"Occupy" Vs Tea Party

[SeattlePioneer]

Interesting point, Calico.

 

That was a period of genuine political revolution. In a period of revolution, the social norms against violence evaporate.

 

Violence and warfare, often on a large scale, tend to follow.

 

Is that where we are? I don't think so.

 

We should be reinforcing the social norms against political violence, or things may get A LOT worse.

 

We have elections coming up. Four years ago the political left won the Presidency, House and Senate and ruled as they wished for two years.

 

The political left has not revolted against leadership by Obama and the Democrats.

 

You should keep in mind that the right has pretty much avoided organized political violence in recent years. But when it does happen, the right tends to use a lot of firearms and explosives to make its point. Do you really want to start that kind of political warfare?

[Beavah]

There it is. Right there.

 

But when it does happen, the right tends to use a lot of firearms and explosives to make its point. Do you really want to start that kind of political warfare?

 

That is the reason I am no longer a Republican or a modern conservative.

 

I find such threats of civil war and terrorist violence over ordinary policy disagreements or losing an election to be disgusting, vile, and absolutely, utterly, and unequivocally unconscionable.

 

They do not belong in American political discourse, and those who pretend to be conservative Americans who would even begin to think along those lines should step away from public life in shame and humiliation.

 

It is the attitude, approach, and tactics of the vile factions in Al Queda and Hezbollah. It is the attitude, approach, and tactics of the likes of McVeigh and Nichols here at home. It is completely without honor.

 

There's a reason for Godwin's Law, eh? It's a check on discourse so that yeh don't make a complete fool of yourself. That yeh don't turn a question over ordinary public policy into a reason to start usin' explosives on government buildings because yeh see Nazis in the woodwork.

 

But yep, to answer your question, I haven't a lick of fear over such threats. If yeh go that route this traditional conservative will reluctantly and with sadness join the rest of America in seeing the lot of yeh arrested, fairly tried, convicted, and hung.

 

Beavah

 

[JoeBob]

Beavah: Methinks thou doest protest too much!

 

SeattlePioneer's comment was an historically correct observation; not a threat.

 

It is entirely germane to this discussion to point out that crapping on police cars, raping girls inside their tents in parks, breaking massive quantities of windows, blocking public access to businesses, and picketting private residences are provocative actions that might invoke a violent response.

I'm not worried about a bomber. I'm worried about a lone sniper deciding that an OWS rally is a target rich environment. Remember the ten deaths attributed to the Beltway Sniper in 2002? (BTW - Is an act of violence motivated by the religion of Islam considered Left-wing or Right-wing?)

 

 

[SR540Beaver]

Godwin's Law is basically that given enough time in any online discussion, a comparison to Hitler or the Nazi's will be made. That doesn't mean that such a comparison is incorrect, just that it will eventually happen. One should read up on the Nazi Kristallnacht to understand why SP has made the comments he made. One only need exchange the word "Jew" with "rich" to see the similarities.

[Tokala]

It seems that people are starting to become selective about who's 1st Amendment right has more influence. Not much difference between the Tea Party and Occupy for me. Just different sections of society using what means they have available to make a statement. Neither one is really more righteous or law-abiding than the other.

 

With the RNC coming to Tampa and I live in Pinellas, my local area is going to become a zoo. No way in Hades that I go anywhere near the Tampa Bay Times Forum. There will be just as many nutbags inside the building as there are outside protesting.

 

I laughed when I saw that the local government that is pro 'stand your ground' type laws is now requesting that the Governor temporarily ban weapons. They managed to limit people's 1st Amendment rights inside the "zone" but not the 2nd Amendment. Sad day when we value our guns over our right to free speech and assembly.

[SeattlePioneer]

In my view, we must all take pains to keep organized political violence outside the realm of acceptable political activity.

 

It's all too easy to rationalize such behavior, and once it starts it easily can start a deadly spiral.

 

For forty or more years, the left has had a weakness for indulging in and excusing political violence targeted at property destruction --- but that's not acceptable political behavior either. Most recently, the FBI arrested and stopped environmental terrorists who were burning building and property.

 

The most dramatic violence by the right was blowing up the Oklahoma City Federal building, killing hundreds. That perpetrator was properly executed for that outrage. Violence by the right has tended to be directed at people as well as property.

 

I condemn organized political violence by both the left and right. I would like to see others do that as well, and not excuse or extenuate criminal behavior by either.

 

 

 

[Tampa Turtle]

Pinellas looks pretty good.

 

I work in the "event zone" (where the protesters will be allowed) for the RNC though not in "the box" (The secure area the Secret Service will control--the safest are in america). I am required to be there during that week and will be monitoring the situation as part of my job.

 

I have acquaintances in both a local Occupy group and the police assigned to RNC crowd control. Both have elements that are gearing up for confrontation. The majority are planning to exercise and allow the peaceful demonstration of dissent that is a constitutional right. But some seem to be looking for trouble.

 

Personally I hope it will be the most boring convention ever. But it has a real possibility of turning nasty.