Academia, Constitutional Law, Free Speech, Politics, Society

“This War Can’t Be Civil”: Berkeley Columnist Calls For “Violent Resistance”
Seal_of_University_of_California,_Berkeley.svgI testified in the Senate about the erosion of free speech and rise of violence on our campuses and in our streets. Antifa and related groups have succeeded in advancing anti-free-speech agendas as students and faculty justify attacks on those with opposing views. An example of the growing intolerance can be found in an editorial at the Daily California by staff writer Khaled Alqahtani. The August 12th column calls for violent resistance and denounced notions of civility in the public debate over racial and economic justice.
In his column entitled “This War Can’t Be Civil,” Alqahtani mocks those who seek non-violent change and while “quoting Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. about peaceful protest and resistance.” He declared “‘Radical love’ my ass. It disgusts me that the oppressors’ emotions and well-being (in all contexts, from institutions to individuals) are the first to be considered and accommodated whenever people question the validity of armed or violent resistance.”Alqahtani is willing to accept a role for peaceful protests but insists that people need to give violence a chance: “I’m not dismissing the power or impact of peaceful resistance. You may want to lead a silent march instead of setting a police station on fire. Sometimes, that may work best. What I’m criticizing is the constant rejection of violent resistance on grounds of respectability.”As will hardly come as a surprise to many on this blog, I believe that Alqahtani should have a protected right to espouse such obnoxious views. Of course, I strongly disagree with him and violent groups like Antifa who seek to intimidate or silence those with opposing views.  I have previously stated, including in my recent testimony, that I believe students or faculty who engage in violence should be expelled or fired. Yet, free speech often means defending those who least deserve it but most need it. Alqahtani is one of those people.It is important to note however that conservative students have been punished for language viewed as threatening by others. We recently discussed a Stockton student who was charged after simply using a Trump background for a Zoom class and a comment left by a third party on his Facebook site.  In this case, a student columnist directly called for violence but it was treated as protected speech. Likewise, Syracuse editors removed a columnist becauseshe questioned claims of “institutional racism” in another publication.

I agree with the decision here but the greater concern is sense of a double standard applied to conservative, libertarian or contrarian students. Universities have shown strikingly different levels of tolerance for controversial statements or images from the left as opposed to the right.

Alqahtani embodies the rising intolerance for opposing views and embracing of violence as a form a political expression. Tellingly, the Antifa Handbook starts with the following quote from Buenaventura Durruti: “fascism is not to be debated, it is to be destroyed.” These extremists simply define fascism in encompassing an ever-expanding range of views from capitalism to patriarchy to police.

We defeat hateful and violent views like Alqahtani by maintaining the principles that define us — and distinguish us from those who would embrace mob rule.

 

227 thoughts on ““This War Can’t Be Civil”: Berkeley Columnist Calls For “Violent Resistance””

  1. Embarrassingly banal comments by so many self-satisfied “pundits” here. The point you are missing is the confusion that arises from trying to compartmentalize people, attitudes, etc. in dualistic terms, and favor one side against the other, forgiving the “home team’s” side and pointing accusing fingers of scorn to the other side. Take off the labels and look at what is actually happening. People are aggressively harming others, stealing, destroying property. It doesn’t matter whether the destroying agent is internally excusing such behavior by some limited ideology that views the victims as worthless participants in some other, obviously inferior ideology. What matters is the acts, the intentions, and the results. The free speech imperative that Prof. Turley always supports is indeed an attempt to go beyond limited & limiting partisan viewpoints. The problem is not someone spouting off odious statements, the problem is when people act/react poorly to such statements. When I was growing up, there were two lessons repeated over and over that bear recollection today. One was, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” When some fool is spouting off trash, instead of feeling obliged to respond, just pretend he/she is speaking a foreign language and let it go. If the same fool starts to get physically aggressive, that may be a very different story (the “sticks & stones” part), but just words–learn to be strong, it will help you all your life. The second, which is found in many ethical and religious teachings around the world, is the Golden Rule, which is stated in 2 versions, the more Christian “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” and the Chinese version, “Don’t do unto others what you would not want them to do unto you.” I do not claim to be a perfect observer of any of the above, but as a moral/ethical compass, I believe it is preferable to self-identifying with some political party or nationality as inherently superior.

  2. The columnist quotes someone named Asshat Shakur or something like that saying: ““Nobody in the world, nobody in history, has ever gotten their freedom by appealing to the moral sense of the people who were oppressing them.”

    i appreciate this sentiment from Skakur. But I prefer the phrasing of “Ragnar Redbeard” from a poem published over a century ago– perhaps mr Shakur was plagiarizing?

    “And liberty has never been won
    Except by deeds of war.”

  4. One mag dump away.

    Drive a rifle or ride a rail car.

    Sorry Mr. Turkey Civil War is inevitable the Marxist Democrats are making it so.

    1. Jack Clancy wrote, “One mag dump away. Drive a rifle or ride a rail car. Sorry Mr. Turkey Civil War is inevitable the Marxist Democrats are making it so.”

      It’s comments like yours that drive away those that might otherwise agree with your underlying argument because you appear to be a bit unhinged.

      Cool it Clancy boy and just talk about the topic at hand, no one want to see how far off the rails you can fall.

      1. The angry old white guy thing is scary. Agreed.

        It makes us well adjusted and not angry old white guys (& gals) look bad.

        Stop it.

        1. I do not believe in talking tough but I do believe in organizing face to face, durable, resilient neighborhood mutual aid networks that do not have membership lists but have reliable friends who can provide that mutual aid across a wide range of potentially emergent circumstances.

          Also because we are confronted with a nationwide racketeering outfit BLM leading not a civil war but an insurrection, which is a form of political intimidation if not terrorism, I am in favor of counter-pressure groups and tactics aimed precisely at BLM. These have not yet emerged but they will.

          Lawful tactics should be pursued but the essence of self defense is expedient. Circumstances will dictate tactics.

          1. Attorney Kurtz solicits violence yet again, Boogaloo boi style.

            1. Lawyer Kurtz calls for citizens to engage in social organization for mutual aid and lawful self defense. This is not only legal but ethical and just and good

              BLM openly engages in criminal activity on a daily basis for nearly 3 months now.
              If you think Im the problem then you must have had your head in a hole that whole time

              I dont know who the booger bois are. other than a mass media caricature, but I have read they wear funny looking shirts. I don’t recommend funny shirts.

              People should aim for “grey man” attire. Blend in where-ever you are. Uniforms are unnecessary and undesirable.

              “[We] must move amongst the people as a fish swims in the sea” — Mao Zedong.

              1. Mao. Lovely. Kurtz–a tyrant is not someone to uphold as a person from whom to seek advice.

                1. Mao is precisely who middle American law and abiding peasants in flyover should be studying.

                  First, I have to define a comprador. A word we dont often use. In the past, it usually meant some third world person who got rich trading with Americans or Europeans. The natives tended to hate them, of course.

