Washingtonpost.com:

Multiple videos show a protester at a Donald Trump rally in North Carolina being sucker-punched by a Trump supporter.

The videos, which appeared on social media early Thursday and are shot from different perspectives, show an African American with long hair wearing a white T-shirt leaving the Trump rally as the audience boos. He is being led out of the rally by men in uniforms that read “Sheriff’s Office.” The man extends a middle finger to the audience on his way out.

Then, out of nowhere, the man is punched in the face by a pony-tailed man, who appears to be white, in a cowboy hat, black vest and pink shirt as the crowd begins to cheer. The protester stumbles away, and then is detained by a number of the men in uniforms.

“Chill, chill!” an onlooker says. “You don’t gotta grab him like that!”

Rakeem Jones, the man who was hit, said the punch came out of nowhere.

“Boom, he caught me,” Jones told The Washington Post in a telephone interview. “After I get it, before I could even gain my thoughts, I’m on the ground getting escorted out. Now I’m waking up this morning looking at the news and seeing me getting hit again.”

John McGraw, 78, was charged with assault and disorderly conduct in connection with the incident, Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sean Swain told The Post on Thursday.

I heard on TV tonight that Mr. Pony-tail was still  in jail.  Apparently Trump isn’t coming to his aid.   The guy who got hit had given the crowd the finger.  BFD.  They shouldn’t have been jeering and taunting him.   Giving the finger is impolite but also it protected most places as freedom of speech.  It certainly doesn’t give some overly-zealous old man the right to sucker punch the young man.

According to USAtoday.com:

Jones attended the Wednesday rally with friends including a Muslim, a gay  man and a white woman, he told The Post. He said “no one in our group attempted to get physical,” but said the woman with him began shouting after Trump’s speech began.

Other event attendees shouted back.

Ronnie Rouse, who was at the event with Jones, told The Post the audience members shouted “Go home n—–s” and “You need to get the f— out of there!”

The altercation marks the latest violent incident between Trump supporters and protesters at the candidate’s events.

Once again, if you listen to the background noise, it becomes obvious that the tone of the rally is conducive to rudeness and violence.  Many years ago, when I was in college, my parents told me flat out that if I got involved in any student demonstrations they would whip me out of school so fast my head would spin.  I took them at their word.

Then Kent State happened.  Innocent people were shot and killed.  Students who were observing.  Those kinds of situations, especially ones where large emotionally-charged crowds are concerned are gasoline kegs waiting for a match.

Every time I see a Trump rally with the yelling, the screaming, the threats, the demonization of a person or group, the talk of violence…I just wonder when it’s going to happen.  It will if the course is not changed, I fear.

 

 

57 Thoughts to “More thuggery from Trump supporters in NC”

  1. Starry flights

    Only a coward would hit somebody whose back is turned. What a bunch of animals who attend Trump rallies. I hope that 78 year old geezer dies in jail. If convicted, he would lose his right to vote as well as his freedom. It’s only a matter of time before somebody is seriously hurt or worse at one of these mosh pits.

    And now somebody cue Hillary’s email in 3…2…1…

  2. El Guapo

    {sarcasm on} Making America Great Again {sarcasm off}

  3. blue

    Historically, this is normal operating procedure for progressive socialists – to interupt a political rally of its opposition. Goes back to the 1st half of the 20th centrury and its modern counterparts of Moveon.org and others. The goal of the effort is to get a reaction and let’s be honest, part of the attraction to Trump is a reaction to this kind of hooligan BS. . Rather than just arrest these “protestors” we should be looking into their connections, who sends them there – or do you really believe these idiots do it on their own. The guy who is the subject of this incident got on TV pretty dang quick. Or maybe the Media is not reporting all the “protestors” and the reactions taking place at the Hillary and Bernie rallies and how the police handle themthere — could that be it?

