Nazi Playbook in Action, Charlottesville, VA

[ElaineA]

Last night's torch rally followed up by today's gathering, including armed "militias" strolling into the event, a group of "ex-military, there to keep the peace" standing on the side, the cops stating they won't intervene in the fights breaking out everywhere unless commanded to do so by superiors, counter-protesters getting pepper sprayed, and groups chanting "blood and soil" marching toward the rally.

This is only the beginning, America. Wake up.

 

[Albedo]

See, this is why you need to punch Nazis. Repeatedly, until they stop moving, before they can grab their torches.

 

[regdog]

The world literally fought a war to stop those people from taking over.

 

[ElaineA]

Today it's guns. VA is an open-carry state.

 

[Teinz]

No hoods. They're not ashamed anymore. This is their time.

 

[Ari Meermans]

The city of Charlottesville has declared a state of emergency and Governor Terry McAuliffe has placed the National Guard on standby: http://abcnews.go.com/US/unite-rall...terprotests-state-emergency/story?id=49176243.

Interestingly (to me), a few minutes ago Paul Ryan tweeted: "The views fueling the spectacle in Charlottesville are repugnant. Let it only serve to unite Americans against this kind of vile bigotry." https://twitter.com/SpeakerRyan/status/896400866361704449

 

[shakeysix]

I can only hope that moderates are getting a bellyful of Trump because his thugs are clearly in control. --s6

 

[Lyv]

They're emboldened.

The new list of grant recipients doesn't include a single organization dedicated to fighting far-right extremism but several that are focused on countering Islamic extremism.

Reuters reported in February that administration officials were debating changing the name of the “Countering Violent Extremism” program to “Countering Islamic Extremism” or “Countering Radical Islamic Extremism.”

Trump administration eliminates funding for group countering white nationalism

The Trump administration has dropped federal support of an organization dedicated to countering white nationalist and neo-Nazi extremism, a Politico report revealed on Friday.

The organization, Life After Hate, was founded in 2009 and is run by a small staff of men and women who were once part of racist activist and extremist movements, and who now work to de-radicalize others involved in violent extremist groups.


In its final days, the Obama administration awarded the group a $400,000 grant as part of its Counter Violent Extremism (CVE) program. Life After Hate was the only group dedicated to fighting white nationalist extremism to receive a grant under the program.

The Charlottesville white supremacist gatherings are dominating my Twitter and news feeds but I don't think *45 has acknowledged it in any way (except maybe privately, scanning the photos for any MAGA hats and campaign t-shirts).


Many news accounts mention counter-protesters, but I wanted to share this, because it focuses on the small group (classes are not in session) of UVA students who stood up to the white supremacists, and were literally surrounded by a hateful, armed, enraged, torch-waving mob. Look at the photo on the right in the embedded tweet here. I give every single counter-protester my admiration and gratitude, but that photo...

 

[Brightdreamer]

Last night's torch rally followed up by today's gathering, including armed "militias" strolling into the event, a group of "ex-military, there to keep the peace" standing on the side, the cops stating they won't intervene in the fights breaking out everywhere unless commanded to do so by superiors, counter-protesters getting pepper sprayed, and groups chanting "blood and soil" marching toward the rally.

This is only the beginning, America. Wake up.

Unfortunately, enough of America was content to sleep through November 2016 that I fear it won't wake up - or it will only in the brief, fleeting moment between the noose tightening and the trap door dropping beneath its feet...

 

[Lyv]

The National Guard is there, but not a word from *45. This tweet from Melania:

Our country encourages freedom of speech, but let's communicate w/o hate in our hearts. No good comes from violence. #Charlottesville

That's just vague enough not to alienate the white supremacists.

 

[Catherine]

These alt-right protesters make me so angry--surrounding a church with torches. With how things have been going though, I'm not shocked. I wonder if they are trying to relive the 1960's, or if even realize the history. (Thinking of the Birmingham Bombing)

Those young counter-protesters are brave. Can you imagine what it would feel like to be surrounded like that?

 

[MaeZe]

Richard Painter is calling for Trump to get rid of Bannon and Gorka and the rest of the alt-right in the White House.

Melania Tweeted some 'let's get along' thing.

MSNBC and CNN are repeatedly calling out Trump for his silence.

 

[Lyv]

These alt-right protesters make me so angry--surrounding a church with torches. With how things have been going though, I'm not shocked. I wonder if they are trying to relive the 1960's, or if even realize the history. (Thinking of the Birmingham Bombing)

Well, they and their leader (*45) spent eight years trying to relive the 1800s by demanding a man of color show them his papers.

 

[Lyv]

Someone finally made *45 tweet or at least tweeted for hi in his style:

We ALL must be united & condemn all that hate stands for. There is no place for this kind of violence in America. Lets come together as one!

