Socialists, Fascists Clash in the Streets of Fort Lauderdale

[chegitz guevara]

Fascist tea baggers physically attacked supporters of the Party for Socialism and Liberation this afternoon in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

The Party of Socialism and Liberation called for a counter-demonstration against the fascist tea bag movement, which has been holding weekly rallies. Today was supposed to be a special day of protest nationwide for the tea baggers and their anti-immigrant message.

Comrades of the PSL and other supporting socialists, including a member of the Socialist Party, counter-protested on the far side of the street, when one hot-headed fascist decided to start a confrontation, physically getting in the face of one of the leaders of PSL. Things seemed to be averted for a moment, as he and he fellows returned to their side of the street, only for him to return a few moments later.

This comrade did not see how things started, but turned around to see a one fascist knocking down a support of the PSL in the middle of the street (at a very busy intersection). One fascist with a camera began swinging it like a club and was chased across the street before hitting the comrade in the head with it. Fortunately, the comrade had a thick, bushy mane of hair, and was not injured.

This happened in the space of seconds. When I saw the camera begin used as a weapon, I ran to intervene, jumping on top of the fascist with the camera, though not before breaking a stick upside his head after he hit me in the head with his camera (ow). After that, I put him in a choke hold until he calmed down (though he kept pinching my arm).

At this point, another comrade from the Socialist Party arrived with his very apropo sign, "Fight The Rich, Not Each Other!"

To avoid further confrontation, we moved down the street, still within sight of the fascist rally. Later, one of them, as she was leaving, swerved her truck at my wife and our SP comrade, before pulling off at the last second.

Several immigrants personally thanked us for being there, and a number of workers in the area told us they no longer used that corner to catch the bus on Saturdays, because of the fascists. People who tried to walk through the fascist rally told us that they would not move to allow people to walk on the sidewalk.

Some of the fascist signs included slogans like, "All Mexicans Should Be Neutered" and "Immigration = 67% unemployment 4 Black Young" [sic] although there were no Black people among the tea baggers.

[Bright Banana Beard]

Wow...

[GPDP]

Fucking fascists.

[Drace]

they put their balls in their mouths?
or do i just play too much games?

[IcarusAngel]

Fucking capitalist/fascists. Those motherfuckers are completely intolerent - I seriously don't even see a difference between this "libertarian" and "conservative" tea party movmenet and fascists. They are the most racist, egotistical asshole know-nothigns imaginable. Perhaps they're even worse.

0Q7XH8lfGMc

Here they are screaming at an old man carrying a sign that merely says 'public option.' It's not just socialists; anybody who doesn't agree with Glenn beck = the enemy.

Anyway, much respect for having the nerve to stand up to the nuts in this 'tea party' bullshit; fascism is clearly making a come back in America with these loons.

I'd LOVE to help out although these guys piss me off so much I fear i'd just 'attack' somebody, and then be forced to 'attack' myself. I don't have the nerve to engage with them (even watching that video above makes my blood boil).

[chegitz guevara]

One of the really funny things is that last night a comrade in PSL and I were chatting, and he was like, "It's not gonna be like Little Havana," where he and I were attacked by a right-wing mob a few years ago. Famous last words.

[Die Neue Zeit]

It's good that you're well after this amateurish Teabagger incident.

[chegitz guevara]

I'm kinda in a bit of pain. Not because he hurt me, but because I hurt me. I'm too old and too out of shape to be getting into street fights, or any kind of fights really.

Mostly what interests me is my memory of the event. I cannot remember how this guy ended up on the ground or how I ended up on top of him. And I'm not being coy for the police reading this. I really can't remember.

I think that if this thug hadn't been swinging his camera like a weapon, I would simply have tried to break up the fights, but since he was, I had to fight him.

Thanks, Jacob.

[The Red Next Door]

Can't we all get along?

[Revy]

wow. that's crazy. I hope you all there are OK.

the fascist tea baggers sound disgusting. I hadn't heard of violence like that from them. My first impressions that they were a joke. For example, back in April, when the tea party "movement" was new, they were attempting to pour tea into the river here in Jacksonville (those big odd shaped jugs of Arizona Green Tea, the anchors on the news even mocked them for it). They were actually preventing from doing so as that is considered pollution.

The alliance of racist xenophobes, Christian fundies and free-market loons could coalesce into a fascist threat. In fact, that threat already exists as an organized political party, the so-called "Constitution Party".

[Salyut]

The alliance of racist xenophobes, Christian fundies and free-market loons could coalesce into a fascist threat. In fact, that threat already exists as an organized political party, the so-called "Constitution Party".

