We really don't need them. Facts and statistics SHOW (and we already know this) that the right-wing extremists/Nazis in the US are more violent than Antifa or any left-wing organization and this has been true for well over 10 years. Is the graphic accurate numerically? NO. Is the sentiment it represents true ie: RWNJ extremists are more violent than Antifa or left-wingers? YES. So, there's that. If you want references and some numbers, here is some of that and I'm sure many of us could find more.
NPR: Fact-check: Is left-wing violence rising?
https://www.npr.org/2017/06/16/533255619/fact-check-is-left-wing-violence-rising
And, say experts, it's misleading for right-wing groups to suggest that the Antifa are more violent than right-wing extremists.
"The far left is very active in the United States, but it hasn't been particularly violent for some time," says Mark Pitcavage, a senior research fellow at the Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism.
He says the numbers between the groups don't compare.
"In the past 10 years when you look at murders committed by domestic extremists in the United States of all types, right-wing extremists are responsible for about 74 percent of those murders," Pitcavage says.
You have to go back to the 1970s to find the last big cycle of far-left extremism in the U.S.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
U.S. sees 300 violent attacks inspired by far right every year
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/u-s-sees-300-violent-attacks-inspired-far-right-every-year
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
SNOPES: Are ‘Antifa’ and the Alt-Right Equally Violent? Answer: NO
https://www.snopes.com/news/2017/08/17/are-antifa-and-the-alt-right-equally-violent/
Brian Levin, criminal justice professor at California State University at San Bernardino who is an expert on hate groups, said ideology aside, street violence is generally increasing at political demonstrations, as extremist groups are egged on by each other’s words and actions:
To be sure, there is a violent subsection of antifa which is getting much publicity and much more prominent — to say they’re not is just false. By the same token there isn’t a moral equivalency in philosophy, but there is an escalating arms race with regard to extremists on different sides, of which I think alt-right are now at the forefront.
But, he pointed out, “antifa” isn’t as organized as the alt-right, and doesn’t have the access to the channels of publicity and governmental influence that the alt-right does:
The alt-right is far more organized and has greater access to the political mainstream than their less-organized cohorts on the hard left who do not enjoy or do not have the same structure or access into the political mainstream. Both are anti-establishments and socio-political entities that can radicalize constituents to violence but the alt-right just as an organism is far larger, more sophisticated and more able to participate in the political mainstream, particularly through messaging.
. . .
Marilyn Mayo, senior research fellow for the Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism, said that statistics show that radical leftists have been dramatically less likely to kill people than their counterparts on the opposite side of the political spectrum. Over the past decade, extremists of every stripe have killed 372 Americans. 74 percent of those killings were committed by right wing extremists. Only 2 percent of those deaths were at the hands of left wing extremists. Mayo told us:
I don’t want to give moral equivalence to the two sides because one side is fighting against white supremacy. On the Antifa side, they’ve never murdered anyone but there have been many murders done by white supremacists, so we have to be concerned about that movement.
. . .John Sepulvado, a reporter who has been covering far-right groups for Bay Area public radio station KQED, told us the violence at recent alt-right demonstrations has been used to recruit, and when “antifa” shows up to fight them it can play into their game plan. “They’re turning the traditional desire for objectivity by the media on its head,” he told us.
Citing a lyric from rapper Jay Z’s song “Takeover” that says, “A wise man told me don’t argue with fools, cause people from a distance can’t tell who is who,” Sepulvado told us the pattern of inciting violence at rallies from the alt-right has gone this way:
Announce an event that’s going to piss everyone who has common sense off, something so outrageous it’s going to piss 99 percent of the population off, then when someone gets on Twitter [and threatens them], send out a press release saying, “we can’t practice our free speech rights because of leftist violence.” Then show up anyway. They have canceled so many rallies that they showed up at anyway and still rallied. The “threat of leftist violence” means they need to wear body armor and bring weapons. If it’s an open carry state they’ll have [firearms]. If it’s not an open carry state they’ll bring firecrackers and sticks.
And then when someone… pushes them or spits on them, they’ll use that as an excuse to strike out. Then the leftists will strike out, and the media won’t know who’s who.
EDIT: Don't forget to watch the video on the SNOPES link:
https://i.rmbl.ws/s8/2/J/-/j/P/J-jPa.caa.1.mp4
= new reply since forum marked as read