                  Today I want to say, the compradors of today, are those who get rich working the angles for the international traders of today== just as Pelosi, serves Soros. We common american people, are fleeced by the traitors of our own kind, who work against our interests on behalf of the likes of Soros.

                  Back to Mao.

                  Mao took the peasant population of middle China and united them by competent methods of social organization and lead them in a civil war against a comprador elite based in the SE coastal cities of China, and their mercenary armies, and won. Oh and he fought the Japanese fascist occupiers too, in between

                  It’s true, he was an awful tyrant, and misgoverned once he was ensconced, and was responsible for the deaths of tens of millions of chinese due to his failed policies. But, that was after 1947. If you take a look at what he did before 1947 it was an astounding feat of social and political organization.

                  So. If in the past 100 years you want an example of a civil war where a rich coastal elite was whipped by a massive poor land based interior population, there is one big obvious example. China. Now Im not the guy who started this civil war talk it was mr Alqahtani.

                  But understand, foreigners like him are brought to our country in the first place, by the coastal elites. And our coastal elites have a political base in our own version of a comprador caste, people who are bureaucrats who sell out the nation to rich globalists. We need to find the language to oppose these formations and I absolutely do suggest, again, that Mao can provide some grist for the mill

                  Mao also said:

                  “our enemies are all those in league with imperialism–the warlords, the bureaucrats, the comprador class, the big landlord class and… the intelligentsia attached to them.”

                  Who is this today?

                  international free trade advocates and profiteers, multinational corporations, financialists: George Soros, his type, precisely.
                  See, Mao’s cunning can be reforged into our own

                  and even his most brutal methods may one day find their place. This, Mr Alqatani, dreams of for his own faction– but so may it also be done to them.

                    1. The insurrection today is all on BLM. You’re a supporter of BLM not me

                      Im a lawyer and a historian. In any failed state situation, conditions of anarchy, a new state may emerge.

                      The Republic of China was weak, and the CCP presented a law and order solution for the formation of a strong national government that would help the peasants to get out from under oppressive warlords that did whatever they liked against the locals. The government that did this is now called the PRC. This is history. As to Prarie’s point that I should not quote Mao, I am illustrating why Mao can and should be a point of inspiration for people like me in flyover who see a coastal elite of oppressors and a weak state that lets local bullies all around the country do whatever they like. For Chinese people, you see, people from the heartland of China., Mao is remembered like Napoleon, one who brought a form of law and order. As Americans, we can hardly imagine this, we have demonized Mao so much, but I am fortunate to have informed myself with a “diversity” of viewpoints.

                      today the insurrection is all on BLM and I have never supported BLM not once, ever.

                      we will see if the USA is a failed state or not. I am betting not. But thinking people map possible contingencies and plan to succeed across the range

                    2. Now Mao is a strange character, because whatever merits he had until 1947, he eventually negated with his failures that lead to the Famine and the last awful phase, the Cultural Revolution, that was utterly deplorable. So, it’s the Mao of earlier years, that I point to, as a thought provoking example, for people out here in flyover who may eventually find themselves in a “civil war” footing if the likes of Mr Alqatani have their way

                      Understand it’s only a civil war if both sides are shooting. If only one side is violent, then it is merely a massacre.

                      I don’t aim for my side to be massacred, in any outcome. You should think carefully about your own position, dear reader, because unless you are most obviously aligned with BLM in the explicit way they have named their organization, then your fate does not lie with them and their campaign of riot and intimidation.

                      Soon, more and more people will come to understand that BLM is a criminal organization that has been engaged not in “peaceful protesting” and not in civil rights but basically a carefully planned nationwide campaign of illegal racketeering activity designed to harass and intimidate law abiding people. More and more people will push back against BLM and those who have so foolishly allied themselves with BLM

                      If a white reader of my words has naively cheered on the BLM protests and now nearly 3 months later come to wonder if perhaps that was smart or not, the answer, is, not. You will be counted as an idiot if you are a white person who has cheered on BLM. An idiot and an accomplice to mass destruction and nationwide crime spree. I am white so I speak only to that community. Other people will have to reckon their own interests., I suspect looking at chicago and the crowd of looters, however, that they are entirely black, and certainly not Asian people have joined them, and get this– I did not see a single Mexican-American in any of the looting and riot videos from the past month from Chicago. I find the very interesting. I also know that certain very good Mexican American aldermen in Chicago have spoke out at the incompetent mayor Lori Lightfoot and called for law and order as against the rioting and chaos created by BLM. Now, of course I may be wrong. But no matter. For my part, I welcome support for law and order from people of all races, people of goodwill who wish to live in harmony. But BLM has run up the flag for black folks who do seem to support them, so, I will not try and dissuade them. They are free to make their own choices. Mostly I speak to my own kind.

                      People are making a careful study on both sides, counting who’s in and who aint. Remember this rule of all group belonging:

                      IF YOU CANT BE COUNTED ON, THEN YOU CANT BE COUNTED IN

                      when people like Mr Alqatani finally get their way, will you have reckoned your own personal interests wisely? Consider them and take prompt, lawful action to decide whether you are on the side of law and order, or not. Because whomever prevails will look back and ask, “were you aligned with the looters or not?”

                      I picked my own side, that claimed be at birth. I am totally against BLM. I am for law and order. So, If one day they own the gallows, they will have me on the list to hang.

                      Somehow, I reckon, they never will. But you folks out there, will have to decide where you stand. We welcome the support of any people of goodwill who wish law and order. The choice is clear. BLM is for riot and crime and chaos and BLM are the foot soldiers of the Democrat party. This is clear.

                      So please do think about your social interests very carefully in the coming 2 months. in early november, get in that booth and vote., VOTE YOUR INTERESTS. Nobody will know how you voted, but you will have the confidence of knowing that you acted for your own side or not. But you must pick sides and fast. You can change sides right up until that day, but understand, hedging and waffling days draw to a close.

                    3. Kurtz,
                      “In any failed state situation, conditions of anarchy, a new state may emerge.”

                      Yeah, a totalitarian one. Nazi Germany, France with Robespierre, Russia with Lenin then Stalin. Heck, Julius and all the following Caesars. Geez, let’s not go there!

                      I do not think the US is a failed state whatsoever. People are starting to shoulder their responsibility of self-governance.

                    4. Prairie, you’d think someone supposedly well versed in history would understand that the past in the US – or anywhere – has not been all rosy and without disagreement, strife, and even bloodshed and that nothing we face now approaches the strife of the past, nor have are our rights and abilities to speak our piece, elect our representatives, and seek information freely been more available. Hell, his guy won on a minority vote and still took office, and he thinks he’s being ripped off!

                  2. Mr. Kurtz,
                    People have a tendency to go overboard, especially if their emotions are ramped up.

                    “It’s true, he was an awful tyrant, and misgoverned once he was ensconced, and was responsible for the deaths of tens of millions of chinese due to his failed policies.”

                    Gee, that sure didn’t work out so well.

                    The colonists rose up against King George without it resulting in a brutal tyranny that killed millions. Had a better outcome for sure.

