Silly, BOAZ.

You're putting the cart before the horse.

#70 | POSTED BY JOHNNY_HOTSAUCE

I've been following our comments about this matter and find you to be far more convincing.

And you're suggestions have been corroborated on other websites that I frequent.

The couple in question had no reasonable fear of their lives. If they had, they would not have exposed themselves (barefoot and all) beyond the walls of their refuge. The idea that they were attempting to protect their property is based on the hypothetical that the protesters exhibited violence, which the only evidence suggesting that happened involved a gate at the entrance to the community. Was the couple aware of the gate's destruction prior to walking out of the house? Sincere question, that would justify a modicum of fear. But even so, that justification is swiped away the minute they step foot outside of their confines pointing weapons at people. I'll explain more on this point in a minute...

No matter what right you have to 'protect your property,' your egregious actions must be justifiable based on a reasonable sense of fear. A comparison to the liquor store owners during the L.A. riots is an apt comparison here to illustrate how the situations are apples and oranges. Liquor store owners had seen the rash of looting and destruction leading up to their decision to take action. Stores around their businesses had already been looted and burned, reasonably justifying their sense of fear. This situation had no such context for the couple to consider. The only sense of danger they had came from what they were watching on TV that was taking place outside of their community. They made an immediate association, that was based on hyperbole, that influenced their reaction.

It's one thing to walk outside of your protective confines with an AR-15 slung over your shoulder (many anti-quarantine protesters proved this), just observing the group walking by. It's a totally different situation to hold your weapon at the ready, engaging in taunts with the crowd, and occasionally pointing the weapon at the people. That's not reasonable behavior as a reaction to reasonable fear.

I ask, please someone, convince me otherwise.

I would make a show of force too.
#79 | POSTED BY E1G1

Why?

They weren't trespassing. Look up the definition if you need to, but a show of force against a group of people walking by is reasonable on what planet?

Or did this couple, and would you hypothetically, have a sense of guilt behind the wonder of why this group of people are walking down their (your) street?

IOW, what did they (you) do to expect violence to come upon your front lawn (that never actually materialized, but they [you] were so worried about)?

#26 | POSTED BY BILLY_BOY

This has less to do with the Taliban than it does with Trump and Russia. The point being that Russia is doing this while also begging Trump, who is following right along, to advocate for Russia to be let back into the G7.

Again, Trump is going right along with it. So, should this all be true, especially the part that Trump has known about it for months if not a year while simultaneously advocating for Russia's re-admittance, there's a credible argument to suggest Trump is aiding and abetting our enemies.

That's a problem. One in which voters should be aware of in an election year.

Isn't Rand Paul a doctor?

So he's saying people shouldn't presume he knows what he's talking about?

WTF?

JFC.

FML.

#7 | POSTED BY DOCNJO

This fool thinks it's justified to commit a mass shooting against a group of people that tore down a gate.

Take a ---- and get some perspective.

So, IOW, we need to be testing far more to identify those who could potentially be super spreaders.

Yet Bone Head in Chief doesn't want more testing, he wants less. That means a higher chance that super spreaders will spread the virus further. Couple that with his indifference relating to wearing masks, Trump is leading us in the complete wrong direction.

I'd say this would be decent news to consider had someone else been at the helm. This little silver lining doesn't mean anything when our leadership is walking us off the cliff.

#9 | POSTED BY TKNEES

The assumption is safely becoming a presumption.

Recent reports reveal captured Taliban fighters talking about bounties from the Russians.

There's so much smoke, it's difficult to see the flames. The idea that there is no fire has become a self-soothing mantra for Trumpers.

And people are clamoring for this to increase? Nothing is going back to normal until we have a vaccine.

Anybody hear about China implementing their Phase III vaccine trial? Instead of going through the typical Phase III process, they will provide vaccinations to large segments of their military.

Should this work, China will be ahead of the rest of the world, providing them a major boost in their geopolitical standing even when facing blame for the viruses initial spread.

