The News Thread

[Dak]

It's science.

 

[Einherjar86]

As I said previously, "right-wing extremist" is an extremely broad catch-all. Let's look at some recent examples of right-wing violence, per the ADL:

https://www.adl.org/resources/repor...sm-in-the-united-states-in-2017#the-incidents

Many of them aren't remotely acts of terrorism, just some random dumbass white hicks/inbreds committing murder.

Just to clarify, though, we weren't talking about right-wing terrorism. We were talking about violence in general--deadly and non-deadly. I even specifically said "small-scale acts of violence" in my last post. There's a lot of violence committed by extremist groups or those harboring extremist values/beliefs that doesn't fall into the category of terrorism.

If a group of antifa members ransacked and looted a random store, I bet we'd still count this under "far-left violence." I don't see why random acts of violence committed by right-wing extremists don't count as "far-right violence." The point is that people who ascribe to these values tend to exhibit more violent behavior; it doesn't matter to whom they direct it.

The only data that I am aware of that might back this assertion up is including any militias as "right wing extremist groups", regardless of the lack of domestic disturbances they may cause.

I'd like to see the data that shows antifa outnumbering far-right groups in the U.S. I'm not even sure how you count members of antifa.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Because to attack a store while decrying capitalism/property is ideological, whereas to attack your white uncle while decrying miscegenation is unrelated.

 

[Einherjar86]

Because to attack a store while decrying capitalism/property is ideological, whereas to attack your white uncle while decrying miscegenation is unrelated.

You think decrying miscegenation isn’t ideological?

EDIT: never mind, I see what you’re saying. For future reference, your use of “while” implies that both acts (i.e. attacking an uncle and decrying miscegenation) are taking place at the same time, and therefore are related. One could read your comment as saying that a single act—“attacking your uncle while decrying miscegenation”—is unrelated to ideology.

Moving on—I don’t think we need to posit a magical, metaphysical connection between the act and a person’s values: a) that’s impossible to actually observe, and b) how are we to know that in some warped way a person’s extremist values don’t inform a seemingly unrelated act?

 

[HamburgerBoy]

You think decrying miscegenation isn’t ideological?

Killing one's same-race uncle over a family dispute is not white supremacy in action. It's not ideological for neo-Nazis (or basically any group save sovereign citizen types) to run stop signs, pirate music, or jaywalk either.

 

[Einherjar86]

I edited my original post.

Also, it’s not ideological for anti-gov’t ideologies to run stop signs amd jaywalk?

 

[HamburgerBoy]

You think decrying miscegenation isn’t ideological?

EDIT: never mind, I see what you’re saying. For future reference, your use of “while” implies that both acts (i.e. attacking an uncle and decrying miscegenation) are taking place at the same time, and therefore are related. One could read your comment as saying that a single act—“attacking your uncle while decrying miscegenation”—is unrelated to ideology.

I don't mean verbally decrying; not every extremist literally screams the reason for their violence at the precise moment of violence occurring, obviously. Otherwise the crimes of guys like Fields wouldn't be called ideologically-driven.

Moving on—I don’t think we need to posit a magical, metaphysical connection between the act and a person’s values: a) that’s impossible to actually observe, and b) how are we to know that in some warped way a person’s extremist values don’t inform a seemingly unrelated act?

Good point. It is impossible to judge an act as actually informed by right-wing extremism. Right-wing violence is impossible to observe.

Also, it’s not ideological for anti-gov’t ideologies to run stop signs amd jaywalk?

Not unless done with the intent of defying government/attacking a system of traffic laws.

 

[Einherjar86]

The problem with intent is that it’s also virtually impossible to observe/verify, which is why it doesn’t matter if you don’t intend to break a law.

As you say, this works both ways. So we may not be able to attribute ideological intent to an act, but we also can’t entirely believe an actor when he says his intentions weren’t ideologically motivated. We’re stuck with saying “Well, an ideologically extremist individual committed a violent act.”

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Intent matters a lot where the law is concerned. That could be the difference between aggravated involuntary manslaughter and first degree murder.

As you say, this works both ways. So we may not be able to attribute ideological intent to an act, but we also can’t entirely believe an actor when he says his intentions weren’t ideologically motivated. We’re stuck with saying “Well, an ideologically extremist individual committed a violent act.”