                    1. Prarie, I am willing to entertain the increasingly popular notion that some of our old idols like George Washington were perhaps not as saintly, nor King George as dastardly, as we have been lead to believe. I think in that time, I would have been a Loyalist.

                      at the same time, I can still honor George Washington, even though we are now told that he actually did institute a government that eventually killed millions.

                      The key persective is your own. If you are a native American and the continent is flooded with tens of millions immigrants from Europe, that is a problem

                      If you are a native born American of European ancestry such as myself and the continent is flooded with tens of millions of immigrants from outside of Europe, problem

                      I want to ask my fellow patriotic Americans something. What did Tom Jeff say? All men are created equal.

                      Are you equal to George Soros? To Michael Bloomberg?

                      Oh, one man one vote, I know.

                      But Soros and Bloomberg and Tom Steyer have together probably dumped over 100 million dollars into Democrat organizations in 2020 alone.

                      some equality our system. the most unequal economic system in history. The riches of these men dwarf us in ways that the Pharoahs could have only imagined.

                      Maybe we need to reconsider some of the critiques of our system which have emerged from previously disliked quarters.

                      Im voting Trump not because he is rich, but in part, because the richest men in the world including Jeff Bezos the richest, so clearly hate his guts more than any alive.

                      He could have got my vote just for that.

                    2. Mr. Kurtz,
                      George Washington did not institute a government. And, it certainly was not a brutal tyranny. It was built by many people working together. Is it perfect? No. Have there been problems? Yes. Overall, though, it aims to for a balance of powers and self-governance by the people. Are things a little out-of-kilter right now? You betcha. People need to speak up, get involved, or, in some cases, maybe stop participating in the crazy.

                      Am I equal to George Soros? Financially, no. Via connections, no. I am of equal value in God’s eyes. And, I am an American and I do not bow to anyone. The law is supposed to treat us as equals, too, but people are flawed so that sometimes fails (as we can see in the case of Hillary Clinton’s email debacle). It is a goal to continue to strive towards.

            2. However other people eventually come together to oppose BLM, I hope they will remember, BLM are essentially hired hands, mercenaries, and that the true adversaries are not them, nor the baggy pants thugs and skinny freaks of antifa who follow close behind, but rather, the billionaire financialist global plutocracy that has paid for them to unleash this terror on the law abiding people of America. They are the true adversary, and understanding the political aims of globalism, we can understand precisely what we must do to oppose them

              Perhaps you could read Joseph Stiglitz’s book “Globalization and its discontents”

              there is a lot people could get out of that book

              he was a Clinton associate and dislikes trump so have no worry, it should not offend your sensibilities

              the key thing is to understand the power of multinational corporations and the very small number of super-billionaires who leverage international trade, to understand the biggest dimension of political conflict that seeps into the smallest ones before us today

              Even Geo Soros says the book is worth reading. Probably because he understands, Stiglitz was criticizing him, among others, and it’s ever the way of cunning men like Soros to bring even and especially their own critics under their own control

        2. The left is very open with it’s racism, sexism, ageism, and bigotry. The worst “identity” is: older, white, male, Christian, and straight. Keep it up, social justice warriors. I’m sure it won’t hurt come election time.

          1. Oh yeah, us white males have it rough. Tassled loafers are through the roof and I can’t get my new Audi in Peach.

            1. Book, this poor white fellow with blonde hair was driving an old Ram truck at least 20 years old by the look of it, probably not worth one thousand at auction. BLM blocked him and when he tried to drive away they chased him down in cars and he crashed. They hauled him out, looted his car, detained him unlawfully, and beat him into bloody unconsciosness. That’s Portland, a city you say is so wonderful. Downtown, by the looks of it, no cops in sight.

              Is he one of your tasseled loafer white men of which you speak? Watch him get football kicked in the head by a BLM activist named “marquise”

              https://nypost.com/2020/08/17/blm-mob-beat-white-man-unconscious-after-making-him-crash-truck/

        1. You have not been to the nail parlor in forever, Young! Why have you not given me any business!?!? You know I offered to fluff but you said you do not bat for my team, so what gives? Why have you not traveled to West Hollywood to help me out? Help a gurl out, huh sweetie?

          1. REGARDING ABOVE:

            This isn’t Seth Warner but our creepy, closet queen of a loser troll. He’s super active today.

            1. I’m going to starch AOC’s mouth shut with a mega load…..And this is yours truly, SETH WARNER….Our creepy, closet queen of a loser troll. I’m super active today.

        2. Young,

          Not sure if you saw that my reply to you the other night was eventually posted:
          https://jonathanturley.org/2020/08/16/mueller-aide-weissmann-calls-on-doj-attorneys-not-to-help-on-investigations/comment-page-3/#comment-1990678

          This one is also relevant re: your misunderstanding of what I said:
          https://jonathanturley.org/2020/08/16/mueller-aide-weissmann-calls-on-doj-attorneys-not-to-help-on-investigations/comment-page-3/#comment-1990741

  5. Instead of riling up all his followers, Turley should simply ignore this rabid shock jock in Berkeley. This imbecile has now gained credibility through Turley’s responses. Ignore the idiots. Take issue through the courts with the extremists at the universities and other levels of education. When a university government makes an attack on basic rights of free speech, then there are Constitutional grounds for dealing with them. When some extremists DJ spews nonsense, ignore him. Focus on greater threats to our society, like Trump, McConnell, Inhofe, Rick Scott. When Rick Scott was Governor of Florida he made it verboten for State employees to use such terms as ‘global warming’, ‘climate change’, etc. Scott bought the Governorship, twice, with money he stole from American taxpayers.

    Turley is a lawyer and constantly focuses on attacks on the American Constitution regarding freedom of speech. Please illustrate the progress of any lawsuits Turley has going to right these wrongs. There are several alleged lawyers on this blog. Where is that old ‘Nader raider’ spirit?

    1. issac, I think it’s no coincidence that the posters here who are lawyers are all right wingers, unconcerned with the rights of the least powerful members of American society – no, I don’t mean rich white guys and their kids at college.

      1. BTB, I actually would not draw that conclusion. Because I have no facts to your statement 1 way or the other. Just conjecture. But, how about a vacation in a Saudi secret police vacation site? 😉

      2. book right winger has little useful meaning in most contexts

        likewise who is “rich” … you toss the word about carelessly. of course, rich is always a relative term. all we americans are rich compared to certain places in the third world but none of we middle class americans who feel secure are genuinely “rich” as compared to the foremost Democratic party donors, Geo Soros, Tom Steyer, and Mike Bloomberg.

        here’s a clever graphic from mother jones that illustrates how comparatively richer little mikey bloomberg is to people like you, me, and Trump– he dwarves all of us including Trump, whom as you people have often noted, probably was not a billionaire even when Forbes said he had made it just over the mark. Mikey is a centi-billionaire and Bezos is pushing 180 billions the richest man on Earth

        https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/02/bloomberg-wealth-compared-trump-democrat-candidates/

        as for the rights of poor white people, I am very concerned about them. I have put my pro bono time into helping them time and again and added money to it too. what when and how are not going to be publicized but right now I’m pleased to report it in light of your defamatory remarks

        I’ve helped non-white poor folks too, but I pride myself on my contribution to my own kind, because i wear the contempt of those who hate white folks like a badge of honor

        is it racist to enjoy helping poor whites more than other poor people? maybe so or maybe not. and yet, my heart swells with empathy for my own

    2. Sure, and then would you say when he commits an act of terrorism? Yes, he needs to be sent home & ‘interviewed’ by the Saudi secret police, after his US Visa has been canceled.

