Beating people at protests....

[Spinedoc]

Now to be clear, this is NOT a thread about politics or who is right, or who is wrong...I don't care. There's plenty of blame to go around during these incidents..but this one caught my eye...

If you’re new to far-right subreddits, “based” loosely translates to honorable or righteous. (Ironically enough, the term’s provenance traces back to Berkeley rapper Lil B, aka “Based God.”) And that’s certainly how Chapman, feels about himself. “I put a V on the shield because warriors of old always had Vs on their shields,” says Chapman, who identifies as “alt-lite,” an alt-right offshoot that shies away from overt assertions of white supremacy. “I’m a very good fighter. I’ve been studying martial arts for two decades. I grew up in a very violent environment. We beat the **** out of each other and that was fun.”

Don’t Look Now, But Extremists’ Meme Armies Are Turning Into Militias

The reason I find this interesting, is that he claims he is acting in a defensive manner.

Yet, Chapman thinks of Based Stickman not as an aggressor, but as a defender of patriotism and free speech.

However, he comes dressed to these protests in what can assume is some kind of silly urban battle gear carrying a big stick to presumably beat people he disagrees with????

Methinks he missed the whole purpose of martial arts. I'm kind of assuming he's some guy who has practiced in his basement or backyard without any actual formal training? What do you guys think?

 

[Tez3]

The USA's equivalent of Europe's football 'firms'?

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I'm glad this came up and I hope we can keep this thread non-political. I agree that this is about public protests and rallies and the violence that sometimes happens at them, NOT about the reasons for the protests and rallies.

First, I have to say that I think public protests and rallies and such things are good in general. They demonstrate (see what I did there) that the public is interested and engaged and passionate about something-or-other. It also shows clearly whether or not public protest and freedom of speech is protected as a civil liberty. I am glad when peaceful rallies, protests, demonstrations, and the like are tolerated by the authorities and police. That's what freedom looks like.

And it does not matter to me what the purpose of the demonstration or public protest is. I find that freedoms are defined at the edges, not the middle, of social acceptability. Just because I think group X is the worst thing ever, their believers are horrible despicable creatures does not mean that I want them to be silenced.

NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE, IF THEY DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO PROTEST, NO ONE DOES.

I don't really give a great rat's bum whether a person finds them offensive or not. Too bad, suck it up, buttercup. If we are allowed to stifle their speech because we don't agree with it, then there is no freedom of speech, point and period. No, I don't want to hear your argument that so-and-so is SO offensive that they must be forbidden the rights we give others. Nope. Not listening. Lalalalalalala.

However, with that said...

I don't go to rallies or demonstrations or protests. Not on the pro side, not on the anti side. For a variety of reasons, most of them revolving around the potential for violence and my own desire to remain unarrested.

Just because I think scumbags should be allowed to protest does not mean I like scumbags or would hesitate to punch one in the mouth if given adequate provocation. So I stay away from such events where the likelihood that I would be so provoked is high.

I have noticed that some people go to protests to protest. Some go to protest the protesters. And some go for their own purposes, which are quite often intended to be violent or to cause violence.

If two sides (and there are often more than two sides, not counting provocateurs and the like) both show up armed and ready for a fight, but both claiming to be interested only in self-defense, there is often occasion for violence to occur. Both sides will blame the other, of course. But bottom line, for most who show up with makeshift armor, shields, weapons, and/or masks, they want to fight. They are looking for an excuse to do so. Sooner or later, someone will say something, someone will push someone, someone will hurl a stick or a bottle or a rock, and it's on like Donkey Kong.

If someone says they are armed but only as a means of defending themselves or some principle at a public protest, they are lying to you.

That's all.

In times past, there were protesters who went to events to publicly display that they were not being permitted by the authorities to protest or march or whatever; they showed up in peace, they were attacked by police, they took their beatings and arrests and they depended on the new media to spread the word of their unjust treatment. Those people (I am thinking of the Selma marchers and such) were heroes. But note that they didn't deck themselves out with improvised weaponry and they didn't start the fights with the police. They were being repressed by the authorities and they got beat up and arrested and sometimes killed right in front of the entire world to prove it.

This ain't that. This is people who want to fight looking for a reason to do so. A pox on all their houses.

 

[drop bear]

I don't really give a great rat's bum whether a person finds them offensive or not. Too bad, suck it up, buttercup. If we are allowed to stifle their speech because we don't agree with it, then there is no freedom of speech, point and period. No, I don't want to hear your argument that so-and-so is SO offensive that they must be forbidden the rights we give others. Nope. Not listening. Lalalalalalala.

Um..... Irony?

 

[drop bear]

Suffragettes were violent as all get out. But they were not getting any traction any other way.

 

[Steve]

Um..... Irony?

Americans don't get it. Thank god we have John Oliver to teach us.

 

[Ironbear24]

This prick goes around looking for fights. He is in jail where he belongs.

 

[Buka]

Participated in protests when I was young (oh, we had such long hair...and we were awesome!)
Worked protests when I was older.

It was all good. It's America.

 

[FriedRice]

It's the Left Wing Antifas who are the violent trouble makers. But they usually get a pass because they're children of rich people, and that area of the USA is bought and paid for by their parents.

The Trump supporters often get attacked and are now defending themselves. This guy's biggest mistake was that he dressed up in what's clearly, designed for combat. He needs to be subtle with his choice of wardrobe. Like a wooden pole needs to have a flag or banner attached to it...not shaped like a freakin' sword. All the stickers and insignia, etc. are just plain dumb and asking to be arrested.

 

[Ironbear24]

So people shouldn't go to jail for seeking out confrontation?

 

[FriedRice]

So people shouldn't go to jail for seeking out confrontation?

Who said that?