You might be interested in some of Chris Hedges work - specifically 'American Fascists' (http://www.amazon.com/American-Fascists-Christian-Right-America/dp/B001O9CBAI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258254722&sr=8-1). Good stuff.

Also OP you rule.

[RadioRaheem84]

Keep up the good fight. These fascist tea baggers are the new Friekorps of Weimar Germany.

[berlitz23]

I love fascist paranoids

[chegitz guevara]

For thirty years I've been watching groups like this: the Moral Majority, the Promise Keepers, etc. All along people have been calling them fascists, and I've said, 'No, they aren't fascists. Not yet.'

They fit the Trotskyist definition of fascism, the mass movement of the enraged petty bourgeoisie ruined, or threatened with ruin, by capitalism in decay. What they've lacked all along, however, was the support of big capital. Now they have it. Now, they are fascists. Not merely FOX News, but the big sickcare industries have been pouring money into this "astroturf" movement to try and derail the modest liberal reforms of late capitalism.

I consider this movement a serious threat, and I did even before I got knocked on my forehead with a camera.

[chegitz guevara]

BTW, the OP isn't about how much I rule for kicking fascist butt. It's about solidarity, solidarity between the SPUSA and PSL, solidarity for all my socialist and anarchist comrades. I'd have done it for any of y'all. That's what comrade means. That's why we fight. For each other. For a world where we don't have to fight again, ever.

[Mather]

How long have the Teabagger movement been going, did it exist before the 2008 presidential election?

What is the nature of of this reactionary movement; is it just a big PR stunt by the Republican Party bigwigs and their friends and connections in the media or is it a diverse mass movement of the more radical/non-mainstream reactionary forces such as the hardline Christian right, the 'Birther' conspiracy whackos, anti-abortion activists, anti-gay/'family values' activists, anti-immigration activists and anti-tax/anti-welfare state libertarians?

[chegitz guevara]

Ideologically, the tea baggers are not a coherent movement. They are all over the place, with some really whacked out beliefs. One guy was holding up a sign "CO2 is good." What really seems to have unhinged them all, though, is the election of Obama. They just cannot believe that a Black man was elected, though they will never state this overtly.

Materially, however, the root cause of this movement is that capitalism is kicking their asses. Since they would be succeeding if it were a fair system, in their own minds, since they all think they are superior, if they are failing, it is because the system is rigged against them.

If a single person could be pointed to as responsible, in as much as any single person could be blamed for a mass movement, it's Glen Beck. Behind the scenes, Dick Army, is funneling money from big financial firms to these tea bag groups.

[the last donut of the night]

Am I wrong, or is this fight a sign that the bourgeoisie in the US is becoming ever more reactionary?

I truly think it's the right time for all the American left to start radicalizing the workers.

[chegitz guevara]

It's time for the workers to start radicalizing the American left.

[Catbus]

BTW, the OP isn't about how much I rule for kicking fascist butt. It's about solidarity, solidarity between the SPUSA and PSL, solidarity for all my socialist and anarchist comrades. I'd have done it for any of y'all. That's what comrade means. That's why we fight. For each other. For a world where we don't have to fight again, ever.

That's really awesome.

Also, and sorry for my ignorance, but how do SPUSA and PSL differ ideologically? I know PSL is Marxist-Leninist, but I don't know that much about SPUSA.

[mosfeld]

lso, and sorry for my ignorance, but how do SPUSA and PSL differ ideologically? I know PSL is Marxist-Leninist, but I don't know that much about SPUSA.

The SPUSA is "democratically socialist" and, according to them, opposed to both capitalism and what they deem is "stalinism" (PSL would most likely fit that category).

[RadioRaheem84]

It's time for the workers to start radicalizing the American left.

Agreed. But will we be seen as far left in the media for opposing both the right wing and Obama? Also, a small portion of the left is still enamored with Obama. It will be hard to radicalize a section that's been pacified by his election.

[chegitz guevara]

The SPUSA is "democratically socialist" and, according to them, opposed to both capitalism and what they deem is "stalinism" (PSL would most likely fit that category).

By Stalinism ('authoritarian "Communism"') we're referring to specific countries, not organizations, I think. There are those in the party who would not want to work with PSL, but they are mostly social democrats, and they have almost no power in the organization anymore. Some of the more left communist leaning comrades would also oppose work with PSL, but most of us will work with anyone who will work with us.

[Pogue]

Nice report mate gald your all right, but this would be better in anti-fascism I think if a mod would move it.

