Absolute nonsense and hogwash, with zero shown basis in fact. Thankfully just empty words on paper, of no actual legal constitution, but the intent of the administration to go after people they don't like, to create an illusion of shadowy forces to justify their own violence & misdeeds, is clear & wicked.
Makes sense. If something is terrorisms has always been about alignment of values and to a facist, anti-facists would 100% register as terrorists. Good to see the current US admin admitting it more openly, not that they have been particularly coy about it the last few months.
> Antifa as a Terrorist Threat. Antifa is a militarist, anarchist enterprise that explicitly calls for the overthrow of the United States Government, law enforcement authorities, and our system of law.
Does it? Or does it call for the Trump administration to be overthrown?
Perhaps this is going to go like in the UK, where Palestine Action was proscribed, with the secondary effect that anyone who expresses support for Palestine Action is designated a terrorist even if they're not formally a member.
1. The concept of "domestic terrorist organization" not a thing under any US law. Further, there exists no such organization in observable reality.
2. "All relevant executive departments and agencies shall utilize all applicable authorities to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle any and all illegal operations" is … nothing, because that's what federal law enforcement is already charged with.
The most troubling aspect of this EO is that Antifa is not an actual organization, nor even a centrally organized movement. It doesn't have a recognized leader, nor does it have a cohesive or consistent ideology. In short, it's not an it.
True, there are groups that have claimed to be anti-fascist and have protested the administration's actions. But much of this activity has been spontaneous rather than organized. The word "Antifa" is more of a derogatory term from the right than a term used by an organized group with countable members.
Because of the fuzziness of what Antifa actually is and who counts as a member, this EO gives the federal government the ability to label people as domestic terrorists using a very broad definition. Given this administration's habit of pushing the bounds of its interpretive authority, I worry that this will have a chilling effect on protected political speech and protest.
I got flagged yesterday for this post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45327333 (Ask HN: Is America Going to Become an Autocracy?). I got advised to stop reading twitter, so I added it to my /etc/hosts file, but it seems like the current administration is doing everything to scare me away. I'm legitimately wondering if I should move away from the US now.
Honestly if you're not a US citizen, it's probably best to leave. The current admin has proven they have no problem abusing even legal immigrants. Now that big tech et. al. have taken Trump's side, Democrats are showing they have no interest in getting in the way.
Can't wait to be told to also stop reading Twitter (never have anyway) but like genuinely, once you see a legal resident deported illegally without due process, how could you feel safe as an immigrant? I really don't think i could
I don't think that's necessary, but it might give you some perspective. Perhaps you'll appreciate America more after spending some time away from her, and if not, "self-deportation" might ultimately prove to be of mutual benefit to the country and those most contemptuous of it.
As far as I know, Antifa is not a true, actual organization, but more of a rallying cry and a cause for people to self-identify with. I genuinely wonder if Trump (or rather, the top people around him) understand full and well that it is not an organization…
If they think it is an actual organization, then they’re confused and acting based on memes. It would be incompetence backed by the full force of the US government.
If they know it’s not an actual organization, then this is a ruse to slap federal prison time on protesters, if they’ve ever liked a blog post calling for the dismantling of fascism, etc.
The thing about terrorists is you can shoot live bullets at protesting terrorists and hold survivors in offshore military prisons, and anyone with a problem with this are supporting terrorism. It might even become legal.
Antifa is just short for Anti-Fascist. Their only goal is stopping fascism. If you see them as a threat, you're saying that you are a fascist.
Also, it's not an organisation, but a mindset that all people who oppose fascism share. And most of those oppose fascism in peaceful ways that don't hurt anyone.
The new McCarthyism by metaphorically blaming bogeyman and outlawing them. And it's no coincidence that Trump's mentor, Ray Cohn, was an active participant in the Army–McCarthy hearings where lives were destroyed for ideological "purification".
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[ 3.0 ms ] story [ 41.9 ms ] threadAmerica should be fighting fascists!
Does it? Or does it call for the Trump administration to be overthrown?
It's not even frightening - just comical.
1. The concept of "domestic terrorist organization" not a thing under any US law. Further, there exists no such organization in observable reality.
2. "All relevant executive departments and agencies shall utilize all applicable authorities to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle any and all illegal operations" is … nothing, because that's what federal law enforcement is already charged with.
True, there are groups that have claimed to be anti-fascist and have protested the administration's actions. But much of this activity has been spontaneous rather than organized. The word "Antifa" is more of a derogatory term from the right than a term used by an organized group with countable members.
Because of the fuzziness of what Antifa actually is and who counts as a member, this EO gives the federal government the ability to label people as domestic terrorists using a very broad definition. Given this administration's habit of pushing the bounds of its interpretive authority, I worry that this will have a chilling effect on protected political speech and protest.
Can't wait to be told to also stop reading Twitter (never have anyway) but like genuinely, once you see a legal resident deported illegally without due process, how could you feel safe as an immigrant? I really don't think i could
I don't think that's necessary, but it might give you some perspective. Perhaps you'll appreciate America more after spending some time away from her, and if not, "self-deportation" might ultimately prove to be of mutual benefit to the country and those most contemptuous of it.
If they think it is an actual organization, then they’re confused and acting based on memes. It would be incompetence backed by the full force of the US government.
If they know it’s not an actual organization, then this is a ruse to slap federal prison time on protesters, if they’ve ever liked a blog post calling for the dismantling of fascism, etc.
Also, it's not an organisation, but a mindset that all people who oppose fascism share. And most of those oppose fascism in peaceful ways that don't hurt anyone.
He does not allow politic posts.