There have been 2 deaths this year. GIVE UP.
#21 | POSTED BY SNIPER

Never took SNIPER as one to lack all sense of principle.

Yet, here we are.

What did the US not do that Germany did?
#77 | POSTED BY MADBOMBER

Such a great question.

Germany made mask-wearing apolitical. Trump chose the other end of the spectrum.
#82 | POSTED BY DANFORTH

Far more testing and contact tracing three months ago.
#84 | POSTED BY SNOOFY

Brandishing a weapon is a far more egregious charge than trespassing.

Considering the protesters were told to move along and EVERYONE complied, there's no justification for trespassing charges against anyone.

Brandishing weapons, though? Definite justification.

Most people would be fired if they went MIA from the job for 3 hours.
#22 | POSTED BY CLOWNSHACK

Most people would have been fired for getting a-------- in the office from the intern. Most people would have been fired for lying about it.

Most people don't end up in the White House. The presidency is the only space where you can not only get away with numerous crimes, but it's a place where it's almost impossible to get fired.

This is the big problem I have with the two party system: not that it forces a choice between two evils, but that the two evils are protected tooth and nail, regardless of their nefarious, corrupt, immoral, criminal behavior, by the parties that got them elected.

Tribalism is tearing any sense of accountability right from the American political lexicon. This spreads the notion that law is illegitimate; this creates the exact climate that influences people to commit crime (check out 'legitimacy theory and procedural justice' by Tom Tyler).

This environment is built from the top down, utilizing the ONLY sentiment of bipartisanship available: Protect our own at all costs.

I'm not going to contend this 'American Experiment' is failing, but we're barely pulling a C-, irrespective of all those 'Patriots' insisting there is no where better on the planet to live or to create a living.

So why is he not doing anything about it?
#16 | POSTED BY LAMPLIGHTER

He's still hoping it's not true, just like he was in March of 2020 when Bolton told him the same story.

His life philosophy that things will just eventually go away if he ignores them was put in play here just as it was with COVID-19. He's the antithesis to the quality 'taking initiative;' fully embodies the worst components of apathy; while simultaneously presenting himself as the greatest defender of democracy the planet has ever witnessed.

In short, he's nothing more than a god damn conman.

"One of the other things that Donald Trump did that I think was truly remarkable, that he gets no credit for, is that he got government out of the way," she continued. "He allowed American companies to step up " American ingenuity to take over, when we needed supplies and resources. He cut the red tape, and let Americans do what they do best."
deadstate.org
#22 | POSTED BY GAL_TUESDAY

She thinks it's great Trump allowed private companies to raid the tax payer funded emergency reserves.

She's a despicable sycophant with zero moral compass, just like her father (the true irony of the Huckabee family) and previous employer.

Abracadabra...poof...
#111 | POSTED BY BILLJOHNSON

Nice to see you are not presenting an argument in good faith.

Always nice to know who is worthwhile to converse with around here. Makes it easier when you folks out yourselves so I don't have to waste my time reading your drivel.

JFC.

All that American Exceptionalism goes right out the window during a pandemic.

Zero accountability while simultaneously claiming we're the greatest nation on the planet. That there proves we are not.

Thanks Trumpers. You've outted us as exactly that.

They are defending their property.
#71 | POSTED BY SNIPER

In the most idiotic way possible.

Then-national security adviser John Bolton also told colleagues he briefed Trump on the intelligence assessment in March 2019.

Trump knew. Whether he considered the information as significant and can now remember of the message as it was delivered is inconsequential. Or at least, it should be.

Your ABC News link was reporting on an Associated Press report.

This is NOT fake news.

They've known since March 2019.
#27 | POSTED BY CLOWNSHACK

I don't even know how to respond.

What does this mean? I'm lost for words.

Guilty.

Livin' it up...quarantined in my office in North Park.

Russia over America.
#7 | POSTED BY BORED

What was that t-shirt?

Better Russian than Democrat?

This god damn well better be the nail in is political coffin.

Says the guy who works for the aliens.
#18 | POSTED BY HELIUMRAT

You said he does what now?