[chegitz guevara]

I wasn't sure where it should go. AntiFa sounds like a good place for it, though.

[Pogue]

Agreed. But will we be seen as far left in the media for opposing both the right wing and Obama? Also, a small portion of the left is still enamored with Obama. It will be hard to radicalize a section that's been pacified by his election.

I don't really think the sorts who are still enamored with Obama are worth trying to bring to your side. I would argue they are a hopeless case.

[chegitz guevara]

Everyone comes to the left from someplace else, comrade. Thirty years ago, I was pro-Reagan.

[Pogue]

Everyone comes to the left from someplace else, comrade. Thirty years ago, I was pro-Reagan.

Yeh, I am sure, but the point is, I see no reason for a special strategy focused on trying to win people over, if they are pro-Obama I don't really see what returns a focused effort on converting them would have.

[New Tet]

Fucking capitalist/fascists. Those motherfuckers are completely intolerent - I seriously don't even see a difference between this "libertarian" and "conservative" tea party movmenet and fascists. They are the most racist, egotistical asshole know-nothigns imaginable. Perhaps they're even worse.

0Q7XH8lfGMc

Here they are screaming at an old man carrying a sign that merely says 'public option.' It's not just socialists; anybody who doesn't agree with Glenn beck = the enemy.

Anyway, much respect for having the nerve to stand up to the nuts in this 'tea party' bullshit; fascism is clearly making a come back in America with these loons.

I'd LOVE to help out although these guys piss me off so much I fear i'd just 'attack' somebody, and then be forced to 'attack' myself. I don't have the nerve to engage with them (even watching that video above makes my blood boil).


Well posted!

As I suggested elsewhere, cops don't always serve an anti-social purpose. Here they are, diligently protecting and escorting a dissenter.

One day they will be on the right side of the law.

[New Tet]

Everyone comes to the left from someplace else, comrade. Thirty years ago, I was pro-Reagan.

Kudos for an excellent thread, comrade!

[Pogue]

That video is funny in that he manages to rile so many of them :lol:

[New Tet]

Yeh, I am sure, but the point is, I see no reason for a special strategy focused on trying to win people over, if they are pro-Obama I don't really see what returns a focused effort on converting them would have.

This is sectarian talk, I believe. These are no times for sterile orthodoxies.

The objective of socialist propaganda is to win people over. There are many who are now liberals or conservatives that are on the verge of renouncing their pro-capitalist affinities in favor of stronger, anti-capitalist stuff. We must win them over or lose the fight.

[Pogue]

This is sectarian talk, I believe. These are no times for sterile orthodoxies.

The objective of socialist propaganda is to win people over. There are many who are now liberals or conservatives that are on the verge of renouncing their pro-capitalist affinities in favor of stronger, anti-capitalist stuff. We must win them over or lose the fight.

It'd be nice to win them over but I don't see how thats any different than 'winning over' any working class person who happens to not be supportive of socialist ideas. I don't think the promotion of our politics is about trying to convince other politico about the superiority of our theories over theres, I think its about increasing working class power, which isn't done by trying to shatter the delusions of Obamaites.

[chegitz guevara]

So it appears from the video posted that our side started swinging first. Hard to tell what set it off, though. I've been going through, frame by frame, and it looks like his hand went up towards one of the PSL members before the fight started.

edit: Yep, he slapped at the comrade with the megaphone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qPhnepoEuQ

[Andrei Kuznetsov]

Good times!

[chegitz guevara]

Oh shit, I just dropped on him with all my weight. That had to hurt.

[GPDP]

Pro amnesty rally members attack two immigration reform supporters at Oakland Park Blvd and Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale Florida on 11/14/09.

Hah, real unbiased summary on the part of those who put up the video. :rolleyes:

[mykittyhasaboner]

So it appears from the video posted that our side started swinging first. Hard to tell what set it off, though. I've been going through, frame by frame, and it looks like his hand went up towards one of the PSL members before the fight started.

edit: Yep, he slapped at the comrade with the megaphone.

9qPhnepoEuQ
Right on that boulevard! Wow, I've never seen such a thing take place around there. All of you were lucky to not get hit by a car, let alone not get hurt from one of those bastards. If I had checked my email yesterday I probably would have came. Great work though, you guys definitely deserve commendation for your actions, we cant let fascist strong arm people into submission.

[Olerud]

Haha nice video. You pretty much ripped him apart. :lol:

[IcarusAngel]

Good video. How did the big guy with sunglasses get taken down?

