Two Minnesota state lawmakers who are members of the Democratic-Farm-Labor Party were shot early Saturday by a person posing as a law enforcement officer just north of Minneapolis.
Two Minnesota state lawmakers who are members of the Democratic-Farm-Labor Party were shot early Saturday by a person posing as a law enforcement officer just north of Minneapolis.
Maybe. Maybe not. They’re saying the suspect was appointed by Tim Walz, and they found anti-Trump signs in the car. It could be an attempt to throw people off the scent, or it might just be a personal vendetta. We don’t know. Either way, no matter what side the shooter is on, it’s bad for any political party. It will only fuel more dissent and division.
I remember when Trump was shot at, and people here were celebrating, saying things like, “Oh, I wish they had better aim.” Now, it’s happened to Democrats, and people are acting horrified.
Shooting political figures is never a good thing, regardless of their party. Lemmy needs to stop celebrating violence when it happens to people they don’t like. The reality is, this stuff happens to people they do like too. Violence is never the answer; it always ends up worse.
Many of these things end with the shooter killing themselves. I hope that doesn’t happen here, because I want his craziness exposed and have him serve rest of his life in prison. Just the pics of the weird-ass mask that he wore doing it proves he’s out of his mind.
Just to refresh memories, the assassination attempts on Trump were done by people with right wing backgrounds.
I just got back from a peaceful “No Kings” protest in Illinois, and aright wing chud waving a Trump flag swerved his oversized SUV right onto the shoulder in front of some protesters. This is not a both sides problem.
I never said it was a both sides problem. I said that violence isn’t the solution, and that republicans are hoping for a violent uprising. Because they outnumber you and are trained better than you. Even if all the armchair warriors here on Lemmy joined together, you still wouldn’t have the numbers.
Think about it: If people couldn’t even be bothered enough to do something easy like rise up and vote, you think they are suddenly gonna join in on a violent mob uprising against the government?
This violence is the answer mindset is exactly what this shooter had. You happy with that outcome?
I can do that to. I never said that you said it was a both sides problem. You just presented it that way and made no effort to avoid that interpretation.
They outnumber me personally? Sure, I’m just one guy. Outnumber the left? LOL, not a chance. Better trained? I kinda doubt it. They might be better at some things, but those chuds can’t plan their way out of a wet paper bag.
Gosh, I wonder why that is. Just imagine what would be coming from the right of it were two Republican Senators. Whatever you are imagining, I’m pretty sure you know it would be passionate. Meanwhile Democrats are giving the same old bloodless speeches that sound like they were worked on by a dozen consultants before being handed to a talking head with instructions to “add pause and a couple of tears here”. Then they hand it off to a newscaster who laments about how “polarized” politics has become. Democrats have no passion, and that is why they lose.
“Now, I know they are killing us now, but we really should stop to consider if leftists might be a little violent too”. Yep, that’s exactly why Democrats consistently fail to inspire anyone.
Um, no? Why on earth would you assume I think that?
Oh, you’ve met him? When did I say violence is the answer?
Violence is never the answer … if you ignore all of human history, yes. Sadly, it often has been, though.
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I kind of hate the ‘Violence is never the answer’ rhetoric. Violence should not be the first course of action, nor is it a desirable one to have to resort to, but sometimes there’s simply not another reasonable way to resolve a problem.
Which is probably the exact thought process this shooter had. And he followed through. Do you think that’s a good thing? Look at the results. There is no winner here. If you’re itching for a fight, have at it. Which side do you think is better trained?
You all will not win this with violence. The repub military machine wants you to try to rise against them. Also add in the fact that you don’t have the numbers. You all sit here all day advocating for a violent uprising. But the numbers needed for that never show up.
Repubs want to stomp you into oblivion. They are legit foaming at the mouth hoping that the crazies here follow through with their threats. You can’t win this with violence–you don’t have the numbers or the training. How can you all not see that? But you are smarter than them. So start fucking using the smart part of your brain.