    3. Issac, you’re making a good point here. On any given day there’s a Republican state legislator somewhere in the country saying something profoundly stupid. But one must realize that state legislatures are the minor leagues of politics; especially in smaller states. So realistically there’s going to be ‘X’ number of state legislators making stupid comments. But those comments, in most cases, don’t warrant special attention in national journals or blogs.

      1. Seth– Referencing a comment you made on another thread opposing Right to Work laws. Have you ever held a job on which you were a dues paying member of a union?

        Just wondering.

          1. See Seth I knew you were not all bad. Tell me it’s the Teamsters and I’ll cut you even more slack.

      2. But those comments, in most cases, don’t warrant special attention in national journals or blogs.

        Yes, well you have the Attorney-General of Minnesota and the DA in Atlanta engaging in process-is-punishment persecution of police officers who are almost certainly innocent, the DA in St Louis harassing people for defending their property while refusing to prosecute criminal conduct of privileged political interests, like behavior by the DA in Chicago and Portland, etc etc. Basically the Democratic Party is criminal and we cannot be expected to live with it.

    4. “…Turley should simply ignore this rabid shock jock in Berkeley.”

      If you read his article then you would know that Turley gives this *student* attention to highlight the difference between how conservative students are treated with how lefties are treated on campus by the University.

      “Please illustrate the progress of any lawsuits Turley has going…”

      Why on earth would Turley be suing anyone? Who should he sue? For what?

    5. this shock jock is no outlier. watch a thousand clips on Andy Ngo’s twitter feed of BLM attacking innocent people physically. the “resistance” ie the BLM lead nationwide intimidation insurrection, is already a violent movement in word and deed entirely. The “peaceful protesters” are the exception not the norm

      https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

      The BLM criminal masterminds need to be locked up under and their assets seized using RICO laws immediately. Then law and order will be restored.

      1. Their ideology rejects civil discourse. They argue that discourse is another tool of the powerful to undermine the oppressed.

        1. Lorenzo, I think the best way to deal with bullies who threaten violence, is in the proper social and lawful circumstances, give them a dose of violence to deter them.

          BLM are bullies and criminals engaged in 3 month long reign of terror in the big cities.

          The police can supply the organized and legitimate force to roll them back, or, eventually, someone else will, legitimate or not. This is merely a prediction. The dynamics of low intensity conflicts are well known and nobody should think they will be able to bully the population forever without getting a bloody nose or two in return. It hasnt happened yet, but one suspects it is inevitable.

  7. Khaled Alqahtani wrote, “This War Can’t Be Civil”.

    This really shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Based on what was happening up to mid year 2019 this kind of attitude towards society was easily predictable.

    “Our apathetic 21st century society has allowed the golden rule, human respect, basic decency, logic, critical thinking, and civility to be crushed like a bug under the heavy intimidating boot of anti-social stupid people.” June 21, 2019

    Hordes of Anti-Social “Stupid” People Stomp Civility Into Submission!

    Jonathan Turley wrote, “free speech often means defending those who least deserve it but most need it. Alqahtani is one of those people.”

    That is spoken like someone who truly understands the Constitution of the United States of America.

    Even though Alqahtani is abusing his rights to free speech in ways that encourage the suppression of free speech of others, Alqahtani’s “speech” is covered by the Constitution. The problem as I see it is that…

    “When you have one stupid person ranting in public it’s easy for the public to shrug it off and explain it away to others as “it’s just a wacko”, but what happens when that wacko’s rantings become mainstream and there are hordes of stupid people publicly parroting the same irrational emotionally driven nonsense, shutting down public meetings, blocking roadways, wrecking businesses, destroying property and making the public feel unsafe to use their fundamental right to free speech and speak their mind.” June 17, 2019

    Apathy Fertilizes A Breeding Ground For Stupidity

    1. Again, the fellow is an exemplar of the failure of immigration policy. We provide a place to live and an opportunity to study and earn for people, and this is their contribution to our society. An absolutely remarkable exercise in arrogance and gracelessness on his part. If some stupid person hasn’t approved an application for citizenship for him, he’s justly returned to sender.

    2. Witherspoon, your comment here applies to Donald Trump’s shockingly irresponsible tweets when he encouraged militias to demonstrate in state capitols. No president with any regard for democracy and public safety would encourage militias in any way, shape or form. Yet with Donald Trump irresponsible tweets like that have been a daily norm.

      1. Seth Warner wrote, “Witherspoon, your comment here applies to Donald Trump’s shockingly irresponsible tweets when he encouraged militias to demonstrate in state capitols. No president with any regard for democracy and public safety would encourage militias in any way, shape or form. Yet with Donald Trump irresponsible tweets like that have been a daily norm.”

        That is some seriously twisted partisan spin.

        President Trump has not encouraged “militias” to demonstrate in state capitols; you’re parroting a propaganda lie.

        President Trump has an unethical loose cannon mouth that I wish he would tone down.

        1. Witherspoon, this is what Donald Trump tweeted in April:

          President Trump incited insurrection Friday against the duly elected governors of the states of Michigan, Minnesota and Virginia. Just a day after issuing guidance for re-opening America that clearly deferred decision-making to state officials — as it must under our Constitutional order — the president undercut his own guidance by calling for criminal acts against the governors for not opening fast enough.

          Trump tweeted, “LIBERATE MINNESOTA!” followed immediately by “LIBERATE MICHIGAN!” and then “LIBERATE VIRGINIA, and save your great 2nd Amendment. It is under siege!” This follows Wednesday’s demonstration in Michigan, in which armed protestors surrounded the state capitol building in Lansing chanting “Lock her up!” in reference to Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and “We will not comply,” in reference to her extension of the state’s coronavirus-related stay-at-home order. Much smaller and less-armed groups had on Thursday protested on the state capitol grounds in Richmond, Va., and outside the governor’s mansion in St. Paul, Minn.

          “Liberate” — particularly when it’s declared by the chief executive of our republic — isn’t some sort of cheeky throwaway. Its definition is “to set at liberty,” specifically “to free (something, such as a country) from domination by a foreign power.” We historically associate it with the armed defeat of hostile forces during war, such as the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi Germany’s control during World War II. Just over a year ago, Trump himself announced that “the United States has liberated all ISIS-controlled territory in Syria and Iraq.”

