From the Atlantic… a history of ANTIFA
Antifa’s activists say they’re battling burgeoning authoritarianism on the American right. Are they fueling it instead?
Since 1907, Portland, Oregon, has hosted an annual Rose Festival. Since 2007, the festival had included a parade down 82nd Avenue. Since 2013, the Republican Party of Multnomah County, which includes Portland, had taken part. This April, all of that changed.
In the days leading up to the planned parade, a group called the Direct Action Alliance declared, “Fascists plan to march through the streets,” and warned, “Nazis will not march through Portland unopposed.” The alliance said it didn’t object to the Multnomah GOP itself, but to “fascists” who planned to infiltrate its ranks. Yet it also denounced marchers with “Trump flags” and “red MAGA hats” who could “normalize support for an orange man who bragged about sexually harassing women and who is waging a war of hate, racism and prejudice.” A second group, Oregon Students Empowered, created a Facebook page called “Shut down fascism! No Nazis in Portland!”
This article appears in the September 2017 issue.
Next, the parade’s organizers received an anonymous email warning that if “Trump supporters” and others who promote “hateful rhetoric” marched, “we will have two hundred or more people rush into the parade … and drag and push those people out.”
When Portland police said they lacked the resources to provide adequate security, the organizers canceled the parade. It was a sign of things to come.
Antifa traces its roots to the 1920s and ’30s, when militant leftists battled fascists in the streets of Germany, Italy, and Spain. When fascism withered after World War II, antifa did too. But in the ’70s and ’80s, neo-Nazi skinheads began to infiltrate Britain’s punk scene. After the Berlin Wall fell, neo-Nazism also gained prominence in Germany. In response, a cadre of young leftists, including many anarchists and punk fans, revived the tradition of street-level antifascism.
In the late ’80s, left-wing punk fans in the United States began following suit, though they initially called their groups Anti-Racist Action, on the theory that Americans would be more familiar with fighting racism than fascism. According to Mark Bray, the author of the forthcoming Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook, these activists toured with popular alternative bands in the ’90s, trying to ensure that neo-Nazis did not recruit their fans. In 2002, they disrupted a speech by the head of the World Church of the Creator, a white-supremacist group in Pennsylvania; 25 people were arrested in the resulting brawl.
For more on this story click here.
Those in the streets that buy into this “reality” are nothing more than dupes. They are an ignorant young fringe supported by wealthy ambitious forces. America is neither fascist nor communist. Americans have a more equitable system, a system that values the individual, freedom, civility, and the rule of law.
Sadly many young people can’t seem to make the distinction…they lack knowledge and therefore an appreciation for what they will lose if they continue in this folly.
Sadly the Democrat Party has totally embraced far left socialism and the tyranny that always follows in their quest for absolute power. They will do anything, support anything, including violence and murder, to further their ambitions.
We are a nation of laws. Condoned lawlessness has no place here but it played a huge role in Europe when fascists and Marxist came to rule and ruled with a tyrannical iron fist.
No more excuses. We Must all stand against the mob.
Very important Victor Hansen interview.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT7CrEoqoSU
Some more of the Wokester’s heroes. Antifa and BLM have gone to war with this county. Just look at this. And this is the very, very tame stuff. And doesn’t take much effort to find much, much worse.
https://www.rt.com/usa/497390-portland-black-lives-matter-police-precinct/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ufpEav-CuY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk7jM1qpxGE
Americans and the American government must wake up and realize that Antifa and BLM have declared war on the American people. You people better wake up because eventually these thugs will come for you.
Whether it likes it or not, the American government is at war and should act accordingly. And the war criminal thugs of Antifia and BLM need to be treated just like the war criminals at Nuremberg.
I don’t like Antifa. I don’t link to Antifa, I don’t say nice things about Antifa, and I don’t defend Antifa.
You link to white supremacists and Jew-haters such as Ron Unz. When I showed you evidence that he was a Holocaust denier, you continued to defend him.
So stop pointing fingers.
Some more of the resident Wokester’s heroes.
Is it any wonder this country is going to H*ll?
These idiots nearly killed people and the CHP lets them go?
They should have busted their skulls.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AS_MZ0iaCYw
Some more of the resident Wokester’s heroes.
Is it any wonder this country is going to H*ll?
These idiots nearly killed people and the CHP lets them go?
They should have busted their skulls. Useless CHP!
And why the h#ll didn’t the rest of the people help the black guy trying to move the idiots off the freeway. The motorists outnumbered those idiots 10 to 1. They could have bum rushed them. But what they should have done was just run them over.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AS_MZ0iaCYw
Joe, when I saw the protest sign that said, “Hands up don’t shoot” at that moment I realized these were silly children and they have been fully indoctrinated. That being the case, then they should have been arrested and held responsible for their actions. If that had happened, the next time someone in their group suggested they block a freeway they might have second thoughts.
