Bye Bye GI - In Iraq You're Gonna Die!

[JaJae]

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Hot Air » Blog Archive » Video: Portland protesters serenade troop effigy with death chants

[6SpeedTA95]

After watching that video it seems clear that they are inciting violence towards the troops and anyone associated with the military.

It's one thing to burn a symbol like a flag, but when you put people's lives at the center of it you change the rules. Freedom of speech is one thing, directly inciting violence against a person or group of people seems to fall under a whole host of hate crimes laws which is what appeared to be happening here.



On the issue of the media, JJ do you really find it surprising in any way that the media has pretty much ignored this? I haven't watched much fox this week so I dont now what they've said about it if anything but I've spent some time on CNN and the big3 and not seen a single word about this. They're ignoring it because it fits their agenda and makes their cause look foolish. I wont expect the major outlets to pick this up with the possible exception of Fox. If/when the others pick it up it will be if and ONLY if another major news outlet like Fox or a major paper pickup on the story.

The majority of media outlets have made it clear they do not think we should be in Iraq and that they have little if any respect for our men and women in uniform. Because of that they wont air this.



I know the vast majority of democrats do not approve of this behavior and even if you looked at only the far left my guess would be this type of behavior and immature outbursts would only be endorsed by 35 or 40% at MOST.

This isn't indicative of the democratic party but it is sad that this isn't getting any attention.

[jimeigh]

i'm actually glad they arent getting much attention. they're worthless idiots, and they dont deserve any.

[thomez]

Originally Posted by JaJae

There is a link to the video in the first post. You can hear them cheering at the end when he pours lighter fluid on the burning uniform. I'm not saying they all were. My biggest problem is that aside from calling our troops brainwashed there was no real outspoken protest to this. The most vocal reaction to this was cheers. I think the reaction would be very different if an opposite protest were held in the same spot. The lack of protest to this display is really what concerns me. These people would likely boo an anti-muslim display, but they won't boo this. Why? Is one more acceptable than the other in the eyes of these people? Is one more offensive? I don't pretend to know the answers, I assume it has something to do with a mob mentality. But, in all honesty it kind of shocked me to see so many people standing idly by to this. This wouldn't have happened at a Gathering of the Eagles rally. Why? Once again I assume the answer lies somewhere in the realm of mob mentality. But why such differences among these groups?

Well I have no idea why there wasn't a protest to the burning, but I would imagine that many would be silent if they disapproved rather than do something useless like "boo" them. Those that were in agreement would cheer, sure; we know there are a lot of super-liberal morons in the US, seemingly especially in the Northwest, as evidenced by this and the previous problems with protests in Seattle.

6Speed I have no idea how it could be spun that the lack of coverage of this means the liberal media disrespects the military, in fact that sounds quite ridiculous to me.

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by thomez

Well I have no idea why there wasn't a protest to the burning, but I would imagine that many would be silent if they disapproved rather than do something useless like "boo" them. Those that were in agreement would cheer, sure; we know there are a lot of super-liberal morons in the US, seemingly especially in the Northwest, as evidenced by this and the previous problems with protests in Seattle.

What do you think the crowd would have done if I showed up and started screaming: Bye Bye Towelhead - We won't stop till you're all dead! And then burned a Koran. Do you think the response (or lack there of) from the crowd would be the same? Would I end up in jail for that?

[thomez]

Originally Posted by JaJae

What do you think the crowd would have done if I showed up and started screaming: Bye Bye Towelhead - We won't stop till you're all dead! And then burned a Koran. Do you think the response (or lack there of) from the crowd would be the same? Would I end up in jail for that?

That would depend on the crowd you showed up to. Trust me, there are plenty of people in America that would applaud that behavior. Obviously they are not the anti-Israel war-protesters that were burning the soldier thing, however. So it would depend on your audience...

I doubt you would end up in jail for it, as you certainly would be allowed to burn any Bible or other book as well, as far as I know

If you can legally burn a flag, I'm sure you can legally burn a Koran.

