observation here , i notice the protesters are similarly dressed and generally not from the cities they are protesting in,
using the same bullying techniques and using same narratives. i also notice most of the front line demonstrators are young females.
Seems they are very well organized. i believe in interrogation... just sayin..

 

Mild protests are fine in my book-- but when they are shooting at vehicles and setting fire to places-- I think it is time to use a tad more force--- A bullet in the leg of the first rioter- will cause many more to think about what is being done. When I was in High school legend tells of an old farmer who had salt rock loaded in a shotgun- Guess who's veggies and what not were never destroyed at hollowness. You want to kneel at a game- have a rally- or try and stop traffic -- while I may not agree with it- its your right.-- But causing millions of dollars in damage then expect taxpayers to pay for it is another issue. Those responsible (either directly or financially) should be punished.

 

I am against stopping traffic. As a protestor you don't know what emergency you may be stopping, fire trucks, ambulances, police, or someone on their way home to care for a family member, or child. If someone dies because an individual couldn't receive medical care on time due to a protest, all protestors should be charged with murder if they blocked the road.

 

Would that go for Pro 2nd amendment protests in Chicago, Curtis? Or anti maskers at the city council meeting? How about BLM protests? Or Patriot Guard going to a funeral? It is hard to make that kind of law and enforce it without bias depending on who is in charge. As citizens our constitution gives us the right to peaceful protests. To deny it is a slippery slope for us all. In no way do I condone destruction of property or riots.

 

Breaking the law is breaking the law and should be equally enforced. So if any one wants to have a parade or a march or funeral procession or gathering of any kind there are rules. Plain and simple. If you break the law it should not make a difference your race, religion, or political affiliation. These things are permitted if you follow the rules set down by your local government. Follow the law and make the proper notifications and done the correct way I will support everyone's right to do so no matter if I support or oppose the reason. Done the wrong way you are violating the law and should be dealt with accordingly. But the riots and billions of dollars of damage done by rioters on going and in the past I feel should be treated as domestic terrorism. The people behind this and taking part in in them should go to jail for a long time in my opinion but that is not happening. And I think it should start happening now and should have years ago.

 

Del, yes, anyone blocking a traffic-way in protest, whether they are on my side of the political game or yours, or anyone else's should be held responsible for their actions if someone dies because of their blocking the road. Why would you not agree with this? What if it was your family member that didn't get the medical attention, or burned up in a housefire because a fire truck could not get there in time? Who in their right mind would be OK with such a thing?????????

 

Blocking any road or highway is unlawful detention at minimum.

Unless the bridge is out ahead, or something like that, stay the @&$k outta the road.

 

Jack and Tedster9, I don’t think there is much difference in our view of unlawful acts. I tend to look at the gray areas too. It is easy to be black and white. What if a non emergency vehicle runs over your 18 year old daughter who is part of a anti abortion or anti BLM protest because the driver might be late for a date. Do you see that as justifiable. What if they are pro-choice protester or a BLM Group? Does that make a difference? We should all be the same under the law.

 

BTW, I kinda enjoy a friendly debate on these issues as long as it remains friendly.

 

Del, I am just a guilty of it, so I am not picking on you for the above scenario, because we could both bring up hypothetical scenarios to justify our side of the disagreement. We both just did in our most recent posts, so I take partial blame. However that being said. People blocking roads as part of their process is wrong. Do it from the side of the road if you must. You have freedoms, but that doesn't mean you don't have consequences for your freedoms. If someone is blocking a road, made for vehicles and gets hit by a vehicle, that person made a conscience decision to stand in that road. It may be their right, but... that doesn't mean it is guaranteed to be safe, or without risks. I don't care what the protest is for. Maybe its to make 4 day work weeks. Even if I agree with the protest, actions have consequences, and some people blocking the road may get hit with vehicles, or something else at times when the driver feels necessary or threatened.

 

I’ll offer that part of a protest is to make others uncomfortable. Otherwise it doesn’t draw attention to the issue. That might be armed folks entering a state capital and confronting politicians and other citizens or it might be folks on strike blocking and harassing potential strike breakers. In the 1980s it was farmers driving tractors to DC. Often these acts break some law or border on law breaking.

 

Del, I thought my post was clear in the point that it for me it does not make a difference who or what the gathering is about. Or if I support or oppose the people or reason for the gathering. If the gathering is not done properly as allowed by local law then it should be dealt with accordingly. If it is a legal permitted gathering I will support the rights of others to do so. I have had many occasions in the past with this. And I have always done my best to deal with folks fairly no matter what my personal veiws are. I see no grey area. There should be none. In my opinion anyone who see's a gray area for the purpose of promoting a personal point of view or suppressing an opposing point of view is wrong. There are parades done and other such events that close routes. Riverfest in Wichita is one. As long as it is done properly and notifications are made so emergency personal can respond properly this is allowed and part of our life and our right to have lawful assemblies. This right is one we all have no mattter our political views, race, sex, or religion. But illegal gatthering to disrupe an area should be dealt with accoringly. And again I do not care if I support or oppose the cause. I really don't know how I can be more clear on this.

 

There isn't any "justification" here. There isn't any "What if" or "What about ..." Words mean things.

If someone is blocking the road, it isn't a "peaceful" protest or any other kind of protest (if it ever was). We do have a right to protest in this country, we have free speech (also the right to assemble, the right to petition the government for redress of grievances.)

There is no right to detain people or block their travel. In the case of a mob situation, there is no way to know what happens next, or what the mob's intentions are.

No, I don't GAF what your cause is I don't care who it is in fact while I might be sympathetic to it in the abstract, now I'm just pissed off because I'm going to be late for work, or miss an appointment, whatever. Stay the f&@$ outta the road. It isn't any more complicated than that. As a way of converting anyone to your cause, it ranks right up there somewhere between "really dumb" and "incredibly stupid."

 

Good to remember the environment where the legal or illegal protest is taking place. In a war-time environment, anything goes (until the post-war crimes trial sorts thru the crap). I guess we're not to that level yet. Historically, the human race has been to the brink countless times.

Countless? Remember Lucy is 3.2 million year old; that's time for plenty of protests.

We always think a new form of rule will fix things (for a while).

 

I had a lady start yelling at me the other day because my truck and trailer was blocking 2 gas pumps-- I had to to get in the pump top use it. But instead of just driving to another pump she started yelling that my choice of vehicle was bad for the environment- and a whole bunch of other non sense. There were clearly other pumps- and she had no reason to start yelling- Truthfully I was a little harsh in my response- Which I shouldn't have been (in hindsight I know )- I just wanted to smack here-- but I didn't- I had that much self control at least :-)