Friday, December 31, 2021

False equivalencies: The right wing whines Jan 6 rioters were treated worse than George Floyd rioters

 As usual, those supporting the right-wing when complaining about unequal treatment of the Jan 6 rioters are quick to make a "what about" the George Floyd rioters. First, it is sheer BS that George Floyd protestors were not prosecuted. Per an Associated Press study "An Associated Press review of court documents in more than 300 federal cases stemming from the protests sparked by George Floyd’s death last year shows that dozens of people charged have been convicted of serious crimes and sent to prison."https://apnews.com/.../records-rebut-claims-jan-6-rioters...

Two wrongs do not make a right, but false equivalencies are at play here. Jan 6 was not your mother's riot that was simply fomented by anger and protests.. That is the point of the recent judicial rulings.. the leaders did more than attack the police and commit vandalism. They are charged with felonies because they came prepared for violence with the purpose of preventing an official government procedure, a felony crime, not just a misdemeanor one. Most of the hundreds of rioters who participated in Jan. 6 were charged with vandalism and criminal trespass,, but the ones charged with felonies who attacked police and fomented the capitol violence also led the rioters into the building, came prepared to overturn the certification of an election, intended to do it, such as the proud boys, and tried to do it, but failed. Those who planned the riot as part of their coup plans are in a different category and could also involve the coup planners as committing felonies if they coordinated with the "militias" and proud boys. That is what is being investigated by the Jan.6 select committee.
At first, the propaganda from the right said the Jan 6 violence was committed by Antifa, remember? The right-wing talkers knew it was not good public relations and visuals for their cause, but tried to frame black people waving the confederate flag (and disguised as white people?} I have not heard much of that BS lately. No Antifa members were among the nearly 600 charged by the FBI and identified as riot participants and leaders of the attempt to stop the certification.

Footnote: In another social media page, I got this from a devotee of Trump that no resurrection was charged, so no crimes were committed..Such comments reveal a profound ignorance of the criminal legal process. .My response"To claim that no crimes were committed because no "insurrection" is charged is exceedingly deceptive ..... That is is the point I made. January 6 was itself not the insurrection...It was part of what is becoming more evident, a part of a coup that failed. The participants nd those who planned Jan 6. are subject to different other criminal statutes and the degrees of misdemeanors and felonies, depending on the kind of their acts. Some were charged with criminal trespass and vandalism; some who attacked police got a different charge; some who planned and paid for the attempt to stop an official procedure, are getting another. and that one is the heavyweight charge that could blow back on those who were not part of the mob rioters, but who was responsible for funding and setting them in motion or failed to stop the riot. ..That is what also could ensnare Trump and the Willard Hotel war room participants and even some congresspeople. Some did them all; some did one, and some did another. The case law is that if a felony is committed, (as the judge ruled the proud boys did), those who were behind that, funded it, and planned it...are equally guilty if evidence beyond a reasonable doubt is found they did so. The Jan 6 commission is only exposing testimony they found and they will only be able to refer their findings to the Dept of Justice for further action. At that point, those accused are innocent until they are found guilty..But the political fallout could be based on where there is smoke there is fire. Those who are devoted to Trump will go down to their graves believing there was no fire, but the result could be to inspire turnout on the left fueled by outrage and anger. "

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