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Stop Sensationalizing the Threat of Right-Wing Political Violence
Quillette ^ | January 28, 2021 | Zaid Jilani

Posted on 01/31/2021 5:33:09 AM PST by karpov

On Friday, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki announced that President Joe Biden had ordered intelligence agencies to conduct a “comprehensive threat assessment” regarding domestic terrorism. “The [January 6th] assault on the Capitol and the tragic deaths and destruction that occurred underscored what we have long known,” Psaki said. “The rise of domestic violent extremism is a serious and growing national security threat.”

It’s beyond question that the riot at the Capitol building—in which crowds of incensed Trump backers invaded Congress, interrupted the certification of the presidential election, ransacked offices, and provoked deadly fights—was an unprecedented security failure. And a thorough investigation should be completed into why 2,300 members of the Capitol Police weren’t able to protect the building and its occupants.

But it’s also worth examining Psaki’s claim that the riot at the Capitol proves that domestic violent extremism in the United States is a “serious and growing national security threat” that could be used to justify the expansion of censorship, surveillance, and possibly new anti-terror laws. Simply put, this is an example of what might be called threat inflation. Often, it is the conservative side of the political spectrum that seeks a draconian response to public mayhem. But this time, it’s progressive elites.

I did not say threat invention. The riot at the Capitol was, to reiterate, a real and distressing display of mob violence. But it’s notable that, in a country where there are more guns than people, none of the rioters used firearms. While a Capitol police officer was tragically killed as a consequence of the mob violence, the only person killed by a gunshot was an unarmed woman who was shot by a police officer after she’d crawled through a window.

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


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption
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1 posted on 01/31/2021 5:33:09 AM PST by karpov
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To: karpov

Right wingers aren’t the violent ones. It’s the left that is emotional and violent.


2 posted on 01/31/2021 5:38:03 AM PST by yldstrk (Bingo! We have a winner!)
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To: karpov

Please. If it wasn’t the Capitol setup, it would be something else.

Don’t kid yourself that this is related in some way to actual external reality. Facts mean nothing. Reality is of no interest.

They have always intended to shut down 1A and 2A the very minute they seized power.

They found something on which to hang their hats, no matter how flimsy.

Up next will be 4A, 14A, and 5A.

Ultimately, they will just do away with the entire Constitution. Who will stop them? The Roberts court? Congress? Our steel-spined Republicans?

Once they start the court packing, we could have an Obama court, if he can be lured away from the weed and video games.


3 posted on 01/31/2021 5:41:16 AM PST by jazminerose (America’s most dangerous domestic terrorists—believers and objectors.)
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To: karpov

The left is tearing apart the nation with their hatred, and they’ll destroy themselves in the process.
Climate crisis is a lie. Social justice is a lie. Systemic racism is a lie. 1619 Project is a lie. Marxism is a lie.
That last one — it has been proven time and again in experiments on humans. It’s not as if they don’t know.


4 posted on 01/31/2021 5:44:05 AM PST by Buttons12 ( )
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To: jazminerose

The War on Drugs got the 4th A. and the 5th A.


5 posted on 01/31/2021 5:45:34 AM PST by sport
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To: karpov

What really needs to be investigated is why the DemonRats are ignoring the participation of ANTIFA and other leftist elements in the riot. But we already know both why they participated and why it will not be investigated: The DemonRats benefit from those actions of mayhem.


6 posted on 01/31/2021 5:47:43 AM PST by Michael.SF. (I believe you Tony B.)
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To: yldstrk
Right wingers aren’t the violent ones.

That's too bad. Violence beat Nazism and Imperial Japan, when nothing else could. It's getting a bad rap these days. We should be rounded up peacefully I suppose.

7 posted on 01/31/2021 5:49:16 AM PST by Buttons12 ( )
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To: Buttons12

Well, you got a point there.


8 posted on 01/31/2021 5:54:26 AM PST by yldstrk (Bingo! We have a winner!)
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To: karpov
"Stop it!" "Just stop it!"

Yeah, that'll work.

9 posted on 01/31/2021 5:57:19 AM PST by RoosterRedux
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To: karpov

This is all BS. No one cared when they tried to get over the fence to breach the White House grounds this summer. Attacked capitol police and secret service and tried to burn down a historic church. Trump was crucified for daring to call out the National Guard to restore order as both sides of the aisle accused him of “militarizing” the capitol. The corrupt congress thinks we’re all stupid.


10 posted on 01/31/2021 6:04:51 AM PST by jersey117
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To: All

I wish there was right wing violence but unfortunately it basically doesn’t exist .


11 posted on 01/31/2021 6:07:45 AM PST by escapefromboston (Free Assange )
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To: karpov
But it’s also worth examining Psaki’s claim that the riot at the Capitol proves that domestic violent extremism in the United States is a “serious and growing national security threat” that could be used to justify the expansion of censorship, surveillance, and possibly new anti-terror laws.

She is right, domestic terrorism *is* a huge threat. Unfortunately, people like her will target all of the terrorism fighting resources at Conservatives, and ignore the Antifa, the Earth First, the Animal Liberation Front, and all of the other radical left terrorist groups that have conducted violent activities for decades. People like Psaki don't want to stop domestic terrorism. They want to add government brutality into the mix.

The left has used this tactic for over a century. First, the leftist terrorists harass the people and foment unrest. Then, once the left gets into power, the government takes over and ramps up the leftist violence. They intimidate, arrest, put people into reeducation and forced labor camps, and finally execute those who fail to embrace socialist dictatorship. It's an old story. It is horrifying that we are seeing it unfold in the US. How far will we sink into totalitarianism, and will we ever be able to hold an honest election again?

12 posted on 01/31/2021 6:09:27 AM PST by exDemMom (Current visual of the hole the US continues to dig itself into: http://www.usdebtclock.org)
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To: jazminerose
They found something on which to hang their hats, no matter how flimsy.

In addition, it leaves them poised to pounce upon the next opportunity. “See? See? What have we been telling you?”

13 posted on 01/31/2021 6:11:06 AM PST by gundog (This space for rent.)
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To: karpov
So all those "legal protests" which killed, destroyed, maimed and shut down cities like NY were just a blip. We know they were NOT Trump supporters.

Blasio painting BLM in front of Trump Tower was not inciting?? He's a common criminal.

14 posted on 01/31/2021 6:49:41 AM PST by Sacajaweau
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To: jazminerose

Don’t forget the 8th. (No cruel and unusual punishment)


15 posted on 01/31/2021 12:47:32 PM PST by Bikkuri (If you're conservative, you're an "extremist." If you're liberal, you're an "activist.")
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To: karpov

The cover of yesterdays Daily News was as God awful a thing as I have ever seen.

“Right Wing Extremists Hiding In Plain Sight’’ was their cover story.

I don’t know which liberal rag is worse, The New York Times or The Daily News.


16 posted on 01/31/2021 11:30:16 PM PST by jmacusa (Liberals. Too stupid to be idiots.)
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