they were committing a crime. They weren't criminals like you are when you break into a store, they were revolutionaries protecting their country. At least in their heads.
We need to stop pretending these were petty criminals and realize that this was an attempted coup. That's why they didn't bother covering their tracks. You don't attempt a coup unless you think you're gonna win, and if you win you don't need to cover your tracks.
Look at them. Committing illegal acts every day. Protesting against the military Coup is against Myanmar law!
They are all breaking the Mynanmar law and deserve to be punished severely.
Likewise the likes of MLK and Malcom X during the civil rights movement made all sorts of statements that would be thought treasonous by the modern left.
The Capitol idiots were obviously not in the same class as common criminals. They were fighting for something (confused) that they genuinely believed in.
The most heinous crimes were always committed for higher goals. It allows oneself to think: "Some of you will suffer. Some of you will not return. Some of you will die. But that's a sacrifice I am willing to make."
To be fair to their viewpoint, they don't believe Biden was elected. This has no basis in fact (that anyone has shown at any rate) but it is their belief.
Keep in mind, reforming section 230 is the moderate position. Trump and many in the GOP wanted to remove it entirely.
I kinda get the idea the guy carrying a bunch of zip ties around (exactly the sort sometimes used as handcuffs) wasn't just looking to knock over a couple podiums.
Side point: it's confusing when you do that thing where the first part of your sentence is in the title and the rest is in the comment. It just looks like you're saying "they were committing a crime".
We need to stop pretending these were petty criminals and realize that this was an attempted coup. That's why they didn't bother covering their tracks.
Obama swamp: "if you are doing nothing wrong you have nothing to hide" Biden swamp:"if you have nothing to hide you are doing something wrong"
Hanging Mike Pence would have been a crime in a revolution? I can't convince myself of that. The revolutions I remember did not have such a thing.
They fell into categories like: 1. "War" : e.g. Osama bin Laden declared a "war" on the US on 9/11, and was killed as an act of war. So not illegal, in the regular civil manner, to kill him. Similarly dropping atomic bomb was not illegal. In Germany after WWII, holocausting officers were prosecuted but maybe only because Germany lost.
This changes the dynamics a bit from 'all are guilty of violently invading the capitol to' 'some through they were being allowed in'.
No. Rather it changes it to "all are guilty of violently invading the capitol, and some even received assistance from accomplices letting them in rather than doing their job and keeping them out".
It doesn't make things better. It makes things worse.
Most criminals know to leave their phone powered off while committing crimes. Or even turned on, at home.
Except these criminals were recorded by the media, cameras within the Capitol, and even posted videos of themselves trying to locate and kill elected officials.
As was said a bit above, not the sharpest knives in the drawer.
Most criminals know to leave their phone powered off while committing crimes.
Not really. Consider them to be in the upper percentile if they just avoid taking selfies while committing a crime.
The problem with the people who stormed the capitol is that their status as a terrorist or revolutionary depends on who wins. Had they prevailed, the evidence of their exploits would have made them out to be heroes.
I'd be curious what the overlap is between this group and the "the-covid-vaccine-is-Bill-Gates's-microchip-to-track-you" group. I'm sure some are paranoid about having the government track their location, yet totally happy constantly posting about their location and having cell records track... their location.
I wish I could find a way to make money or power things with cognitive dissonance.
Had they prevailed, the evidence of their exploits would have made them out to be heroes.
No. No it wouldn't. They would not be heroes. Might does not make right anymore. Those people did not have the support of America. Had they "succeeded" at their short term goals, they would still not be accepted as the legitimate government. There is more to the legitimacy of the current government than just guns pointed at the populace.
Seriously, what exactly do you think would have happened had they completely taken over the Capitol and killed whomever they wanted? Do you think Trump would be sitting in t
Of course, this shitty location data would never stand up in court. Cell phone location data is notoriously unreliable, especially when you're inside a building.
Hell, the "find my iPhone" feature on my iPad and iPhone often shows my location as being at the gas station 200 feet across the street from where I live when I'm looking for my devices. If that gas station gets robbed, does that make me a prime suspect? Of course not.
Derp (Score:2)
Most criminals know to leave their phone powered off while committing crimes. Or even turned on, at home.
If you really need a phone while doing crime, go buy a disposable one, or better yet, have some homeless guy go buy one for you.
None of these people thought (Score:5, Insightful)
We need to stop pretending these were petty criminals and realize that this was an attempted coup. That's why they didn't bother covering their tracks. You don't attempt a coup unless you think you're gonna win, and if you win you don't need to cover your tracks.
Re: (Score:2)
They wanted to make a statement not stage a coup.
