‘Designating’ Antifa a Terrorist Organization Is a Bad Idea

National Review ^ | 8/31/2017 | Andrew McCarthy

[EBH]

I know this sounds crazy, but Donald Trump will not be president forever. In fact, he hasn’t been president that long . . . meaning, it was not so long ago that we were dealing with an Obama administration — and its media-Democrat pom-pom squads — that regarded limited-government conservatives, Second Amendment proponents, and many veterans returning from overseas military service as “right-wing extremists” who posed a threat of “domestic terrorism.” Someday, maybe sooner than we’d like to think, Democrats are going to be in power again. Do we really want to give them enhanced federal powers to harass ideological opponents under the guise of “designating” domestic terrorist threats?

Right this minute, in terms of confronting Antifa or any other domestic terrorist organization, we have a more robust array of state and federal law-enforcement powers than we have ever had. Moreover, coordination between federal and state law-enforcement and national-security officers is as good as it has ever been. All that is required to gut Antifa is the will to do it — the will to say, “Regardless of our disparate political views, we Americans draw the line at violent extortion that eviscerates our right to speak, assemble, and engage in constitutionally protected political activity.”

I’d humbly suggest we work on that, rather than wasting our energy on meaningless and potentially counterproductive theater like designating domestic terrorist organizations.

[SuperLuminal]

"Don’t worry. It won’t happen, just like Trump didn’t follow thru on designating Mexican cartels as terrorist "

Also, those three Iranian ships loaded with oil and armaments he threatened all unloaded in Venezuela without problems...

The POTUS knows when to hold'em and when to fold'em... I'm going to put my money on his genius...

[SkyPilot]

Anyone know how designating Antifa a terrorist group makes any difference? What would that allow the feds to do that they couldn’t before?

All it means is that the Feds can commit "More Resources" towards "combating" ANTIFA.

But I don't think it will make a bit of difference.

We branded the Mexican drug cartels as "terrorist organizations."

Those cartels are doing just fine.

Ultra-Left cities such as San Francisco branded the NRA as a terrorist organization (which is laughable, but they did).

At the end of the day, Barr and his Dept of Injustice won't do a damn thing to bring these criminals to justice.

He'll flap his gums, but that's about it.

[MortMan]

Do you h9nestly believe the left will not abuse discretion when they can, no matter what the right does now?

[Chgogal]

It seems like it.

[Osage Orange]

Did you bother to read???

[nicollo]

Excellent post, although you’re missing the real point about the terrorist designation:

FOLLOW THE MONEY!

[Chauncey Gardiner]

Afraid of what dems might do down the road. Hardly a reason to cower now.

[Chgogal]

If Militias are organizing and inciting riots across state lines, what the hell would you call them?

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Do we really want to give them enhanced federal powers to harass ideological opponents under the guise of “designating” domestic terrorist threats?

Does anyone who isn't a fool actually believe that Democrats won't do exactly this when they take the White House again, regardless of what Trump does?

[Bishop_Malachi]

I’d humbly suggest we work on that, rather than wasting our energy on meaningless and potentially counterproductive theater like designating domestic terrorist organizations.

_________________________________________________

Andrew, if it’s just “theatre” - as you call it - and has no teeth, then why are you wasting ink condemning it?

[rockrr]

"Do we really want to give them enhanced federal powers to harass ideological opponents under the guise of “designating” domestic terrorist threats?"

They do and will continue to do so no matter what we do.

[Robert DeLong]

Me thinks Andy is wrong on this issue.

[newfreep]

Andy McCarthy....part of the problem....

...and a MAJOR Never Trumper

[DoughtyOne]

Nothing like a blithering idiot with a mouth to make things
ever so much better. /s

Yeah, I agree with you.

[jocon307]

Should have been, Antifa should be too.

[Vlad The Inhaler]

Oh, So they’re all alike?

Right!

Remember when those mobs of “limited-government conservatives, Second Amendment proponents, and veterans returning from overseas military service” were running wild
in the streets trashing neighborhoods, looting stores, burning buildings, destroying police cars, beating up and killing innocent bystanders, stabbing policemen?

Me neither.....

[old curmudgeon]

We already have the law on the books.

What is required is that an organization be declared by a legal process a terrorist organization.

That can be done by a conservative administration or a nut case administration, so declaring Antifa a terrorist organization does absolutely nothing to change either history or the future.

If there is a reason to worry or to have a debate, the correct question would be: Should we have a law which makes it possible to declare a US citizen or an organization to which he belongs, a terrorist organization?

Or should we just jail them on one of the thousands of laws forbidding their conduct.

[Bogey78O]

The leftwing doesn’t believe in reciprocal behavior or tradition.

They already designate centrist and right-wing groups as terrorists.

[CincyRichieRich]

Carlos Osweda’s Twitter feed said Antifa 56 groups and their leaders have been identified...perhaps this is why Barr and PDJT waited so long...

[jocon307]

We probably didn’t have “terrorism” laws back in the Weatherman days