The dude looks just like Matt from Operation Repo:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b7/OperationRepo.jpg

[chegitz guevara]

The cowards disabled commentary.


Good video. How did the big guy with sunglasses get taken down?

The dude looks just like Matt from Operation Repo:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b7/OperationRepo.jpg

:lol:

To be honest, I was shocked to see him do down, cuz he's a big guy, used to be a bouncer. I turned around just as that was happening

[punisa]

I'm not from USA and I can't say I really follow the political protests there, but this was indeed an interesting read.
Some things confuses me though, like this paragraph from Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_Party_protests):
Protesters have also appropriated left-wing imagery; the logo for the 9/12 March on Washington featured a raised fist design that was intended to resemble those used by pro-labor, anti-war, and black power movements of the 1960s. In addition, the slogan "Keep Your Laws Off My Body", usually associated with pro-choice activists

So are you guys using "fascist" as a loose term or? Cause in my country a fascist is something very different. A fascist talks about killing and spilling guts of all people that haven't got the pure national blood.
And I ain't using that description on a history basis, unfortunately.

[chegitz guevara]

The fascists in your country are more towards the Nazi end of fascism. Remember, Italian fascism wasn't so concerned with racial purity and killing.

[xtremerebel]

Those two dudes in the second video really got fucked up. lmao

[The Deepest Red]

Can't we all get along?

Not with fascists. They should be six feet under and nowhere else.

[Uncle Ho]

I'm glad these people actually fought back, most leftists would have fled like rabbits when the smallest amount of pressure was applied to them. We should welcome reactionary violence, as it gives us recourse to violently resist.

Next time these kids need some real hardware, though. It would be ironic indeed if these disciples of the Second Amendment got a gun pulled on them.

[mykittyhasaboner]

I'm glad these people actually fought back, most leftists would have fled like rabbits when the smallest amount of pressure was applied to them. We should welcome reactionary violence, as it gives us recourse to violently resist.

Next time these kids need some real hardware, though. It would be ironic indeed if these disciples of the Second Amendment got a gun pulled on them.

Do us all a favor and get the fuck off this forum. All you do is whine about how nobody else shares your violence fetish.

[New Tet]

So it appears from the video posted that our side started swinging first. Hard to tell what set it off, though. I've been going through, frame by frame, and it looks like his hand went up towards one of the PSL members before the fight started.

edit: Yep, he slapped at the comrade with the megaphone.

9qPhnepoEuQ

Conquering the world one street corner at a time.
Good job, comrade!

[Uncle Ho]

Do us all a favor and get the fuck off this forum. All you do is whine about how nobody else shares your violence fetish.

If you greet the bourgeoisie's continued violence with peace (Or worse yet, inactivity), you're either totally insincere or totally useless.

Judging by how much the western left has accomplished post 1973, I'd say it's a mix of both.

[mykittyhasaboner]

If you greet the bourgeoisie's continued violence with peace (Or worse yet, inactivity), you're either totally insincere or totally useless.
Oh wonderful, now you've totally changed the subject and added some kind of accusation of me accepting the violent nature of the bourgeoisie. So you've proven your a troll who can make strawmans and random accusations; why don't you take this as a cue to add something of value instead of constantly complaining about how people aren't as violent as you'd like them to be.


Judging by how much the western left has accomplished post 1973, I'd say it's a mix of both.Sure, whatever you say. Now would you care to tell me just where I've said anything about greeting the "bourgeoisie's continued violence with peace or inactivity"? Mind you that accepting violent measures as a possible method of struggling against capitalism has nothing to do with endorsing violence in such a reckless way as you do.


edit: could a mod please split this crap out of this thread so it doesn't get totally derailed and ruined?

[TheCultofAbeLincoln]

Well done, and a good story. Glad to see you're alright.

And I agree with your assessment. The thing that brings out the teabaggers isn't high taxes (taxes for the majority of people have gone down since Comrade Bushwacked left) or any other bullshit they claim to be protesting. It's teh election of Obama that really brought out the crazies.

[RadioRaheem84]

The objective of socialist propaganda is to win people over. There are many who are now liberals or conservatives that are on the verge of renouncing their pro-capitalist affinities in favor of stronger, anti-capitalist stuff. We must win them over or lose the fight.

Agreed. The current working middle class conservative movement is actually anti-liberal bourgeois. They've just had their distaste for the elitist elements of our society directed in a more right-populist way by the right-wing media.

[the last donut of the night]

My question is:

How big are these Tea protests?

Are there any left-wing counter demonstrations of the same size?

