Andrew Sullivan - "This Is What Fascism Looks Like"

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For those not following the events in Iran, this guy is doing a fantastic job. His comment for this video is spot on.

"You begin to understand the Second Amendment a little better seeing this."

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/06/this-is-what-fascism-looks-like-ctd-2.html

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RedKnightt wrote:

For those not following the events in Iran, this guy is doing a fantastic job. His comment for this video is spot on.

"You begin to understand the Second Amendment a little better seeing this."

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/06/this-is-what-fascism-looks-like-ctd-2.html

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that happens here in America more than most people realize...fascism is closer to home than most people in this country are willing to admit....

but fascism is also more along the lines of this MIAC report: http://www.infowars.com/secret-stat...rr-chuck-baldwin-libertarians-are-terrorists/

it is also this audio of a Ron Paul supporter being harassed and threatened in an airport by TSA simply because he refused to answer questions: http://www.dailynewscaster.com/2009...eldt-detained-and-questioned-by-st-louis-tsa/

this report of the new Atty General wanting to strip the people of their 2nd Amendment rights in the name of Mexico, and the plan to reinstate the AWB and make it permanent...

and the recently announced and later scrapped plans by the Iowa national guard to hold an "exercise" in an Iowa town for the purpose of teaching it's soldiers how to do a "cordon and search"--for none other than a suspected "arms dealer"....going house to house no less...of course they said they would have only used willing participants--but sooner or later they will move to the unwilling...

Fascism is alive and well in America today...

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If I had been on the balcony where the video was shot, with my Carbine, There would be about 6 to 8 police not breathing down there in that yard.

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IMHO this video has nothing to do with fascism, republicanism, or any other -ism.

It has everything to do with government repression of opposing views. It also has everything to do with the means of government repression of opposing views beleiving there is no restraint on their actions.

While the beatdown looks ferocious, there seems to be just as little care exhibited towards the victim by the guy coming out of the house afterwards as was exhibited by the beaters. Nothing but a quick look and then wandering around aimlessly. Nothing to indicate wailing and gnashing of teeth as is the custom in Iran and much of the rest of the Middle East.

In all of the news video I have seen today there was little blood spilled by those being beaten. They all seemed to be able to get up and walk/run away under their own power without any indications of severe injury. This is not intended by any means to condone or justify the actions of the police, but merely to report what I observed and contrast it to all the handwringing going on about the terrible beatings being dished out.

What we are seing is how people who have had no freedom react when given the hope of obtaining even the thinnest slice of change in their political lasndscape. Elections in Iran mean little if anything as the Ruling Council will still be in charge no matter who holds the figurehead position of President. Further, being a theocracy, the possibility of any change is nonexistentexcept for how the government allows the rest of the world to see its way of operating. The fact that demonstrations ocurred means the Ruling Council approved them. The fact that the police were not crippling and killing protestors means the Ruling Council was willing to let the demonstrations go on as long as the demonstrators knew it was only by the leave of the Ruling Council.

Task Force 16 may wish he had his carbine on an overlooking balcony to take out the cops, but then what happens? Unless the rest of the neighborhood/city/province/country gets behind the movement, Task Force 16 and his carbine are just the catalyst for more goverment beatings to remind folks who is in charge. Iran has no real history and culture of rebelling against government. The overthrow of the Shah in 1979 was the result of religious fanaticism, not politics, and involved a very small minority of the population.

Besides 1776, can anybody recall sucessful challenges to the government in the USA? (Remember, the Whiskey Rebellion and the Confederacy failed.) I know of one.

stay safe.

skidmark

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skidmark wrote:

Task Force 16 may wish he had his carbine on an overlooking balcony to take out the cops, but then what happens? Unless the rest of the neighborhood/city/province/country gets behind the movement, Task Force 16 and his carbine are just the catalyst for more goverment beatings to remind folks who is in charge. Iran has no real history and culture of rebelling against government. The overthrow of the Shah in 1979 was the result of religious fanaticism, not politics, and involved a very small minority of the population.

Besides 1776, can anybody recall sucessful challenges to the government in the USA? (Remember, the Whiskey Rebellion and the Confederacy failed.) I know of one.

stay safe.

skidmark

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You're right Skidmark, one lone gunman would not a revolution make.

As a successful armed challenge to government in the US, I submit Athens, Tn, 1946. Former GI's from the war return home and lead an armed revolt against the corrupt City and County officials to insure against voting fraud. Resulted in the ousting ofall of the corrupt officials and LEO's.

An un-armed challenge that was successful would have to be the Civil Rights movement in the 60's, that ended segregation.

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The civil rights movement wasn't completely unarmed.

Look up the Deacons for Defense & Justice. Basically they were armed blacks who helped protect the civil rights movement from the KKK and others threatening harm.

http://gunowners.org/op0438.htm
http://www.blackpast.org/?q=aah/deacons-defense-and-justice

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Task Force 16 wins with Athens, Tn. It was a very local event and did not pit citizens against the full armed might of thestate.

That's not to say that armed citizens could not sucessfully fight back against the US military. There are enough examples in recent history of small, generally unorganized groups successfully holding off and beating back the best our military had available to throw at them. The question is one of will, not equipment.

Unfortunately for Iran, at the present the will does not exist. If the protest over the "election" turns favorable for the protesters, we may yet see tthe emergence of that will.

stay safe.

skidmark

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Task Force 16 wins with Athens, Tn. It was a very local event and did not pit citizens against the full armed might of thestate.

That's not to say that armed citizens could not sucessfully fight back against the US military. There are enough examples in recent history of small, generally unorganized groups successfully holding off and beating back the best our military had available to throw at them. The question is one of will, not equipment.

Unfortunately for Iran, at the present the will does not exist. If the protest over the "election" turns favorable for the protesters, we may yet see tthe emergence of that will.

stay safe.

skidmark