I’m going to go way out on a limb now and say, being responsible and accountable for one’s actions is a great educational tool!!!
Can you imagine being pulled over for going 100 in a 65 MPH zone and the officer says on his first stop, “You’re breaking the law…it is against the law to exceed the speed limit, so you must slow down. If you do not slow down, you could get a ticket. Second stop 3 minutes later, “I told you 5 miles back, you must slow down. C’mon sir, you must slow down or you could get a ticket.” 3rd stop, “Didn’t you hear me, I told you 10 miles back and two stops ago must slow down, I’m super serious.” Of course the CHP doesn’t handle traffic stops this way, so why do they bend over backwards to let these spoiled, irresponsible snowflakes break the law in a manner that could get someone killed? I think police in general, even the CHP, feel they no longer have the support of the community and they are trying overly hard to be nice for the camera and for PR.
It’s amazing there wasn’t a pile up of cars resulting in serious injury or death. I’ve seen pile ups on freeways more than once and in a matter of a couple seconds they can be devastating.
Heck, if even 4 or 5 of the other motorists would have helped the black guy they probably could have got the idiots off the highway. The idiots looked like a bunch of snowflakes who would have folded pretty fast. It was obvious they didn’t want to mess with the black guy.
Or if a few of the motorists would have maced or pepper sprayed the idiots, they could have got them off the highway quickly.
Those idiots were damn lucky they didn’t get run over and if that would have happened it would have been richly deserved.
The CHP’s response was truly pathetic and disgusting.
Why do we pay sky high taxes when the government won’t even do its job to protect people and property?
Do we need armed citizen militias to enforce basic laws?
This is what happens when DemoRats and wokesters run things…if you want more of this vote for Uncle Joe.
Very fair article, Jack.
I think your question of whether antifa is fueling authoritarianism rather than combatting it is also a fair one. Extremists need each other, and they rarely do little more than further inflame extremism on the side they claim to be against. I am no fan of antifa, their rhetoric, or their tactics.
That’s good Chris, we must all speak out against injustice when we see it. But, we owe it to ourselves to make sure that which we are condemning and opposing is the target we think it is. Sometimes I find myself unsure and conflicted and when I do I take a wait and see approach. If a trial is pending, thats even better, then I can see the evidence for myself and arrive at an informed decision.
Re: ” I am no fan of antifa, their rhetoric, or their tactics.”
Chris is just one of their apologists, like he is for BLM.
Re Tina: “America is neither fascist nor communist. Americans have a more equitable system, a system that values the individual, freedom, civility, and the rule of law… the Democrat Party has totally embraced far left socialism and the tyranny that always follows in their quest for absolute power. They will do anything, support anything, including violence and murder, to further their ambitions.”
Absolutely spot on Tina. Recently a few Democrats (seeking to influence voters) have spoken out about the violence of the left. Too little, too late. No critical political thinker finds these buffoons either sincere or serious.
I agree with Greg Gutfeld, Trump should stay out of it. Let Dem run cities suffering from left-wing mob violence deal with the problem on their own.
Doing nothing in the face of violence and crime leads to more violence and crime. And doing nothing has been the Dem paradigm. Let them and their constituents reap what they sow. When enough folks get fed up the Dems will get exactly what they deserve.
“Let Portland be the first American city in history to be sacked by a roving band of angry teens, if that’s what the voters there want.” — Greg Gutfeld
As usual, Pie is SPOT ON!
Agree…thanks Pie.
Antifa has been active in Portland for quite some time, and has been actively supported by Mayor Ted Weenie. Rather ironic now that Mayor Weenie is how changing his tune somewhat since Antifa has gotten outta control.
Portland is getting EXACTLY what it voted for!
The peaceful protestors are at it again…getting justice for Floyd…and if you have any problem with this you are just a hater and a racist.
https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/tyler-o-neil/2020/08/10/watch-chicago-looters-use-u-haul-to-ransack-a-mall-a-tesla-dealership-a-walgreens-n769694
That’s not justice, it’s anger. Some if justifiable, some of it totally directionless, but when it comes to looting, the actions are in no way justified.
HOW DARE YOU! YOU RACIST! DON’T YOU KNOW, IT’S JUSTICE FOR FLOYD! 🙂
It’s not even anger. It’s freeloaders grabbing as much loot as they can and laughing about it.
For a lot of the looters, yes, it’s absolutely that. That’s why I think it’s important to distinguish between the looters, rioters, and arsonists, and the protesters.