[chegitz guevara]

The tea protests range in size from a few dozen to tens of thousands (at their national demo in DC). They had a few hundred in Fort Lauderdale back on Tax Day, 4/15, which was quite demoralizing to see. Normally they have about a dozen at this intersection on a Saturday. By the time we left, they had maybe 100. They also had about 200, according to the media, protesting Al Gore up in Boca Raton (about 30 miles north) the same day.

This particular intersection is close to the Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, which was one of the founders of the Moral Majority movement back in the 80s. They successfully campaigned to close down Spring Break in Fort Lauderdale (which is why Daytona now makes all the money) and tried to drive the gays out of the area. Since it is now the 3rd largest gay metropolis in the US, they failed on that one. Yay.

In some of the "town-hall" meetings held by Congresspersons this summer over the health care bill, tea baggers were a distinct, noisy, and sometimes violent, minority. This was really the first counter-demo here that I know of, and I'm not up on ones elsewhere.

[pierrotlefou]

My question is:

How big are these Tea protests?

Are there any left-wing counter demonstrations of the same size?
nothing anywhere close to the big ones they had in dc or even the recent one about health care where 10k (20-40 according to fox news) showed up. As far as I am aware anyway.

[TheCultofAbeLincoln]

This particular intersection is close to the Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, which was one of the founders of the Moral Majority movement back in the 80s. They successfully campaigned to close down Spring Break in Fort Lauderdale (which is why Daytona now makes all the money)

Isn't it great when stuff like that happens?

"Hey, we have this event every year that makes us tons of money, both directly into the economy and via taxes, but there's too many damn young people around."

"Absolutely. And you simply can't have that."

[ellipsis]

Solidarity Comrade. Fortunately there isn't much like this going on in my neck of the woods; I missed chance to counter-protest the whole take back vermont movement. But if there was, I would want to be there.

[ellipsis]

Do us all a favor and get the fuck off this forum. All you do is whine about how nobody else shares your violence fetish.
Yah, you are worse than me.

[Guerrilla22]

Oh shit, I just dropped on him with all my weight. That had to hurt.

If you were the one who took that guy down at the end you missed an opprotunity to sucker punch him when he was in a defenseless position. :laugh:

[Decommissioner]

One of the really funny things is that last night a comrade in PSL and I were chatting, and he was like, "It's not gonna be like Little Havana," where he and I were attacked by a right-wing mob a few years ago. Famous last words.

I actually remember you telling this story on the socialism forum a couple years back. Things must get intense in florida. I would suspect the same would happen here, that is, if there were actually any leftists in the area willing to protest a teabagger rally.

[Rusty Shackleford]

Good job, the thing that makes me most happy though is that it was not unprovoked.

[chegitz guevara]

I actually remember you telling this story on the socialism forum a couple years back. Things must get intense in florida. I would suspect the same would happen here, that is, if there were actually any leftists in the area willing to protest a teabagger rally.

You know, during the 1930s, the largest section of the Socialist Party was in Oklahoma. There's a local in Ok City, btw.

[ellipsis]

Nice to see some real muscle on our side for once.

[chegitz guevara]

Just so comrades know, the fascists are now calling (on the internet and the radio) for their next demonstration to be armed and to use those guns against us. For the moment, there will not be a counter demonstration. We aren't armed, and even if we were, we don't want another Greensboro (those comrades had guns, and they still got killed).

We're going to try a different tactic, organize the community against the terrorists and target the cities of Oakland Park, Fort Lauderdale (and maybe Wilton Manners) as being complicit in allowing this terrorism of the community. I'm going to try and get the whole South Florida left together to strategize on how to go forward.

And no, Uncle Ho, we don't need your opinion.

[chegitz guevara]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekW3HmlnYS4&feature=related

Read the comments.

klayed said,
"next time bring a gun ALL TEAPARY PEOPLE next time come armed incl. extra ammo.
DONT GO DOWN EASY ALL THE DEMOCRATIC LEADERS SEND STREET CRIMINALS AFTER TEAPARTY PEOPLE GET YOUR GUNS READY ITS YOU DIE OR THEY
oiur organistaion has captured intern e-mail traffic where the DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP try to get the TEAPARTY gone DONT GET FOOLED COME WITH YOUR GUNS.DEFEND YOURSELF AND OUR CHILDREN."

[Uncle Ho]

They've been bringing guns to these protests for some time. These people lack the conviction to shoot, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't dare them to.

The second a shot is fired, they're not protesters anymore, they're criminals. We'll see what they think of our immigrant brothers when they're forced to share a prison cell with one.

