They're saying almost 7 million at No Kings today.
that's a lot of people
2025-10-17 23:51:10
There’s also, though, the antifa types who see themselves as mutual aid groups, who are there to offer medical support and protection to other groups they are in solidarity with.
I can affirm this.
A former minister of mine was at the Charlottesville "Unite the Right" calamity - she lived there at the time and was present as a peaceful protestor. Her own account of the day gives a lot of credit to antifa (by whatever label) for providing a buffer between the quite violent right wing folks and the folks there to protest peacefully.
In my own direct expeience, I've seen "antifa" folks present at demonstrations who were there to provide medical or trauma help if that was needed (thankfully it was not). Carrying a simple trauma first aid kit, and they were clearly marked with red crosses on their kit and on armbands.
My comment was really toward the folks who come deliberately to fight, specifically. I more or less understand the impulse - I think most of us feel anger at the stuff that goes on - but I'm not sure it accomplishes anything useful. It just gives the Andy Ngo and "Based Stick Man" types of the world something to look forward to.
2025-10-17 19:46:17
John Lennon's words are, I think, appropriate in the current situation.
When it gets down to having to use violence, then you are playing the system’s game. The establishment will irritate you – pull your beard, flick your face – to make you fight. Because once they’ve got you violent, then they know how to handle you. The only thing they don’t know how to handle is non-violence and humor
There are situations when there are no other options, but I don't think we are anywhere close to that now.
As an aside, this has always been one of my issues with antifa and similar. The folks they want to fight would like nothing better than an opportunity to get into it with them. It's kind of what they live for.
Why give them what they want?
For folks heading out to No Kings tomorrow, stay safe and to whatever degree you can bring joy to it. I'm sorry to say I won't be out there, I have another commitment for the weekend of long standing.
I'll be there for the next one.
2025-10-17 12:28:57
then couldn’t get the charge to stick?
Grand jury would not indict, which has become a way for regular folks to resist bullshit acts of overzealous or punitive prosecution by the current DOJ.
Ironically, the guy was a DOJ employee, and was subsequently fired.
One point to make regarding doxxing in our current environment is that any real harm done to an ICE agent will just become an excuse for the feds to double down.
Trump is looking for any excuse to invoke the Insurrection Act, which would allow him to legally (for some readings of "legally") deploy the military domestically. Which would basically be ICE on steroids.
Trump has an army, folks opposed to his policies don't. And Trump is eager for any pretext to use it, against people in this country who are opposed to his policies and actions.
I'm opposed to doxxing, of anyone and of any kind, for all of the obvious ethical reasons. But all of that aside, as a purely strategic matter, it's a really bad idea to give Trump any reason to send the army into your city or town.
They're saying almost 7 million at No Kings today.
that's a lot of people
There’s also, though, the antifa types who see themselves as mutual aid groups, who are there to offer medical support and protection to other groups they are in solidarity with.
I can affirm this.
A former minister of mine was at the Charlottesville "Unite the Right" calamity - she lived there at the time and was present as a peaceful protestor. Her own account of the day gives a lot of credit to antifa (by whatever label) for providing a buffer between the quite violent right wing folks and the folks there to protest peacefully.
In my own direct expeience, I've seen "antifa" folks present at demonstrations who were there to provide medical or trauma help if that was needed (thankfully it was not). Carrying a simple trauma first aid kit, and they were clearly marked with red crosses on their kit and on armbands.
My comment was really toward the folks who come deliberately to fight, specifically. I more or less understand the impulse - I think most of us feel anger at the stuff that goes on - but I'm not sure it accomplishes anything useful. It just gives the Andy Ngo and "Based Stick Man" types of the world something to look forward to.
John Lennon's words are, I think, appropriate in the current situation.
There are situations when there are no other options, but I don't think we are anywhere close to that now.
As an aside, this has always been one of my issues with antifa and similar. The folks they want to fight would like nothing better than an opportunity to get into it with them. It's kind of what they live for.
Why give them what they want?
For folks heading out to No Kings tomorrow, stay safe and to whatever degree you can bring joy to it. I'm sorry to say I won't be out there, I have another commitment for the weekend of long standing.
I'll be there for the next one.
then couldn’t get the charge to stick?
Grand jury would not indict, which has become a way for regular folks to resist bullshit acts of overzealous or punitive prosecution by the current DOJ.
Ironically, the guy was a DOJ employee, and was subsequently fired.
One point to make regarding doxxing in our current environment is that any real harm done to an ICE agent will just become an excuse for the feds to double down.
Trump is looking for any excuse to invoke the Insurrection Act, which would allow him to legally (for some readings of "legally") deploy the military domestically. Which would basically be ICE on steroids.
Trump has an army, folks opposed to his policies don't. And Trump is eager for any pretext to use it, against people in this country who are opposed to his policies and actions.
I'm opposed to doxxing, of anyone and of any kind, for all of the obvious ethical reasons. But all of that aside, as a purely strategic matter, it's a really bad idea to give Trump any reason to send the army into your city or town.
Things are bad enough as it is.