(11-17-2020 01:40 PM)Rice93 Wrote: This article from Slate (obv. left-wing bias... take with a grain of salt)) is interesting to me. This photographer suggests that these Trump rallies have a much larger percentage of right-wing extremists that most of us would probably have guessed.
First, it should come as no surprise that any person with an opposite bias would focus on and notice more the extremists within a group. In Portland and similar events, the right focused on the rioters and the left on the peaceful people... and playing up the relative size of the groups. As a related item, are these people wearing name tags or matching T-shirts? How does he know if the guy with the #proudboys sign is with the ten people around him, or if they are just around each other?
Second, both a feminist who supports empowering women in reproductive issues and a racist who believes that most abortions are performed on minorities support planned parenthood... though for vastly different reasons. Some people live off the grid because they don't want anyone, including the government involved in their lives at all, and others because they want to live an eco-friendly, sustainable life. More nuanced but just as clear, There is a difference between a racist who wants to
keep those dirty Mexicans out of my country and a 'rule of law' person (or someone directly impacted by this 'loophole' who wants to keep people trying to come here illegally, who are undocumented and may be of questionable character... yet BOTH would applaud increased border security and perhaps show up at a rally for it.
Finally, I don't know anyone who is a member of
far-right groups like Patriot Front, the Proud Boys, or the Groypers. Are they far right because they want increased border security or are they far right because they want to keep 'Mexicans' out? I've read the bio for the Proud Boys (the only one of these I'd even heard of prior to this typing) and it certainly doesn't read like a racist group... The Klan is very clear about their purposes... and I've also heard how some 'against' them describe them. I honestly don't know what the truth is... but just like BLM and Antifa and others, apparently opinions can vary, even within the groups themselves about 'why'. As with above, even when they agree on the 'what' or 'whom' (Biden vs Trump), the 'why' isn't remotely the same.
I WOULD suspect however that only the most extreme of people would still be out protesting the election. That doesn't even mean their extremism is rooted in the same thing... It just means that their devotion to their belief is lacking in at least SOME reason, which can be said about many on both sides.
What I know is an epiphany I had about 2 weeks ago... which if you watch many 'criminal minds' type shows, I can't believe I didn't have long ago... My daughter turned me on to a series called 'evil'... one of the main characters made a great observation.... (I may get the quote wrong)
What I know is that evil is no longer isolated as a result of technology/the internet'
These tiny disparate groups or even individuals now suddenly have the ability to coordinate and make themselves SEEM larger. They can coordinate and perhaps get 1,000 people at a single event as opposed to perhaps 80 people at 10 events across the country... with the other 200 sharing those beliefs, but not willing to be part of such a small event.... if its 1,000, they're there.
Still, despite what fear-mongering is being done... those 1,000 existed before and will exist afterwards... and are not 'evidence' of any resurgence of this 'evil'.... merely a simple coordination of it.
Although usually less extreme and certainly less present physically, its no different than the Russian disinformation campaign on Facebook.... or the 'shading' done by the media regarding how they present stories. Lesser or greater evils, but still they are simply coordinated efforts to mislead and detract.
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What is a "peaceful" protest?