Also I dig the secret squirrel action where they think they've captured e-mail traffic pointing to a DEMONRAT PINKO conspiracy to exterminate them. Their persecution complex can be carefully goaded until it drives them off the edge.

[chegitz guevara]

The second they fire a shot, someone's seriously hurt, maybe dead. I'm not willing to trade a life (mine or anyone else's) just so some dumb ass can spend the rest of his life in prison. You think with your testicles, not your brain.

[New Tet]

The second they fire a shot, someone's seriously hurt, maybe dead. I'm not willing to trade a life (mine or anyone else's) just so some dumb ass can spend the rest of his life in prison. You think with your testicles, not your brain.

Remember Greensboro (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greensboro_Massacre).

BTW, this ought to be the best venue for teaching socialist slogans:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfESON74GKA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BV07Z5C2kHg

[IcarusAngel]

Those cappie fascists sure are leaving a lot of nonsense comments in there.

Does the guy block leftist comments?

I could reupload that video on my channel if you want, with a different title.

[chegitz guevara]

Grab the video, in case we do want it uploaded. Let me talk with the other comrades involved and see how we want to handle this.

[chegitz guevara]

Oh crap, they have my email address.

[Zeus the Moose]

Oh crap, they have my email address.

Starting to get hate-spammed?

[chegitz guevara]

Not yet, but I saw it on a tea bagger website. Before the event, I reposted a PSL email to a number of peace lists as well as some of my own. That's what they posted up.

[IcarusAngel]

I've got the video. The quality isn't that good though since I used a free-converter (if anybody else has a better quality video I'll let you upload it).

Each Libertarian on Youtube has like 50 accounts, so trying to present a 'balance' within the comments is a lost cause. However, if I uploaded it, I would let you write the description and I'll set the tags. I guess I'll leave comments open but it probably wouldn't be long before Libertarians started spamming it - but at least the description would tell the truth.

(Note: got a little better quality one on the one with sound. The video isn't too great to begin with and the video isn't too blurry in my ripped version.)

[IcarusAngel]

I couldn't help myself and left this comment:
"The tea party racists and cowards were invading the personal space of the dissenters, swinging fists.

They got beat up and the fight ended, so now conservarties are claiming they are cowardly going to 'open fire' on people exercising their first amendment rights, always from behind the bushes....' (and then i couldn't help but call them wussies. they are talking about shooting leftists in there)


The guy who uploaded the video is threatening to have other comments 'call the FBI' on me and another commenter for 'threatening him.' lol

I'd really like to upload the video but since I wasn't there I need the description first, or I could just give the video to you guys.

[Uncle Ho]

The second they fire a shot, someone's seriously hurt, maybe dead. I'm not willing to trade a life (mine or anyone else's) just so some dumb ass can spend the rest of his life in prison. You think with your testicles, not your brain.

So not only are you not responding to their violence, but you're willing to allow them to continue to control the narrative.

You don't have a chance, I'm afraid.

[ellipsis]

Getting comrade shot won't get us anywhere.
Op- having delt with fascist Internet vigilantes in the past, they ended up being keyboard commandos, all talk. But seeing as they have your email and video of you, they might be able to out you, depending on how much personal info is associated with that email.

[Uncle Ho]

You don't get it.

They shoot at us, the police shoot at them. They become terrorists instead of protesters. They're loathed instead of admired. Not even Fox news could spin their precious little movement getting into shoot outs with the cops as positive.

These people becoming violent is the absolute best thing that could happen to us, as it will lead to them being destroyed. All the pundits on their side would either disown them, or (hopefully) side with them and be flushed down the same hole where they belong.

Let them shoot if they want to. We'll see how tough they are when they're staring down tanks.

[IcarusAngel]

After I made like 30 comments on the video, pointing out that the tea party members were on the pro-immigration side of the street, I reuploaded the video with this title:

Tea party nut jobs assault pro-immigrant, anti-racist group in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

8GBR1CU60CM

This is the title I used:

Tea party nut jobs assault pro-immigrant, anti-racist group in Fort Lauderdale, FL.


The description I used was:

"'Fascist tea baggers physically attacked supporters of the Party for Socialism and Liberation this afternoon in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

The Party of Socialism and Liberation called for a counter-demonstration against the fascist tea bag movement, which has been holding weekly rallies. It was supposed to be a special day of protest nationwide for the tea baggers and their anti-immigrant message.

