> But then when a few yahoos walked around the capital taking selfies for an hour
Is this really what you remember from that day? I remember being glued to the TV for hours because it was obviously a Dangerous Fucking Situation. Cops who were there gave testimony, with tears in their eyes, that it was one of the most difficult days of their lives. Honestly, this comment feels like borderline brainwashing — a manufactured memory. (Or else gaslighting.)
As for “but BLM,” one might forgive (without condoning) the occasional bursts of violence among countless peaceful protests given that the country just witnessed a blatant extrajudicial execution on the streets of a nominally first world city. (Even putting aside reports that the police and embedded rabble-rousers were often the instigators.)
I have friends and family living in Portland who got a close-up view of the BLM/Antifa activity there. People were afraid to go downtown. Women were afraid to go alone to the market or out for a walk. I know some people who were never interested in guns before who signed up for gun-safety classes and went shopping for a pistol for home defense. The violence, destruction, and fear were very real and had a lasting effect on how they view living in Portland. So, I have strong feelings about the ideologically motivated posts denying that the violence ever happened.
I'm a middle-aged father of two, and I participated in the BLM/Antifa activity in 2020 with another middle-aged father. The idea that the Park Blocks were a locus of violence and destruction is a straight-up lie. You saw the usual after-dark anarchist/hoodlum behavior on the news, but they never seemed to portray the peaceful community that occupied those blocks for several months, children and elderly included, unified in their desire for police reform.
So, I have strong feelings about ideologically-motivated posts trying to describe what I experienced as wanton rioting and looting. You weren't there.
Whether the acting party is a friend or an enemy distinguishes the guilty from the blameless. Anything can be rationalized post facto. It’s the bedrock principle of contemporary politics and it’s breathtaking to witness.
This was the typical experience in Portland during the "riots", filmed by yours truly [0]. You know, in the direct center of what the news media described as a "war zone". My grandparents from the East Coast begged me not to attend, in fear for my life.
It was like this, day after day, always normal folks exercising their right to peacefully assemble.
I upvoted to counteract a downvote. Although I don't know how well this represents the truth of the whole situation in Portland, I think the only proper way to respond to plain information is with more information.
You're "bad at tribalism," but describe "BLM & Antifa rioting, looting, and assaulting random people" on the one hand, and "a few yahoos walked around the capital taking selfies for an hour" on the other. The double standard you're astounded by is that the media didn't sufficiently demonize the left and exonerate the right?
No, you're not bad at tribalism, you're just bad at false-flagging. I'll agree you are typical for a HN political poster, though.
This post shows a lot of the "tribalism" I'm referring to.
I don't believe the rioters represent "the left" and I don't believe the capital stormers represent "the right". And most of all, I wish people didn't tend towards exaggerating one and excusing the other based on allegiance to a two-party system.
You write as if we all saw "...months of BLM & Antifa rioting."
Did you see it? Did it affect you? Do you know the extent to which police departments in the PNW (an all over the US) are infiltrated with brownshirt neonazi gamgs?
I think you missed the point completely. Rioting affects the political and cultural ambience of our times. It does not need to affect you directly or be a nuisance in your local communities for one to voice displeasure. Your take feels very dense in this regard and concern trolling is not a sufficient description of the post your responding to.
This is not the first time I have heard about police departments infiltrated by supposed fascist elements. Unfortunately, these accusations never seem to come from honest actors; usually from agents with a dedicated agenda to push.
I don’t doubt that there is a presence. I’m sure there is some symbiosis between the police departments and right-wing elements and I’m open to understanding the severity of the issue.
The question now is do you have any evidence of the severity that isn’t from paid political agitators? Keep in mind, snarling out invectives like “nazi” is currently in vogue; I expect the evidence to be excellent and demonstrable irrespective of political affiliation.
Who said it was ok? There were numerous statements from Dems saying that protests are good, but violence isn't.
Jan 6 was a poor, but at least semi-organized attempt to overthrow the government and was directly encouraged by a Republican president.
They literally attacked Congress's security force and forced Congresspeople to vacate.
The dissimilarities are so obvious that I honestly don't know if you're being honest about your own political persuasion. I'm center-left and really hated and disagreed with the George Floyd protests and riots myself, and also generally dislike BLM as an organization.
archagon|3 years ago
Is this really what you remember from that day? I remember being glued to the TV for hours because it was obviously a Dangerous Fucking Situation. Cops who were there gave testimony, with tears in their eyes, that it was one of the most difficult days of their lives. Honestly, this comment feels like borderline brainwashing — a manufactured memory. (Or else gaslighting.)
As for “but BLM,” one might forgive (without condoning) the occasional bursts of violence among countless peaceful protests given that the country just witnessed a blatant extrajudicial execution on the streets of a nominally first world city. (Even putting aside reports that the police and embedded rabble-rousers were often the instigators.)
redeeman|3 years ago
so did that actor from the empire with the whole "this is maga country".
wrp|3 years ago
tadfisher|3 years ago
So, I have strong feelings about ideologically-motivated posts trying to describe what I experienced as wanton rioting and looting. You weren't there.
JaimeThompson|3 years ago
I suggest you read the reports that detail what all they did as it was a bit more than that.
krapp|3 years ago
ksniwmidjd|3 years ago
[deleted]
throwaway82388|3 years ago
warning26|3 years ago
tadfisher|3 years ago
It was like this, day after day, always normal folks exercising their right to peacefully assemble.
[0]: https://youtu.be/zyf7Jn1QvBU
wrp|3 years ago
krapp|3 years ago
No, you're not bad at tribalism, you're just bad at false-flagging. I'll agree you are typical for a HN political poster, though.
Siddarth1977|3 years ago
I don't believe the rioters represent "the left" and I don't believe the capital stormers represent "the right". And most of all, I wish people didn't tend towards exaggerating one and excusing the other based on allegiance to a two-party system.
Zigurd|3 years ago
Did you see it? Did it affect you? Do you know the extent to which police departments in the PNW (an all over the US) are infiltrated with brownshirt neonazi gamgs?
Your post reeks of bad faith concern trolling.
0xdeadfa65|3 years ago
This is not the first time I have heard about police departments infiltrated by supposed fascist elements. Unfortunately, these accusations never seem to come from honest actors; usually from agents with a dedicated agenda to push.
I don’t doubt that there is a presence. I’m sure there is some symbiosis between the police departments and right-wing elements and I’m open to understanding the severity of the issue.
The question now is do you have any evidence of the severity that isn’t from paid political agitators? Keep in mind, snarling out invectives like “nazi” is currently in vogue; I expect the evidence to be excellent and demonstrable irrespective of political affiliation.
josephcsible|3 years ago
What's wrong with caring about things that affect others instead of only about things that affect yourself?
redeeman|3 years ago
and the guys at the capitol are the gang leaders, the absolute worst of the bunch.
ss108|3 years ago
Jan 6 was a poor, but at least semi-organized attempt to overthrow the government and was directly encouraged by a Republican president.
They literally attacked Congress's security force and forced Congresspeople to vacate.
The dissimilarities are so obvious that I honestly don't know if you're being honest about your own political persuasion. I'm center-left and really hated and disagreed with the George Floyd protests and riots myself, and also generally dislike BLM as an organization.
hobbitstan|3 years ago
[deleted]
jacobolus|3 years ago
[deleted]