Domestic political violence (USA)

[AdamG]

From the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness

Anarchist Extremists: Antifa
June 12, 2017
Counterterrorism, Domestic

Anti-fascist groups, or “Antifa,” are a subset of the anarchist movement and focus on issues involving racism, sexism, and anti-Semitism, as well as other perceived injustices.

https://www.njhomelandsecurity.gov/a...tifa?rq=antifa

[davidbfpo]

A WaPo report:

Charlottesville Police Chief Alfred Thomas resigned abruptly Monday, just 17 days after the release of a report that was highly critical of the police department’s handling of a white-supremacist rally in August that turned deadly in the Virginia city. The 207-page report prepared by Timothy Heaphy, a former U.S. attorney for the Western District of Virginia, concluded that the department was ill-prepared, lacked proper training and had a flawed plan for managing the Unite the Right rally that drew hundreds of neo-Nazis and white nationalists to Charlottesville on Aug. 12 and resulted in violent clashes with counterprotesters. The lack of adequate preparation led to “disastrous results,” Heaphy wrote.

Link:https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/charlottesville-police-chief-resigns-in-wake-of-report-on-white-supremacist-rally/2017/12/18/536ac8a2-e42c-11e7-a65d-1ac0fd7f097e_story.html?


WaPo did report the Heaphy report before, which has a link to the report. Link:https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/charlottesville-response-to-white-supremacist-rally-sharply-criticized-in-new-report/2017/12/01/9c59fe98-d6a3-11e7-a986-d0a9770d9a3e_story.html?

[davidbfpo]

The rationale for not labeling domestic acts of violence as terrorism has now been explained by a DoJ lawyer:

Thomas Brzozowski is well aware of the criticism. The former judge advocate general officer and FBI lawyer is now the Justice Department’s counsel for domestic terrorism matters, a counterterrorism position created within the DOJ’s National Security Division in 2015.

Link:https://flipboard.com/@flipboard/-th...ingtonpost.com

[davidbfpo]

A short article that sums up the threat within and suggests Italian success against its enemies, now awhile ago offers a way ahead. A key passage:

The Italian experience raises another warning. After voters rejected the parties of the extreme left in 1977, some of their activists gave up on democracy, joining terrorist groups and stoking greater violence. US voters in 2018 seem ready to reject white nationalist candidates, which may motivate some to consider violent tactics instead.

Link:http://thehill.com/opinion/national-...italian-lesson

[Bill Moore]

David,

This is opinion piece is deeply flawed. White supremacist commit on average less than 30 "murders" a year, which is certainly a security concern that I believe is being addressed by our law enforcement entities. Making it a mainstream topic of discuss in my view would risk making the problem worse. The government cracked down hard on these groups after the Oklahoma Federal Bombing, the most significant terrorist attack on the U.S. homeland prior to 9/11. It is still the most significant attack conducted by a U.S. citizen.

Shifting to left wing wing terrorist groups, in the U.S. much like Europe, they killed scores of people throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Today, we see a re-emergence of left wing violence. Most notably they are killing police officers in large numbers in recent years. ANTIFA and other left wing mobs have committed consider damage, and their activities seem to be increasing. Sadly, some U.S. politicians seem to back them with their rhetoric, such as our former President.

The greater threat posed to our nation isn't white supremacists and left wing extremists violence, it is the dumbing down of American society that they represent. Mainstream media, social media, and unqualified university professors promote these views by failing to encourage critical thinking. A democracy only works with an educated electorate willing to intellectually debate issues and seek comprise solutions. Extremists by definition reject compromise. Congress has an opportunity to demonstrate how to do this, but in fact have become part of the problem (both sides of the aisle).

The author believes voters will reject white supremacist candidates??? America has largely rejected these idiots over the last 50 years, so this is an attempt to paint all conservatives as supremacists to shape voter perceptions. It is dishonest and only further divides our people. The media did a poor job assessing how Americans would vote during the last election, and I see no indication their assessment, or more accurately their bias, has improved. However, there is good news. I'm pleasantly surprised that irresponsible social media and main stream media has not prompted more left and right wing extremist attacks in the U.S. Perhaps behind all the hyped noise most of us are relatively content? There isn't anything at this time worth killing or physically harming other Americans over, and the system can still work if we hold it accountable.

[AdamG]

America has largely rejected these idiots over the last 50 years, so this is an attempt to paint all conservatives as supremacists to shape voter perceptions. It is dishonest and only further divides our people.

Exactly so.

For anyone unclear on the motives behind these shennanigans, they need only to read the writings of Saul Alinsky.

Anyone paying attention can see the following in play, each and every day across the media spectrum.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rules_for_Radicals

The Rules
"Power is not only what you have but what the enemy thinks you have."
"Never go outside the expertise of your people."
"Whenever possible go outside the expertise of the enemy."
"Make the enemy live up to its own book of rules."
"Ridicule is man's most potent weapon."
"A good tactic is one your people enjoy."
"A tactic that drags on too long becomes a drag."
"Keep the pressure on."
"The threat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself."
"The major premise for tactics is the development of operations that will maintain a constant pressure upon the opposition."
"If you push a negative hard and deep enough it will break through into its counterside"
"The price of a successful attack is a constructive alternative."
"Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it."

[davidbfpo]

There is a relevant, closed thread 'DHS Report: Rightwing Extremism', which refers to a controversial 2009 report and the ensuing controversy. It has relevance here I think.
Link:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...wing-Extremism