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Portland Considers Antimask Law Aimed at Antifa Violence
Wall Street Journal ^ | July 18, 2019 | Zusha Elinson

Posted on 07/18/2019 11:12:33 AM PDT by reaganaut1

City leaders in Portland, Ore., are considering making it illegal for protesters to wear masks in an attempt to address violent clashes between left-wing and right-wing activists, the latest of which occurred a few weeks ago.

Police Chief Danielle Outlaw first called for an antimask law after dueling protests on June 29, where a conservative writer said he was assaulted by members of the left-wing group Antifa, who frequently wear masks. Demonstrators from Antifa, short for antifascist, were among those countering a march by the Proud Boys, which calls itself a “Western Chauvinist Group” and is designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

“A lot of people are emboldened because they know they can’t be identified,” Ms. Outlaw said at a news conference.

A spokeswoman for Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said city officials have had initial discussions about outlawing the wearing of a mask to commit a crime or escape identification in the commission of a crime. Mr. Wheeler “wants to weigh his options thoroughly and hear concerns from community leaders before making a decision,” said Eileen Park, the spokeswoman.

The idea received a swift rebuke from the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon.

“A policy that prohibits wearing a mask to a protest not only risks chilling First Amendment-protected activities, particularly for those who wear ‘masks’ for political and religious reasons, it misses the issue entirely,” spokeswoman Sarah Armstrong said in an email. “Behavior is the issue, not the mask.”

About 15 states and some counties and cities have some sort of antimask legislation. Many date to the middle of the last century when states and cities sought to target the Ku Klux Klan, but in recent years the laws have been passed amid activism by left-wing groups.

(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; US: Oregon
KEYWORDS: aclu; af; antifa; arson; assault; communistaf; dncbrownshirts; electionviolence; militantleft; mobviolence; oregon; portland
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To: reaganaut1

Nothing in the First Amendment guarantees anonymity or freedom from the consequences of bad behavior.


21 posted on 07/18/2019 12:06:36 PM PDT by Two Kids' Dad (((( Wake me when a prominent democrat actually gets prosecuted. ))))
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To: bk1000

Indeed they do. This guy had been previously beaten by a mob, and when being pursued by another mob, he pulled his carry piece. I think the results are currently under appeal.

https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2017/05/man_who_pointed_gun_at_dont_sh.html


22 posted on 07/18/2019 12:08:56 PM PDT by gundog ( Hail to the Chief, bitches!)
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To: jonascord

Dope. It’s not the exclusive domain of the lefties.


23 posted on 07/18/2019 12:11:54 PM PDT by gundog ( Hail to the Chief, bitches!)
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To: reaganaut1

Wow, Portland must have had enough.

It’s pretty bad when you push even Portland too far.


24 posted on 07/18/2019 12:17:51 PM PDT by metmom ( ...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith..)
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To: reaganaut1

Too bad that they didn’t do this sooner.

Funny, isn’t it, how the laws change only when it’s one of them that gets caught by it.

They won’t do it to protect the common peon, just themselves, the privileged class.


25 posted on 07/18/2019 12:19:15 PM PDT by metmom ( ...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith..)
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To: reaganaut1

It’s not a complete solution, but masking while threatening (like with fists or sticks), or during commission of an assault should be an “aggravating circumstance” upping the minimum and average penalties provided under the law.


26 posted on 07/18/2019 12:21:57 PM PDT by Pearls Before Swine
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To: reaganaut1

Ask bank tellers how they feel about masks.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with that, IS THERE?

Oh, wait, the masked people would have to do something illegal before unmasking.


27 posted on 07/18/2019 12:28:21 PM PDT by Maris Crane
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To: reaganaut1

So the ACLU would support the Klan wearing their hoods and masks in Portland???????


28 posted on 07/18/2019 12:32:24 PM PDT by Midwesterner53
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To: SaveFerris

They ARE serving the antichrist. Their chosen colors are a clue (red and black).


29 posted on 07/18/2019 12:32:26 PM PDT by Disambiguator (Keepin' it analog.)
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To: reaganaut1

Antifa Brownshirts run Portland. State government sponsored LAWLESSNESS and ANARCHY reigns unchecked throughout Portland Oregon.

The mayor is the socialist enabler, and the police force has been completely nuttered.

There’s no one there willing to pass it, and even fewer with the guts to enforce it.


30 posted on 07/18/2019 12:35:24 PM PDT by Jmouse007 (Lord God Almighty, deliver us from this evil in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, amen.)
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To: Disambiguator

Yep - all of their political works line up perfectly.

New World Order, hate Israel, love cashless society, Bible is a “myth”....


31 posted on 07/18/2019 12:36:04 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
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To: Vigilanteman

Increase criminal penalties for wearing a mask.