    Its all about creating a narrative at these rallies and the ignorants who buy into that narrative

    1. Blue are you denying that Trump rallies are out of hand? Why don’t we see thuggery at each Cruz rally or Rubio Rally? I don’t see Katich threatening people or saying he wants to punch people in the face or “throw the bums out.”

      I am not sure why anyone should be arrested for protesting. Asked to leave, perhaps. Arrested? No. (that includes groups I hate)

      I am assuming that you are a Trump supporter, based on the fact that this kind of thuggery doesn’t seem to faze you.

      I can’t stand Rubio or Cruz as far as their policy goes but I don’t see their rallies as free-for-alls.

  4. blue

    Something wrong with the up loading? The mis-spellings are goofy.

    1. My IT guy will be taking a look at it. I mostly read and respond from the dashboard. The issue isn’t showing up there, just from the front of the house. I didnt even see it until last night.

  5. blue

    MoonHowler :

    I am assuming that you are a Trump supporter, based on the fact that this kind of thuggery doesn’t seem to faze you.

    Well that is insulting and uncalled for, what are you suggesting that these IMHO planned and coordinated thug disruptions against the likely nominee are ok?

    In most cases these assholes are being ushered out by security – but as
    Trump has publically noted, they do happen at other Republican rallies but the Media only turns its cameras at the Trump rallies. Trump has gone so far as to note that that is the only way they will report on the size of his ralies. Protesting outside is fine, but I am sure you agree that going inside just to make trouble is risky behavior and those who do so should be arrested for inciting violence. It needs to stop or it will get more and more common and will eventually spill over to Hillary. Just saying.

    1. Hillary and Bernie have been disrupted also.

      Some of the disruptions are planned, many are not. Trump sets a tone that is simply not conducive to good behavior.

      I don’t believe the media is selective about the others. Trump is outlandish and boorish. He attracts attention. He also hasn’t had to pay for his glory. He just attracts it.

  6. Emma

    It’s hard to believe that nothing ever gets out of hand at any other rally. It’s likely just not getting covered. It’s also likely that there are a lot fewer Republican provocateurs attending the Clinton/Sanders rallies.

    1. I am sure there is some. I have seen some on TV. It’s nothing like the Trump rallies. The leaders set the tones.

  7. blue

    Well, you picked the issue of the day Moon with Sanders and Killory trying to make hay in the media by asking Trump to take responsibility for the punching incident. What a load of crap. Trump should never do that, at least not until Sanders and Hillary overtly and publically ask their supporters to grow up and stop the violence. Sanders BTW is encouraging it.

    I keep looking at that incident on the staircase; its not right. I think the guy in the cowboy hat (really — a cowboy hat) pulled his punch and the “victum only fell down after he reached the top of the stairs. This smells. I do hope they are looking into this.

    1. I don’t hold Trump responsible for the punch. I hold Trump responsible for creating an atmosphere where this type of behavior might even be thought of as correct. He needs to set a better tone.

      I believe all the candidates would speak to the violence if it were occurring regularly at rallies.

      The punched dude was punched. The falling part is secondary and fairly irrelevant.

  8. blue

    @MoonHowler

    Well, we agree on something at least…I don’t hold Trump responsible for the punch either. Until proven otherwise, I do, however, hold Hillory and Sanders and their political action committees / operatives responsible for this and other dirty tricks – including – as you say – the atmoshpere of corruption that they bring to their campaigns. Now, I will admit that it may not be all Hillory’s fault that there is a strong sense that Democrats and their operatives are above the law, Obama needs to answer to a lot of that too – from the IRS to the sale of uranium to Russia to, yes, the effort to incite violance at Trump and other Republican rallies, but its there and shared.

    1. You are free to think as you please, regardless of how wrong you might or might not be.

  9. Steve Thomas

    Yes, passions are inflamed, and anger is present. The Trump “phenomenon” has been explained as stemming from middle-class anger and frustration with the “elite/ruling class”. Trump fans this to motivate supporters to action (electoral) and will try to ride this “populist” message all the way to the White House.