You’re straw manning. Please don’t.
Recognizing that violence has in fact “been the answer” to various circumstances in the past, and will be in the future, is different from saying everyone should pick up a gun today.
No, I’m not. I’m advocating non-violence and pointing out how senseless this is. What the shooter did is wrong. And it would be wrong if he shot republicans as well, and i hope no one wants to retaliate with targeting other politicians now.
Let’s say, hypothetically, there’s a mass shooting in progress. Literally a gunman shooting people in the street. How are you going to solve that situation with non-violence?
Another hypothetical. There’s someone with the detonator to a bomb that’s planted in a full stadium. You have a gun. If you don’t shoot them, they will detonate the bomb. Are you still advocating for pacifism?
You can’t make a statement like ‘Violence is never the answer’ if you’re not willing to apply it to these situations, too, so is your position that it’s better to let tens, hundreds or thousands of people die if the only way to prevent it is with violence?
The alternative, of course, is to acknowledge that sometimes, though regrettable, violence is the answer, and once we’ve established that, we can start examining where the line is where it becomes justified.
You live how you choose to, I’ll live the way I choose to. Violence is never the answer. There is no scenario where that will change for me. Not Hitler. Not babies. Not family. etc. And definitely not because of silly downvotes by 26-year old pokemon collecting, gaming-chair warriors on Lemmy.
I gave my opinion. Many disagree. Ok, but I’m still of my same opinion. My life choice. You get to make yours.
Just so you know, I’m not the only pacifist in existence. There are many others like me in the world. Just not on Lemmy! lol
That’s well and fine, but if your honest opinion is that violence isn’t justified in even the above scenarios, I think you’re living in a fantasy world of idealism. If violence is being done, and you have the power to stop it (even through violence) but choose not to, you’re complicit in that violence.
I’ll also point out that this wasn’t a case where you were minding your own business and people started calling you out; you were the first one to reply in this comment chain. You opened the debate, and you seem very willing to criticize other peoples’ views, but when yours start to be examined critically, you seem to shy away.
Fuck Donald Trump, fuck the current government, and they should all jump off a building together. Pacifism doesn’t work until everyone is enlightened and some people are the manifestation of evil. You cannot cure them, unfortunately.
K. So if people couldn’t even be bothered to get out of their chairs to vote, do you think they are suddenly gonna jump up and down with excitement and join you in your adventures?
People tend to get activated once they feel they’re personally being threatened. Voter suppression notwithstanding, I’m sure there are plenty of people who couldn’t be bothered to vote but could definitely be bothered to physically defend themselves and their neighbors.
I disagree. Guess we’ll find out.
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What would you do to hitler before the genocide if you knew what would happen?
While we all like to imagine that a time-traveling assassin could prevent WWII genocide and atrocities, the reality is that nazis didn’t appear in a vacuum. Do you believe that eliminating trump would end what’s happening in the US?
EDIT because I misread your comment: No.
Maybe not the answer ya want but sometimes the answer that is deserved.
Looks like the shooter(s?) of these Democratic politicians agreed with you in thinking that violence is the answer. You approve? He was just as strong in his beliefs as you. Think that’s a good thing? He followed through with his beliefs and convictions. I hope you don’t follow the same path.
I’m a lifelong pacifist and activist. You can come up with all the scenarios you want, but I will never advocate violence.
The fact that any post that says violence is bad, gets so many downvotes on Lemmy, shows me why this platform will never grow much beyond where it is now. You all are becoming the very extremists that you used to rage against. You all seem to want war just as much as the other side does.
I won’t advocate for violence. I will always wish the perpetrator had found a better solution. But there are definitely politicians whose death I will not mourn, whatever the cause.
I agree with your sentiment.
The comment in question pulled a “both sides” on an issue that is beyond overwhelmingly coming from the right side of the spectrum.
Two Democratic state Senators were just brutally attacked, and at least one killed. That’s not the time for Democrats to introspect, it’s a time to be outraged.
