Who holds the blame for the events in Chicago?

[Dr. Arch]

The Terrorists who came to shut down a legal gathering. Absolutely disgusting

I find it hilarious that these protesters are labeled as terrorists, but people like the Charleston shooter and the Washington hijackers are somehow not.

[Green Line]

I've never been more embaressed as a Chicagoan, and I DO NOT support Trump, but the actions of the anarchist protesters do not represent what we stand for.  Shame on the terrorists.

The largely peaceful protesters against literal fascists are not terrorists. I have never been prouder to be a fellow Midwesterner for those who stood up against the fascist mob and said that fascism is not welcome in this country.

99.9%?? Anything to back up that bs claim? Because its not what anyone with eyes saw.

[Gass3268]

It's truly disturbing and terrifying that we have so many fascists on this board.  

Trump has become a fascist & is perceived as very dangerous!

Please stop calling Trump and his supporters fascists in every post.  We get it, you two got the memo that "racist" was getting worn out so it's time to switch to "fascist."  Stop repeating it in every post like a broken record.

Trump and his band of supporters literally fit like 12 of the 14 point definition of fascism. I don't think he's a Nazi or Hitler, because that's fundamentally different than fascism. Yet it's impossible for me to say anything other than Trump is a literal fascists because he fits the definition.

[Dr. Arch]

By Trump not only refusing to condemn the previous contained incidents of violence by his supporters at his events and outside of the events as well, but providing reasons why he understood it, he is tacitly endorsing other acts of violence. And, as we know, violence tends to escalate the larger the crowd where group mentality kicks in.

Stop justifying violence. It is unbecoming. It hurts your cause.

I'm not justifying violence; I am LITERALLY condemning his non-contempt towards PREVIOUS acts of violence BY HIS SUPPORTERS. Violence from EITHER side is bad, but in overly-charged crowds, when one act of violence is committed it precipitates, and it was a matter of time this would happen because there were already isolated events happening with more frequency over the last couple of days. Trump could have CONDEMNED those previous acts and stemmed this crap at the bud, but he refused to.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

The apologists for Trump's bigotry know no bounds. After today it should be pretty damn clear what the consequences of letting Trump ascend to power would be. Anyone who isn't terrified and disgusted is fooling themselves.

I am terrified and disgusted by the lengths anti-Trumpists are willing to go to silence political discourse. Tonight was a sham and the protestors should be embaressed.

Donald Trump does not offer political discourse. He's a buzzword candidate who plays on fear and base emotions to manipulate people. There's no substance.

Even if there was substance, your desire for discourse is pretty hypocritical under the current circumstances.  "Discourse" is something that involves an exchange of ideas between two competing parties. If you were really interested in discourse you would understand that the people you call terrorists () also have something to say and have just as much right to make their voices heard as Donald Trump—a man who's finally starting to experience the reality that if you play with fire enough you're bound to get Berned. These protesters have freedom of speech too.

[Gass3268]

The apologists for Trump's bigotry know no bounds. After today it should be pretty damn clear what the consequences of letting Trump ascend to power would be. Anyone who isn't terrified and disgusted is fooling themselves.

I am terrified and disgusted by the lengths anti-Trumpists are willing to go to silence political discourse. Tonight was a sham and the protestors should be embaressed.

Donald Trump does not offer political discourse. He's a buzzword candidate who plays on fear and base emotions to manipulate people. There's no substance.

Even if there was substance, your desire for discourse is pretty hypocritical under the current circumstances.  "Discourse" is something that involves an exchange of ideas between two competing parties. If you were really interested in discourse you would understand that the people you call terrorists () also have something to say and have just as much right to make their voices heard as Donald Trump—a man who's finally starting to experience the reality that if you play with fire enough you're bound to get Berned. These protesters have freedom of speech too.

Hagrid, I haven't agreed with much you've been posting here lately (even though I'll be 100% behind Clinton if/when she's nominated), but your post here is literally spot on.

[Green Line]

The apologists for Trump's bigotry know no bounds. After today it should be pretty damn clear what the consequences of letting Trump ascend to power would be. Anyone who isn't terrified and disgusted is fooling themselves.

I am terrified and disgusted by the lengths anti-Trumpists are willing to go to silence political discourse. Tonight was a sham and the protestors should be embaressed.

Donald Trump does not offer political discourse. He's a buzzword candidate who plays on fear and base emotions to manipulate people. There's no substance.

Even if there was substance, your desire for discourse is pretty hypocritical under the current circumstances.  "Discourse" is something that involves an exchange of ideas between two competing parties. If you were really interested in discourse you would understand that the people you call terrorists () also have something to say and have just as much right to make their voices heard as Donald Trump—a man who's finally starting to experience the reality that if you play with fire enough you're bound to get Berned. These protesters have freedom of speech too.

