Mostly Peaceful Protests

Foto: Evan Vucci/AP

Posted by Assistant Village Idiot on 9th July 2020 (All posts by Assistant Village Idiot)

For the record, Nazi Germany was mostly peaceful, as was the Soviet Union. Even when our Civil War was raging, and 600,000 of us died, most of the country was peaceful. Even those who were in service and/or near the fronts had long periods where there were no cannons firing at the moment. Lots of nervous waiting. Combat deployment itself can be mostly peaceful – though admittedly in the sense of “no active shooting” rather than any sense of restfulness. Much of medieval warfare was sieges, or moving from one place to another, or setting up camp. Mostly peaceful. Yet the small amounts of “not peaceful” mattered greatly then, and matter greatly now.

The excuse of “mostly peaceful protests” is rather empty. If decent people should have refused to show up at Charlottesville because they knew there was a fair chance someone would turn violent, and to attend would give them cover and legitimacy, then how do we justify showing up in Seattle? Maybe we can.  But then we have to extend that in both directions.  We feel very, very different about protests we agree with, don’t we? It just feels different, and we just know it’s right.

One Response to “Mostly Peaceful Protests”

Andrew X Says:

July 9th, 2020 at 11:22 am

Somewhat related, but worth noting, is the memory of press reporting on “violence taking place at Trump rallies” in 2016.

And it a sense, they were somewhat correct, if largely inflated, but things were occurring there that one might well be considered reportable. ‘Cause, you know, they were basically Nazi rallies, etc etc.

But (Godwin’s Law alert) the historical fact is, there was no violence at Hitler’s rallies. Basically none. Why? Because Hitler’s rallies were not where the violence was! Because Hitler’s opponents, shockingly enough, did not send people to Hitler’s rallies to foment violence. Hitler’s people, however, happily sent provocateurs to his opponent’s rallies to foment violence, which they did. And that is where the violence occurred.

And lo, there was no violence at any Hillary rallies…. because Trump’s people did not send agents on the ground to Hillary rallies to foment such violence. And was there violence at Trump rallies? And sent there by whom, now? Uh huh.

And in both cases, a most fundamental element on all four sides as discussed above, is that everyone knew just what rallies participants would respond to provocateurs with serious thumping of skulls and breaking of jaws, and which rallies in turn the provocateurs would remain unharmed and treated as essentially irritants that had to be put up with. We all know which rallies would be expected to act in such manner, and which would not.

I have no illusions that that fact would speak the volumes that it jolly well should, but it be truth nonetheless.

Chicago Boyz, July 9, 2020