Standing FOR something.

I've called those that threaten violence, brown shirts.
I've called those that infringe on the rights of others, brown shirts.

But I am for protest. I am for assembly. I am for freedom of speech.

Just as long as it does not infringe on the rights of others.

In other threads, I've even stated that I would stand with Bernie or even *gag* Hillary in order to protect their supporters from Trump supporters. Chelsea is speaking in Seattle this week, I might even brave the traffic if there are any "protestors" who would want to infringe on the rights of others.

I'm old, no one will mess with me. I have a cane.

I've been the only one to even suggest this. In another thread, there was one other individual who also stated that he would do the same.

I'd like to think that there are more out there though.

Are there?

a reply to: DBCowboy

Yep. But I don't have a cane.

Can't wait till November when this is all over, just sayin'

Eta: I am also a old fart, but no cane yet?

a reply to: DBCowboy

If only people would put the same amount of energy it takes to protest 2016 presidential candidates into protesting something more constructive like, oh I don't know....

- government corruption
- corporate monopolies
- derivative gambling
- job losses
- overseas relocating
- central banking ponzi schemes
- government waste
- military waste
- market manipulation



If only...

a reply to: CranialSponge

True. But we can only do what we can do.

originally posted by: Conspiratron
Can't wait till November when this is all over, just sayin'

Eta: I am also a old fart, but no cane yet?

Get a new knee and have a bum hip, you'll have your pick of canes!

originally posted by: Tarzan the apeman.
a reply to: DBCowboy

Yep. But I don't have a cane.

I will supply canes to everyone who needs them.

For walkers, you'll have to call ahead and make reservations.

a reply to: DBCowboy

Heh, I don't believe anyone will need to counter protest at a Hillary or Chelsea speech though. No one is paying Trump supporters to disrupt their rallies.

However, I think they should be allowed to speak just like Trump should be.

I know it might have been asking too much. I get that.

But wouldn't it had been nice to see a grassroots movement made up of Trump, Bernie, Hillary, Cruz supporters who just valued the rights that we have so much that they would insure that everyone got a chance to assemble, speak, and even protest peacefully?

I'd even include "The rent is too high" guys' supporters.

"You may call me a dreamer. . . . . "

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: DBCowboy

Heh, I don't believe anyone will need to counter protest at a Hillary or Chelsea speech though. No one is paying Trump supporters to disrupt their rallies.

However, I think they should be allowed to speak just like Trump should be.

Exactly!

originally posted by: DBCowboy
I know it might have been asking too much. I get that.

But wouldn't it had been nice to see a grassroots movement made up of Trump, Bernie, Hillary, Cruz supporters who just valued the rights that we have so much that they would insure that everyone got a chance to assemble, speak, and even protest peacefully?

I'd even include "The rent is too high" guys' supporters.

"You may call me a dreamer. . . . . "

Hey Cowboy,

Thank you for this thread. I appreciate we don't see eye to eye on HOW to move the country forward - no sweat - I'm not here to talk about that, and frankly, I'm not always sure what the best thing for the country is, on some topics.

I do think it's important how we label "the other side." Brown shirts for Bernie supporters?? Too broad of a stroke for me to handle, when, as I said in the other thread, I know a lot of beautiful people who are Sanders supporters. I know beautiful people who are Trump supporters, too. And probably Cruz and Hillary and whomever else is still in the game.

It is the behavior of a very small percentage of folks that have done anything violent or protested in a way that might infringe on someone else's rights. Can we agree on that? So "Trump supporters" does not equal "Brown Shirts" anymore than "Sanders Supporters" equals Brown Shirts. I think we DO agree on that?

Politics, as "reality show" as they have been, well, it is serious business. It will effect all our lives. So people get emotional and they sometimes do stupid things, like punch a protestor, or block traffic. Sometimes the stupid gets so bad that those involved should be charged criminally. That is a matter for law enforcement.

To me, Brown Shirts are bogeymen of the Nazi regime and not to be spoken of lightly. We are so busy dividing our country right now, with the help of our politicians and media and our own emotional responses, that we have created a powder keg, and we are all sitting on it, screaming at each other. If we are not careful, some idiot will come along and light a match.

Anyway. I agree that both the (peaceful) protestors and political parties/candidates have every right to express themselves and to be heard. I do think "mob mentality" is a very dangerous and real thing right now, and that is why I'm so concerned about "labeling the enemy" with broad strokes. (I'm trying very hard to check myself on this too, by the way.) I think divide and conquer serves a larger agenda...

peace,
AB

a reply to: AboveBoard

I've been called a brown shirt simply for supporting Trump.

