The Old Blog in the Desert

After writing a commentary on the shooting that happened today in Minneapolis, I had a FB friend take me to the woodshed, then unfriend me. Here’s the exchange.

Matthew Brockmeyer: Rioter? Now protesters are labeled as rioters, that’s the First Amendment right to gather and protest out the window. Armed? There goes the Second Amendment. Masked police now have the right to grab citizens and detain them? There goes the third amendment. I bet soon ICE will be demanding quarter in homes, I mean, might as well get that third amendment removed, too. Just go down the list. Welcome to fascism.

Me: Here is why I split the hairs. He came to a protest armed. That changes the idea of protesters to violent, thus violating the doctrine of ‘peaceably assemble.’ And Matthew, I expected you to be one to examine all the available video evidence. I gather you haven’t. It’s how I spent my day.

MB: I watched the video evidence. You call that rioting? Really? He was filming, which is a First Amendment-protected activity in public. I guess you never heard of the Second Amendment either? He broke no laws. He shouldn’t have been attacked, thrown down, beaten, and illegally detained.

MB: (I) love the way you guys say this guy (Kyle Rittenhouse) was a good American who knew his rights, and the Jan. 6 rioters were peaceful. Didn’t realize you were on the wrong side of history, boot licker.

Me: He was not just filming. He was in the way of an ICE agent detaining someone. That is where this all began. There are two videos that show what Pretti was doing before he was pushed out of the way and maced. When an agent is attempting an arrest or detention, and you place yourself in the way on purpose, that is violating the law.

Me: All seventeen videos?

MB: How do those boots taste? Goodbye, fascist! Cleaning house and don’t need the stress.

Me: Shame on you for name-calling. You are an intelligent man, and because of your emotions, you are reducing yourself to acts of childishness.

Me: Farewell then. Be safe and happy.

Matthew then blocked me.