad freakin' idea.

Hilarious.

Say, Mac, were these "protesters" who caused all that alleged "damage"? Evidence?

None necessary. Rebleating the AP's lazy line that "protests" caused damage, you then smear protesters with that crime, even while the article itself mentioned that the alleged "damage" was artificially inflated. Right next you whine about how protesters are more easily smeared. Having a conversation about crime and property damage, you whine about a conversation on inequality and race turned into a conversation on violence and destruction.

All that, having realized it would be a bad idea.

 

[Dogmaphobe]

Report: Protest damage cited by Portland cops skewed by mall

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Portland police said earlier this week that ongoing protests had cost businesses in the downtown area $23 million in property damage and lost revenue, but those figures are skewed by just one business — a mall already shut down by statewide coronavirus closures, a newspaper

apnews.com

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Portland police said earlier this week that ongoing protests had cost businesses in the downtown area $23 million in property damage and lost revenue, but those figures are skewed by just one business — a mall already shut down by statewide coronavirus closures, a newspaper reported Friday.

The Oregonian/OregonLive said the statistic came from the Portland Business Alliance, which surveyed its membership last month. Ninety-three of the 5,300 contacts who received the survey responded.

Almost 90% in reported damages and lost business came from one respondent, which reported $2.5 million in property damage and $18 million in lost sales. The newspaper says the Pioneer Place mall is the only place that could post those numbers because of its size, but it didn’t reopen until June 19 — the day after the alliance’s survey ended.

The remaining businesses reported a combined $2.3 million in damages amid the first three weeks of demonstrations. Seven businesses reported $407,000 in lost revenue, but many respondents noted that they were already closed because of COVID-19 restrictions and attributed their lost sales due to the demonstrations as $0.

These idiot kids need to be arrested and held responsible.

On top of all this, they're making it easier for the Trumpsters to turn the conversation on race and inequality into a conversation on their violence and destruction. Bad freakin' idea.

Mac - I was wondering if we could set up a time for me to burn down your house for social justice. Tuesdays and Fridays are generally best for me, but I am flexible with the time.

thanks in advance.

So you want to be "arrested and held responsible" for burning down my house?

Don't you have a life of some kind?

You call people names like Trumpeter if they do not join you in supporting arson and vandalism.

It should make you happy to have your house burned down, since you defend the practice in this manner.

 

[Mac1958]

Report: Protest damage cited by Portland cops skewed by mall

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Portland police said earlier this week that ongoing protests had cost businesses in the downtown area $23 million in property damage and lost revenue, but those figures are skewed by just one business — a mall already shut down by statewide coronavirus closures, a newspaper

apnews.com

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Portland police said earlier this week that ongoing protests had cost businesses in the downtown area $23 million in property damage and lost revenue, but those figures are skewed by just one business — a mall already shut down by statewide coronavirus closures, a newspaper reported Friday.

The Oregonian/OregonLive said the statistic came from the Portland Business Alliance, which surveyed its membership last month. Ninety-three of the 5,300 contacts who received the survey responded.

Almost 90% in reported damages and lost business came from one respondent, which reported $2.5 million in property damage and $18 million in lost sales. The newspaper says the Pioneer Place mall is the only place that could post those numbers because of its size, but it didn’t reopen until June 19 — the day after the alliance’s survey ended.

The remaining businesses reported a combined $2.3 million in damages amid the first three weeks of demonstrations. Seven businesses reported $407,000 in lost revenue, but many respondents noted that they were already closed because of COVID-19 restrictions and attributed their lost sales due to the demonstrations as $0.

These idiot kids need to be arrested and held responsible.

On top of all this, they're making it easier for the Trumpsters to turn the conversation on race and inequality into a conversation on their violence and destruction. Bad freakin' idea.

Mac - I was wondering if we could set up a time for me to burn down your house for social justice. Tuesdays and Fridays are generally best for me, but I am flexible with the time.

thanks in advance.

So you want to be "arrested and held responsible" for burning down my house?

Don't you have a life of some kind?

You call people names like Trumpeter if they do not join you in supporting arson and vandalism.

It should make you happy to have your house burned down, since you defend the practice in this manner.

Um, you quoted me saying "these idiot kids need to be arrested and held responsible."

And then you say I support arson and vandalism.

You're flailing. You're trying too hard. I can turn you Trumpsters into full-on drama queens without even trying.

 

[BigDave]

Civil War is coming everybody needs to get prepared to the best of their abilities

 

[Olde Europe]

This is what this moment in history is all about:

[We] recognized the wrong under which we were forced to live, and we swore to God that by God's grace we would do whatever God called us to do in order to put on the table of the nation’s agenda: This must end. Black Lives Matter.

We do not need bipartisan politics if we’re going to celebrate the life of John Lewis. We need the Constitution to come alive. We hold these truths to be self-evident. We need the president and the Congress to work unfalteringly for every boy and every girl so that every baby born on these shores will have access to the tree of life. That’s the only way to honor John Robert Lewis. That’s the only way.