Drawing some kind of similarity between internet commenters wishing a conservative assassin had succeeded in killing Trump, and a (almost certainly) right wing chud actually assassinating two Democratic Senators is bullshit. Political violence in this country comes almost entirely one direction. Pretending otherwise just blunts that reality and makes future attacks all the more likely.
I agree with outrage. I don’t agree with violence as a reaction though. My point being that the whole narrative of “violence is right to fight back” is the exact same mindset this shooter had. In his mind, he thought violence is right to fight back, and he used it. Do you think this is a good thing?
I’m saying it’s wrong. But hey, you keep advocating for violence. Let me know how what works for you. I’m not going to join in your bloodlust and I don’t care what side you are on. Be sure let us know how your FBI interview goes after they read this thread.
Who called for violence as a reaction? Anyways, it doesn’t seem like this guy is likely to come quietly when the cops find him, so I do have to wonder what you think the cops should do if he is armed and refuses to negotiate or surrender? Some level of violence may just end up being the correct reaction. We shall see.
Uh, OK. I’ll stay by the phone.
Read the thread. You don’t see anyone in this thread that things violence is warrented?
So, nobody.
Ahhh, I guess i just read most of the comments here wrong. My bad.
So you’re saying that you and everyone in this thread agree that violence is not the answer then? No one in this thread advocates violence against the republicans. Correct?
So everyone agrees that violence is no the answer? Good, glad I was so wrong. Because I definitely think violence against any politician is wrong. Glad I am in good company and cooler heads prevail.
You’re comparing two state senators with seemingly no significant controversy to a felon rapist dictator. You’re both sidesing, and that’s dumb AF.
I’m not both sidesing at all. I said violence isn’t the answer. Regardless of who it is. You all are seriously getting upset because I said that violence like this is bad for everyone?! Never change, Lemmy…
Violence isn’t the answer up to the point when people play by the rules. Violence is the only answer for fascism–or do you think we could’ve just voted Hitler out?
Yea this is what I’m hearing from my dad as well. He’s tuned into right wing media.
There was a time when it use to be that I was more informed then him. Something has changed. Hanging out on left wing social spaces has put me so far behind the information curve.
On left wing spaces I see a lot of angry reactions but nothing really informative about a current event. But then I talk to my dad and he’s got all these facts which I argue like an asshole only to find out my sources were lacking not his. It’s so frustrating.
Found some information
https://www.reddit.com/r/behindthebastards/comments/1lbggh1/i_found_vance_boelter_on_a_website_that_is_now/
I’ve noticed stuff like that too. I think it’s because republicans use to be so quick to judge based on emotion, and not facts. And they got called out for it. So now they are more inclined to be more informed so they don’t look like dumbasses.
Even in this comm. When the iran-israel bombing thing happened I came here expecting a bunch of links and thoughtful comment. Nope. This sub stayed basically quiet while it was happening. Fox news lit up tho. Same with this shooting. Why is it taking so long to be in this sub?
Is this place censoring stuff like that or what? Why isn’t stuff like that reported here anymore?
And as we can see in this thread, Lemmy is starting to do the exact same things that republicans used to be guilty of–acting on emotion rather than facts. I knew as soon as I said violence is never the answer, people were just gonna jump in and say whatabbout hitler bro!
Again, showing their lack of context and facts. I think (hope!) that Lemmy as a whole is smarter than this, but the ones who seem to comment the most aren’t giving me much hope.
Lemmy, you won’t win with violence. I promise. You don’t have the numbers or the skills. You couldn’t even enough people to vote, they aren’t gonna joined you in some armed resistance.
Use your brains, not our fists. You fist are just gonna get you stomped down faster. It’s exactly what the people in power want you to do. They want you to not use your brain, and immediately jump to violence. Downvoting me doesn’t mean I’m wrong, it just means you’re upset. It doesn’t change anything though.