Im glad you got your cute Bernie worldplay in there.  Protestors should protest, OUTSIDE the venue. Silencing someone elses voice is not free speech. Shutting down a rally is not free speech. Grow the hell up and read the effing Constitution.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

By Trump not only refusing to condemn the previous contained incidents of violence by his supporters at his events and outside of the events as well, but providing reasons why he understood it, he is tacitly endorsing other acts of violence. And, as we know, violence tends to escalate the larger the crowd where group mentality kicks in.

I'm really starting to wonder if he planned this outcome.

Consider, an open venue in Chicago, and he reportedly never even went there? He's many things, but not an idiot. His team understands venue control, and they gave it up here, in "hostile" territory?

If we see him forming a "Trump security force" in response to this, then we'll know.

[Ljube]

By Trump not only refusing to condemn the previous contained incidents of violence by his supporters at his events and outside of the events as well, but providing reasons why he understood it, he is tacitly endorsing other acts of violence. And, as we know, violence tends to escalate the larger the crowd where group mentality kicks in.

Stop justifying violence. It is unbecoming. It hurts your cause.

I'm not justifying violence; I am LITERALLY condemning his non-contempt towards PREVIOUS acts of violence BY HIS SUPPORTERS. Violence from EITHER side is bad, but in overly-charged crowds, when one act of violence is committed it precipitates, and it was a matter of time this would happen because there were already isolated events happening with more frequency over the last couple of days. Trump could have CONDEMNED those previous acts and stemmed this crap at the bud, but he refused to.

OK Arch. My point stands. These protesters appearing at TRUMP rallies are violent and are trying to provoke the TRUMP supporters. Can you give me any justification for that?

In a crowd of 25 to 35 thousand people, you will always have a couple of them with a short fuse. Those could react violently to the violent attacks and provocations by the protesters.

Anti-Trump protesters should be condemned here. It's a travesty that not everybody is condemning the protesters and standing up in defense of TRUMP. The hypocrisy of the Establishment and the Left is astounding.

[Gass3268]

The apologists for Trump's bigotry know no bounds. After today it should be pretty damn clear what the consequences of letting Trump ascend to power would be. Anyone who isn't terrified and disgusted is fooling themselves.

I am terrified and disgusted by the lengths anti-Trumpists are willing to go to silence political discourse. Tonight was a sham and the protestors should be embaressed.

Donald Trump does not offer political discourse. He's a buzzword candidate who plays on fear and base emotions to manipulate people. There's no substance.

Even if there was substance, your desire for discourse is pretty hypocritical under the current circumstances.  "Discourse" is something that involves an exchange of ideas between two competing parties. If you were really interested in discourse you would understand that the people you call terrorists () also have something to say and have just as much right to make their voices heard as Donald Trump—a man who's finally starting to experience the reality that if you play with fire enough you're bound to get Berned. These protesters have freedom of speech too.

Im glad you got your cute Bernie worldplay in there.  Protestors should protest, OUTSIDE the venue. Silencing someone elses voice is not free speech. Shutting down a rally is not free speech. Grow the hell up and read the effing Constitution.

I can't believe I'm quoting Justin Amash here, but he's right:

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Donald Trump's 1st Amendment rights were not violated.

[Dr. Arch]

By Trump not only refusing to condemn the previous contained incidents of violence by his supporters at his events and outside of the events as well, but providing reasons why he understood it, he is tacitly endorsing other acts of violence. And, as we know, violence tends to escalate the larger the crowd where group mentality kicks in.

Stop justifying violence. It is unbecoming. It hurts your cause.

I'm not justifying violence; I am LITERALLY condemning his non-contempt towards PREVIOUS acts of violence BY HIS SUPPORTERS. Violence from EITHER side is bad, but in overly-charged crowds, when one act of violence is committed it precipitates, and it was a matter of time this would happen because there were already isolated events happening with more frequency over the last couple of days. Trump could have CONDEMNED those previous acts and stemmed this crap at the bud, but he refused to.

OK Arch. My point stands. These protesters appearing at TRUMP rallies are violent and are trying to provoke the TRUMP supporters. Can you give me any justification for that?

In a crowd of 25 to 35 thousand people, you will always have a couple of them with a short fuse. Those could react violently to the violent attacks and provocations by the protesters.

Anti-Trump protesters should be condemned here. It's a travesty that not everybody is condemning the protesters and standing up in defense of TRUMP. The hypocrisy of the Establishment and the Left is astounding.