Comrades of the PSL and other supporting socialists, including a member of the Socialist Party, counter-protested on the far side of the street, when one hot-headed tea bagger decided to start a confrontation, physically getting in the face of one of the leaders of PSL. Things seemed to be averted for a moment, as he and he fellows returned to their side of the street, only for him to return a few moments later.

I've been going through, frame by frame, and it looks like his hand went up towards one of the PSL members before the fight started.'

The tea baggers came over to the dissenters side of the street. "


So when they youtube it tea party and assault you get my video as well.

I disabled 'comment voting' so Libertarians can't drown out people's comments.

If you want me to take it down or rewrite the decription let me know.

[Rusty Shackleford]

Comrade Chegitz Guevara, i wish you the best of luck and wish for you to remain vigilant. i have a feeling this is going to get big... soon. most likely not violent but it may start getting a lot more media attention.

Those teabaggers are going to be howling about this for weeks.

you all did a good job denying them the ability to shove you around. +1 for that.

[What Would Durruti Do?]

Why aren't more people organizing counter protests like this? Honestly I'd be kinda nervous about protesting armed fascists knowing what they're capable of and have done in the past such as Greensboro. But I'd still show up.

[New Tet]

Comrade Chegitz Guevara, i wish you the best of luck and wish for you to remain vigilant. i have a feeling this is going to get big... soon. most likely not violent but it may start getting a lot more media attention.

That's why I insist that due consideration be given to make individual and collective efforts to win over the police. One prime demand, of course, is that they expel all officers enlisted or otherwise associated with any political hate-group like the Klan, etc. unless they publicly renounce and repudiate those groups. Otherwise "out!", and possibly on the wrong side of the law.


Those teabaggers are going to be howling about this for weeks.

you all did a good job denying them the ability to shove you around. +1 for that.

In the battle against Fascism and, ultimately capitalism itself, we'll need people who will train volunteers as community peacekeepers. The police should play a supportive role in that department by training volunteers in strategies and tactics of individual and community self-defense. In the process, they (the police)are absorbed into the self-same community peacekeeping union.

Also, they would play a role in disarming, disrupting and arresting, if necessary, organizations and individuals with a known intent to foment or carry out acts of vandalism, terrorism, sabotage, etc.

Like in Germany, the police here will become enforcers of stringent anti-Fascist Laws, laws for tagging Nazis as deeply as Brad Pitt, playing Aldo Raine carved his knife into Hans Landa's forehead in the 'Basterds'

[chegitz guevara]

Huffington Post gets it wrong.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dawn-teo/tea-party-protest-turns-v_b_360035.html

[New Tet]

Huffington Post gets it wrong.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dawn-teo/tea-party-protest-turns-v_b_360035.html

I saw it. Wrong as they might be, congrats for making the post!

[Kassad]

Here's a statement from ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) Coalition Florida, of which the Party for Socialism and Liberation is a member of the steering committee: http://answer.pephost.org/site/News2/5665658?abbr=ANS_&page=NewsArticle&id=9225&news_iv_ctrl=1621



Racism, Lies and Videotape
A statement from ANSWER Florida
Nov. 17, 2009

On Nov. 14, several white supremacist organizations, including the Minutemen and Americans for Legal Immigration Political Action Committee (ALIPAC), initiated Anti-Amnesty Tea Parties across the country. The rally in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, included people holding racist signs like "Spay and Neuter Your Mexican" and chants such as “white power.”

The ANSWER Coalition, which has been on the front lines of the immigrant rights struggle for years, initiated a counter-demonstration in Fort Lauderdale.

ALIPAC has created a video that has been circulated widely depicting a confrontation between the two sides. This video is a propaganda piece meant to distort the realities of what took place.
ANSWER Florida organized the demonstration to show political opposition to the message of racism put forward by these organizations. The demonstration gathered on the opposite street corner from the “Anti-Amnesty” rally. At no point did the ANSWER demonstrators cross over to the location of the other rally.
The one-and-a-half minute ALIPAC video leaves out the violent assault by the Tea Party organizer that took place several minutes before the video begins.

In the first attack, a right-wing videographer came into the pro-immigrant rights demonstration area. He physically assaulted an immigrant rights demonstrator. He also carried out property damage by kicking the signs and literature. This was not in the video. Although they could have physically acted in self-defense in response to this provocation and assault, the immigrant rights demonstrators did not. Rather, at this point, the ANSWER organizers chanted for the man to return to his side.

The second time the right-wing videographer came into the pro-immigrant rights demonstration area, he was accompanied by David Caulkett, vice president of the racist, anti-immigrant Floridians for Immigration Enforcement. Both men began to assault demonstrators. The videographer began to swing his tripod in a violent manner, threatening the crowd. This was also not in the video.

