Is anyone surprised by the violence on campuses, rioting in the streets and now attempted assassination of members of Congress?

CPT Jack Durish — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 12:03:03 -0400

Some have been demonizing their opponents since the election, dehumanizing them in much the same way that we dehumanized members of the Axis powers during WWII. Political debate is now hate speech and compromise is rendered impossible when people are unwilling to even listen to the opposition and stage mass demonstrations to shut down their events. No, I'm not surprised. Are you?

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 14 at 2017 12:16 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 12:16:36 -0400

Not at all. I am surprised that celebrities and other liberal whack jobs are themselves surprised that their calls for violence have been heeded.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 14 at 2017 12:18 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 12:18:26 -0400

Not surprised at all. And, I feel it will only get worse.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 14 at 2017 12:22 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 12:22:08 -0400

This was a totally predictable event that could have been avoided. Both sides will go to their respective corners for 24 hours and allow the MSM to interpret events then be back
at it early Friday morning. Two ideologies are in an epic fight for dominance. They cannot exist side by side. There will be a winner and there will be a loser. It has been mostly a civil struggle but slowly and steadily it has smoldered into the event that unfolded this am. More acts like this will surely follow. There is an election around the corner.

Response by 1stSgt Nelson Kerr made Jun 14 at 2017 12:45 PM

1stSgt Nelson Kerr — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 12:45:38 -0400

The same Comments would have be equally true after the 2008 election if not more so. At least no one is vile enough to pretend that Trump was not born in the US.

Response by PO3 Steven Sherrill made Jun 14 at 2017 1:07 PM

PO3 Steven Sherrill — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 13:07:54 -0400

CPT Jack Durish Humanity was removed from politics a long time ago. This event will be a short lived return to civility. As time passes, the vitriol that is Washington will return.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 14 at 2017 1:17 PM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 13:17:47 -0400

I believe nothing will stop man'd violence to others. But, one thing that will at least help is to quit making those who do such deeds.

This shooting was not caused by either side of the political fence. It was a deranged individual.

Response by SSG Warren Swan made Jun 14 at 2017 1:50 PM

SSG Warren Swan — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 13:50:22 -0400

We can't even talk openly about race. That is a bigger problem now than ever, and one that is older than you. No one should be surprised of the results when the basics are ignored.

Response by SFC Kelly Fuerhoff made Jun 14 at 2017 1:56 PM

SFC Kelly Fuerhoff — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 13:56:54 -0400

How about we recognize this for what it is - a mentally unstable person who committed an atrocious act. If we don't stop this "us vs them" mentality on both sides of the political spectrum then yes, more of this will happen. People can blame celebrities or politicians on either side all they want. The bottomline is that anyone who does this is mentally unstable and they, ultimately, are the ones who pulled the trigger. People on the left and right have become vile and disgusting and there's no excuse for how people behaved toward Obama and for the left to sink that low themselves. Call people out on their bs, call people out on their lies and shitty policies.

Whenever America does fall it won't be because of a foreign entity. It's going to be from within. It's going to be because we destroyed ourselves.

Response by 2LT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 14 at 2017 2:07 PM

2LT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 14:07:47 -0400

It appears that we are quick to forget our past, someone else had brought up demonstrations that happened after Obama with burning effigies. I agree, acts such as this are toxic on either side and only stand to divide us. It is unfortunate that small groups represent large majorities in matters such as this.

Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made Jun 14 at 2017 2:21 PM

CPT Lawrence Cable — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 14:21:35 -0400

The problem has become that the Identity Politics of the Progressive Left (or Regressive Left, if you like that term better) no longer allows for one to have a different opinion. So if you don't check all the list of things that are acceptable to believe, you are an evil, Nazi, white supremacist , anti gay, anti woman bigot. It doesn't leave any room for discussion or compromise. I've tried to explain to some Progressive friends that if they do somehow manage to remove a legally elected President through other means than replacing him in the next election, that it's the End of the Democratic/Federalism in the United States as we know it. I'm not sure that we can save it today.
As bad as the Birthers were, they were never a ruling segment of the Republican Party.