There is no justification for provoking anyone. I am condemning BOTH group for the acts of violence but pointing at Trump himself as the source because of my previous statements. He has not tried once to stem violence, and that galvanizes future violent confrontations from both ends because: 1) The supporters feel their candidate is supporting violent actions and are, thus, incentivized to continue them, and 2) The protesters snap into a defensive posture and feel they must strike back. It's a domino effect, and we know who pushed the first domino months ago.

The fact you characterize the protesters as violent and Trump's supporters as peaceful is pure bias. BOTH of them were violent, but for very different reasons.

[Meclazine for Israel]

I apportion the fault as follows:
Protestors - 89%
Trump supporters - 7%
Trump - 4%

You cannot blame the protestors more than Trump himself. You are putting the cart before the horse.

Protestors - 93%
Trump supporters - 2%
Trump - 5%

The majoriry of Trump supporters are peace loving Americans who have seen their once prosperous nation turn to custard. I felt the same in Australia about trade and immigration. Chinese currency manipulation is poisonous. Children dying at sea because their parents want a welfare cheque is an appalling outcome.

The supporters are not to blame for this?

I will allow a 2% cap for the nutbag supporters.

[Ogre Mage]

There is a reason why repeated incidents of violence -- in fact I would go so far as to say a culture of violence -- is developing around the Trump Campaign.  While this is the biggest incident so far it is hardly the only one.  Those of us who are nonwhite have even more reason to feel unsafe.

[SUSAN CRUSHBONE]

america as a people, for letting a fascist like drumpf get this far in the first place.

[Ljube]

There is no justification for provoking anyone. I am condemning BOTH group for the acts of violence but pointing at Trump himself as the source because of my previous statements. He has not tried once to stem violence, and that galvanizes future violent confrontations from both ends because: 1) The supporters feel their candidate is supporting violent actions and are, thus, incentivized to continue them, and 2) The protesters snap into a defensive posture and feel they must strike back. It's a domino effect, and we know who pushed the first domino months ago.

The fact you characterize the protesters as violent and Trump's supporters as peaceful is pure bias. BOTH of them were violent, but for very different reasons.

Arch, the TRUMP's supporters were peaceful until the protesters started showing up at TRUMP's rallies. There are no TRUMP supporters at Hillary's, Bernie's, Rubio's, etc... rallies. This means that the protesters started this.

Now, at that moment, everybody should have voiced their condemnation of these protesters and called for them to stop showing at TRUMP's rallies and called them for what they are - terrorists. But nobody did so. Why is that? Because they all hate TRUMP's discourse and these protesters played into the narrative that TRUMP's discourse somehow caused violence, even though he never called for any violent act and preaches love for everybody at each one of his rallies.

By the way, these Chicago protesters are clearly highly organized and possibly paid. Even Rubio acknowledged that much.

[Dr. Arch]

There is no justification for provoking anyone. I am condemning BOTH group for the acts of violence but pointing at Trump himself as the source because of my previous statements. He has not tried once to stem violence, and that galvanizes future violent confrontations from both ends because: 1) The supporters feel their candidate is supporting violent actions and are, thus, incentivized to continue them, and 2) The protesters snap into a defensive posture and feel they must strike back. It's a domino effect, and we know who pushed the first domino months ago.

The fact you characterize the protesters as violent and Trump's supporters as peaceful is pure bias. BOTH of them were violent, but for very different reasons.

Arch, the TRUMP's supporters were peaceful until the protesters started showing up at TRUMP's rallies. There are no TRUMP supporters at Hillary's, Bernie's, Rubio's, etc... rallies. This means that the protesters started this.

Now, at that moment, everybody should have voiced their condemnation of these protesters and called for them to stop showing at TRUMP's rallies and called them for what they are - terrorists. But nobody did so. Why is that? Because they all hate TRUMP's discourse and these protesters played into the narrative that TRUMP's discourse somehow caused violence, even though he never called for any violent act and preaches love for everybody at each one of his rallies.

By the way, these Chicago protesters are clearly highly organized and possibly paid. Even Rubio acknowledged that much.

So the black man that was beat up was a terrorist; the journalist that was slammed to the floor was a terrorist??? By your definition, heckling is terrorism. Obama was heckled once in the White House. Should have he ordered the heckler beat up, jailed, or executed???

You keep saying Trump supporters were peaceful until they were challenged. Well of course you won't be combative with people who agree with you (hello?) The problem is how they RESPOND to disagreement which is a NATURAL part of political relations. Your claim that Trump supporters who wouldn't otherwise commit acts of violence, will in the face of someone voicing against their positions just downright destroys itself.

Your claim that supporters wouldn't otherwise be violent is like saying: "Well, there was no wood for the fire to burn, therefore, the fire wasn't dangerous to the wood to begin with, but the wood showed up. Therefore, the current burning of the wood is mostly the wood's fault. The wood shouldn't have been there." Seriously, what?