          In that context, it’s not at all unreasonable to consider Trump’s tweets about “liberation” as at least tacit encouragement to citizens to take up arms against duly elected state officials of the party opposite his own, in response to sometimes unpopular but legally issued stay-at-home orders. This is especially so given the president’s reference to the Second Amendment being “under siege” in Virginia, where Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam just signed into law a number of gun-safety bills passed during the most recent session of the state general assembly — bills that prompted protests by Second Amendment absolutists at the state capitol in January, leading Northam to declare a state of emergency and temporarily ban firearms from the capitol grounds due to the threat of violence.

          It’s an echo of the “Second Amendment remedies” rhetoric of the 2010 midterm election. It’s clearly a violation of federalism principles, and it’s quite possibly a crime under federal law. And insurrection or treason against state government is a crime in Virginia, Michigan and Minnesota, as well as most states. Assembling with others to train or practice using firearms or other explosives for use during a civil disorder is also a crime in many states. But the president himself is calling for just that.

          Edited from: “Trump’s ‘Liberate Michigan’ Tweets Incite Insurrection. That’s Illegal”

          The Washington Post, 4/17/20
          ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

          Only a fool or liar would say these tweets weren’t encouraging violence and, or, insurrection.

      2. an outfit like BLM is better than a militia because instead of putting their trust in guns they trust the daring of their members and supporters, to rise up, break laws with vigor and abandon, and thus to intimidate their adversaries. “militias” have ever toed the line of following the law while talking too big for their britches and doing precious little. BLM has shown the way to exercise power. 3 months and they’re still at it! Open racketeering across the nation with impunity. Very impressive intimidation tactics, even if I don’t support them whatsoever! They have accomplished in 3 weeks of blatant lawbreaking what “militias” have not accomplished in 3 solid decades going back to the 80s.

        Of course, the drama is not yet complete, so we will see if their daring has lasting effects, or not.

          1. RICO would in fact appear to be tailor-made for transgressors like the Antifa & BLM thugs. But a prosecution needs evidence: prosecutors need to be able to eves-drop conversations and texts in real-time, and for that they will need a Search Warrant. So —–> is there a federal judge out there who will sign a warrant for such signal intercepts/recordings? Probably. So the next question: is there a Department of Justice prosecutor who will approve such applications to the Court? Normally you would think so, but maybe they fear their summary removal should Space Cadet Biden “take control” — i.e., be elected and his “actions” swamped by the Deep State.

          2. RICO is tailor-made for this kind of wrongdoing. BUT —-> can a prosecutor find a federal judge willing to order real-time eves-dropping and text message monitoring upon ? Probably. BUT —-> will a Department of Justice career employee authorize such an application knowing if the Administration changes in 4-1/2 months such action might cost him his job/career because some “woke” Deep State Biden political appointee decides he is an enemy of the State?

  8. JT continually forgets to recognize the violent threats made right on his blog comment section by fans of the right.

    The eco system here is fraught with angry right wingers that make the lefties pale in comparison.

    Just sayin..

    1. Olaf wrote, “JT continually forgets to recognize the violent threats made right on his blog comment section by fans of the right.”

      What “violent” threats from fans of the right?

      Olaf wrote, “The eco system here is fraught with angry right wingers that make the lefties pale in comparison.”

      Please provide examples to support your claim.

      1. I said his mother should slap him across the mouth. That’s the violent threat to which he’s referring.

      2. “Olaf wrote, ‘The eco system here is fraught with angry right wingers that make the lefties pale in comparison.’ Please provide examples to support your claim.”

        Here are examples from a right-wing commenter named Allan about me — not examples of violent threats, but examples of Allan being an “angry right winger” who says things that make my comments pale in comparison:

        — “I don’t imagine you anything except in the men’s bathroom at a truckstop copying information from the walls. I could imagine far worse things but the way you acted with regard to Flynn was sickening and demonstrated a sick mind that places individuals in jeopardy just because they don’t agree with your ideology. Your hateful comments and apparent affinity for violence made think about what type of person you were … If there is another explanation for your hateful manner let us know. … An author of a hit piece created your delusion and he might have been the one to write it on the bathroom wall so fools like you could read it. …” [posted on jonathanturley.org/2020/08/07/got-god-trump-claims-biden-opposes-god]
        — “Kurtz, she is gathering up her lies and points to micro parse and divert the discussion. Mein Anführer, wir müssen unsere Lügen schützen und sie beschuldigen…” and “Needs to be Committed, I can see why you team up with Anonymous the Stupid. It’s a natural fit. … I leave that type of lie up to you and to people that are hateful and love to see other people suffer for their own pleasures. Look up the psychiatry of people that have those feelings and get treatment.” [both posted on /jonathanturley.org/2020/08/14/fbi-lawyer-in-russian-investigation-to-plead-guilty-for-false-statement/]
        — “CTHD, you are a violent individual and will use anything in your power to push yourself where ever you wish to go. I am beginning to think that you are the one that needs to be locked up” [posted on jonathanturley.org/2020/06/04/new-york-times-reporters-and-other-writers-condemn-paper-for-publishing-cotton-editorial]
        — “CTHD Needs to be committed because he supports the violence and looting that led to around 15 people being killed after Floyd’s death. He hates police and doesnt care that around 100 policemen were injured in DC. He thinks its swell when an 84 year old walking in a walker is punched by a guy with 103 prior arrests. Wonderful CTHD keep supporting the facists and the killers.” [posted on jonathanturley.org/2020/06/29/turley-testifies-on-the-lafayette-park-controversy]

        Note that Allan doesn’t (and cannot) quote me advocating violence, because I haven’t. In fact, I’ve more than once stated that I oppose violence, looting, rioting. Allan also invents a lot of things about me with respect to the US v. Flynn trial, again not quoting me.

        Steve, would you agree that those are the comments of an angry right winger?

        2. Mespo challenged Committ – a woman – to “try me” and speaks often and lovingly of his guns while imagining a not to distant time when he can use them on people like the posters he hates. Kurtz exhorts his imagined comrades to prepare for battle and Oky throws out vague threats about the fate some of the posters here will meet when justic is done. I haven’t read anything similar from those here on the left.

        3. CommitToHonestDiscussion wrote, “Steve, would you agree that those are the comments of an angry right winger?”

          Sure those are some decent examples that appear to be angry but if you’re going to provide complete examples then you’re going to have to support this part of the argument too, “make the lefties pale in comparison”. I’ve seen how online discussions can trail off into the abyss of insults and innuendo but it’s usually a two way street of nonsense and hate.

          To properly support your argument that righties are worse than lefties, as is claimed in the original statement I challenged, you must provide both sides of the conversations otherwise you appear to be omitting for cause.

            1. By the Book wrote, “Steve, not her job.”

              Hogwash!!!

              Olaf made the claims, it’s up to Olaf to support those claims.

              By the Book wrote, “Steve, not her job. Read the blog comments for awhile and see for yourself.”