All of these incidents are left out of the video that has been circulated, depriving viewers of important facts.

The video only begins when the right-wing videographer violently grabbed the megaphone of the pro-immigrant rights demonstrators. Those at the pro-immigrant rights demonstrators defended themselves by expelling those who were perpetuating violence against them.

The right-wing video falsely claims that the confrontation ended when the police arrived. That too is a lie. The siren heard in the background of the video is not a police car arriving at the scene but rather of a passing fire truck. The incident ended when the Tea Party provocateurs, having failed in their attack, walked away and back to the site of their rally.

The intimidation tactics of the Tea Party forces is alarming to many people from various communities. In August, they felt emboldened to bring arms to Town Hall meetings and engaged in other mob-type tactics designed to intimidate any progressive opponent. Fascist-type organizing during the summer months used health care reform as a pretext. But these far-right ideologues are organizing on many fronts.
City residents told pro-immigrant rights demonstrators that they are being negatively impacted by these anti-immigrant, racist hate groups who have been gathering at the same location on a weekly basis for almost a year. At another point on Nov. 14, one right-wing rally participant sped up his large truck and aimed it toward an African American pro-immigrant rights protester who was standing on the sidewalk. Bus riders and shoppers reported being scared and intimidated. One woman said she walked to a different bus stop to avoid them as they blocked the sidewalks. These racist demonstrators reported on the radio that local police officers where giving them “thumbs up” as they were terrorizing the residents and shoppers in the community.

The initiators of the right-wing, racist “Anti-Amnesty” demonstrations across the country are either supporters or members of armed vigilante groups whose sole purpose is to violently confront workers whose only crime is coming to this country to try to feed their families. The comments that have been written on conservative blogs have largely been calling on these right-wing protesters to come to future demonstrations armed and to shoot counter-demonstrators that show up to offer political opposition to their message. The spinning of the events in Fort Lauderdale by groups like ALIPAC to make the Tea Party demonstrators the victims only further conceals their true violent intentions and political motivations.
The ultra-right and fascist forces are feeling emboldened right now. They have Rush Limbaugh, Fox News, Glenn Beck and other right-wing mouthpieces in the mass media pumping out hate, hysteria and xenophobia seven days a week. It would be a serious mistake to minimize the danger posed by pro-fascist elements in the United States.

Times have changed, so the hoods, white robes and swastikas have been removed as the primary symbols of the ultra right, but the core, poisonous message has only been repackaged.

It is imperative that unions, civil rights groups, and organizations representing women’s rights, immigrant rights and the LGBT community recognize their common interests, stand together and mobilize together to defeat the anti-people and bigoted program of the far right.

The ultra right will only become more emboldened unless there is a concerted effort to organize opposition by those who are struggling to win democratic rights for all working people, regardless of immigration status. We will not be intimidated. We will continue to defend ourselves and our communities.

[Salyut]

You made The Exile! (http://exiledonline.com/lefties-with-testes-2-hilarious-video-of-tea-party-dumbshits-getting-their-asses-kicked-by-liberalscould-it-be-that-liberals-finally-get-it/#more-15073) :D

[Uppercut]

Those bastards....

[ellipsis]

Thanks to the OP for give a first hand account. I included it in my blog post (http://therevolutionscript.blogspot.com/2009/11/just-desserts-tea-party-provocateur.html) about the incident.

[chegitz guevara]

Both of those links are blocked by my library. :cursing:

Okay, what they didn't like were the links. I got around that stupidity. My internet access is spotty atm, so I'll only be updating infrequently. We're trying to build a mass counter-demonstration, just so everyone knows.

[Rusty Shackleford]

Both of those links are blocked by my library. :cursing:

Okay, what they didn't like were the links. I got around that stupidity. My internet access is spotty atm, so I'll only be updating infrequently. We're trying to build a mass counter-demonstration, just so everyone knows.

centralized/decentralized, nationally/locally?

[Kassad]

I just found some time to watch the video. I actually know a couple people in the video quite well and need to make sure to give them a call. People in support of the Tea Party fringe have criticized those involved for 'assaulting' the Tea Party protesters, but frankly, I don't think any real progressive should chastise militant response to racism and xenophobia. Chegitz, did you say you're the one who basically jumped on top of the Tea Party protestor? If so, congratulations again for really standing up in the face of conflict. Things like this divide those who preach and those who are really ready to militantly oppose fascism and racism. Keep up the struggle.