Response by SGT Dave Tracy made Jun 14 at 2017 2:38 PM

SGT Dave Tracy — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 14:38:33 -0400

Nope. And I wouldn't be surprised if the violence continues.

For years now, we've been in a soft civil war, fought on the battlefields of social media and internet bulletin boards with viscous volleys lobbed from the bunkers of mom's basement; only now keyboard warriors are ramping up their vitriol and moving into the public square and college campuses.

Pick who you wish to pin the blame on, but I'd spend more effort on "calming the waters" if you can or preparing for the worst of you can't, than to waste such effort on the self-righteous satisfaction from playing the blame game.

Politically inspired violence ebbs and flows throughout history, but you better believe we are in a time of Flow. I don't actually see us even coming close to divvying up the country into the Left States of American vs the Right States of America and duking it out 1860s style, but the violence aint over yet.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 14 at 2017 2:45 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 14:45:16 -0400

Republican lunatics, Democrat lunatics, Liberal lunatics, etc. have existed for years. Willfully ignorant people choose to make those people representative of the entire party of which the lunatic is affiliated with.

Response by TSgt Ranie Sturba made Jun 14 at 2017 3:00 PM

TSgt Ranie Sturba — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 15:00:15 -0400

Short answer is no. Some have pointed toward the breakdown of the family as a major cause, which behavioral traits and moral value can manifest in so many different ways. It is, for the most part in my opinion, profoundly truthful. But if we were to take that viewpoint as a model, then I can even take it a step further. Those family values have to intrinsically come from somewhere. It's no secret that in the past 50 or 60 years, we as a nation have slowly removed "pieces" of God, whether it be Bibles in school, prayer in school, ten commandments on government buildings, nativity scenes, etc. What/Who was once part of our culture, is now removed for the most part. This....I believe, is closer to the root cause than the breakdown of the family. When "man" determines truth instead of God, moral truth now becomes relative and not absolute. Chaos surfaces it's ugly head. In a profound way, the chaotic behavior we see today is a by-product of the removal of absolute divine authority. No...no surprise here by the violence today.

Response by SP5 Dave (Shotgun) Shockley made Jun 14 at 2017 3:05 PM

SP5 Dave (Shotgun) Shockley — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 15:05:22 -0400

The demonizing of the new administration by media and the left is unprecedented. The liberal professors, teachers and media are making it worse with unsubstantiated claims, no proof etc. and the weak minded believe every word. If your opinion doesn't match theirs you are a racist, facist or terrorist. No more free speech just each side battling the other and neither side listening. This leads to extreme frustration and violence.

Now they are trying to erase history and re-write it to meet their story line. I am a proud American, and I understand their have been wrongs committed in the past. Leave the past where it is, teach it and learn from the mistakes made. Get back to the principles this country was built on. Get back to the Golden Rule and 10 Commandments. If we don't ....................
"Winter is Coming" be prepared.

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 14 at 2017 3:05 PM

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 15:05:58 -0400

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Jun 14 at 2017 3:31 PM

Capt Seid Waddell — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 15:31:07 -0400

CPT Jack Durish, not surprised at all. The left never got over BDS during the Bush administration and even carried it on for the first six years of the Obama administration. They are tuned up even higher over Trump, and I am confident that their derangement will push them into full-blown insanity before long. It will only stop when they get severe blow back from the public.

Response by MSG Brad Sand made Jun 14 at 2017 3:38 PM

MSG Brad Sand — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 15:38:28 -0400

Saddened, yes. Surprised, no. I also fear that thing will get worse before they get better and I put the lion's share of the problem with the Establishment media. They have been more about propaganda than news for a long time and have only revealed the depth of their corrupting, to me, the lest election cycle.

Response by Sgt Kelli Mays made Jun 14 at 2017 4:05 PM

Sgt Kelli Mays — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 16:05:08 -0400

@nope, not in the least.