32 posted on 07/18/2019 12:43:12 PM PDT by EQAndyBuzz (Trump is President and CEO of America, Inc.)
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To: reaganaut1

In a few weeks we are doing the Mississippi from Minneapolis to New Orleans. Expect an enjoyable experience. My next plan was to do the Columbia Snake River cruise. We toured the Snake River canyon many many years ago. It was/is worth seeing again. But forget it. I’ll never (I hate the word never) step foot in Portland Oregon!!!!


33 posted on 07/18/2019 1:56:36 PM PDT by Allen In Texas Hill Country
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To: Eddie01

Yes, let us spell it antiFA ( anti First Amendment. ). They are NOT anti-fascist. I guess that the Southern Poverty Law Center has not named antiFA as a hate group.


34 posted on 07/18/2019 2:00:23 PM PDT by Freee-dame (Best election ever! 2016)
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To: reaganaut1

A ‘curve ball’ to take out Burkas too?


35 posted on 07/18/2019 2:54:06 PM PDT by ThePatriotsFlag (We are getting even more than we voted for.)
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To: SaveFerris

I’m betting their looking forward to working this concoction out during the Tribulation.

They can wear all the masks they want.

Their destiny is an inferno that never rests and never stops. Saunas are bad after 15 minutes - imagine cranking that thermostat up by about 1000% and having no escape forever.


36 posted on 07/18/2019 2:58:03 PM PDT by Roman_War_Criminal (Like Enoch, Noah, & Lot, the True Church will soon be removed & then destruction comes forth.)
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To: reaganaut1; All
"“A policy that prohibits wearing a mask to a protest not only risks chilling First Amendment-protected activities [??? emphasis added], particularly for those who wear ‘masks’ for political and religious reasons, it misses the issue entirely,” spokeswoman Sarah Armstrong said in an email."
FR: Never Accept the Premise of Your Opponent’s Argument

Many people don’t seem to understand that the Founding States decided that the states did not have to respect the rights that they expressly protected with the Bill of Rights (BoR). The states obligated only the federal government to respect the BoR.

So BoR rights are not absolute like many people seem to think.

On the other hand, although the states still have the 10th Amendment (10A)-protected power to regulate constitutionally enumerated protections, no face masks for protestors for example, such power is now reasonably limited by the 14th Amendment.

”14th Amendment, Section 1: All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States [emphasis added]; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”

That being said, state laws prohibiting protesters from wearing masks are justifiable under the following constitutional clauses imo.

Again, not only should 10A-protected state powers trump 1st Amendment-protections of protestors in cases of domestic violence imo, but the Founding States gave the states other express constitutional power to suppress domestic violence. For example...

"Article IV, Section 4: The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic Violence [emphasis added]."

And since Antifa seems to be politically related violence, the feds arguably have the express constitutional authority to intervene to insure domestic tranquility.

"Article I, Section 8, Clause 15 (1.8.15): To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections [emphasis added] and repel Invasions;"

H O W E V E R…

The problem with 1.8.15 is that we’re still stuck with a worthless Congress left over from the lawless Obama Administration that will predictably not lift a finger to do its duty to deal with politically motivated violence imo. So patriots in the whole nation need to rescue Portland and other cities from Antifa by doing the following.

Patriots need to elect a new patriot Congress in the 2020 elections that will not only promise to support PDJT’s vision for MAGA, now KAG, but will also promise to do its constitutionally enumerated duty to suppress insurrections.

Getting back to state laws prohibiting masks for protestors, the bottom line is that the states cannot reasonably exercise their constitutionally enumerated power to suppress domestic violence if constitutionally enumerated rights, free speech in this example, are politically argued as being absolute imo.

Insights welcome.

Remember in November 2020!

MAGA! Now KAG! (Keep America Great!)

37 posted on 07/18/2019 3:26:14 PM PDT by Amendment10
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To: reaganaut1
Masks protect the oppressed!

No anti-mask laws!

38 posted on 07/18/2019 5:06:54 PM PDT by null and void (The Democratic Party is back to loving workers but hating employers. A winning formula IÂ’m sure.)
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To: Roman_War_Criminal

It seems as if most of them, if not close to all, will be happy to do this for their anti-messiah.

Hard to fathom that any reasonably-sane person would be out in the streets advocating that stuff. They fulfill Scripture and don’t even know it yet.


39 posted on 07/18/2019 5:43:22 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
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To: SaveFerris
I'm amazed that leftist Portland would want antifa thugs unmasked.

I wonder if they will enforce the law if it goes in effect?

If so lots of arrests 'cause these cowards will most likely keep their masks off.

40 posted on 07/18/2019 10:43:57 PM PDT by Syncro (Facts is Facts)
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