    Notice how with each media, Democrat, or “Establishment GOP” attack, his support only grows. People are angry. They get angrier when the candidate who is speaking directly to the source of their anger, articulates their anger, encapsulates their anger…is attacked.

    So why is anyone surprised that this anger would be directly visited upon those who attend these rallies with the sole intent of disrupting them? We shouldn’t be, anymore than one should be surprised when they are gored by a bull, after not only entering the pen, but waiving a red cape as well.

    Mess with the Bull…meet the horns.

    Now, this is intended purely from an analytical perspective….I don’t condone it. Civil Society or Civil War?

    1. I am laughing at “Mess with the Bull…meet the horns.”

      I think this entire Trump situation speaks very poorly of our country. We should be better than this.

      I think perhaps Northern Virginia is too insulated from the rest of the country.

      Truthfully, I am not sure why people are so furious. I have a few pockets of anger but I don’t understand people being consumed by fury. I guess I am too insulated.

  10. Wolve

    A Trump rally is cancelled today in Chicago for security reasons based on police recommendations. Anti-Trump protesters were trying to take over the auditorium and podium.

    If you seek to find the real “Brown Shirts,” you are looking in the wrong places.

    “If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.” G. Washington.

    1. I am watching right now. Please don’t try to paint those Trump supporters as innocent. I do have eyes.

      If you continue to insult people and groups, you are going to anger them. Do they have the right to protest? I think so.

      Is Trump vetting those events? I wouldn’t let the protestors in. Trump misses the good old days. I heard it come out of his mouth.

  11. Emma

    What I saw on ABC News this evening was a group of protestors chanting and screaming during a rally, trying to drown out the candidate’s speech for the thousands of people who came out to listen. What happened to all of that talk about civility several years ago? All of the accusations against Tea Party protestors of nonexistent violence? What about the rights of people who just want to hear their candidate speak?

    These people are deliberate provocateurs. They’re gathering for the express purpose of disrupting the rallies and hoping for some red meat to feed to social and mainstream media.

    1. I seem to remember the Tea Party people doing that to democrats and republicans who were having their recess town hall meetings. The Tea Party people would come in and disrupt so no one ever found out what was going on.

      I just wanted to hear about issues. The politicians were drowned out.

      Emma, I don’t think you would have those protestors if Trump hadn’t made his mark on American society buy cutting on immigrants, Mexicans, women, Muslims, and bunches of other people. He is reaping what he has sown.

  12. Wolve

    There is no excuse for that old geezer doing a solo punching job on a protester, no matter how uninvited and rude that protester may have been. The act was an individual criminal assault.

    However, there is even less of an excuse for mob action to disrupt and close down a legitimate partisan political gathering. I disagree completely: No “reaping” of anything by anybody. There was no intention to debate or question. There was only the desire to disrupt and silence. I posit that it is just plain wrong and to be condemned. If anything, it is a clear effort to bully.

    1. I don’t approve of the protests either–however, I am certainly not surprised. You don’t send out the hate messages Trump as sent out without the “enemy” coming together to have a little payback.

      Seriously, are you surprised, Wolve?

      Absolutely Trump has sown the seeds by the constant denouncings from the pulpit.

  13. Ed Myers

    A contest of who can gin up anger and can get more people to the polls to vote that anger is the game.

  14. Wolve

    MoonHowler :
    I don’t approve of the protests either–however, I am certainly not surprised. You don’t send out the hate messages Trump as sent out without the “enemy” coming together to have a little payback.
    Seriously, are you surprised, Wolve?
    Absolutely Trump has sown the seeds by the constant denouncings from the pulpit.

    Not surprised at all. No, ma’am, not at all. Between the lies and deceit of Obama and the Dems and the lies and deceit of the Establishment Repubs, the seeds of fierce division have been solidly sown in our poor country over the past decade. The casualties have been truth, trust, a sense of freedom, and faith in the future. Where those are lacking, violence, in my opinion, becomes increasingly possible….perhaps even inevitable. I have seen this chaos before elsewhere. I never thought I would see it here in my own lifetime.