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 14 at 2017 4:14 PM

CPO Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 16:14:23 -0400

I am no longer surprised by what the left will do. I am worried what the reply will be the next time one of them blocks traffic, starts a fight, or a riot. I see the lines in the sand being drawn and the drums being beat.

We as a nation are about to implode and it will be swift and terrible.

I see no way around it, every person in America is allowed a voice and with the Internet they now have a platform. What many do not have is rational thought or a firm grasp on reality. So lies become their reality, truth is ignored for the fantasy they believe. They are keyboard warriors who have worked themselves up to a frenzy and the Media is pouring gasoline on the flames.

Response by SGT Tony Clifford made Jun 14 at 2017 5:17 PM

SGT Tony Clifford — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 17:17:41 -0400

We did this to ourselves. Since the internet became popular people have been able to create echo chambers where they only ever hear opinions that confirms their beliefs. Eventually descent is thought of as treasonous because only their ideals are "American". Then in the real world they find someone who disagrees with them and they lose their shit. By the way this echo chamber isn't unique to the left, the right suffers from this problem just as badly. We as a society need to stop with the rhetoric and address all ideas fairly and honestly. We need to agree once again that we can be friends with people who disagree with us. Until that happens this vitriol will continue.

Response by Col Joseph Lenertz made Jun 14 at 2017 5:25 PM

Col Joseph Lenertz — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 17:25:15 -0400

No, not suprised. I was talking with a friend recently on the same topic. The de-humanization of your target group or adversary is what enables the atrocities we've seen committed against humanity throughout history. From early tribal warfare to slavery to WWII fascism to the modern term "infidel", all attempt to portray their adversary or target group as less-than-fully-human to justify whatever brutal treatment or "final solution" they envision.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 14 at 2017 5:31 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 17:31:32 -0400

CPT Jack Durish I am not surprised, and do not see things improving anytime soon. I do not recognize the country that we love.

Response by PO1 John Johnson made Jun 14 at 2017 6:16 PM

PO1 John Johnson — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 18:16:57 -0400

I'm not surprised. I think we're headed for a blood-letting in this country.

Response by Cpl Justin Goolsby made Jun 14 at 2017 9:49 PM

Cpl Justin Goolsby — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 21:49:12 -0400

Nope, not surprised in the least. It's honestly a shame though. I'm ok with propaganda against an enemy power, but we are literally dehumanizing members of our own country. We are literally tearing ourselves apart and it just makes us look weaker to the rest of the world.

Response by 1stSgt Nelson Kerr made Jun 14 at 2017 10:58 PM

1stSgt Nelson Kerr — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 22:58:42 -0400

And to gain a bit of historical perspective :

“Why do we have a Second Amendment? It’s not to shoot deer. It’s to shoot at the government when it becomes tyrannical!”

— Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), on Twitter, June 23, 2016.

from The Political wire

Angle: Well it’s to defend ourselves. And you know, I’m hoping that we’re not getting to Second Amendment remedies. I hope the vote will be the cure for the Harry Reid problems.

-- Sharon Angle May 2011

And Trump during the Cam pain:

https://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2016-08-09/trump-says-second-amendment-people-could-challenge-clinton-court-picks

Access Denied

Response by MSgt John McGowan made Jun 16 at 2017 10:07 AM

MSgt John McGowan — Fri, 16 Jun 2017 10:07:56 -0400

CAPT Jack. I am surprised at some of the race hate and political hate , and the amount shown. And it doesn't let up, it just gets worse with statements made that people know if it does come true we are doomed. There isn't enough police or anyone else to stop anything that starts. How many people would it take to control a place like Atlanta? And by that time all the weapons will be hidden and a lot of people dead. Worst case would be the order of the day.

Response by LTC Eric Udouj made Jun 18 at 2017 5:00 AM

LTC Eric Udouj — Sun, 18 Jun 2017 05:00:49 -0400

The problem with demonizing an enemy... is that there can be no shared ground whenever the fighting is done.