[King-Aaron]

Yes, there is credence to the old saying: "One mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter".

But I really don't think we need to devolve to whataboutism here. We're talking about the actions of people storming the capitol building, to try and say 'yes well X group of people are also terrorists' is a completely moot point and an intentional deflection.

[sojournerc]

This thread started with you saddened at folks downplaying the events at the Capitol.

I'm much more concerned with the media being complicit in downplaying what we both agree is domestic terrorism elsewhere.

I suppose that's a "what about", but I fear the current structures of power colluding to form narratives more than angry trumpers.

[King-Aaron]

So, there's a few things to unpack here.

1. I don't (personally) agree that the 'black lives matter' protests should be considered as 'terrorism', because fundamentally they began as a protest against the systematic mistreatment of a certain race/demographic of people. While it can be viewed as political, it's not quite the same as 'storming the capital of a country to overturn the result of an election', which is undeniably a political goal. While some BLM rioters eventually did conduct what could be described as terrorist acts, it fundamentally isn't the same thing.

2. You're welcome to disagree on that point, but it's not what's being discussed in this thread.

3. Yes, media overreach is an issue, but it's not the topic of the conversation.

4. I am still sad that people are trying to downplay the issue, and not just because some people don't want to call it terrorism. People saying 'oh in the future it won't even be remembered' etc etc is also problematic as it's downplaying the event itself.

Edit: Added point 2

[hairofadog]

Thank you; I really appreciated this comment. I’m feeling much the same way, and it’s been in my mind a lot lately. I think the heart of the issue is a failure to see the forest for the trees, so to speak. People look at each thing in isolation and say, “it’s not that big a deal”, but somehow (especially surprising for folks who frequent HN) fail to see the larger patterns.

[pstuart]

And every single BLM fear-monger here continues to ignore that violence at those protests had outside agitators in the mix: https://www.startribune.com/police-umbrella-man-was-a-white-...

[akiselev]

93% of the BLM protests were peaceful [1] despite protestors numbering in the millions, if not tens of millions - compared to the tens of thousands at the capitol. The most notable violence during the BLM protests was an incident where far right extremists, members of Bugaloo boys group involved in the capitol attack, used the protests as cover to murder cops [2].

To compare the two is disingenuous.

[1] https://acleddata.com/2020/09/03/demonstrations-political-vi...

[2] https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/06/17/boogaloo-st...

[IG_Semmelweiss]

93% of meteors hitting earth are harmless.

This is not about the probability but the outcome at the tail

7% or 3% or 1% is still huge. The right number to use is 0%. Not 1% or 7% Zero. Those protests literally shut down critical stores for people in dire straits. For ex. The only pharmacy near low income seniors with limited motor ability, with the double whammy that public transport also shut down.

Cities on fire every week is not OK especially when the offenders are inmune from law enforcement.

To think that 7% is acceptable smacks of priviledge. Someone is clearly not living in the inner city, and does not know what it means to not own a car when the public transport system is halted and the only supermarket near is razed.

[three_seagrass]

95% of meteors don't even hit the ground, and most of those that do are just pebble sized.

Are you really trying to compare Black Lives Matter to a mass extinction event?

Edit:

Okay, you've massively edited your comment. A single gender reveal party caused more property damage than all the BLM protests combined. I do not get this continued obsession with BLM protests, especially in conversations regarding the insurrection at the capitol this month.

[LarvaFX]

Well, it is racism. Watching America from the outside, it is quite obvious. Blacks from my country visiting America experience a culture shock how they are treated there compared to here; for context.

[pstuart]

Absolutely -- as they only focus on the violence that has occurred and never acknowledge that the protests themselves are warranted.

[philwelch]

> A single gender reveal party caused more property damage than all the BLM protests combined

Source? I’m seeing multiple news reports of about $1-2 billion in damages due to the riots.

[philwelch]

Within a few blocks of where I used to live, armed “protesters” physically seized control of a police station and city park and committed four shootings—ironically, the last of these entailed the armed “security” forces misidentifying and opening fire on two black teenagers, killing one of them.

[pseudalopex]

Sounds like you're talking about Seattle. I followed the news enough to know you've misrepresented it.

Unarmed protesters wanted to protest in front of the police station. The police blocked them. The protests grew day by day because the police kept escalating to violence.

Then the police suddenly abandoned the station and the area. The protesters didn't ask for it. The mayor and police chief denied ordering it. The police just went rogue and left the protesters to figure out what to do. They never occupied the police station.

The first shooting was just outside the protest area. People who knew the victim and the suspect said it was a long running feud.

The second shooting was outside the protest area. The victim said he was attacked by white supremacists.

The third shooting was outside the protest area. The victim refused to talk to police. So no one knows who did it.

The last shooting did involve armed protesters working as security guards. It wasn't a case of mistaken identity though. The teenagers drove at the barricades minutes after erratically driving through the occupied park.

[philwelch]

> The last shooting did involve armed protesters working as security guards. It wasn't a case of mistaken identity though. The teenagers drove at the barricades minutes after erratically driving through the occupied park.

Setting aside the notion of gunmen manning barricades on public streets here—the SUV they fired on was, by many reports, a different SUV from the vehicle before.

Regardless, this is still the exact type of incident that they were supposedly protesting against in the first place.

[pseudalopex]

The city placed the barricades. People driving into protesters was common.[1] Other people had threatened to harm the Seattle protesters. The police had abandoned the area. Carrying guns on public streets is legal there.

The SUV the guards shot was recorded driving through the park.

Many reports said shots were fired from that vehicle. They didn't find any guns so probably not. Internet detectives decided the shots were fired from a different SUV recorded speeding away afterward. But it was actually recorded speeding toward the area. And people feared getting rammed not just shot.

They were protesting police brutality against peaceful or restrained black people. That isn't exactly like an oncoming SUV.

[1] https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/07/08/vehicl...

[abduhl]

Sorry man, but the most notable violence during the BLM protests was the gangland style execution of two black teens after the "movement" had taken over six city blocks.

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/crime/shooting-at-... https://www.capitolhillseattle.com/2020/07/seattle-times-rep... https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8471219/One-man-dea...

[Izkata]

If we're still talking comparisons, then also setting things on fire all over the capitol (including attempting to burn down multiple buildings): https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/31/fires-light-...

[vkou]

I was noting flashbangs, less-lethal bullets, gas, and batons being used against unarmed people for months, but you are right that those things aren't notable. It is, in fact, the most expected, and normal thing about the entire summer.

In fact, half of the point of the protests were to protest against that kind of run-of-the-mill, un-notable, indiscriminate application of violence by police.

[lenkite]

Well, just today 11 officers were injured in the MLK day protest at City Hall, NYC. The Police Commissioner Dermot Shea himself stated that this was not a peaceful protest.

What about the BLM protesters who attempted to burn down the Portland courthouse with federal officers inside ?

Why is this not actively denounced as terrorism ? https://nypost.com/2020/07/22/portland-protesters-barricade-...

[mushbino]

Antifa doesn't even exist as an organization and yet it was classified as a terrorist organization. I know many people who live in Portland with families and exactly zero of them had any concern about the protesters, fwiw.