Andy Ngo, a gay Asian-American journalist, was evidently badly beaten by members of Antifa in Portland, Oregon recently. As Ngo was beaten, Antifa members continued to chant, “No hate!” Ngo recalled he was videoing the march of Antifa members who had gathered to resist “Fascist violence” when he was attacked. The hypocrisy boggles the mind, but Danielle Greenbaum Davis offered one explanation.
“If we agree that, as a general rule, violence is a tool like any other that can, and sometimes should, be wielded in an attempt to quell further violence, then once the Antifa activists determined that Ngo’s speech is violent, it is both logical and consistent that they would use violence to thwart him. This is bad news for just about everyone.”
This means free speech in opposition to progressive dogma constitutes violence in the minds of these people and one’s mere presence is reason enough to use violence. I simply cannot understand why more Americans are not deeply disturbed over the images of masked marchers beating people for having a contrary political view. Today, we frequently hear politicians and journalists fling the accusation of Nazism, concentration camps and other vestiges of Hitler’s brutal and evil regime. Yet they seem not to recognize it when they actually see it. Nazi Storm Troopers wandered the streets of Germany terrorizing Jews and others at will, a collection of thugs who were state sanctioned to beat up, vandalize or otherwise harass those who did not have the approval of the state.
Andy Ngo, gay and a person of color, is certainly receiving different treatment by much of the media than Jussie Smollett who apparently faked his own beating in Chicago. The words “hate crime” were flung about with abandon back then, while many of the same people say Ngo deserved what happened to him. Progressives talk of unity and claim for themselves the mantle of “tolerance”, but the images of masked marchers hurling objects, insults and vile profanities at a conservative young journalist of color put the lie to that. The images have gone viral online and are nothing less than sickening. Ngo’s crime seems to be his continued exposure of manufactured hate crimes. The video shows Ngo being surrounded by masked attackers who pummeled, punched and poured a “milkshake” over him. As Ngo fled, one Antifa member threw an object at his back.
The warriors of Twitter, supposedly representing popular opinion are bereft of common decency, much less civil decency. A state of lawlessness seems to be just hunky dory if it is in support of leftist views. Everyone, right or left, should have the human decency and intelligence to condemn the use of violence well before it gets out of hand. What is happening is a segment of our population is condoning the use of violence to stamp out political opposition. That is, of course, a road to totalitarianism and anarchy.
Law enforcement seems reluctant to do anything in an age when the police are accused of inciting rioters and violence by doing their jobs. Americans certainly have the unfettered right to assemble peaceably, meaning the right to gather and protest is not absolute. The idea that attacking an unarmed person whose views one doesn’t agree with is somehow noble or mighty fine should be horrifying to any American. There was a time when many leftists supported anti-masking laws. The idea that anonymity grants one the right to do whatever he wants is appalling. That was the idea behind those states that banned the use of masks of the Ku Klux Klan. Many Klan members claimed their right to wear a mask was constitutionally protected free speech, an argument now employed by some who support Antifa. Right or left, no organization should countenance wearing a mask while protesting. The hypocrisy is as astonishing as it is vile. If a protest is peaceful why would one object to showing his face?
For the moment, this is still America and we should all act like Americans. One congresswoman has suggested those who make fun of public officials online should be charged with a crime. Free speech is under assault, which is the path to dictatorship. Violence breeds hatred quicker than anything I can think of and we will lose our country as a result. Irrespective of our political views, none of us should condone the use of violence.
What was done to Andy Ngo really was a hate crime. Let us recognize it and call it what it is and denounce it.
