Tuesday, August 29, 2017

I've been assured...

...that those on the left regard ANTIFA as some sort of rogue, fringe, outsider group that don't really represent the left.   So, I'm going to excerpt a bit of a Facebook dialog as an example.

POST:

" Can we stop calling the violent masked 'left' antifascists? And instead use the more accurate descriptor, nihilists? It is like describing a vegan as anti-hotdog. Nihilists are not protesters, they're nihilists."

This was followed by a video of a peaceful nonviolent protest as an example.

Then a liberal friend of mine came back with this gem.

"Youre wrong, Bill. Non violence works against a government that its trying to maintain the vestige of legitiancy, and is constrained by public opinion. Facsism works by frightening non conforming people off the street and out of public life through violence and subversion of the police forces. The Antifa are necessary to protect the minority and endangered members of the culture, and to hold the police accountable for doing thsir jobs."

(I just copy/pasted this straight from FB, hence the inventive spelling)

Clearly, there are people on the left who do embrace ANTIFA and see them as necessary.



Am I suggesting that all on the left support ANTIFA, not at all.  Just that there are people out there willing to publicly justify these folks.

9 comments:

Marshal Art said...

We're also told that ANTIFA are anarchists, while the neo-nazis are right-wing in part for supporting limited government. I don't know if ANTIFA actually holds as a platform plank the total elimination of all government, which would indeed make the anarchists. But I do believe that by pretending they are doing good by attacking those who supposedly support limited government, the left has in general embraced ANTIFA as a leftist faction.

Craig said...

Of course socialism and NAZIsm in general are completely the opposite of a conservative limited government ideal, but we shouldn't cross the narrative.

Marshal Art said...

I was looking at a few things, including "anarchy", and found that it is most often regarded as a left-wing philosophy. Who knew? Wiki had some good stuff regarding it as well, saying the same thing. Most of what the traditional anarchist wants is just another form of socialism/communism on a different level. I'll provide a link later, along with one from a CNN report that has interviews with members claiming they are a leftist outfit. That is, the very people Dan says they're not.

Craig said...

I've always though anarchy was more aligned with liberal philosophy than anything else.

Marshal Art said...

I just assumed that based on the limited gov't philosophy of the constitutional conservative, no gov't would be an extreme of that, while fascism is obviously the extreme of the center-left philosophy. Now it seems they're both examples of leftism.

Craig said...

Given that conservatives have a limited federal government as an ideal, with most power being reserved to the states, it seems an unjustified leap from that to no government.

I would argue that the progressive belief that all people are basically good, supported by the presumption that morality is a function of society would be much more fertile ground for anarchy that a traditional conservative/ biblical view of humanity.

It also seem reasonable to conclude that since anarchy can't work, the response to anarchy is totalitarian socialism. I.E. the people can't govern themselves therefore we (the smart ones) must step in for their own good.

Craig said...

Interesting that the left wing governors are refusing to enforce "anti mask" laws when it comes to ANTIFA, I wonder how they'd react to a bunch of Klukkers marching around in full hoods/masks.

But, no, no one on the left is supportive of ANTIFA.

Marshal Art said...

"But, no, no one on the left is supportive of ANTIFA."

With the notable exception of those within it.

Craig said...

And those who support, enable, and defend it.