              Since yesterday was my first day reading or participating in the commentary associated with these posts by Jonathan Turley, I’ll be getting a better feel of things as I go. That in no way negates the responsibility of an individual that makes a claim to support that claim.

          3. I gave you links to the columns (deleting the preceding “https://” because this site limits comments to two complete links per comment). It’s easy enough to copy and paste the URLs, and you can read the comments in context for yourself instead of relying on my choices. I’m not going to copy long thread exchanges from multiple columns into the comments here. If you’re unwilling to simply read them in context there, so be it.

            1. CommitToHonestDiscussion wrote, “I gave you links to the columns (deleting the preceding “https://” because this site limits comments to two complete links per comment). It’s easy enough to copy and paste the URLs, and you can read the comments in context for yourself instead of relying on my choices. I’m not going to copy long thread exchanges from multiple columns into the comments here. If you’re unwilling to simply read them in context there, so be it.”

              I reject the premise of your argument.

              It’s unreasonable to force others to wade through hundreds of comments to find the specific context to support your argument. Support your own arguments and don’t tell others to go find what you should have posted up front.

              How about you post the comment of yours that Allan was referring to, or is Allan just an internet troll that’s constantly blurting out his rhetoric unprovoked?

                1. CommitToHonestDiscussion wrote, “You don’t have to wade through anything. It’s easy to do a text search on an excerpt from the quote to find the comment and read it in context.”

                  Nope, the blog search only searches the blog posts not the comments.

                  CommitToHonestDiscussion wrote,”But since you don’t want to, here’s the permalink to that comment, so you can read it in full and in context: [link provided]”

                  Good job; the link to the actual comment is exactly what’s needed, people can backup the discussion from there. That is completely sufficient and acceptable. That’s the kind of link I provide to others on other blog sites when referring to someone else’s comments.

                  1. I didn’t say “blog search.” I said “text search.” If you open a page and use command-f (in most browsers, in Word and other text applications), it will search all of the text on a page, including the comments.

                    1. CommitToHonestDiscussion wrote, “I didn’t say “blog search.” I said “text search.” If you open a page and use command-f (in most browsers, in Word and other text applications), it will search all of the text on a page, including the comments.”

                      Aaa, I misunderstood you. I’ve been using the internet for many years and actually program websites and I’ve never seen that one before. command-f is a Mac function and I don’t even remember that one from my old Fortran classes that were on Mac’s; for PC’s I found that Crtl-f did the same thing. Thanks for adding to my knowledge base. 😉

                      I’m not too sure most people would know how to do that so you should consider that when telling them what to do.

                1. CommitToHonestDiscussion,
                  I chose to read through what you provided now instead of later.

                  Yup you’ve provided some relevant information to back up your claim that Allan is a rather hateful commenter, troll like, and in comparison to what you’re writing Allan appears more hateful. Now don’t misunderstand my purpose; this is not approving or condemning any of the non hateful things either of you have written and you have had some rather hateful things to say about Allan too.

                  1. Steve,

                    I haven’t responded directly to him since May and was silent in response to his abuse for a long time, but he’s continued to address me with nasty comments, lying about me and insulting me, and it’s pretty tiresome. I still ignore the majority of his comments, and I never bring him up if he hasn’t already been commenting about it, but I’m not going to be totally silent about his abuse anymore, so yes, I do sometimes criticize him strongly when he starts in on me. Do you have a better solution?

                1. Steve get busy on that homework that schoolmarm & troll CTHD has given you, She invites you to forego at least an hour of your life and then plenty more fencing with her verbal tricks.

                  1. Mr Kurtz wrote, “Steve get busy on that homework that schoolmarm & troll CTHD has given you, She invites you to forego at least an hour of your life and then plenty more fencing with her verbal tricks.”

                    Oh stop it Mr Kurtz, you’re acting like a jerk.

                    I’m the one that asked for support and CTHD is trying to provide it. I have no problem with how it’s being presented now that the proper direct links are being properly provided. I asked for the information, I’ll actually read it later.

    3. The gangs of right wing thugs roaming our streets are seen everywhere. The roadblocks and protests by Nazis are a sign of our times. And just the property damage and civic destruction on TV every night makes a person very angry at these right wingers.

  9. He’s an anti-American Muslim right? And he’s calling for violence, oh surprise, surprise! It’s a trip right? They come to this country to escape jail and persecution in their own, then realize the freedom of our women (not to mention, homosexuals), become totally enraged and call for immediate violent insurrection! Exposed to Christianity, forced to live among “freedom-loving” (so-called), and somewhat hedonistic, Americans, they believe they’re the oppressed. Meanwhile, safely tucked behind national borders, shielded from their own, they take our jobs, while typically supplementing income with credit card fraud, and enjoy our lifestyle. Why? Why do we permit this? Money! Universities, politicos, are culturally selling us out. No ideals, no convictions, just money. One of the reasons I follow this blog is that I believe Turley, on some level, is someone of ideals and convictions. And it’s very important, in my opinion, if we wish to preserve, persevere, continue in the American Way, our culture and identity.

    That said, we need to start thinking about a national organization dedicated to the preservation of civility. The left is organized – it’s a “coalition” of alliances as emphasized here – and it’s time we did the same. Yes we can!

  10. Khaled Alqahtani stated, “What I’m criticizing is the constant rejection of violent resistance on grounds of respectability.” People don’t reject violence on the grounds of respectability, you Moron. Anyone with a brain and any semblance of a good idea prefers discourse over force for any number of simple reasons – one being: that if your ideas can’t hold up in a conversation, they’re certainly not going to hold up in the real world. And another being, if you have to destroy things and kill people in order to make others accept your ideas – your ideas must really stink.

    1. “if you have to destroy things and kill people in order to make others accept your ideas – your ideas must really stink”

      Do you say the same when police and soldiers kill people or destroy things without cause?

      1. Well, I don’t believe that climate change is human caused. But there have been violence against those who didn’t believe the claim. So far, nothing catastrophic, such as a rise in the sea level, has occurred. By your reasoning then climate change idea must really stink.

      2. CommitToHonestDiscussion comparing pineapples to oranges, but yes, OBVIOUSLY. When a soldier or cop has an idea that they want to cram down their classmates’ throats and they do it at the point of gun. It’s obviously the same thing. Don’t waste my time with silly gotcha comments.

        1. I said nothing about classmates.
          That’s you reading something into my comment that wasn’t there.

          For example, George Floyd was killed by police without cause. Do you condemn that violence by police?
          Or consider soldiers convicted of war crimes (some of whom have been pardoned by Trump): do you condemn their violence? Do you condemn unnecessary bombings/destruction by the military?

          1. CommitToHonestDiscussion says, “I said nothing about classmates.” Exactly. The article’s about a staff writer on a college campus about the necessity of violence in society in place of discourse.

            And in an apparent show of support for the columnist’s viewpoint, you bring up the rare killer cop and war criminal. Why? I have no idea. As I said, if you want to bring a pineapple to an apple-bobbing contest, go for it, but keep it in your own barrel.