Trying to forcing the Legislative to appoint someone as President who was not elected is staging a coup, not just a statement.
To be fair it is a statement (Score:2)
Criminals in Myanmar (Score:1)
Look at them. Committing illegal acts every day. Protesting against the military Coup is against Myanmar law!
They are all breaking the Mynanmar law and deserve to be punished severely.
Likewise the likes of MLK and Malcom X during the civil rights movement made all sorts of statements that would be thought treasonous by the modern left.
The Capitol idiots were obviously not in the same class as common criminals. They were fighting for something (confused) that they genuinely believed in.
Does not mean we sh
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Keep in mind, reforming section 230 is the moderate position. Trump and many in the GOP wanted to remove it entirely.
I kinda get the idea the guy carrying a bunch of zip ties around (exactly the sort sometimes used as handcuffs) wasn't just looking to knock over a couple podiums.
Re: (Score:2)
Side point: it's confusing when you do that thing where the first part of your sentence is in the title and the rest is in the comment. It just looks like you're saying "they were committing a crime".
Re: (Score:1)
We need to stop pretending these were petty criminals and realize that this was an attempted coup. That's why they didn't bother covering their tracks.
Obama swamp: "if you are doing nothing wrong you have nothing to hide"
Biden swamp:"if you have nothing to hide you are doing something wrong"
Re: (Score:2)
Some of them were hiding their faces, and we know how much they hate wearing masks.
In any case, even in a revolution things like hanging Mike Pence would still be a crime.
Re: None of these people thought (Score:2)
Hanging Mike Pence would have been a crime in a revolution? I can't convince myself of that. The revolutions I remember did not have such a thing.
They fell into categories like :
1. "War" : e.g. Osama bin Laden declared a "war" on the US on 9/11, and was killed as an act of war. So not illegal, in the regular civil manner, to kill him. Similarly dropping atomic bomb was not illegal. In Germany after WWII, holocausting officers were prosecuted but maybe only because Germany lost.
2. Bloodless coups, or ones wi
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Of course murder would still be a crime. They could arrest him and try him in court for his supposed crimes.
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This changes the dynamics a bit from 'all are guilty of violently invading the capitol to' 'some through they were being allowed in'.
No. Rather it changes it to "all are guilty of violently invading the capitol, and some even received assistance from accomplices letting them in rather than doing their job and keeping them out".
It doesn't make things better. It makes things worse.
Re: (Score:2)
Doesn't America still have the death penalty for terrorists who get caught?
Re:Derp (Score:5, Insightful)
Most criminals know to leave their phone powered off while committing crimes. Or even turned on, at home.
Except these criminals were recorded by the media, cameras within the Capitol, and even posted videos of themselves trying to locate and kill elected officials.
As was said a bit above, not the sharpest knives in the drawer.
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If only they had covered their faces with something.
Like, some kind of mask?
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No need to wait on history, the livestreams and posts were being lauded on social media as it was happening.
Then, many of them ended up removing their own posts in the next day's hangover.... c-c-c-censorship!
Re:Derp (Score:5, Insightful)
Most criminals know to leave their phone powered off while committing crimes.
Not really. Consider them to be in the upper percentile if they just avoid taking selfies while committing a crime.
The problem with the people who stormed the capitol is that their status as a terrorist or revolutionary depends on who wins. Had they prevailed, the evidence of their exploits would have made them out to be heroes.
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I'd be curious what the overlap is between this group and the "the-covid-vaccine-is-Bill-Gates's-microchip-to-track-you" group. I'm sure some are paranoid about having the government track their location, yet totally happy constantly posting about their location and having cell records track... their location.
I wish I could find a way to make money or power things with cognitive dissonance.
Re: (Score:2)
Had they prevailed, the evidence of their exploits would have made them out to be heroes.
No. No it wouldn't. They would not be heroes. Might does not make right anymore. Those people did not have the support of America. Had they "succeeded" at their short term goals, they would still not be accepted as the legitimate government. There is more to the legitimacy of the current government than just guns pointed at the populace.
Seriously, what exactly do you think would have happened had they completely taken over the Capitol and killed whomever they wanted? Do you think Trump would be sitting in t
Re: (Score:2)
Of course, this shitty location data would never stand up in court. Cell phone location data is notoriously unreliable, especially when you're inside a building.
Hell, the "find my iPhone" feature on my iPad and iPhone often shows my location as being at the gas station 200 feet across the street from where I live when I'm looking for my devices. If that gas station gets robbed, does that make me a prime suspect? Of course not.
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Since the capitol has its own cell-"towers" and the walls nicely block the signal, this data is far better than usual.