Today we have several examples of hashtag (stochastic) violence and terrorism and leaderless resistance. First up is a thwarted militia plot from Kansas. Three Kansan militia men were arrested today by the FBI and are now in the Sedgewick County Jail awaiting arraignment for plotting to attack an apartment complex housing Somali refugee families and a mosque in Garden City, KS on 9 November (h/t: Charles Johnson at LGF).
JUST IN: Officials confirm the arrest of three militia planning to attack housing complex & mosque in Garden City, Kansas.
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) October 14, 2016
Next up, from yesterday actually, we have two fine, upstanding Trump supporters that decided to demonstrate that support by standing in front of Jane Dittmer’s campaign office in Palmyra, VA for 12 hours while legally open carrying handguns. Daniel Parks, who organized this two man protest, had this to say:
I’m just trying to provide a voice for someone who might be closet supporters of Trump. Other people that are a little worried to speak out because of possible persecution. We’re not a threat to anybody, the only threat is ignorance, and ignorance will breed fear.
Su Wolff who was onsite at the time volunteering in Ditmmer’s campaign office said:
He turned sideways to be sure that we would see that he has an open carry gun, which is legal, it’s fine, but it’s intimidating,” she said of one protester. “If he wants to support his candidate that’s fine, but don’t come here and stare into the office all day.
It is important to note that Virginia is a legal open carry state. That said, Mr. Parks remarks about the “only threat is ignorance and ignorance will breed fear” is part of the open carry argument of gun normalization. Gun normalization is the argument (belief?) that if open carry is legal, people will see open carriers open carrying and when they don’t see open carriers do anything threatening or illegal or anything bad happen, then they will stop being afraid of guns and the people that carry them – openly or otherwise.
Finally, we get to Trump’s own rally in Greensboro, NC where a couple of his supporters in attendance decided to rough up a protestor that displayed the American flag upside down, which is the classic symbol for distress.
Trump was interrupted by a protester in Greensboro and this happened: pic.twitter.com/Hzc2Z82gNu
— Holly Bailey (@hollybdc) October 14, 2016
Only 26 days to go… Stay frosty!
Today in Hashtag Violence, Terrorism, and Leaderless Resistance.Post + Comments (271)