Alt-Right Protest in Charlottesville VA

[mark kennedy]

This wasn’t a rally to declare support for the cause of Southern Nationalism or the Confederacy. It was a rally to declare support for White Identity. We live in a new paradigm now. (The Alt-Right Holds MASSIVE Rally To Defend White Heritage In Charlottesville. We had our largest rally to date. The reaction was one of shock and awe. Altright.com)
​

Torches, Confederate flags and their chant was, 'white lives matter'. It's over a statue of General Robert E. Lee and it got violent, clashes with the police and counter protestors.

Police anticipate the rally will attract as many as 2,000 to 6,000 people and could be the "largest hate-gathering of its kind in decades in the United States," as described by the Southern Poverty Law Center. (Skirmishes erupt in Charlottesville ahead of 'Unite the Right' rally. CNN Aug. 12, 2017)
​

I'm not sure what to make of this, I thought we had put this kind of thing behind us a long time ago. Is anyone tracking this? I can't seem to get a lot of information about it.

 

[GoldenBoy89]

They seem like a friendly bunch.

 

[Redac]

If you thought this sort of thing wasn't going to rear its head sooner or later, you weren't paying close enough attention.

Anyway, I'm kind of following what's going on. What's happened is that the rally has been declared unlawful and everyone was told to disperse as of maybe 20 minutes ago, despite the organizers complying with all permit requirements and the like.

 

[Non sequitur]

This wasn’t a rally to declare support for the cause of Southern Nationalism or the Confederacy. It was a rally to declare support for White Identity. We live in a new paradigm now. (The Alt-Right Holds MASSIVE Rally To Defend White Heritage In Charlottesville. We had our largest rally to date. The reaction was one of shock and awe. Altright.com)
​

Torches, Confederate flags and their chant was, 'white lives matter'. It's over a statue of General Robert E. Lee and it got violent, clashes with the police and counter protestors.

Police anticipate the rally will attract as many as 2,000 to 6,000 people and could be the "largest hate-gathering of its kind in decades in the United States," as described by the Southern Poverty Law Center. (Skirmishes erupt in Charlottesville ahead of 'Unite the Right' rally. CNN Aug. 12, 2017)
​

I'm not sure what to make of this, I thought we had put this kind of thing behind us a long time ago. Is anyone tracking this? I can't seem to get a lot of information about it.

The city's Twitter post about it.

 

[High Fidelity]

Their right to protest, but doesn't change the fact they're utter, utter morons.

 

[bhsmte]

This wasn’t a rally to declare support for the cause of Southern Nationalism or the Confederacy. It was a rally to declare support for White Identity. We live in a new paradigm now. (The Alt-Right Holds MASSIVE Rally To Defend White Heritage In Charlottesville. We had our largest rally to date. The reaction was one of shock and awe. Altright.com)
​

Torches, Confederate flags and their chant was, 'white lives matter'. It's over a statue of General Robert E. Lee and it got violent, clashes with the police and counter protestors.

Police anticipate the rally will attract as many as 2,000 to 6,000 people and could be the "largest hate-gathering of its kind in decades in the United States," as described by the Southern Poverty Law Center. (Skirmishes erupt in Charlottesville ahead of 'Unite the Right' rally. CNN Aug. 12, 2017)
​

I'm not sure what to make of this, I thought we had put this kind of thing behind us a long time ago. Is anyone tracking this? I can't seem to get a lot of information about it.

This is what happens, when a relatively small group of people, are threatened by so many who disagree with them. They then tend to get louder and more desperate.

 

[mark kennedy]

If you thought this sort of thing wasn't going to rear its head sooner or later, you weren't paying close enough attention.

Anyway, I'm kind of following what's going on. What's happened is that the rally has been declared unlawful and everyone was told to disperse as of maybe 20 minutes ago, despite the organizers complying with all permit requirements and the like.

At least it didn't get violent. I've been tracking the Alt-Right fringes here and there, I have held the hope that their numbers are slight enough that they would be insignificant. I don't support the GOP but have come to respect some of the old school conservatives. I didn't like the Tea Party but understood what they were trying to do. Breitbart, Steve Bannon and the Alt-Right seemed a bit unhinged but I wasn't really all that worried about it. Every now and then I will look into it and I'm rather disturbed by what I see, I can't even post some of what I'm finding.

