The federal goons are supposedly in Portland to protect buildings. Totally unnecessary, but why aren't they just standing in front of the buildings, armed to the teeth, instead of going rogue, tear-gassing and kidnapping people? Trump's Stasi. They should be ashamed of themselves.
Trump's targeting Democrat-led cities, often headed by women. He's despicable.
It appears to me that they are pretty much just standing in front of the buildings and probably collecting video of hooligans which are then plucked out of crowds when they're seen again if they escape arrest while actively hooliganing. That's how this sort of thing is usually done.Originally Posted by JaneV2.0
I'm not sure why protecting those buildings is totally unnecessary given the destruction they're being subjected to on a nightly basis. I think there may be politics involved.
"Things should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler." ~ Albert Einstein
Of course there are politics involved. Trump has said publicly he wants to "dominate" Democrat-run (and apparently female-run) cities. He thinks his chest-beating and misogyny will play well with his base, and it probably will.
Reports out of Portland, found in local media, paint a very different picture than his ranting about "anarchists" running rampant (I notice he's given up on the scary "Antifa" rhetoric. I'm surprised he hasn't dragged in MS-13.
https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/...KqA20baGNOMoVs
So it's only a 12 block area surrounding the Justice Center and Federal Courthouse that are the focus of the latest demonstrations and vandalism. How long do you think they'll continue the assault on that area, so far it's been something like 53 continuous days with the Feds involved for the last 10 or so days, and that only after the Mayor ordered the local police to scale back contact with demonstrators. Twenty Three Million $ in losses in the area seems like a lot for peaceful protests. I wonder what the final bill will be?
I also doubt there's anything inherently sexist in the federal response, if Republican city administrators (regardless of sex) were allowing the same sort of activities to continue against Federal property I suspect the Feds would step in to help combat it there as well. We'll probably never know.
"Things should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler." ~ Albert Einstein
Trump never misses a chance to call out "nasty" women--all Democrats, for some reason.
As far as I'm concerned citizens can demonstrate 365 days a year until they secure meaningful change. That's the way it has always worked--with civil rights, with Viet Nam, with women's suffrage, etc.
I agree, demonstrate all you want just leave your paint and bricks and bats and hammers at home and clean up after yourself before you go. No harm, no foul.
"Things should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler." ~ Albert Einstein
My son in Portland was at a peaceful demonstration in his neighborhood last week, 6.5 miles from the justice center. He was pepper sprayed and at one point they were charged by the police. He said they were eyeballing the crowd and pairs of police (or whatever they were) were going after specific people and taking them away.
I'm not buying that this is about protecting federal property down town or about vandalism. I was shocked by what he told me.
I think it's two separate things, it was probably local police 6.5 miles away and they were probably singling out people suspected of causing damage or violence. I have no doubt though that federal officers are doing the same in the vicinity of federal properties.
"Things should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler." ~ Albert Einstein
Just read this ... Titled: Portland wants agents to leave
Constitutional law experts said Monday the federal officers' actions are a "red flag" in what could become a test case of states' rights as the Trump administration expands its federal policing into other cities.
"it is a standard move of authoritarians to use the pretext of quelling violence to bring in force, thereby prompting a violent response and then bootstrapping the initial use of force in the first place," said Michael Dorf, a professor of constitutional law at Cornell University.
Portland's Democratic mayor said federal officers "are not wanted here." "We haven't asked them here. In fact, we want them to leave, " Ted Wheeler said.
President Donald Trump said he plans to send federal agents to other cities as well. The Chicano Tribune, citing anonymous sources reported Monday that Trump planned to deploy 150 federal agents to Chicago. The article goes on......
"I have talked to the mayor of Portland (and) we don't need federal agents without any insignia taking people off the street and holding them, I think, unlawfully," Lightfoot added.
Top leaders in the US House said Sunday they were "alarmed" by the Trump administration's tactics in Portland and other cities. They've called on federal inspectors general to investigate.
I don't know about that, Federal officers have operated in cities for years and years. US Marshalls are tasked with policing Federal courthouses, my city's local Federal Reserve facility has federal officers tasked with providing security on its premises, US Park Service officers are responsible for security of federal monuments, etc. These are the same people everyone's talking about in Portland, probably with reinforcements from other areas, but the same organizations none-the-less.
To suggest that they shouldn't be allowed or that it is improper for them to do their jobs seems silly.
"Things should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler." ~ Albert Einstein
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