Quote Originally Posted by 82redleg View Post
IMO, protest = generally non-violent (generally, because targeted violence in self defense is almost always acceptable to me) and is generally acceptable. Riot, on the other hand, is random violence and is therefore unacceptable. Rioters should be shot down where they stand. Throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails is not protest.

On the other hand, IIRC, President Reagan used the AF to handle ATC duties after he fired the controllers for striking. What better way to provide necessary gov't services than to activate the states ARNG (it is the state's force, until federalized, after all). This has nothing to do with a threat, accept maybe a threat to stand firm and fire those who have walked off their jobs in a tantrum over a (as I understand it) generally coherent and thoughtful effort to create a sustainable system, which the current system is not. Who are the adults here, again?
There's nothing wrong with using the NG to fill in for state employees who go on strike. There is, however, a threat inherent in talking about calling up the NG in response to a strike.

As for rioting, well, even if I agreed that throwing rocks is a killing offense, I don't see how it applies in this situation. The protests in Wisconsin have been, by all accounts, peaceful.