Where is the National Guard?

[Umbran]

I'm not a historian, or even the smartest girl in the room most of the time. I know in school there was a movie they used to show around the time of learning about the constitution. It was a musical comedy about the writing, and during the votes one of the reps says something like "I am here to do what is right even if the people tell me otherwise" it was more profound though... I wish I new the name of the movie or the character/historical figure I would google it.

Nightwind1 got it, I think. The play is 1776. The character is Dr. Lyman Hall, who was a representative to the Second Continental Congress from Georgia.

"Dr. Lyman Hall: I'm sorry if I startled you. I couldn't sleep. In trying to resolve my dilemma I remembered something I'd once read, "that a representative owes the People not only his industry, but his judgment, and he betrays them if he sacrifices it to their opinion."
[He smiles]
Dr. Lyman Hall: It was written by Edmund Burke, a member of the British Parliament."

Which is ironic, because Hall's judgement was then to vote for independence from Britain, against his people's desires.

 

[MechaPilot]

Dr. Lyman Hall: It was written by Edmund Burke, a member of the British Parliament."

Which is ironic, because Hall's judgement was then to vote for independence from Britain, against his people's desires.

Edmund Burke. Isn't that the same fellow to whom the saying "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing" is attributed?

 

[MechaPilot]

Doesn't amount to the camel's nose in the tent that you'd prefer, though.

Considering that you don't actually know what my preferences are, it's so nice of you to judge me from a position of ignorance like that.

 

[MechaPilot]

republicans passed the civil rights act

No. The people who were sitting republicans more than 50 years ago passed the civil rights act. You can pretend that today's republicans are the same if you wish, but they are not. Lincoln and Reagan couldn't ever rise to the level of the Republican party's presidential candidate in the context of the modern Republican party.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Some armed right wing extremists have broken into a US federal wildlife refuge and are willing to kill to make their point. http://gawker.com/sons-of-noted-racist-vigilante-are-willing-to-kill-in-s-1750764305

Where is the National Guard? When black people protest in the street, the National Guard is called pretty quickly. Why isn't the public behind shooting those right wing extremists? They are breaking the law and are obviously dangerous. The public is always for the shooting of black people who were breaking the law and danerous, even if they were not armed.

If they were black, hispanic/latin, or middle eastern, they would already be dead. Period. They would have been dead before they got out of their trucks.

And even if they somehow survived this long, it would only be in a hostile standoff with fully militarized local, state and federal law enforcement, and national guard support. There would likely be at least 3 armored vehicles involved, and every media outlet in the country would be calling them terrorists.

The idea that the National Guard isn't there because it's a different tactical situation is pure nonsense. They aren't there because armed white men aren't engaged with armed intervention, unless they actually shoot someone. Barring shots fired, a lot of the time they're taken alive if it can possibly be accomplished, so long as when the fuzz shows up, they don't actually shoot at said fuzz. Even if it requires days of talking them down. Hell, they can even point their guns at federal agents, explicitely threaten to kill feds who try to interfere with them, and they still get kid gloves.

But gods forbid a black preteen have a fake gun on a playground. Then it's shoot on sight.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

No, it isn't. Stuff is usually burning to the ground before the NG gets called in.

lol sure.

or black people are peacefully protesting.

or college kids are occupying a park somewhere.

the national guard is used to squash protests so that they can't serve the vital democratic function they are meant to serve.