    1. So everyone is a liar but Donald Trump and this followers? That seems to be what you have said.

      Who exactly do you think is an ‘establishment Republican?’ What is wrong with being mainstream? Judging from what I have seen at those rallies, I sure don’t want them making political decisions for me.

  15. Wolve

    I am saying that the anger you see out there, whether it is the old geezer throwing a punch at a Trump gathering or the fight in St. Louis or the “wildings” in the Chicago streets last night, has its source in the lies and the deceit of the “establishment” on both sides of the political spectrum. In the coarsest of terms, they all seem to consider themselves to have been thoroughly shat upon by the political class. Their reasons may differ but their level of anger appears to be explosively the same. Ergo, if you come to them and get in their faces, they may no longer be inclined to take the guff.

    It’s as simple as that.

    I reject the term “mainstream.” It is subjective and therefore, in my opinion, of no value in debate. As for “establishment”? By that my reference is to the actual leadership of both parties and the toadies who lick their shoes for political favor. I say they have all shat royally upon the Republic by not listening to the voices of the people That absolutely insane statement in 2010 that we could not see the contents of the ACA bill before it was passed has to be the epitome of a deterioration of governance in which lie after lie after blatant lie has thrown a dark shadow over Washington in the eyes and minds of more and more citizens. I posit that the political class in both parties have succeeded in sinking this great people into a distressing orgy of mistrust and even hatred. And I fear we are going to pay a terrible price for it.

    1. I am not sure I would agree that many of the folks I see out there yelling and screaming at political rallies are “great people.”

      O tom tje greats might be at home watching TV in horror.

      Wolve, what would you say is the greatest upheaval in your lifetime? I am assuming that you , like me, are post WWII so it doesn’t could if you were a baby then.

  16. Steve Thomas

    Ed Myers :
    A contest of who can gin up anger and can get more people to the polls to vote that anger is the game.

    That’s what I said.

    Look, no one can argue honestly that our society isn’t fraying, devolving. It really became apparent to me, during the rise of the occupy movement, but if you look a bit deeper, “The Battle in Seattle” was another sign.

    Perspectives and perceptions are shaped by the media, social media, and the “democratization” of information sharing, provided by the internet. Consider also that we happen to be in the midst of a major generational shift. Boomers refuse to “go quietly into the night”. Millennials want in, and think they are entitled to the same standard of living in 5 years, that took their GenX parents 20 years to attain. Stir in tough economic times, and a a war declared on America that our government struggles to recognize. People get angry. People want a new direction, even if it may not be the “right” direction.

    Also, consider this: there are plenty of voices calling for “calm and civility, respect for differences””. They hope that cooler heads and better natures will prevail. This is noble, and the right thing to do. However, history shows that there are times when conflict overcomes our better angels. There is that point where “peaceful demonstration” becomes a riot. There are times when civil war erupts. There are times when countries and peoples war against others, which is really just Tribal Warfare on a grand scale.

    I believe we are approaching this condition across the entire spectrum, and have been for quite a while. You may disagree. That is your right. I choose to reject viewing the world through a prism biased toward “normalcy”.

    1. Then the question is raised, what is ‘normalcy.”

      We have always known that the boomers were going to e a problem. They have always been a problem. They just rested a while.

      I am not sure where the boomers are in your world view, but rest assured, we are there.

  17. blue

    Blaming the victim is a classic. Using all the buzz terms of racist, hate speech, Hitler, redneck, low information supporters combined with unemployment, low wages, jobs going overseas, the lies, the above the law attitudes, the riots, the horrible anti-police rhetoric, the regulations, the attacks on the 2nd Amendment — no, the Dems are not the innocents here.

