Election 2020

[luka]

I mean, if you look at these 'faces of extremism'

Faces of extremism: the rioters behind the attack on the US Capitol

Members of the pro-Trump mob were pictured sitting on Nancy Pelosi’s desk and on the Senate floor

www.theguardian.com

for instance, they're not actually engaging in anything serious. I do think there's a reckless use of rhetoric and so on that has real world consequences, but they're not petrol bombing mosques or whatever. It all has this bizarre pantomime quality, just as last night did.

 

[Leo]

Nixon got impeached and his republican colleagues forced him to resign for knowing about the Watergate campaign office break-in an d covering it up. seems pretty quaint, in retrospect.

 

[Leo]

I mean, if you look at these 'faces of extremism'

Faces of extremism: the rioters behind the attack on the US Capitol

Members of the pro-Trump mob were pictured sitting on Nancy Pelosi’s desk and on the Senate floor

www.theguardian.com

for instance, they're not actually engaging in anything serious. I do think there's a reckless use of rhetoric and so on that has real world consequences, but they're not petrol bombing mosques or whatever. It all has this bizarre pantomime quality, just as last night did.

you're skipping over the serious part: illegally storming the house of government, a violent insurrection against leaders of a democratically elected government. just because they ended up simply walking around inside taking pictures is besides the point.

 

[IdleRich]

It's one of the many interesting things about the last four years isn't it. Lots of ugly rhetoric but in terms of prosecutable offences, very little at all.

That might be true in general. But I think anyone who is in those pictures has committed the offence of storming a federal building which is probably more serious than just trespassing.

 

[luka]

I don't consider that to be remotely serious

 

[IdleRich]

you're skipping over the serious part: illegally storming the house of government, a violent insurrection against leaders of a democratically elected government. just because they ended up simply walking around inside taking pictures is besides the point.

Exactly what I was trying to get at but you said it better. That's it - just sitting in a chair is nothing, but they charged at where the parliament was sitting and actually broke in. That is a crime and a more serious one - not murder and you may not agree, but legally I think it is.

 

[Leo]

I don't consider that to be remotely serious

that;'s ridiculous.

 

[luka]

It's a crime but an utterly trivial one

 

[luka]

If they had forced their way in with extreme violence I would consider that to be a serious crime. But they didn't. They were let in.

 

[Leo]

they illegally entered the house of government, disrupted probably the most important sacred democratic function -- the peaceful transfer of power -- and destroyed property.

 

[Leo]

you've got the context entirely wrong.

 

[luka]

So what. Who cares. No one cares. It was a non event with no malicious intent. Pure theatre,

 

[luka]

You're being hysterical, like a hysterical woman. And you don't even believe it yourself.

 

[Mr. Tea]

You can certainly cut right back on food costs. I have over the last year. Broccoli. Sweet potato. Onion. Carrot. Pepper. Tinned pulses. Kale. Rice. Pasta. Barley. Couscous. Not much else. But these kind of conversations are ridiculous and illustrate nothing.

And you told me off for making a boring argument!

 

[IdleRich]

It's a crime but an utterly trivial one

Depends what you mean here. Morally you could argue it's not that bad cos they didn't really have to do too much damage on the way in and so on... but legally I think it's gonna be more serious than you think. Also, I think disrupting the democratic process by penetrating the holiest of holies is something that a lot of people will be horrified by.

 

[luka]

I don't know what it will mean legally. No idea. don't know the law.

 

[IdleRich]

You're being hysterical, like a hysterical woman.

I love the circularity of that comparison. It's not really relevant to the debate but it reminds me of when my brother's friend chatted up this woman by claiming "I can go all night like a lawnmower that doesn't run out of petrol".

 

[luka]

we couldn't care less when students occupy a university building, this is no different.

 

[Mr. Tea]

I don't consider that to be remotely serious

That's because you quite fancy having a go yourself!

 

[luka]

At occupying parliament you mean? Well, yeah! Who wouldn't! It looks fun doesn't it.