            1. No, if you read the column, it’s not about ” the necessity of violence in society in place of discourse.”
              If you think that’s what it’s about, you either haven’t read it, or you’re reading things into it that aren’t there.

              FWIW, the Daily Cal isn’t directed only at “classmates.” It’s a student-run paper that’s distributed in / read by the community as well, and it addresses both campus and community issues.

              “you bring up the rare killer cop and war criminal. Why? I have no idea”

              a) My comment wasn’t limited to cops who kill people (which unfortunately isn’t so rare; for ex., Black men have a 1 in 1000 lifetime risk of being killed by an officer) or war criminals. I also asked about unnecessary bombings/destruction by the military, which isn’t rare either. Do *you* think that’s rare globally?
              b) If you have no idea, then the most productive thing to do is ask. Had you asked, I’d have said that you made a broad claim (“if you have to destroy things and kill people in order to make others accept your ideas – your ideas must really stink”) that wasn’t limited to campuses, so I asked a broad question in response.

              1. CommitToHonestDiscussion, no really, it’s a beautiful pineapple you’ve got there.

                1. If you think that’s a pineapple, you might need glasses (or a new prescription).

          2. Commit – George Floyd most likely died of a cardiac event brought on by a lethal combination of fentenayl and meth. He was not killed by the officers.

              1. Commit – Lane’s attorney filed a very nice brief today that lays it all out.

  11. This Turley piece seems ok to me.

    “George Washington University Law School Professor Jonathan Turley argued this week that colleges and universities should remove Antifa-associated students and professors that commit acts of violence.

    According to a report by the College Fix, George Washington University Law School Professor Jonathan Turley argued this week that colleges and universities should not tolerate violence by Antifa activists on campus.

    Breitbart News reported in 2017 that a Bay Area professor assaulted at least seven people with a bike lock during an Antifa demonstration in Berkeley, California. The professor, Eric Clanton, was only sentenced to three years of probation. ”

    https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2020/08/17/prof-jonathan-turley-expel-antifa-students-faculty-if-they-commit-violence/

  12. It is always a pleasure to read your analysis. While you and I may differ politically, I always find your reasoning to be sound. I may not agree with you every time but you at least make thoughtful well rationed arguments. On this topic I could not agree more. I do differ with you regarding designating “antifa” a domestic terrorist organization but I certainly see your point/s….I too agree speech no matter how vile is to be protected with the “fire in a crowded space an exception..” It pained me when the Nazis wanted to March in Skokie, Illinois especially since we as a nation shed so much blood to wipe that hatred from the earth, but in a free country will always defeat hate and hateful speech by reasoned argument and broad conversation. Hatred can not prevail in a sea of rational thought and speech!

  14. Mr. Alqahtani might do well to remember the old adage, “be careful what you wish for”…Karma’s gonna suck for him.

    1. “Karma’s gonna suck for him”

      What, did you mean Karmila?

    2. mhess9. This guy is gonna need a box to go home in. He needs to be reported to Homeland Security as he is certainly out of bounds here. I really doubt that student visas allow for the call of violence perpetrated against Americans.

    1. Another of his projects here:

      https://www.wardnt.com/

      ==

      I understand in many Arab societies, manners and the rubrics of hospitality are emphasized. Guess he didn’t get the memo.

  16. In calling for armed resistance, the radical left forgets one important variable: They don’t have the guns to compete.

    1. I am not sure, but doesn’t “armed resistance” sound terribly like sedition?

    2. Craig, understand they have social organization, and with sufficient numbers, they intend to steal the guns from the police and army.. That has been in the playbook for generations.

  17. Khaled Alqahtani is only being true to his ideology. Their postmodern interpretation of society ONLY sees power imbalances between identity groups where the oppressed group must seize power from their oppressors. There is no room for dialog, let alone free speech.

    Moreover, this ideology is purely theoretical and faith based. Once you understand this, you can see how they act out like religious zealots.

    1. Yes, the left is filled with fanatic zealots and their ideology is progressivism and they think they are aetheists – the laugh is on them.

  18. We have a Congresswoman calling for violence in the streets. We don’t want a war, however, if there is going to be a war WE intend to win it.

  19. I don’t agree with Algarhythem or whatever his name is. Therefore where does he live? Someone might want to burn his house down and needs to know.

  20. “As will hardly come as a surprise to many on this blog, I believe that Alqahtani should have a protected right to espouse such obnoxious views.”
    **********************
    Calls to imminent lawlessness and threats to violence aren’t protected free speech nor should they be. Nor are they grist for any academic mill. Fire the cretin and raise the cumulative faculty IQ.

    1. He’s a student at an institution which is indubitably heavily cross-subsidized by various parties, among them the taxpayers of California.

      Aside from the viciousness, the effrontery is what gets you.

      It’s amusing to speculate whether Berkeley imported him from abroad or whether he or his family are the issue of our oh-so-selective immigration regime. A site on surnames I consult maintains that that particular one is to be found almost exclusively on the Arabian peninsula. You might have thought that after a certain point in time we’d insist that immigration from certain problem countries consist exclusively of married couples with children or older married couples (and might be limited to a small trickle), but that’s because we’re deplorables. All the best people know that Diversity Is Our Strength.

      1. “certain problem countries”

        Yeah, he’s from Saudi Arabia. The same country Trump’s been selling $billions in arms to. The same country where MBS arranged for Jamal Khashoggi’s murder and dismemberment, and Trump simply took MBS’s word over U.S. intelligence. The same country that was the origin of the 9/11 terrorists and the naval base shooter in Pensacola.

        Glad you and I can agree that Saudi Arabia is a problem country.

        1. The same country Trump’s been selling $billions in arms to.

          The U.S. government for decades had an understanding with Saudi Arabia which allows them to purchase arms from American manufacturers. Most years, the nominal sum has been just under $1 bn or less than 0.2% of Saudi Arabia’s nominal gross domestic product. No clue why this would bother you were you a reasonable person. They don’t have a foreign policy which is troublesome for any party other than Iran and various and sundry brigands in Yemen.

          The same country where MBS arranged for Jamal Khashoggi’s murder and dismemberment,

          Khashoggi was a participant in Saudi politics, and not for congenial ends. The Washington Post gave him an op-ed berth because malicious and stupid.

          Glad you and I can agree that Saudi Arabia is a problem country.

          They are a source of problem people, not a source of problems for foreign countries.

          You need to tell your handlers at Correct-the-Record that responding to everything makes you look like a jack-wagon.

          1. “Absurd” says: “You need to tell your handlers at Correct-the-Record…”

            “Paranoia runs deep…”

            “Jack-wagon” suits you. Your next user name?

          2. SA was recently sold arms without congressional approval.- the senate voted against but did not have the veto proof count – and the IG looking into the sales was fired.

            So, TIA favors assassinating journalists.

            Yemen would be surprised to learn that SA is not a problem.

            1. SA was recently sold arms without congressional approval.- the senate voted against but did not have the veto proof count – and the IG looking into the sales was fired.