    When will the Media demand a word from Obama, Hillary and Sanders to call back their classless, anti-free speech mobs. All I hear is a media bound and determined to justify these organized hooligans.

    We just underwent a terrible loss of a police officer. I fear for them in the middle.

  18. ed myers

    Anger without righteousness is not sustainable. The anger that gays can now reap the government largess heaped on married people in the past is not a righteous anger. The anger that government is on the side of protecting workers religious views regarding reproductive health choices instead of the corporation and it’s owners seems misplaced in that government is intended for the people and not the benefit of corporations. The anger around falling short in the last election of achieving a veto-proof congress preventing repeal of Obamacare is not a problem for the majority. That a president was reelected and has served nearly 8 years without a major scandal is faux anger unless, as many suspect, that anger is really just a veiled way to object to being governed by a black man.

    The economy is doing well especially in comparison to the rest of the world and the only reason people don’t think they are better off is because inflation has been low and wages have not been inflating as rapidly as in the past. From a materialistic standpoint millennial kids know they are better off than their parents because they would never time travel back to live in a time before smart phone. The value of software isn’t measured like goods and thus economic numbers aren’t going to rise as rapidly as we need less stuff by using the stuff we have more efficiently (i.e the Uber/ebay market.)

    Obama has governed slightly center right as evidenced by Bernies appeal although it is probaby fairer to say the center moved a bit left past him as the echo boomer millennials started voting and baby boomers started to die off. Baby boomer can go to their grave angry but the nation is on a generational shift to the left to compensate for the strong shift to the right the baby boomers asserted on politics when entering middle age.

    Old farts can complain that the world is going to hell in a handbasket but the young think the world is a disaster (environmentally, economically) because of their parent’s mismanagement. The go-for-broke Republican strategy of doubling down on regressive social issues is going to hasten the pendulum swing to the left. Trump and Cruz are signs of extreme weakness in the Republican brand…a hail Mary attempt that is going to fail because either candidate can do more for Democratic GOTV efforts than energizing Republicans.

  19. @blue
    Blue, why are you calling out Clinton and Bernie over this?

    Do you not own a TV? Have you not seen Ted Cruz and Rubio and Kasich addressing this issue?
    How about the attack on the first amendment?

    Are you personally a Trump supporter? Does his rhetoric not offend you in the least?

  20. blue

    MoonHowler :
    @blue
    Blue, why are you calling out Clinton and Bernie over this?

    Excuse me, what channel were you watching MSLSD ? – which went overboard trying to turn the issues up-side down.

    The cancellation led to cheers among the protesters, many of whom were chanting out the name of and held signs for Bernie Sanders. Moon, it is now generally ackowledged that this was a pre-planned and organized effort to physically engage Trump supporters and disrupt the rally – inside the stadium. As we agreed above, there is a time and a place for opposition protests, and it is not inside the rally.

    I was not so much a Trump supporter as I was appalled by the progressive democrats movement to supress conservative free speech.

    It was never intended to be a peaceful protest – and that is who I hear you defending.

    Unless and until progressives take responsbility for the involvement of their followers, this is going to get out of control. Defending their silence is contributing to the problem.

    1. Blue, have you noticed that Trump appears to be the quintessential bully?

  21. I am not familiar with that station. I was watching faux news and cnn, which pretty much showed the same thing.

    I think you are out of line blaming anyone in particular for the disruption. Was it organized, yes. But I hardly think Sanders, Clinton, Cruz, Rubio, or Kasich was part of that effort. Oh wait, you didn’t mention the Republicans who also feel he is unfit for office.

    Funny how you pick and chose what is suppressing free speech. Throwing out protestors seems to me to be a denial of free speech.

    I wouldn’t place any bets on who was involved in the organized protests. I don’t think it was professional, just one of those dedicated organizations.. But I have no idea.

    The problem which you are ignoring is that Trump has been involved with abusive speech all along, in all of his rallies. In a large city, like Chicago, you are going to get all sorts of political people who take exception to his tone and rhetoric. I just expect like-minded people got together to show their distain.

