It’s the state and city government at fault for the fact that Antifa takes over Portland again — here are John Stonestreet and David Carlson:
Politics ‘By Any Means Necessary’
America’s founders believed that the freedom to express political and religious opinions, even unpopular ones, was central to self-government. Still, the freedom of speech, like all freedoms, has its limits. We can’t just shout “Fire!” in a crowded theater, for example.
Antifa, a group of leftist radicals, believes differently. Any ideas other than their own are not only wrong, they’re dangerous and must be shut down by, and I quote, “any means necessary.”
These are more than words. Just ask Quillette journalist Andy Ngo, a conservative, who has been documenting Antifa violence for a while now. This past weekend, in Portland, he was recording an Antifa mob as they “protested” another rally held by a right-wing group called “The Proud Boys.” Protesting is as American as apple pie. It’s especially common in Portland. But if you’re wearing a ski mask and holding a baseball bat, protester might not be the right word for you.
Antifa knew in advance that Ngo would be there, and he expressed concern for his own safety on social media before going. His concerns turned out to be valid. He was pelted with milkshakes, sprayed with silly string, then punched and kicked to the point that he was bleeding and had to go to the emergency room.
The media coverage, to put it lightly, was odd. CBS described the event only as a clash between Antifa and right-wing groups. The only mention of Ngo was that he claimed on Twitter to have been attacked. Never mind the fact that a journalist from the Portland Oregonian had filmed it.
Left-wing blogger Jesse Signal rightly called the attack insane, listing and documenting other journalists also physically assaulted by Antifa. But many others of the Punderati on the Left debated whether or not Ngo had it coming to him, and whether his politics made him an acceptable target for violence.
Read more: Breakpoint