Let all the people at this service, let all the people of the USA, determine that we will not be quiet as long as any child dies in the first year of life in the United States. We will not be quiet as long as the largest poverty group in the United States are women and children. We will not be quiet as long as our nation continues to be the most violent culture in the history of humankind. We will not be quiet as long as our economy is shaped not by freedom, but by plantation capitalism that continues to cause domination and control rather than access, and liberty, and equality.

Bull Connor may be gone, but today, we witnessed with our own eyes police officers kneeling on the necks of Black Americans. George Wallace may be gone, but we can witness our federal government sending agents to use tear gas and batons against peaceful demonstrators. We may no longer have to guess the number of jellybeans in the jar in order to cast a ballot, but even as we sit here, there are those in power who are doing their darnedest to discourage people from voting by closing polling locations and targeting minorities and students with restrictive ID laws and attacking our voting rights with surgical precision, even undermining the Postal Service in the run-up to an election that’s gonna be dependent on mail-in ballots so people don’t get sick...

...[But] once the Supreme Court weakened the Voting Rights Act, some state legislators unleashed a flood of laws designed specifically to make voting hard, especially by the way, state legislators where there’s a lot of minority turnout and population growth. That’s not necessarily a mystery or an accident. It was an attack on what John fought for, it was an attack on our democratic freedoms, and we should treat it as such. If politicians want to honor John, and I’m so grateful for the legacy and work of all the Congressional leaders who are here, but there’s a better way than a statement calling him a hero. Wanna honor John? Let’s honor him by revitalizing the law that he was willing to die for.

Naming it the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, that is a fine tribute. But John wouldn’t want us to stop there, getting back to where we already were. Once we pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, we should keep marching to make it even better, by making sure that every American is automatically registered to vote, including former inmates who’ve earned their second chance, by adding polling places and expanding early voting and making Election Day a national holiday so if you are somebody who’s working in a factory, or you’re a single mom who’s gotta go to her job and then get time off, you can still cast your ballot, by guaranteeing that every American citizen has equal representation in our government, including our American citizens who live in Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. They’re Americans. By ending some of the partisan gerrymandering so that all voters have the power to choose their politicians, not the other way around. If all this takes eliminating the filibuster, another Jim Crow relic, in order to secure the God-given rights of every American, then that’s what we should do.​

And no one, not one, shall let themselves be dissuaded or discouraged by callous, idle talk about the merits of bi-partisanship - there are none to it other than the continued comfort of the comfortable, bought and paid for by the continuing misery of the afflicted. And neither shall anyone let themselves be cowed by interested hyperbole about street war, just as John wasn't cowed knowing the troopers and other thugs waited for him on the other side of Edmund Pettus Bridge.

"Let’s honor him by revitalizing the law that he was willing to die for."

Smearing the protests and protesters John endorsed and encouraged is a disgrace.

 

[Coyote]

[

Report: Protest damage cited by Portland cops skewed by mall

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Portland police said earlier this week that ongoing protests had cost businesses in the downtown area $23 million in property damage and lost revenue, but those figures are skewed by just one business — a mall already shut down by statewide coronavirus closures, a newspaper

apnews.com

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Portland police said earlier this week that ongoing protests had cost businesses in the downtown area $23 million in property damage and lost revenue, but those figures are skewed by just one business — a mall already shut down by statewide coronavirus closures, a newspaper reported Friday.

The Oregonian/OregonLive said the statistic came from the Portland Business Alliance, which surveyed its membership last month. Ninety-three of the 5,300 contacts who received the survey responded.

Almost 90% in reported damages and lost business came from one respondent, which reported $2.5 million in property damage and $18 million in lost sales. The newspaper says the Pioneer Place mall is the only place that could post those numbers because of its size, but it didn’t reopen until June 19 — the day after the alliance’s survey ended.

The remaining businesses reported a combined $2.3 million in damages amid the first three weeks of demonstrations. Seven businesses reported $407,000 in lost revenue, but many respondents noted that they were already closed because of COVID-19 restrictions and attributed their lost sales due to the demonstrations as $0.

These idiot kids need to be arrested and held responsible.

On top of all this, they're making it easier for the Trumpsters to turn the conversation on race and inequality into a conversation on their violence and destruction. Bad freakin' idea.

Hilarious.

Say, Mac, were these "protesters" who caused all that alleged "damage"? Evidence?

None necessary. Rebleating the AP's lazy line that "protests" caused damage, you then smear protesters with that crime, even while the article itself mentioned that the alleged "damage" was artificially inflated. Right next you whine about how protesters are more easily smeared. Having a conversation about crime and property damage, you whine about a conversation on inequality and race turned into a conversation on violence and destruction.

All that, having realized it would be a bad idea.

I am sure protestors were among the vandals. There are a lot of reasons for the violent spill overs Including hijacking by extremists of both camps and an overall undercurrent of anger and fear.

 

[Thunk]

Peaceful protests don’t need guns.

Where do you see peaceful protests?

I see building burning, children being shot & killed by BLM. A black man carrying a Trump sign was just murdered in broad daylight. A chunk of seattle gets taken over by force & democrat filth allow it to continue for 3 weeks.

Now it's supposedly "right wingers" who are causing all of it?