    He reaped what he sowed.

  22. blue

    @MoonHowler

    What a load of crap. You really are defending the planned and organized disruption of an indoor, invitational political rally. I am shocked and offended. You really are defending the attempted supression of a leading, national candidate’s free speech and are defensing its suppression based on the fact that you do not agree with it. As noted above, that is – historically – a hallmark of socialism. Fair is fair, this is America – what is good for the goose is good for the gander. I await your reaction and ability to take some responsbility when it gets out of control at a Sanders or Hillary rally.

    1. What words do you think indicate that I am defending the protestors?

      Please explain “invitational.” I believe all the political rallies are open to the public.

      I believe you are trying to suppress free speech. You don’t want the protestors to be able to speak.

      I want all of them to go away. Trump and his brownshirts, protestors, etc.

      What I have said is that I understand why they are angry and why they have organized. Understanding doesn’t denote approval. I don’t think anyone with any sense would get themselves in the middle of all that mess.

      I came of age in the 60’s. Political assassinations happened all too often. I fear that will happen in this political climate.

    2. You still haven’t shown me the words that I used to to defend this group of ‘organized” protestors.

      Everyone has a right to protest and to reap what they sow.

    3. Blue, I doubt that it is going to get out of control with Bernie, Hillary, or any of the 3 remaining R candidates. None of the 5 has been inciting the crowds to beat up people or throw others out. That’s just not how they roll.

      All 5 have protestors but…neither the protestors or the crowds are appear to be out of control.

  23. blue

    Still have not heard anything from any Democrat condeming the actions of the protestors, have you?

    1. I haven’t been listening.

      What is it that you want them to say? Don’t protest? It isn’t nice? .

      Do I expect Rubio to repudiate the Klan? No.

      Just out of curiosity, who gets to claim the protestors? Hillary or Bernie? I don’t see why you expect them to repudiate something that has nothing to do with them

      The situation was mayhem. Protesting is one thing. Fighting is another. I believe as Americans, anyone has the right to protest. I often don’t like the protest or the protestors but they still have a right to do it.

  24. blue

    It is now being reported that Ilya Sheyman, the executive director of MoveOn.org Political Action, has taken credit for the violence at the Trump rally in Chicago. He promised similar violence and disruption will occur at future Trump political events. He noted that “Mr. Trump and the Republican leaders who support him and his hate-filled rhetoric should be on notice after tonight’s events,” on the George Soros funded MoveOn web page. “To all of those who took to the streets of Chicago, we say thank you for standing up and saying enough is enough. To Donald Trump, and the GOP, we say, welcome to the general election.”

    Basically, its not just about Trump, the “protest” represents a threat and a precursor to the sort of activity the organization will engage in as it tries to “shut down” its political enemies and elect either Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders – and we know that Sanders signs were in the arena.

    Instead of allowing open political discourse and opposition, Moveon.org and other Democrat support groups have chosen the tactics of Alinsky. This, however, is a different time and everyday Americans are no longer tolerant of the intolerant. They will no longer be intimidated into silence. Americans have sat back and watched the most divisive president we’ve ever known and taken it — no more. Barack Obama has said the police “acted stupidly.” Obama has told supporters to punish their political enemies and opposition. He has admonished them to “not take a knife to a gunfight.” In all of those cases, to include the disrespectful “if you own a business, you didn’t build that,” there were no rising voices of angst. The left does not want political debate; it wants surrender, acquiescence.

    Here is my concern… Donald Trump is the first GOP street fighter, willing to fight back. Get ready because he’s a rich guy that speaks to common folks. And what the chuckleheads in Chicago did last night was to elevate Donald J. Trump and given him license to up the ante. They have made Trump a symbol and will rally to him.

    Its time for democrat leadership to speak up.