This is from the guy who encouraged violence at this rallies.

This is much more presidential and, well, sane:

Bill Clinton‏Verified account @billclinton 19m19 minutes ago

Even as we protect free speech and assembly, we must condemn hatred, violence and white supremacy. #Charlottesville

 

[JJ Litke]

David Duke is there today, there's a video going around of him saying they're fulfilling the promises of Donald Trump.

In a more pleasant bit of news, Richard Spencer was arrested a short time ago, and someone got a picture.

 

[Lyv]

Vehicle plows into protesters in Charlottesville - live updates

It's actually counter protesters. A staff writer for the New Yorker caught it on video. This is rough, because he tweeted it before any of the networks reported, but the very upsetting part is from 7:30. I didn't watch closely, and all I see is the car crashing into another car, but I can't promise there's nothing else here.

https://twitter.com/AdrianChen/statu...29221534466049

Oh, and *45 and Pence both tweeted vague, watered down "hate is bad, violence is bad" tweets without condemning bigotry. Of course. Forgive me if I don't quote them. I responded to both, futilely, but I can't even read those words again knowing the only response from administration will only make things worse. Intentionally, imo.

 

[Kaiser-Kun]

Video of Spencer's arrest

https://youtu.be/MAVmiPyG3BY

 

[Lyv]

So glad to hear that about Spencer.

Another video of the car intentionally plowing into protesters. This one has the car backing down the street. Maybe if this gets shared enough, someone will recognize the driver.

A thread of "good Charlottesville-based nonprofits those Nazi jerks would really hate" if anyone wants to donate or show social media love. There are surely other orgs, but I stumbled on this compilation.

 

[ElaineA]

In a more pleasant bit of news, Richard Spencer was arrested a short time ago, and someone got a picture.

The sickening thing is, I saw that photo and recognized him immediately, even without his name mentioned in the tweet I saw. It feels dirty that I recognize that face (and hair cut) so easily.

Grosser still, it wasn't him. They're all wanting to look like him. *vomits*

The videos of the car are horrifying. I first saw the one taken in a more open area, with it speeding toward the crowd, people jumping out of the way.

What a f***ed up mess this whole thing is. If the police would have established lines to keep the protesting groups apart, it would have been abhorrent to witness the Neo-nazies out in full public view, but it wouldn't have been life-threatening for the protesters.

I blame the city, county, and state for a chunk of this.

 

[Kaiser-Kun]

I think America's not at the brink of the precipice anymore.

 

[Lyv]

At least 10 pedestrians struck along route of white nationalist rally in Charlottesville

In the early afternoon, three cars collided in a pedestrian mall packed with people, injuring at least 10 and sending bystanders running and screaming. It was unclear if it was accidental or intentional.

There were at least three vehicles involved; one left the scene and has been located, Geller said.

 

[rugcat]

I think America's not at the brink of the precipice anymore.

Not even close. The current administration has made these people feel safer to come out in the open, but they've always been there. They are loud, vocal, and very much a minority.

When you get tens of thousands of white nationalists marching in the streets of a major city, or hundreds of thousands of white supremacists showing up at the White House (the way protesters of Trump policies have done), then I'll agree with you.

 

[ElaineA]

Those quotes are BS (not your BS, Lyv, whoever wrote them). I have seen videos from at least 4 angles. It was 100% intentional. It wasn't "3 cars collided." It was 2 cars stopped because the street is filled with protesters, and a third car, at full speed and accelerating, plowing through the street, slamming into the stopped vehicles, reversing and speeding away.

The driver had removed his license plates.

 

[Lyv]

If anyone can stomach hearing his voice (I struggle), *45 is about to speak on the White Supremacist rallies. I am pretty sure I am saying in this post "White Supremacist" two more times than he will. Betting he won't say bigotry or domestic terrorism either. I predict he will say something vague enough that those who were waving Nazi flags and steel rods will be able to say, "He doesn't mean us."

 

[Lyv]

Those quotes are BS (not your BS, Lyv, whoever wrote them). I have seen videos from at least 4 angles. It was 100% intentional. It wasn't "3 cars collided." It was 2 cars stopped because the street is filled with protesters, and a third car, at full speed and accelerating, plowing through the street, slamming into the stopped vehicles, reversing and speeding away.

The driver had removed his license plates.

I actually quoted that because I thought it meant three cars were involved in hitting pedestrians. And from what I saw the car that reversed did hit a car in front of it. I saw that in the first, unedited video I saw before the media picked this up. I didn't think anything of that at the time, until I read that it was a pedestrian mall. So...I don't know. I heard one person has died. I am sick over this, but not surprised.

FFS, Trump just condemned hate and bigotry "on many sides." I am going to hurl.