This just worries me and I'm not sure what to make of it.

 

[mark kennedy]

This is what happens, when a relatively small group of people, are threatened by so many who disagree with them. They then tend to get louder and more desperate.

Yea the protestors aren't exactly a stellar group either, they seem intent on deliberately escalating these situations. Beware of the fringes, that's all I can tell you.

 

[bhsmte]

Yea the protestors aren't exactly a stellar group either, they seem intent on deliberately escalating these situations. Beware of the fringes, that's all I can tell you.

Yep. That has really always been the case, for both the far left and far right.

 

[Non sequitur]

At least it didn't get violent. I've been tracking the Alt-Right fringes here and there, I have held the hope that their numbers are slight enough that they would be insignificant. I don't support the GOP but have come to respect some of the old school conservatives. I didn't like the Tea Party but understood what they were trying to do. Breitbart, Steve Bannon and the Alt-Right seemed a bit unhinged but I wasn't really all that worried about it. Every now and then I will look into it and I'm rather disturbed by what I see, I can't even post some of what I'm finding.

This just worries me and I'm not sure what to make of it.

I see issues with fringes and extremists, not so much being Alt-Right.

I think the (self?) generalized labels do more harm, than good.

 

[Redac]

At least it didn't get violent.

It sort of did. A number of clashes -- probably initiated by antifa and BLM, honestly -- did occur, and several of the bigger figures in attendance at this thing did get attacked and pepper sprayed. Or so I'm seeing and hearing, anyway.

I've been tracking the Alt-Right fringes here and there, I have held the hope that their numbers are slight enough that they would be insignificant. I don't support the GOP but have come to respect some of the old school conservatives. I didn't like the Tea Party but understood what they were trying to do. Breitbart, Steve Bannon and the Alt-Right seemed a bit unhinged but I wasn't really all that worried about it. Every now and then I will look into it and I'm rather disturbed by what I see, I can't even post some of what I'm finding.

Well Bannon and Breitbart aren't really "alt-right", but eh. I'm curious, though: what is it that disturbs you most about them? You include people like Bannon in there, so what about those sorts of individuals is it that actual bothers you so much?

This just worries me and I'm not sure what to make of it.

Dismissing them as unhinged and irrelevant probably isn't the right approach. It's small, but it appears to be growing.

 

[mark kennedy]

I see issues with fringes and extremists, not so much being Alt-Right.

I think the (self?) generalized labels do more harm, than good.

I'm not making this stuff up and I'm certainly not interested in categorizing people according to random labels. I happen to admire General Robert E. Lee, he was a great man who didn't like the Confederacy but couldn't bring himself to fight against Virginia. If that's what this were really about I would have no problem and little interest. Somehow this runs deeper.

 

[mark kennedy]

It sort of did. A number of clashes -- probably initiated by antifa and BLM, honestly -- did occur, and several of the bigger figures in attendance at this thing did get attacked and pepper sprayed. Or so I'm seeing and hearing, anyway.

I'm just getting bits and pieces but it doesn't look good. Yea the police had to break it up because the crowd was getting nasty.

Well Bannon and Breitbart aren't really "alt-right", but eh. I'm curious, though: what is it that disturbs you most about them? You include people like Bannon in there, so what about those sorts of individuals is it that actual bothers you so much?

I don't know how you figure, Bannon and Breitbart are the face of the Alt-Right. I am disturbed because along with anti-globalist and anti-immigration agendas there is a fringe group of white supremacists who are identifying themselves with the alt-right. It disturbs me because Charlottesville VA is in a state of emergency.

Dismissing them as unhinged and irrelevant probably isn't the right approach. It's small, but it appears to be growing.

It was always there. There is nothing inherently wrong with the Alt-Right, I don't like everything about their political agenda but it does reflect a wave of nationalism and protectionism that is sweeping Europe and the United States. I just don't like the fact that White Supremacists have piggy backed into their ranks.