    1. Hopefully, if the Democratic leadership, whoever that is, speaks up, they will call Trump a thug.

      Your paragraph about Obama is pure bullshit. You really need to preface those kinds of remarks with ” In MY opinion….”
      Obama once said the police acted stupidly. He later retracted his words. He was wrong to say that. He knew it.

      You must be young if you think that Obama is the most divisive president in your lifetime.

      Maveon.org is certainly not part of the Democratic party, any more than any other 501c(4). I shocked and horrified that they are involved? Nope. Do I care? Nope. I might ask for some of Wolve’s popcorn if this gets much more entertaining.

      After last night, there is no where this can go but up.

      Blue, I just knew you were a Trump supporter. I could feel it in my bones.

  25. Wolve

    MoonHowler :
    I am not sure I would agree that many of the folks I see out there yelling and screaming at political rallies are “great people.”
    O tom tje greats might be at home watching TV in horror.
    Wolve, what would you say is the greatest upheaval in your lifetime? I am assuming that you , like me, are post WWII so it doesn’t could if you were a baby then.

    The answer for me would have to be the current mess. Even during the worst of the Vietnam War protest era (when I was myself a young man), I never felt so negative about the future of the political and cultural fabric of the Republic. Perhaps a part of that feeling comes from the fact that, beginning with the Kennedy-Johnson years, I spent my whole working life serving the Republic, often at personal risk. Now it pains me to see so much hatred and violence and deceit almost everywhere. I see citizens in so much fear of criminal violence from fellow citizens or resident aliens that they avoid going out without some sort of protection. I do not ever recall that in all my years before, when no one ever talked about carrying a gun on daily business and when the local policeman was the friend of every kid in the neighborhood. I find the present day very sad.

    1. I am not sure how I would answer my own question. I think probably the greatest upheaval for this country in my lifetime was the assassination of JFK. Then so many assassinations came along after that, throughout the 60’s, that I guess I grew numb. I think I was too young to be scared. Of course there was always the threat of nuclear annihilation to add to the mix.

      I see people so far apart politically that I don’t see resolution. People aren’t even on the same plane. Does it scare me? yes. Immigrants don’t scare me where I live. I also live in a relatively crime free neighborhood.

      I don’t think everyone who is carrying a gun does so out of fear. I think its to show that they can.

  26. Starryflights

    Trump ran away in Chicago like the scared little chicken, he can dish it but can’t take it

  27. Emma

    Lawful, peaceful protest is welcome. This is anarchy. Blaming Trump for the “protestors” hooliganism and then ridiculing him for backing out of Chicago is like blaming CVS for being ransacked during the Baltimore riots. Thousands of Americans were being kept from hearing their candidate speak while the thugs were screaming and chanting for the express purpose of disruption, and that is just plain wrong, no matter what side you are on. You know you would be outraged if conservatives were swarming Sanders rallies instead. You can’t have it both ways, Starry.

    And are you ok with this? https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/local/wp/2016/03/12/trump-supporters-virginia-house-vandalized/?hpid=hp_local-news_dcgopprimary-330pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory
    @Starryflights

    1. I did not wrote a post on what happened in Chicago. I don’t think what happened is even close to CVS in Baltimore. CVS hadn’t been known for bellicose rantings about removing people, massive deportations of families, refusing Muslims entrance into the country, punching people in the face, mimicking those with disabilities, calling people names because of their appearance, etc.

      Trump sets a tone that allows thuggery to flourish. Trying to blame other candidates for that kind of behavior won’t fly with me. He is reaping what he has sown. If candidates were sending out dog whistles to shut him down, we would know about it.

      I just realized you were talking to Starry. Its a slow morning.

    2. Vandalism is wrong regardless of who is doing it. We don’t know who did it. It might even not be political, like the one in Gainesville a few years ago.

      What other factors were involved? Had this woman made enemies in the past?

