AnalHamster wrote: ↑Thu Oct 03, 2019 1:50 am
Cassandros wrote: ↑Thu Oct 03, 2019 1:39 am
Since you ignored me, let me say again:
Is antifa a few dumbasses? Because I am not convinced.
It looks like intimidation and use of fear to coerce others is part of the antifa playbook, and they employ these tactics all the time. Especially when it comes to people trying to give speeches on topics they don't approve of.
They appear to label anyone who isn't them a 'fascist' and give themselves permission to act like a bunch of terrorist.
It's a diverse group with no central structure or management. If you are claiming all of them are the ones who mask up and go with the intention of committing low level crimes you now admit don't constitute terrorism, you're wrong. Many just go along for actual peaceful protesting with signs and shouting and stuff. Doesn't really matter now you admit what the worst of them do isn't terrorism though does it.
Your narrative is weak. As is your spin on acting like attempts to shut down opposing forms of speech is simply "low level crimes".
Protest are protest; sometimes they get violent. That is night and day different then actively trying to shut down the opposition through fear, violence, and intimidation.
Case in point, when antifa marched against the proud boys I did not consider the violence there as anything but idiocy in action. They have since crossed the line however when they are not just protesting- but going out of there way to be violent thugs using intimidation tactics to scare people away from other points of view.
In the past I would just call it 'fascist behavior' (and boy did I love the irony), but you kind of forced my hand --> so now they are terrorist.
AnalHamster wrote: ↑Thu Oct 03, 2019 1:50 am
AnalHamster wrote: ↑Thu Oct 03, 2019 1:13 am
Here's one you'll have to pretend not to see for a dozen pages or so:
Let's say the hong kong protesters who aren't terrorists because they only 'smash windows' (and assault police and throw things) which isn't a severe enough crime for you, decide that they aren't making progress and start planting bombs too. Their aims haven't changed, just the level of crime they are willing to commit to coerce political change. Are they terrorists now? Simple yes from me, their current activities are not terrorism with their window breaking and assaulting police and throwing things, but if the same people with the same aims decide to add bombs into the mix then they absolutely are terrorists. Can you answer the simple question? Let's say within 5 pages of dodges?
And let me say this even clearer:
Should any protest group start going out of their way to target people who hold different opinions to themselves, and use fear and intimidation to coerce that opposing view point into shutting up --> they get labeled a terrorist.
It is ignorant to require explosives to be the quantifier for the term.
Well that's nice, but here is the question I asked you again. Do feel free to replace explosives with other terrorists acts, such as posting chemical weapons, driving cars through crowds, mass shootings etc.
Let's say the hong kong protesters who aren't terrorists because they only 'smash windows' (and assault police and throw things) which isn't a severe enough crime for you, decide that they aren't making progress and start planting bombs too. Their aims haven't changed, just the level of crime they are willing to commit to coerce political change. Are they terrorists now? Simple yes from me, their current activities are not terrorism with their window breaking and assaulting police and throwing things, but if the same people with the same aims decide to add bombs into the mix then they absolutely are terrorists. Can you answer the simple question? Let's say within 5 pages of dodges?
(Hint: the answer you are looking for is yes, escalation to bombs would mean they are terrorists, while with their current antifa style violence you just call them protesters.)
Mowing down people with a car, spree shooting, and bombing people are all possible examples of terrorism, but not definitive examples.
As we have already established and agreed upon the definition of terrorist. To be a terrorist all you need to do is actively use fear, violence and the threat of violence, to coerce others into not doing what you don't want them to do. Like give or watch a speech. Unfortunately, antifa seems to do this on a regular basis, so... if the shoe fits, call it what it is.
It is ignorant to require "high crime" to be a quantifier. No where in the agreed upon definition of terrorist is that included.