Agreed 100%.

Personally, I would favor forbidding the consideration of intent in all criminal cases. Would make things a lot cleaner and there's no way of interfering with freedom of expression that way.

 

[Dak]

I'd like to see the data that shows antifa outnumbering far-right groups in the U.S. I'm not even sure how you count members of antifa.

But that gets into defining "far-right" groups. Antifa is the "militant left" even if we can't technically say they label themselves as "far left". But what counts as "militant"? Militias would seem like the obvious choice, except it's mostly veterans, cops, and bubbas going camping and target shooting in the woods. Not blocking traffic and assaulting people.

 

[Blurry_Dreams]

Why do people buy name brand razors anyways? It's not like comparing Dr. Pepper to Mr. Perky. I've only ever bought generic though, so maybe I'm missing something

Yes you're missing something
When you're using brand names instead of generic
You can actually feel the difference between one brand and another
My beard grows thick enough that I'm still gonna use Gillette razors because they're really good at getting a smooth and painless shave with out making my face bleed

 

[Einherjar86]

 

[HamburgerBoy]

I inherited some giant electric razor from my dad. Conway or something, can't even find the brand googling. I'll probably use it until one of us dies first.

 

[viewerfromnihil]

Ralph Northam, Virginia Governor, Admits He Was in Racist Photo

Virginia’s governor acknowledged on Friday that he was photographed more than 30 years ago in a costume that was “clearly racist and offensive” — admitting that he had dressed either as a member of the Ku Klux Klan or in blackface — but resisted a flood of calls for his resignation from national and state Democrats.

“I am deeply sorry for the decision I made to appear as I did in this photo and for the hurt that decision caused then and now,” Ralph Northam, the Democratic governor, said in a statement on Friday evening.....

Still, the news of the yearbook image, which the website Big League Politics first reported on Friday, could undermine Mr. Northam’s authority in Richmond and tarnish his tenure, which, just more than a year in, had already been marked by several accomplishments on Democratic priorities.

Ouch. I expect we'll see his resignation next week. The Dems certainly aren't going to let him stick around. It is rather comical to think of though, in the context of the Steve King affair or, you know, Trump.

And speak of the devil: it's Big League Politics. I'm on their email lists because right-wing organizations are trash and keep selling my email to one another, and I generally keep the wacky ones around for a few weeks before putting them on my spam list (unsubscribing does nothing). The best part is, it wasn't even a headline in the email they sent out yesterday. It was "WATCH: Pro-Infanticide Legislator’s Abortion Lies Get Obliterated in 30 Seconds" followed by this story, "YEARBOOK: Ralph Northam In Blackface & KKK Photo," and then a few others, among them, "READ: How This Previously-Arrested Illegal Alien Became The State Department Phone Thief," "#MeToo: Admitted Sexual Predator Cory Booker Joins Presidential Race," "‘Roger Stone Did Nothing Wrong’ T-Shirts On Sale At The 1776 Shop," and, my favorite, "What Was Kamala Harris Staffer And His Masonic Brothers Doing Behind The LAPD During Trayvon Riots?." Delightfult.

 

[CiG]

Was it a dress-up party or Halloween or something?

 

[viewerfromnihil]

Was it a dress-up party or Halloween or something?

Probably so--a la sorority girl in poncho, sombrero, and mustache--but it's not clear yet. In any case, I don't see any way for him to recover from it. Maybe if this were from a high school yearbook, he'd have an out, but med school? nah. The one thing he's got going for him is the fact that VA only allows one-term for governors, so it's politically inconsequential for him personally whether he resigns or not. Either way, it'll be the last political seat he holds with a D by his name. The party's going to do all they can to push him out.

 

[rms]

this reply seems so much snarkier when you have certain users ignored

 

[The Ozzman]

Proof that the Democrats are the real racists

 

[EternalMetal]

I mean, the democrats do kind of treat minorities like animals that need to be bolstered and cared for.

This whole idea of defaming people from obscure pictures/tweets/etc from someone's distant past is ridiculous and seems to be getting out of hand.

 

[The Ozzman]

I mean, the democrats do kind of treat minorities like animals that need to be bolstered and cared for.

Part of the reason I'm against affirmative action. It implies that minorities can't obtain jobs on their own merit and experience.