2 standoffs in Oregon show differing views of US response

[Judi Lynn]

Rebecca Boone and Michael Kunzelman, Associated Press
Updated 3:57 am CDT, Thursday, July 23, 2020

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — When armed protesters took over a remote wildlife refuge in eastern Oregon four years ago to oppose federal control of public lands, U.S. agents negotiated with the conservative occupiers for weeks while some state leaders begged for stronger action.

This month, federal officers sent to Portland to quell chaotic protests against racial injustice took swift and, some say, harsh action: launching tear gas, firing less-lethal ammunition and helping arrest more than 40 people in the first two weeks. State leaders are imploring federal forces to leave the progressive city, saying they're escalating a volatile situation.

The reaction from state leaders, protesters and anti-government groups to the U.S. response to two disparate situations shows the inconsistencies in how both sides view federal intervention, often based on the politics of who's protesting and who's cracking down.

J.J. MacNab, a fellow at George Washington University’s Program on Extremism, said many right-wing extremists who espouse anti-government and pro-gun views have embraced the authoritarian tactics used by President Donald Trump that they denounced under his Democratic predecessor.

“It’s like night and day,” she said. “They hated government when Obama was in office. They love government now.”

More:
https://www.chron.com/news/article/2-standoffs-in-Oregon-show-differing-views-of-US-15427788.php

[mikeysnot]

1. I made this comparison right away.

Same state...

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Two different presidents.

[CrispyQ]

3. "They hated government when Obama was in office. They love government now."

That's because they were only ever in favor of representative government as long as the white Christian patriarchy was at the top of the hierarchy. Once a bunch of uppity women, minorities, and gays started demanding equality and equity in the system, then it all changed. They had a pretty good run at it, too, since they created the system that put them at the top & have rigged it to keep them there.

[CentralMass]

4. The initial riot that trashed the Judical Center building happened almost two months ago

A small number of "agitators" went at the fence in front of the building just about 50 nights in a row to provoke an illegal assembly declaration by the police on the other side. That part of the story can't be ignored. It IMO gave Cheetolini the opening to send in the feds.

[stopdiggin]

5. the hypocrisy is blatently obvious

Doesn't even take any sort of "neutral" observation. Many Republicans are noticeably uncomfortable -- with the actions -- and the stark hypocrisy.
(and then of course, many -- are not. and will never be.)

----- -- -- -----