Did the anti-racist folks throw the first punch, either physically or verbally, in Charlottesville?

If Trump says it, it must be true.

Said no reasonably thinking human ever.

That doesn’t answer the question @rebbel.

“Trump said”
Stop right there.

THAT DOES NOT ANSWER THE QUESTION.

@Dutchess_III I’m with raging on this one.

That has nothing to do with what Trump said, didn’t say, or lied about.

I want to know who threw the first punch. Jesus.

What difference does it make.

It makes a difference to me. How the hell can you preach peace, tolerance and love by punching someone? Hitting back is one thing. But hitting first fucks up that whole message. You can’t really claim the moral high ground that way.

The Nazis did of course.
In 1938.

I have not seen anything from beginning to end that would answer this question. Most videos just start at some point and end at random.
I think it would be hard to determine. And, at which point or what day? There are several variables that we need to account for.

@Dutchess_III Like Ferguson MO, it was choreographed ahead of time, people lined up bused in from other areas/states. These people have an agenda. They want to destroy Trump/peace. These people usually have no consequences. We’ve done it for years this way and SOMEONE is profiting from this insanity! Find out who set this up. Soros probably behind it somewhere. Where is the money coming from? Which IP addresses choreographed this on anti Trump websites.There should no longer be ANONYMOUS sources. Let’s look at them all in the light of day!

@si3tech Bullshit!

Here is a firsthand account:

To my friends who don’t live in Charlottesville:

Y’all. Okay. I think you all know I love you no matter what. My love seriously knows no bounds. Today, I could care less how you feel about big versus small government or healthcare or even education. Those conversations can happen with beers and hugs. Or we can not have them and that’s fine with me too. But if you for just one second find yourself nodding along with that horseshit that Trump spewed tonight about the “alt-left” inciting violence in Charlottesville then you need to give me a call. I’m serious. We need to talk. I want to hear from you.

I can not emphasize enough that there was no angry leftist mob in Charlottesville inciting violence on the order of what Trump is saying. Yes, sure, people came out to defend their town from a weird, heavily armed invasion. Wouldn’t you? Those Nazi dudes came here to FIGHT. They had AK 47s, a LOT of them. They hired militias to protect them with even more assault weapons. They came with cans of concrete. My friends got doused with urine and lighter fluid. One is in the hospital tonight after having a stroke, due to being hit in the neck by a NAZI. They hid caches of weapons around our city. And then normal, everyday people, my friends and neighbors and colleagues who showed up to defend their town, were bloodied, doused, injured, KILLED.I can’t say it enough: just normal people. Just folks.

Those pictures all over the media are filled with my neighbors. Not an angry “leftist” mob. What even is that???? You can trust me: I’m here and I saw it with my eyeballs. Don’t take this bait.

Emily Robey Morrison, a resident of Charlottesville

Anti-racists were injured, beaten and one was killed.
Racists went back to hiding behind their keyboard without a scratch.

The racists also had body armor and semi-automatic weapons. I’m pretty sure the anti-racists didn’t.

@si3tech Psssssssst…....You forgot to mention how it was all Obama’s fault and how we should be looking at Clinton because she has done worse in the past. Just thought you should know.

I don’t know. I know that the right showed up armed with guns, shields etc. They didn’t bring those weapons for show and tell…

My experience with these types of protests, is the right trying to get the,left to swing first. Eventually, someone does…

The two sides should be separated by law enforcement, whenever possible.

Probably we will never know :(

I think the city council failed there. Once they knew what was going to happen, they should have made plans to keep them in different sides of the city, like @MrGrimm888 points out. Also, it is bad that the press decided to cover the protest the way it did. It exacerbated everything. Such a protest should have been left to die in obscurity.

From the mouth of several horses

I had never even heard of “redneck revolt” apparently an armed far left group.

Not so cut and dry

Thank you for finding that @ARE_you_kidding_me.

Yes, it is cut and dried.

The press is not the problem.

The left is not the problem.

Nazis and Klansmen announced a big rally. They showed up armed to the teeth. They chose a college town, knowing they could draw opposition.

We have Nazis killing people on the streets of American and if you pretend you can’t see which side is wrong, you are loudly declaring which side you are on.

I hope you weren’t talking to me @Call_Me_Jay

I am talking to everyone who sees Nazis and the Klan and does not pick the other side.

Nobody reasonable is for the white supremacists but to say the fault for this incident is one sided is simply denial. Recognizing reality has nothing to do with taking sides. I really don’t know anyone who would side with the supremacists. Saying that the counter protesters are in the wrong too is in no way taking sides. Why do people have issues getting that?

If you say both sides are bad, you’re just too cowardly to say out loud the Klan and the Nazis are spouting beliefs you can agree with.

That’s horse shit

I have picked a side, no question. No thought required. I can loath the horrible ideals of certain groups but also disagree with the methods some use to protest them, especially if that method includes unprovoked violence while yelling “Peace and love!!!”

Nazis are killing people on the street and you’re begging for an reason to blame the leftists, @Dutchess_III.

Yes, you have picked your side.

