Violence by White Supremicists on the rise

[Sleeping in EQ]

What do you mean threat? What threat are you talking about? The threat of assault against you due to your beliefs? Probably depends on how often you go to Portland. Threat to overthrow or our democracy? Neither is a threat at all. The actual threat of both to the institutions and processes of the country are vastly overstated. There is more a risk to our democracy from possible suppression of speech and idea related to these two movements than there is from the ideas or behaviors of either of these groups, IMO.

Word.

[SeattleUte]

What do you mean threat? What threat are you talking about? The threat of assault against you due to your beliefs? Probably depends on how often you go to Portland. Threat to overthrow or our democracy? Neither is a threat at all. The actual threat of both to the institutions and processes of the country are vastly overstated. There is more a risk to our democracy from possible suppression of speech and idea related to these two movements than there is from the ideas or behaviors of either of these groups, IMO.

What you say is demonstrably true. No need to IMO at the end of your comment.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

I don't think so. I am pretty uneducated on both, but imo the white supremacists issue is worse. I think that is a big problem. Antifa are stupid and annoying and they are becoming more of a problem, but not even close to the same level of severity.

Lol, you guys really think white supremacists are a real problem? To a few individual communities, perhaps they're a problem, just like Antifa in Portland. Nationwide, of course not. On that topic, where are all these hordes of white supremacists that have caused as much trouble as Antifa has in Portland, Berkeley, Oakland, etc? Charlotesville a couple years ago? Where else? But again, nationwide these two groups don't really move the needle one way or the other. This idea we're on the verge of becoming some Handmaiden's Tale like white-dominated theocracy is absurd.

The reason for the mention of far left loons that commit/attempt mass shooting is to show the common denominator -- lunacy of individuals that commit these acts. They're always male and mostly under the age of 30 or even 25. They're either completely out of their minds (Sandy Hook or the movie theater in Colorado) or they've latched on to ideas that appeal to shut-ins which provide scapegoats as to why they're complete losers. Mexicans, "Nazis" (mostly consisting of people who disagree with you politically), blacks, women and jocks have all been the specific targets over the years -- though it seems like they kill indiscriminately once they actually start the spree.

Although, this story isn't really about Antifa, it provides an interesting viewpoint on why so many white urban liberals feel the desire to become "woke." It's not to actually bring about social change, none of these people even know what they're protesting or what the end goal is.

https://palladiummag.com/2019/08/05/...t-free-speech/

[frank ryan]

Word.

No, the threat is not close to equal. We’re dealing in reality not hypothetical land. Trump and the like have postured about making antifa a terrorist group while downplaying the much greater threat from fascists. It’s poor form to paint the threats as equal. It’s interesting that it’s becoming the focus for some in this thread.

[frank ryan]

Why does Antifa keep being brought up in a thread about white supremacy?

Deflection!

[SoCalCoug]

What do you mean threat? What threat are you talking about? The threat of assault against you due to your beliefs? Probably depends on how often you go to Portland. Threat to overthrow or our democracy? Neither is a threat at all. The actual threat of both to the institutions and processes of the country are vastly overstated. There is more a risk to our democracy from possible suppression of speech and idea related to these two movements than there is from the ideas or behaviors of either of these groups, IMO.

I should have put quotes around "threat" - I'm questioning why, in a discussion of white supremacy, certain people insist on bringing up Antifa. I do not see them as a significant threat to anyone. White supremacists, on the other hand...

[Walter Sobchak]

Why does Antifa keep being brought up in a thread about white supremacy?

Better question is why frank is now posting here and not in the Comrade Trump thread any longer.

[Sleeping in EQ]

No, the threat is not close to equal. We’re dealing in reality not hypothetical land. Trump and the like have postured about making antifa a terrorist group while downplaying the much greater threat from fascists. It’s poor form to paint the threats as equal. It’s interesting that it’s becoming the focus for some in this thread.

Our laws are more than up to dealing with the behaviors of white supremacists, antifa, and their ilk.

We have much more significant problems at hand.

[falafel]

I should have put quotes around "threat" - I'm questioning why, in a discussion of white supremacy, certain people insist on bringing up Antifa. I do not see them as a significant threat to anyone. White supremacists, on the other hand...

What threat do you see coming from white supremacists?

[chrisrenrut]

I’ll take Antifa more seriously once they start kidnapping punk rocker’s girlfriends from transcontinental flights.

[frank ryan]

Our laws are more than up to dealing with the behaviors of white supremacists, antifa, and their ilk.

We have much more significant problems at hand.

This is a weird hill to die on. The threat from white nationalists is one of our more serious ones. They are one of the top 2 domestic terrorism threats and it’s not receding.

Insisting that they and antifa are the same is stubborn and uninformed. It’s also unnecessary for this thread.

[Sleeping in EQ]

This is a weird hill to die on. The threat from white nationalists is one of our more serious ones. They are one of the top 2 domestic terrorism threats and it’s not receding.

Insisting that they and antifa are the same is stubborn and uninformed. It’s also unnecessary for this thread.

I'm not on a hill, and I'm not dying.

I haven't said that white nationalists and antifa are equal.

I've only said that I think there are more important problems to address.

Are you doing OK?

[creekster]

This is a weird hill to die on. The threat from white nationalists is one of our more serious ones. They are one of the top 2 domestic terrorism threats and it’s not receding.

Insisting that they and antifa are the same is stubborn and uninformed. It’s also unnecessary for this thread.

What does this comment even mean? What hill do you think SIEQ is choosing to 'die' on? I don't think he said that the two organizations are equivalent or equal or whatever concept is putting you on edge. His point, as I see it and with which I agree, is that you can put all of those idiots in the same bag. The threat from exaggerating any of their importance is greater than the threat any of them present.

And what is all this stuff about thread purity? For purposes of this board the scope of the threat of antifa in the context of discussing white supremacists seems very germane as a general matter.

[Moliere]

I'm not on a hill, and I'm not dying.

I haven't said that white nationalists and antifa are equal.

I've only said that I think there are more important problems to address.

Are you doing OK?

Ha! My favorite part of political CS is when someone tries to summarize a thread (erroneously in this case by SoCalCoug) and then franK uses it as common knowledge. Which is to say, it doesn’t matter if anyone said antifa and white nationalists are the same, what matters is franK believes someone said it.

[SoCalCoug]

What threat do you see coming from white supremacists?

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics...eology/595435/