We had peaceful protests. No riots.

If you read what I wrote, you would see the causes are multiple but no one said “right wingers" who are causing all of it, but they are certainly part of the volatile mix.

No.

Us "right wingers" are not part of the mix...that will become VERY clear when we decide to join in the fun!

Have you ever heard of a dalek? They have a favorite word. And you will see and hear it often when "right wingers" finally decide to join this party!

 

[Coyote]

Peaceful protests don’t need guns.

Where do you see peaceful protests?

I see building burning, children being shot & killed by BLM. A black man carrying a Trump sign was just murdered in broad daylight. A chunk of seattle gets taken over by force & democrat filth allow it to continue for 3 weeks.

Now it's supposedly "right wingers" who are causing all of it?

We had peaceful protests. No riots.

If you read what I wrote, you would see the causes are multiple but no one said “right wingers" who are causing all of it, but they are certainly part of the volatile mix.

No.

Us "right wingers" are not part of the mix...that will become VERY clear when we decide to join in the fun!

Have you ever heard of a dalek? They have a favorite word. And you will see and hear it often when "right wingers" finally decide to join this party!

You got the memo late. You’ve been there.

 

[Dogmaphobe]

Have you ever heard of a dalek? They have a favorite word.

"INSEMINATE INSEMINATE INSEMINATE!"


….or something like that.

 

[Thunk]

Have you ever heard of a dalek? They have a favorite word.

"INSEMINATE INSEMINATE INSEMINATE!"


….or something like that.

Laugh wile you can I guess...it's going to be a sad day for us all. And we get closer with each new person murdered by black lives matter.

 

[Sun Devil 92]

Have you ever heard of a dalek? They have a favorite word.

"INSEMINATE INSEMINATE INSEMINATE!"


….or something like that.

Laugh wile you can I guess...it's going to be a sad day for us all. And we get closer with each new person murdered by black lives matter.

Extermination !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Flopper]

I think all the predictors are there: summer heat, months of Covid restrictions, huge unemployment, the new release of horrible economic news....lots of division and anger, a very volatile situation. Then you add in various armed groups of extremists and agitators who have hijacking these protests and it isn’t good. Peaceful protests don’t need guns.

Analysts Say Armed Groups At Protests Raise Specter Of A 'Street War'

Street clashes have erupted, involving a mix of protesters, authorities, extremists and agitators. With armed factions squaring off, terrorism analysts fear the worse is still to come.

www.npr.org

At a congressional hearing this month, extremism researcher J.J. MacNab delivered a warning: "There is a potential street war brewing."

MacNab cited the dangerous mix of armed factions squaring off at protests around the United States. Of all the current flashpoints for violence — the pandemic, the election, the economy — she called it the risk that worries her most.

"I am concerned that there will be a shootout at one or more of the Black Lives Matter protests," MacNab told House members. "There are too many guns at these events, held by too many groups with conflicting goals."

I think we are coming into very dangerous waters over the next couple of months," said Seth Jones of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "This has the potential for larger numbers and amounts of street violence between groups and networks on opposing sides. This is serious. I haven't seen this kind of domestic terrorism threat, really, in my lifetime."

Analysts say far-right and anti-government agitators are either attacking protesters or trying to glom onto their cause to push their own agendas. Other extremists see a chance to trigger a violent revolution; still others, a race war. Meanwhile, guns are increasingly visible on the protesters' side too. Some armed anti-fascist groups and Black gun clubs have joined the fray as self-proclaimed community defense forces.

Yeah, all the ingredients are there.

And as bad as any of them is the fact that there appear to be no cooler heads trying to be heard.

Like maybe democrats telling their brownshirts to stop?

And it would great if tbe Republicans would their white supremacist fascists to knock it off too.

I don’t these groups care about political parties.

I've changed my mind on something pretty important (to me) over the last couple of years. I always thought that anyone could grow up and choose to be part of the solution instead of part of the problem. That we all had that capacity in us.

I don't believe that any more. It's become clear to me that the ends of the spectrum are hopeless and worthless, at least for now, and that they need to be marginalized from any constructive conversation. You'll have no more success communicating with them than you would with a wild-eyed Jihadi on the streets of Damascus.

The contest now is between the crazed nutters on both ends, versus the rest of us. Obviously they're currently winning.

I don’t want to be that negative....But it is hard

Well, in a weird way, it could be a positive. I don't think it will take a huge number to turn the tide. It's about starting small, with the right voices, and then creating a momentum.

I still believe that a majority of this country wants to see things really improve, instead of being stuck on "beating" the other "side".

How does that work when one side is destroying cities?

They're not "destroying cities". That's just the shallow, simplistic hyperbole to which you are addicted.

There is a much bigger picture to this, but you're simply not going to see it.

Not my problem.

The Portland protests were described as being in a 2 by 4 foot block radius of a city that spans 145 sq miles. So while the property damage is real and a concern, it is also much exaggerated.

As is everything the media reports. They will show the same house or building burning over and over. A storm that damages 3 house on one street will be pictured in such way that it appears the whole town is flooded. Journalism hardly exist anymore.