              Again, the legislative veto was declared unconstitutional by the courts when your lawyer son was a tween.

      2. “You might have thought that after a certain point in time we’d insist that immigration from certain problem countries consist exclusively of married couples with children or older married couples (and might be limited to a small trickle), but that’s because we’re deplorables. “

        And we’ve seen how well that works: The Fort Hood shooter, Nidal Hasan, Hasan was born in Arlington County, Virginia at Virginia Hospital Center to American parents of Palestinian descent, having immigrated years prior from al-Bireh, a city located in the West Bank near Jerusalem.. Raised in the Muslim faith with his two younger brothers, he attended Wakefield High School in Arlington for his freshman year in 1985. His family moved to Roanoke in 1986, to join his father who moved to the city a year prior to set up what would become a successful number of family owned businesses which included a market, restaurant and olive bar.

        He attended William Fleming High School in Roanoke, Virginia graduating from high school in 1988, Their father died in 1998 at the age of 51 and their mother, known as Nora by the community, passed away in 2001 at the age of 49. .As adults, one brother continues to live in Virginia while the other has since moved to Jerusalem.

        Major Hasan can’t clailm he or his family were oppressed whille in our nation. His post-secondary, post-graduate and medical education came courtesy of the US taxpayer.

      3. “All the best people know that Diversity Is Our Strength.”
        ************************
        That’s the epitaph for lots of cultures from the ancient Greeks to the ancient Romans to the Incas to Yugoslavia and on and on. Never been a successful “diverse” society until we tried it with the melting pot experiment. Even then we did it with Western cultures much like our own and with some success. Bring in a third world population, get third world thinking and third world problems. I give you Minneapolis and Portland.

        1. What a dunce. Minneapolis and Portland are wildly – and typical – American cities that have been and are wildly successful places 90% of the world’s population would love to migrate to. From our military to scientific community to cultural leaders and athletic teams, we kick ass because of diversity, which is also the envy of most of the world.

          In any case diversity is our future and the world’s, or we will have none. That’s OK, because it is very bright.

          1. What a dunce. Minneapolis and Portland are wildly – and typical – American cities that have been and are wildly successful places 90%

            Personal income per capita in the Portland commuter belt is almost precisely the national average for metropolitan statistical areas. That for Minneapolis is higher (about 12% above national means). My home town had a similar advantage in 1970; didn’t prevent it from being witlessly governed and losing its edge. The four counties around Portland have since 1970 had relatively high population growth (a rate of about 77% in excess of national means, but that of the seven counties around Minneapolis has grown only slightly faster (8%) than the national mean. That’s not what’s meant by ‘wildly successful’.

            Of course, both of these areas have put themselves at a disadvantage in recent years by electing abusers and incompetents. Keith Ellison is now the Attorney-General of Minnesota. If you want to amuse yourself, you can look at the resumes of the 12 sitting members of the Minneapolis City Council. (NB, 10 of the 12 are childless, as is the current mayor as is the previous mayor). The behavior of the Governor, mayor, and district attorney in Portland merit criminal prosecution.

            1. Been to Portland recently. Very nice city with rising property values and a tourist destination. I recommend Powell’s Bookstore downtown. Mt Hood is not far.

            2. Mespo, you get that Italians were viewed as alien scum for much of the 20th century by people like you, right? Before the Mafia, there was the Black Hand and anarchist assassins, all of whom make Antifa look like Brownies.

              1. Italians,

                BTB,

                I’m not Italian, but some people have the good sense not to be talking poorly of their friends, but I hear the price of Dental Implants is dropping rapidly, hell, go for if you must. LOL;)

        2. Bring in a third world population, get third world thinking and third world problems. I give you Minneapolis and Portland.

          Ilhan Omar is in Congress because she won the votes of gentry liberals in a district that’s 63% white. Rancida Taliban won hers in a black majority district. All the disorders of recent months have been manufactured by the domestic black population and okupiers, who aren’t a notably ethnic crew. Mass immigration is troublesome for various reasons, but you can’t lay the problems of the last several months on them.

          It’s the same deal with the cancel culture. It’s being run by higher ed administrators, tech barons, &c. They’re post-American and should not be holding the positions they do, but they’re seldom drawn from an immigrant stream.

          1. The most consequential immigrant enabling BLM is George Soros who was a refugee from Hungary, naturalized. He’s given them gobs of money

            He is a free trade advocate. His clever plan: organize the black and white lumpenprole to agitate and destabilize America and intimidate potential Trump voters so Pelosi and Biden will win

            then he will make it all back in a day if Donald goes bye bye and free trade makes a raging comeback

    2. SCOTUS in Brandenburg v. Ohio:
      “the constitutional guarantees of free speech and free press do not permit a State to forbid or proscribe advocacy of the use of force or of law violation except where such advocacy is directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action and is likely to incite or produce such action.”

      The Daily Cal is a student paper, Mespo. Alqahtani is not a faculty member, and if you actually read his column, you’d know that it isn’t a call to imminent lawless action. Nor is he speaking solely about the U.S. He’s from Saudi Arabia and is partly speaking about resistance in the Middle East. I don’t agree with everything Alqahtani wrote, but it’s clearly protected speech.

      1. Nor is he speaking solely about the U.S. He’s from Saudi Arabia and is partly speaking about resistance in the Middle East.

        The Near East isn’t mentioned in the column and he quotes Angela Davis of all people. There’s been masses of political violence in the Near East over 70 years. Places where it has actually improved internal conditions sum to zero.

        1. “The Near East isn’t mentioned in the column”

          From the column: “they’re more concerned about the Israel Defense Force soldiers’ safety when a Palestinian kid throws a rock. … There is no socially “acceptable” way to protest the murder of women and trans and queer people around me every single day. There is no “civil” way to resist ongoing occupation and war. … Egyptian American author Mona Eltahawy asked a simple question: “How many rapists must we kill before men stop raping women?” … she received death threats and endless sexist and racist comments asking her to ‘go back to Egypt.’”

          When he says “murder … around me,” I don’t interpret that as limited to the U.S., when he’s from Saudi Arabia. When he talks about “ongoing occupation and war,” where do you think he’s referring to?

          Eltahawy’s statement was about violence against women globally, including the Middle East. As should be clear from the fact that Alqahtani linked to an excerpt from a discussion where she said it in Australia:
          https://twitter.com/monaeltahawy/status/1205327718210064384
          And she’s repeated it about violence in the Middle East:
          monaeltahawy/status/1286289285155561472
          and in Latin America:
          monaeltahawy/status/1201305438756786176 [I’m cutting these URLs because this site only allows two links per comment]
          and in the U.S., and in …

          He is very clearly speaking in part to resistance in the Middle East. If you cannot acknowledge that, that’s your problem, not mine. Or perhaps your problem is with attention to details and reading comprehension.

          As for your endless comments about me having “handlers,” presumably you have handlers and are projecting. Apparently it’s too hard for you to accept a woman speaking out on her own behalf against your garbage.

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