[socaldem]

The protesters, of course. Why were they trying to stop TRUMP's rally?
By organizing a protest with so many participants at the venue of a previously announced rally, they assume all responsibility for the violent consequences.

Please.... At every gay pride parade/college campus, there are always Christianist protesters. We may shout at them and give them a hard time or try to kiss in front of them or something, but we don't beat them up.

Trump deserves to be protested because of his racist and inflammatory comments. But he needs to handle the protests in a manner that does not incite violence.

[Ljube]

The protesters, of course. Why were they trying to stop TRUMP's rally?
By organizing a protest with so many participants at the venue of a previously announced rally, they assume all responsibility for the violent consequences.

Please.... At every gay pride parade/college campus, there are always Christianist protesters. We may shout at them and give them a hard time or try to kiss in front of them or something, but we don't beat them up.

Trump deserves to be protested because of his racist and inflammatory comments. But he needs to handle the protests in a manner that does not incite violence.

The Christians don't beat up gays either. It's the protesters who started this.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Trump basically incited a riot due both the location he chose this rally in, and his descsion to abruptly withdraw. He is clever enough to know what would have happened - it's all part of his plan.

Good on people willing to get out from behind their keyboards and actually protest this horror. Not surprised that our resident inbred Green Line is a angsting though.

[Oakvale]

I don't condone violence on either 'side' but I'm extremely confused as to how hundreds of protesters showing up, intending to disrupt the event, and scuffles breaking out is somehow Trump's fault. Like, what's the argument here? That his campaign rhetoric angers people? Sure, but he didn't force anyone to show up and try to start a riot. I know it's fashionable to believe Trump plans everything but I don't buy the conspiracy theory that this was a deliberate set up.

[Dr. Arch]

The protesters, of course. Why were they trying to stop TRUMP's rally?
By organizing a protest with so many participants at the venue of a previously announced rally, they assume all responsibility for the violent consequences.

Please.... At every gay pride parade/college campus, there are always Christianist protesters. We may shout at them and give them a hard time or try to kiss in front of them or something, but we don't beat them up.

Trump deserves to be protested because of his racist and inflammatory comments. But he needs to handle the protests in a manner that does not incite violence.

The Christians don't beat up gays either. It's the protesters who started this.

I love how you continue to paint Trump supporters as pacifists. There is clear bias in your responses, and you are not analyzing the situation objectively. It takes two to have a fight.

HECK, even with the disgusting Westboro Baptist Church nothing of these proportions happened. It really makes you question what is festering behind the scenes.

[Lyin' Steve]

Trump basically incited a riot due both the location he chose this rally in, and his descsion to abruptly withdraw. He is clever enough to know what would have happened - it's all part of his plan.

Good on people willing to get out from behind their keyboards and actually protest this horror. Not surprised that our resident inbred Green Line is a angsting though.

Yep.  Trump is to blame.  Simply by going to a campus basketball stadium, or whatever that place was, he is guilty of inciting a riot, a class A misdemeanor.  And drawing tremendous attention to the "violence at rallies" problem while unable to make a speech to tens of thousands of supporters just days before a critical primary, it was all part of some dastardly plan.  He knew everything would happen just as he'd planned, just like a Bond villain.

[Ljube]

Arch, remember BLM disrupting Bernie's event?
These protesters are violent and they have their own agenda. They are against the Law and Order.

TRUMP's supporters are peaceful. At least the overwhelming majority of them.

I don't know anything about a particular black man or a journalist. I saw a guy punching a protester at one of TRUMP's rallies, which I condemn, of course. But that has nothing to do with TRUMP or his supporters.

[Dr. Arch]

Arch, remember BLM disrupting Bernie's event?
These protesters are violent and they have their own agenda. They are against the Law and Order.

TRUMP's supporters are peaceful. At least the overwhelming majority of them.

I don't know anything about a particular black man or a journalist. I saw a guy punching a protester at one of TRUMP's rallies, which I condemn, of course. But that has nothing to do with TRUMP or his supporters.

Did Bernie incite a riot when they showed up? No.

No, a number of Trump supporters aren't peaceful. This is just simply wrong.

Research the black man and the journalist then. Also, you saw a supporter punch a protester at one of Trump's rallies, but it has nothing to do with Trump or his supporters? What?

[Ljube]

I love how you continue to paint Trump supporters as pacifists. There is clear bias in your responses, and you are not analyzing the situation objectively. It takes two to have a fight.

HECK, even with the disgusting Westboro Baptist Church nothing of these proportions happened. It really makes you question what is festering behind the scenes.

Arch, they haven't attacked anyone. The protesters started it. Why is it so difficult for you to agree with me about this simple fact?
There is no bias here. I am against stopping any rally.