 

[tstor]

I don't know how you figure, Bannon and Breitbart are the face of the Alt-Right. I am disturbed because along with anti-globalist and anti-immigration agendas there is a fringe group of white supremacists who are identifying themselves with the alt-right. It disturbs me because Charlottesville VA is in a state of emergency.\

I would not define Bannon or his network as "alt-right." I would probably use Richard Spencer's term "alt-light" to describe them. The faces of the alt-right would be Mr. Spencer, Jared Taylor, David Duke, Sam Dickson, etc. Some other figures could be flocked in such as John Derbyshire.

 

[Non sequitur]

I'm not making this stuff up and I'm certainly not interested in categorizing people according to random labels. I happen to admire General Robert E. Lee, he was a great man who didn't like the Confederacy but couldn't bring himself to fight against Virginia. If that's what this were really about I would have no problem and little interest. Somehow this runs deeper.

I agree it runs much deeper.

NYT and CNN have made both incorrect and biased things, as well as correct an unbiased things.

I just find labels to be less helpful. Blanket statements/phrases like "Fake News" do little to help and just dismiss something whole-cloth.

 

[Redac]

I don't know how you figure, Bannon and Breitbart are the face of the Alt-Right.

Well, no. tstor gives a good overview of the distinction that has been drawn lately.

I am disturbed because along with anti-globalist and anti-immigration agendas there is a fringe group of white supremacists who are identifying themselves with the alt-right.

Even among the actual alt-right there are very few, if any, actual "white supremacists". Just about none of them wants to actually lord over anyone else.

It disturbs me because Charlottesville VA is in a state of emergency.

A rally by a number of people advocating for their own racial group and interests was planned and given permission, and the state governor declared a state of emergency and had police break up the rally. Sound like something you'd blame on the people trying to have the rally?

It was always there. There is nothing inherently wrong with the Alt-Right, I don't like everything about their political agenda but it does reflect a wave of nationalism and protectionism that is sweeping Europe and the United States. I just don't like the fact that White Supremacists have piggy backed into their ranks.

Given the massive and sudden demographic shifts occurring in the West, and the identity politics that have taken hold, you really shouldn't be that surprised that some white people have started playing that game too.

 

[Redac]

Anyway, brief update from what I've been seeing. The rally had a permit, a judge had ruled in its favor, they were allowed to be there. Hell, even the ACLU sided with the rally organizers. At the thing, cops were told not to intervene unless given specific orders, so antifa and the like started plenty of altercations with the alt-right people. The rally was then declared an unlawful assembly, cops moved in and started gassing and pepper spraying. The people being moved out of the park were apparently herded by the police through the antifa protesters, which obviously caused more problems. Then apparently everywhere they tried to regroup and continue their event anyway, they were followed by police who would then declare yet another unlawful assembly and start arresting or detaining people. Other incidents occurred all over the place too.

There's no way in the world Charlottesville isn't getting sued.

 

[Non sequitur]

Anyway, brief update from what I've been seeing. The rally had a permit, a judge had ruled in its favor, they were allowed to be there. Hell, even the ACLU sided with the rally organizers. At the thing, cops were told not to intervene unless given specific orders, so antifa and the like started plenty of altercations with the alt-right people. The rally was then declared an unlawful assembly, cops moved in and started gassing and pepper spraying. The people being moved out of the park were apparently herded by the police through the antifa protesters, which obviously caused more problems. Then apparently everywhere they tried to regroup and continue their event anyway, they were followed by police who would then declare yet another unlawful assembly and start arresting or detaining people. Other incidents occurred all over the place too.

There's no way in the world Charlottesville isn't getting sued.

Dang.

If they had a permit, why in the world would the city post/say that? Hopefully it's something as simple and honest as they genuinely didn't know.

 

[Redac]

Dang.

If they had a permit, why in the world would the city post/say that? Hopefully it's something as simple and honest as they genuinely didn't know.

That they had a permit? No, they all knew. The permit to assemble in that specific park was granted a while ago, then it was revoked by the city yesterday or the day before. They went to court I think yesterday and a judge reinstated the permit. Everyone knew the rally was above-board, and they found a way to help antifa run them out of the city regardless.

 

[PeachyKeane]

Right, I shall consider you united.