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by thomez

That would depend on the crowd you showed up to. Trust me, there are plenty of people in America that would applaud that behavior. Obviously they are not the anti-Israel war-protesters that were burning the soldier thing, however. So it would depend on your audience...

I doubt you would end up in jail for it, as you certainly would be allowed to burn any Bible or other book as well, as far as I know

If you can legally burn a flag, I'm sure you can legally burn a Koran.

With all the hate speech against Muslims caught on video tape by all those people at an otherwise fairly peaceful rally?

Also it shouldn't depend on the crowd. I'm saying what if you substituted that exact demonstration with the one I quoted above. At the same peace rally. What do you think the reaction would be? A handful of people cheering while kids ate cotton candy?

[thomez]

Originally Posted by JaJae

With all the hate speech against Muslims caught on video tape by all those people at an otherwise fairly peaceful rally?

Also it shouldn't depend on the crowd. I'm saying what if you substituted that exact demonstration with the one I quoted above. At the same peace rally. What do you think the reaction would be? A handful of people cheering while kids ate cotton candy?

It absolutely depends on the crowd, I'm not sure how you could think otherwise.

I doubt very much the response would be the same if you burned a Koran at that rally - the anti-Israel super-liberals are generally not anti-Islam, after all they are the group that is usually vocal about being pro-Palestine; the anti-Muslim group would be the extreme right neo-con folks (where you might be greeted with cheers).

The response any action will garner is very dependent on the crowd of people in attendance... burning a black doll might be pimp shit at a KKK rally, however it wouldn't go over quite so swell at an NAACP event.

[RMNIXON]

Originally Posted by JaJae

It took place right outside a tent with a lot of onlookers. There was no protest to this event other than a girl calling our troops brainwashed.

Once you get beyond the shock of this behavior that girl begins to bother me. Is this the only way an anti-war liberal can relate to soldiers and care about them? To portray them as helpless victims? Not of the enemy, but of our government! Is that how they "care" about the troops?

[RMNIXON]

Originally Posted by thomez

It absolutely depends on the crowd, I'm not sure how you could think otherwise.

I doubt very much the response would be the same if you burned a Koran at that rally - the anti-Israel super-liberals are generally not anti-Islam, after all they are the group that is usually vocal about being pro-Palestine; the anti-Muslim group would be the extreme right neo-con folks (where you might be greeted with cheers).

It makes me wonder about our artists who like to express themselves about oppression. I don't recall any news items about government funded art exhibits where the Koran is being pissed on or the image of Muhammad covered in excrement. Yet the oppression of liberty by Islam is so easy to document. So I do guess it is all very selective?

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by thomez

The response any action will garner is very dependent on the crowd of people in attendance... burning a black doll might be pimp shit at a KKK rally, however it wouldn't go over quite so swell at an NAACP event.

I understand that. When I said it shouldn't matter on the crowd it was because I was using this crowd as the example and wanted your opinion. I understand some things would be more accepted. For example you could possibly get away with the opposite at a KKK rally, but that would equate these peace protesters to the KKK which isn't fair. Again the NAACP wouldn't allow such an event.

Why then do peace protest stand idly by when they would stand up to other forms of protest? Is this type of behavior almost acceptable to them? And I use that word loosely. Not that they agree with it, but they accept it and allow it to take place. We have all seen video of peace protests drowning out pro-Bush views they don't support. So we know they have the ability to. Why then don't they stand out and drown out this protest or treat this protest as they would any other vulgar or even anti-political event at one of their protests?

[thomez]

I'm just not sure what you expected of those whom may have disagreed with the actions. It is easy to verbally drown out those you disagree with, it isn't quite the same to physically put out a fire or get people to ignore one.

[Roonie]

Originally Posted by JaJae

Why then do peace protest stand idly by when they would stand up to other forms of protest? Is this type of behavior almost acceptable to them? And I use that word loosely. Not that they agree with it, but they accept it and allow it to take place.

That is a difficult question to ask. Why would these three guys stand by while this petite woman bartender gets beat up by an off duty cop that is three times the size she is just because she cut him off on the alcohol? Do you think the guys watching think this type of behavior is acceptable to them? In other words they accept it and allow it to take place?