@ARE_you_kidding_me You’re unwilling to say the Klan and the Nazis are in the wrong. That’s no horse shit at all. Message received, loud and clear. They have legit grievances in your mind.

Bullshit.

I’m out. Flame away. I will try to refrain from responding (we all know how hard that can be) but if you want to tell me off I’ll read it.

You appear to be incapable of understanding that it is possible to completely disagree with white supremacy and how to protest white supremacy.

Where are all the injured white supremacists from this rally?

Ok @Call_Me_Jay. I took some deep breaths and came up with a comparison.
Segregation and discrimination in America was completely, unequivocally wrong.
I agree with Martin Kings philosophy of dealing with it peacefully. I agree with the methods used by those who adopted his philosophy and staged peaceful protests.
I utterly disagree with the Black Panther’s philosophy of violent protest. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
Which protest was more successful in the end?
Do you see what my point is now?

”@ARE_you_kidding_me You’re unwilling to say the Klan and the Nazis are in the wrong” like hell I’m not, jackass.

They are totally in the wrong. They are abhorrent.

Dutch ..“Which protest was more successful, in the end?”

That probably has a different answer, depending on which side you ask.

Right sites have declared it a victory.

Most left sites seem to be just upset with the violence, and death.

Others are disappointed in America’s leadership in regards to this matter.

Myself? The whole thing is disappointing. I know it wasn’t extinct, but I thought America was moving away from racial divide.

I was encouraged to see the anti-protesters. True patriots, in my opinion.

But saddened to see the amount on the right. And the strategy of carrying open weapons by many. Very disappointing.

I suppose both sides were hurt, and helped.

The left actually showed a evolution into violence. Not a tactic they usually employ.

The right, was more public. More emboldened. And carried weapons, and assault rifles in plain view.

It escalated quickly too. I wouldn’t want to be a cop at a future rally. The left may bring weapons, or guns next time. That would NOT be good.

The only thing I know is, this will get worse before it gets better.

For some of the far right marchers their first experience of physical violence was when they were pepper sprayed by anti-march demonstrators. I think anti-fascist demonstrators should keep their protests non-violent unless they are protecting themselves from physical attack. They can make their message more effectively that way.

I can’t imagine any of the anti-racist marchers driving a car to run down the fascists. That takes things to a new level. Whenever you get two such opposed groups, there is a danger of having skirmishes, but driving over people crosses over the line. I do not see any of the white supremacists, or the President, condemning that act. It speaks volumes about where these people are coming from.

Relevant

Just my personal opinion but if you decry racism without renouncing Trump then your words are meaningless. Actions speak louder than words.

Did we really expect Trump to come out, and make an intelligent speech, that would unify our nation?

@rojo . I am not disagreeing necessarily, but there are surely non racists, on the right. Just not many…

Many/most which support the alt-right are on Trump’s side.
Or share ideology with him. Ask them….

Trump never represented“the masses,” in this country. And I honestly don’t count him as a racist. BUT, Most of his supporters have proven themselves to be.
And they will gladly squeeze their eyes tight, to not see any light of truth…
And as their agendas cross paths a few times, Trump will never fully denounce the alt-right, or whatever moniker they claim.

I am not disagreeing necessarily, but there are surely non racists, on the right. Just not many…

Ahhhh, there are millions dude.

^I meant, in context of the Charlottesville protesters. Sorry, That was careless.

“I’m not a smart man Jenny….”

Where were the cops during this rioting?

Intimidated into inaction because the Nazis were armed to the fucking teeth.

@Dutchess_III The answer lies with which side you ask that question.

Can you clarify, @si3tech? By “sides” do you mean the racists side or the side that was right?

Terrorist attack in Spain today.

Please, please, please don’t let Trump talk about it. We can’t afford to lose another ally.

Assuming there are two sides, whichever side you ask the answer will be different.

You understand both Hitler and Stalin rationalized their positions and actions for the good of THEIR people.

But they did not last @Tropical_Willie. Nor did their government.

But the neo-Nazis and the Workers World Party are rationalizing their positions and actions with the words of Hitler and Stalin respectfully.
They have not learned from history and will repeat the same mistakes as before.

@Dutchess_III brings up a frightening point. The people of the US were instrumental in fighting the likes of Hitler and Stalin, containing their actions and limiting their effect on the rest of the world. What happens now when there are Americans that seem to think that these guys had a valid point? Who will fight us?

I am not following this thread.

But this is relevant

I, personally, don’t know of ANYONE who thinks they have a valid point.
We have to get rid of Trump. He is even worse than I thought he’d be. How did he win the election?

He won because of apathy of the Democrats and Independents that just knew Hillary was the right person to be President. They thought DJT couldn’t win, so why go out and vote.

Low voter turnout in swing states= DJT.

That and many conservatives simply voted Trump rather than take a step over and vote democrat. I don’t know many that voted Trump who were happy about it and I know even less who were enthusiastic about Trump then that still are now.

It was more on the people who didn’t vote or voted for a 3rd candidate.

Well, I couldn’t vote vote for either of them. My vote was a write-in so I was an effective no show.