  28. Kelly_3406

    The question of free speech is really interesting in this particular case. The Trump campaign has paid for and organized events to present his political views. It is true that it is a public event, but the rally itself is planned by a specific organization. The Black Lives Matters crowd and other organized protests are essentially crashing these events for the express purpose of disrupting them.

    If these people are denied the opportunity to express their views at such rallies. it is not repression of free speech. These people have the same opportunity to organize rallies, PAY for the venue, and invite the press as Trump does. They can then rant and rave all they want,but we know there would be virtually no coverage because it would not be news worthy.

    Free speech is not free. It costs money to spread a message to a wide audience, and so these people are really just free loaders. They are also infringing on the right of the vast majority to hear their candidate speak. So I think a fair case can be made that the protesters are infringing on the rights of others, rather than vice versa.

    1. Let’s face it, speech isn’t really free, even if you have paid for it. The first amendment is a good concept but nearly every part of it involves a slippery slope.

      I don’t believe that the campaigns put half as much money out towards their venue as they would have us think. Every time there is a presidential election, Prince William County gets saddled with bills for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Some of that money is for additional security of sites.

      There are dead giveaways to people’s intentions. A place to start would be to bar entrance to some people.

      Obviously, some of the stuff Trump says is living proof that he is spoiling for a fight. He pushes the envelope and than acts all appalled when people fight back.

  29. Emma

    @MoonHowler
    If they were really just grassroots people fighting back, that would be one thing. What seems to be coming out now is that a lot of the protestors are just showing up to raise hell, encouraged by MoveOn.org.

    I’m gobsmacked by the tone here that the disrupters are somehow justified in preventing Americans from hearing their candidate speak. I’m not a Trump fan, but I’ve followed what he’s said, and a lot of it has been taken way out of context for the masses to chew on. I believe this is the work of the Democratic Party and many of the media outlets that are so determined to ensure a Hillary victory at all costs. Trump is speaking to and for vast numbers of Americans who feel that the Republican Party has essentially abandoned them. It’s a powerful voice, and it’s obviously scaring the crap out of the Democrats.

    1. I get the distinct impression that the various groups are involved now. I wouldn’t dismiss the idea that those fighting back the hardest now are the Republican candidates. I don’t think that the Democrats have much to do with it, at this point. Popular thought seems to be that for Hillary, better for her to run against Trump to ensure a victory. There has been a tendency for the Democrats to let the Republicans dismantle each other.

  30. Kelly_3406

    MoonHowler :
    Obviously, some of the stuff Trump says is living proof that he is spoiling for a fight. He pushes the envelope and than acts all appalled when people fight back.

    I don’t think so. When Trump said his most “outrageous” things, it was months ago just before the primary season really began. If his words were really that inciteful, one would have expected grassroots riots and protests much sooner. The fact that these protests did not manifest until months later when the race has probably winnowed down to Trump v. Hillary is telling. The timing is all wrong for this to be attributed simply to “people” fighting back.

    1. From what I can tell, the Republican candidates haven’t gotten out of the fight yet. They are still fighting.

      I think up until now, people thought that the Republicans would destroy him. Trump has said a LOT all along. It wasn’t just in the beginning. It has been all along.

      I believe it was location, location, location.

  31. Starryflights

    Emma :
    Lawful, peaceful protest is welcome. This is anarchy. Blaming Trump for the “protestors” hooliganism and then ridiculing him for backing out of Chicago is like blaming CVS for being ransacked during the Baltimore riots. Thousands of Americans were being kept from hearing their candidate speak while the thugs were screaming and chanting for the express purpose of disruption, and that is just plain wrong, no matter what side you are on. You know you would be outraged if conservatives were swarming Sanders rallies instead. You can’t have it both ways, Starry.
    And are you ok with this? https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/local/wp/2016/03/12/trump-supporters-virginia-house-vandalized/?hpid=hp_local-news_dcgopprimary-330pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory
    @Starryflights

    No, are you okay with a Trump supporter snacking a protester in the back?

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