2 Republican senators introduce resolution to label antifa as domestic terrorists

[DonViejo]

Source: The Hill


BY ZACK BUDRYK - 07/21/19 09:02 AM EDT

Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) have introduced a nonbinding resolution that would label antifascist activists known as antifa as “domestic terrorists,” according to the Washington Post.

“Antifa are terrorists, violent masked bullies who ‘fight fascism’ with actual fascism, protected by Liberal privilege,” Cassidy said in a statement. “Bullies get their way until someone says no. Elected officials must have courage, not cowardice, to prevent terror.”

While there is no specific crime called “domestic terrorism,” applying such a designation allows law enforcement to look into a suspect’s known associates and affiliations.

While conservatives and centrists have long blasted antifa activists, who have been involved in street brawls with right-wing groups and left conservative journalist Andy Ngo bloodied in Portland, Ore., last month, critics of the measure have cited antifa’s lack of a formal organizational structure and said this could open the door to overly-broad enforcement, according to the Post.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/454038-2-republican-senators-introduce-resolution-to-label-antifa-as-domestic

[bucolic_frolic]

1. If there was ever a politicized bill this is it

[olegramps]

11. Could Antifa grow into a national movement especially among younger people?

I would like to know more about its potential. There doesn't seem to be very much available about the movement. It seems to not have any structure.

[bucolic_frolic]

15. correct, it does seem to be ad hoc, on the fly

so how you classify this or that sometimes yes or sometimes no on again off again is a mystery to all

that's why this bill is such bunk

[ProudMNDemocrat]

2. What will that solve?

NOTHING.....

All that means that resistance groups like Indivisible, Move On, and others that question Trump's policies will be looked at as such groups like the KKK, who are allowed to exist. A group with a violent and racist history that killed people.

[oldsoftie]

6. But MoveOn never advocates violence. That a huge difference.

Antifa isnt a "liberal" group, they're anarchists. But a bill like this should include ALL who advocate violence.

[onetexan]

3. So...Nazis, the KKK, Skinheads are not domestic terrorists according to the GOP

What nonsense. Everyone attending the Idiot's fascist rally in NC chanting those hateful words need to be branded as domestic terrorists given they've engaged in threats against 4 US Congresswomen.

[iluvtennis]

19. Ditto.

[DBoon]

28. They aren't terrorists - they are the Republican base

nt

[ripcord]

30. Actually the KKK is listed as a domestic terrorist group NT

[onetexan]

31. by the feds? i certainly hope so. I know the SPLC lists them as terrorists.

[Firestorm49]

4. More absurdity and blame reversal from the party that can come up with no better defense.

[LonePirate]

5. Dems should amend the bill to label the Proud Boys with the same designation.

[oldsoftie]

7. Exactly

[ancianita]

23. Better, they should slam the whole bill as an admission that Cruz and Cassidy unknowingly support

fascism.

Lay out all the ways that fascism is real in this administration's messaging and actions, point by point.

Lay out all the ways that antifa(scism) rejects public normalization of fascist messaging and action.

They have to nip this in the bud.

They cannot stoop to this level and thereby validate it.

[The Liberal Lion]

8. If they are terrorist, so am I

I stand with the antifa

[ancianita]

20. +1000 To know their history is to be on their side of history.

[appleannie1]

9. What he said fits trump better than Antifa

“Bullies get their way until someone says no. Elected officials must have courage, not cowardice, to prevent terror.”

If they honestly believed that they should say "NO" to trump.

[The Liberal Lion]

25. Exactly

[Pantagruel]

10. Caroline Orr posted the numbers on antifa violence

-30 years of antifascist activity in the US: 1 confirmed fatality (a nazi who was shot during an altercation in 1993).

-20 years of far-right extremist activity (1990-2012) in the US: 670 fatalities, 3,053 nonfatal injuries, & 4,420 attacks.

[ancianita]

21. Is this a blog or a news site? Would you please link?

[ananda]

12. They are nothing compared to the white supremacists.

nt

[LogicFirst]

13. Proud Boys, too.

[JAD]

14. They should start by naming any WW2 Vets still living ....

that fought in General Patton's or General Clark's Army in WW2.

Obama's grandfather, Stanley Dunham, fought in Patton's Third Army.

[amcgrath]

16. I thought the 'terrorist' label

Was normally designated by the security agencies rather than a couple of senators.

That aside, the obvious outcome of this, is that anybody opposing Trump will automatically be classifiable as anti- fascist.

It's also a little hypocritical considering the thousands of war memorials in the US, that commemorate the sacrifices made by people fighting fascism

[dem in texas]

17. America fought a war against fascists

WWII was a war against fascism. Over 500,000 American soldiers were killed, millions of Jewish people were exterminated by Nazi fascists. We should all be part of the Antifa protesters. There is no place for fascism in American

[malthaussen]

18. Who'd a thunk there would be "Premature anti-Fascists..."

... so long after the breakup of the USSR? Plus ca change...

-- Mal

[ancianita]

22. Cassidy and Cruz, thereby, ADMIT that fascism exists. Only a fascist regime labels antifa terrorist

[JAD]

27. ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!!

General George Patton's Army was the original Antifa.

[Dawson Leery]

24. Cassidy and Cruz are fascists then.

Got it.

[icymist]

26. "protected by Liberal privilege"

What is Liberal privilege?

[DBoon]

29. The inspiration for antifa goes back to 1930s Britain

https://www.pri.org/stories/2016-10-05/britain-remembers-massive-riot-against-fascism-london-1936

Unfortunately for antifa, it wasn't the street confrontation ,that defeated British fascism:

Most historians now agree that the Battle of Cable Street did not defeat fascism and anti-Semitism in Britain, and in fact gave them a short term boost.

They say what really defeated the Fascists in Britain was their failure at the ballot box — they never became more than a fringe group. As one citizen wrote to his local paper after seeing a Fascist rally: "I came to the conclusion that Mosley was a political maniac, and that all decent English people must combine to kill his movement."

[Jopin Klobe]

32. Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-Dumb) and Ted Cruz (R-Dumber) ...

... advocate imprisoning all surviving WWII veterans because ...

... they shot and killed God damned NAZIS ...

[Initech]

33. So the Proud Boys get just a slap on the wrist?

[Cryptoad]

34. If I gotta,,,,

pick the type of fascism i have to live in ,,,, guess I would take the Antifa over Trump Fascism.

[The_Counsel]

35. Wait...How Many People Has Antifa Killed Again?

Pretty sure that answer is "zero."