I thought the label I gave to the mobs appropriate and actually found it amusing over the dismay it caused.

Again, I don't think all Bernie supporters are Nazi's. I don't think Hillary supporters are Nazi's.

But we're seeing a systematic attempt to infringe on supporters and Trump. And I am also positive that there are those that would want to "return the favor" as it were.

I can't stop every idiot.

But I can speak out and support everyone's right to freely assemble.

I would stand against Trump supporters, Cruz supporters, Bernie supporters, Hillary supporters, if ANY of them tried to infringe on the rights to freely assemble or speak.

I hope many would do the same.

Who we ultimately vote for is not as important as the ability to speak out for or against those we finally choose.

a reply to: AboveBoard

It's the tactics that are brown shirt, and honestly, many of those carrying on in that crowd in Chicago carried Bernie signs.

Putting two and two together gives us that conclusion, that and the Sanders' campaign's inability to denounce the tactic and those who carry it out.

The election is a vote for the less dangerous head of a two headed snake. Doesn't matter who wins, you will loose. The dilemma is very much like the situation Gandhi faced when trying to find a way to evict the British empire out of India. But instead of British, you are facing a fascist multinational empire that doesn't rely on US profits for survivability. The tea party perhaps is the right way to combat corporate fascism but it will be highly susceptible to corruption by the very forces its out to destroy.

a reply to: ketsuko

Or maybe it doesn't add up from the other side. If they think Trump and supporters are the "brown shirts" and they are stopping them, who is right?

I think it just feels good for people to sling names and call the other side evil.

The tactics of the protestors were to disrupt a rally, not to assist in genocide. I think people would do better to ignore Trump and then watch HIM pay people to disrupt his events for the excitement factor. Would he? I don't know.

just remember, Brown shirts did a hell of a lot more than disrupt. Anyone calling anyone a brown shirt right now is tapping into something that only serves to inflame passions. It brings up images of concentration camps and yellow stars, of people turning a blind eye to the coralling and murder of innocents, of people gladly turning their neighbors in to die, of people willing to participate in one of the greatest evils mankind can perpetrate. This is Nazi stuff. Hate crime stuff. Brainwashed racial superiority stuff.

In other words you are creating a false equivalence of massive proportions. Might as well call the flower children Nazis.

Use other words. Call them idiots- I don't care. Don't inflame an already dangerous political climate by bringing brown shirts into it.

In this thread, I'm simply looking to see if there is anyone who believes strongly in free expression.

It doesn't matter your ideology.

Any individual or ideology that would inhibit or infringe upon the idea of free expression regardless of ideology is the enemy.

a reply to: AboveBoard

Well said Demonizing the "other" side as -ists, makes it easier to dehumanize them. Leading to this sort of environment.

That said, there are some real tools out there on either side of the great divide...

Focusing on insanity in an attempt to understand insanity will drive anyone insane.

I've done my best to stay out of the political madness out there, and I feel sympathy for those who cannot tear away from rubbernecking the abhorrent behavior on the part of not only the political "process" and front-runners, but also the nauseating response of the American People who have fallen for the drama fest reality show crap-storm that is going on out there.

Rational reflection and calm contemplation of the issues seems to be an afterthought, every one thinking an explosion of repressed anger and hostility will somehow lead to a defining moment that magically fixes the very real problems that our country is facing. Picking sides and pointing fingers, rude behavior on the part of every camp out there towards one another.

The over sensationalism of issues into disgusting parodies and one liner catch phrases for the failing memory of what was once a great and noble Nation.

Divided We Fall.

We've lost our United Vision, we've lost our ability to sit down and discuss things in clear and level headed methods that move forward, step by step....instead, great pipe dream promises are thrown round casually and lead people to a false hope that one singular figurehead in one singular term will magically sign away all our problems with few pen strokes and new laws.

It's futile....without a deeply ingrained foundation in proper protocols and personal accountability and the willingness to forgo the quick fix fantasy in favor of a more long term sustainable approach to problem solving, we have no hope to rebuild anything of value in this world. We simply cannot afford to keep blaming others for our failures and hope to move forward to anything of consequence.

Everyone has lost their damn minds out there.

a reply to: DBCowboy

Dude, does your cane have a hidden knife in it like my late Grandma's? That was a cool cane...the top un-screwed and had a compass on the end, and also a place to stash medication, as well as a hidden blade. The thing was a like a swiss army knife for elderly people. I kept finding secret compartments and tricks about it as a kid when she died and left it behind.

a reply to: MystikMushroom

I want a cane that will hide a flask and conceal a sword.

Can never find one long enough though.