(warning link is a little graphic)

EBAUMSWORLD - Funny Pictures, Hilarious Videos, Flash Games and Jokes

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by thomez

I'm just not sure what you expected of those whom may have disagreed with the actions. It is easy to verbally drown out those you disagree with, it isn't quite the same to physically put out a fire or get people to ignore one.

Then why didn't they do that much? That's all I'm saying. Why didn't two people say "Hey that ain't right?" Why didn't they drown out their death wishes of our troops as they would if I had started a pro-Bush chant? If I had gone there and started screaming Four More Years like a lunatic you think the crowd wouldn't have responded? Why didn't they respond to Bye Bye GI - In Iraq You're Gonna Die! or any of the other crude death wishes?

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by Roonie

That is a difficult question to ask. Why would these three guys stand by while this petite woman bartender gets beat up by an off duty cop that is three times the size she is just because she cut him off on the alcohol? Do you think the guys watching think this type of behavior is acceptable to them? In other words they accept it and allow it to take place?

(warning link is a little graphic)

EBAUMSWORLD - Funny Pictures, Hilarious Videos, Flash Games and Jokes

ebaumsworld has a lot of spyware crap on it now so i'll stay away.

There's a lot of incidents like that and I think you have a point. There was a very popular incident that I believe happened in Chicago where a man beat a woman to death in the street, everyone sat there and watched and nobody called the police (before cell phones). They all just assumed someone else would do it. So essentially hundreds of people watched for 20 minutes as a woman was publicly beat to death.

But I think although that's a wonderful point and good job bringing it up. I just don't understand if there was an anti-something else protest they would have responded. Perhaps the seriousness and severity of it held a shock factor and prevented people from responding?

[thomez]

Originally Posted by JaJae

Then why didn't they do that much? That's all I'm saying. Why didn't two people say "Hey that ain't right?" Why didn't they drown out their death wishes of our troops as they would if I had started a pro-Bush chant? If I had gone there and started screaming Four More Years like a lunatic you think the crowd wouldn't have responded? Why didn't they respond to Bye Bye GI - In Iraq You're Gonna Die! or any of the other crude death wishes?

I have no idea, though I imagine most were content to simply view the whole ridiculous spectacle and not rock the boat.

What would you have done? I'm curious.

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by thomez

I have no idea, though I imagine most were content to simply view the whole ridiculous spectacle and not rock the boat.

What would you have done? I'm curious.

Honestly, I probably would have said something like "That's fucked up" loud enough so the chanters could hear and walked away. If I was there when people cheering I probably would have yelled at the people in the crowd and called someone an asshole or something.

EDIT: I think the issue would come into play if enough people said something to show their disapproval eventually it would have been more likely for people to protest it. But everyone stayed silent. If just a few people were to say "that's fucked up" I bet most of those people there would have started doing something. But the people there didn't have the will or the balls to say something.

[JaJae]

A reporter went undercover to this event as a pro-war supporter.

In a town that claims to believe in free speech, WW wanted to see what happens to those who don’t parrot the popular line.

What followed was an hour and a half of ridicule, threats and condescension—peppered by a few high-fives from antiwar marchers for “having balls.”…

The most common suggestion was to enlist in the military and go fight the war. Dozens of protesters branded me a “chicken hawk,” as did a local blogger who posted photos after the rally.

But some also clearly relished the opportunity to engage the enemy. Lines formed of people waiting to get a piece. They questioned U.S. foreign policy and my morality like they were talking to a stubborn schoolkid. They suggested I “do some reading.”

“A lot of people are brainwashed by Fox News and Rush Limbaugh, and he’s one of them,” Peter Wylie, a 59-year-old photographer, told WW intern Nicholas Deshais, who followed me as a reporter to help with chronicling what happened.

Others were more welcoming, shaking hands and thanking me for showing up.

They'll protest this guy, but say nothing about what these anarchists did.

[Pro Street]

Originally Posted by JaJae

A reporter went undercover to this event as a pro-war supporter.

you would see that in the opposite also