this post was submitted on 21 Mar 2024
926 points (97.0% liked)

politics

19090 readers
4153 users here now

Welcome to the discussion of US Politics!

Rules:

  1. Post only links to articles, Title must fairly describe link contents. If your title differs from the site’s, it should only be to add context or be more descriptive. Do not post entire articles in the body or in the comments.

Links must be to the original source, not an aggregator like Google Amp, MSN, or Yahoo.

Example:

  1. Articles must be relevant to politics. Links must be to quality and original content. Articles should be worth reading. Clickbait, stub articles, and rehosted or stolen content are not allowed. Check your source for Reliability and Bias here.
  2. Be civil, No violations of TOS. It’s OK to say the subject of an article is behaving like a (pejorative, pejorative). It’s NOT OK to say another USER is (pejorative). Strong language is fine, just not directed at other members. Engage in good-faith and with respect! This includes accusing another user of being a bot or paid actor. Trolling is uncivil and is grounds for removal and/or a community ban.
  3. No memes, trolling, or low-effort comments. Reposts, misinformation, off-topic, trolling, or offensive. Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.
  4. Vote based on comment quality, not agreement. This community aims to foster discussion; please reward people for putting effort into articulating their viewpoint, even if you disagree with it.
  5. No hate speech, slurs, celebrating death, advocating violence, or abusive language. This will result in a ban. Usernames containing racist, or inappropriate slurs will be banned without warning

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.

That's all the rules!

Civic Links

Register To Vote

Citizenship Resource Center

Congressional Awards Program

Federal Government Agencies

Library of Congress Legislative Resources

The White House

U.S. House of Representatives

U.S. Senate

Partnered Communities:

News

World News

Business News

Political Discussion

Ask Politics

Military News

Global Politics

Moderate Politics

Progressive Politics

UK Politics

Canadian Politics

Australian Politics

New Zealand Politics

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 

Kyle Rittenhouse abruptly departed the stage during an appearance at the University of Memphis on Wednesday, after he was confronted about comments made by Turning Point USA founder and president Charlie Kirk.

Rittenhouse was invited by the college's Turning Point USA chapter to speak at the campus. However, the event was met with backlash from a number of students who objected to Rittenhouse's presence.

The 21-year-old gained notoriety in August 2020 when, at the age of 17, he shot and killed two men—Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, as well as injuring 26-year-old Gaige Grosskreutz—at a protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

He said the three shootings, carried out with a semi-automatic AR-15-style firearm, were in self-defense. The Black Lives Matter (BLM) protest where the shootings took place was held after Jacob Blake, a Black man, was left paralyzed from the waist down after he was shot by a white police officer.

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] someguy3@lemmy.world 247 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (19 children)

"Charlie Kirk has said a lot of racist things," said a student addressing Rittenhouse from the audience.

"What racist things has Charlie Kirk said?" Rittenhouse challenged. "We're gonna have a little bit of a dialogue of what racist things that Charlie Kirk said."

The student responded of Kirk: "He says that we shouldn't celebrate Juneteenth, we shouldn't celebrate Martin Luther King day—we should be working those days—he called Ketanji Brown Jackson an affirmative action hire, he said all this nonsense about George Floyd, and he said he'd be scared if a Black pilot was on a plane. Does that not seem racist?"

"I don't know anything about that," Rittenhouse said from the stage, prompting jeers among the audience.

"Does that seem racist is a yes or no question, Kyle," yelled one attendee.

"Well, after all the things I just told you, would you consider that hate speech," the student asked Rittenhouse, who had a dog with him onstage.

"I'm not gonna comment on that," Rittenhouse said, sparking more noise from the crowd.

Seconds later, Rittenhouse abruptly exited the stage to cheers from the crowd. The attendees were then promptly ordered to depart the venue.

[–] WaxedWookie@lemmy.world 154 points 7 months ago (1 children)

They fly him around the country, but the media outfit he's working for didn't bother to invest in media training for their homicidal poster boy?

So much for standing your ground.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] whodatdair@lemmy.blahaj.zone 77 points 7 months ago (5 children)

Fuck yeah, make that piece of shit feel bad. Pure uncut Colombian schadenfreude.

load more comments (5 replies)
[–] maynarkh@feddit.nl 50 points 7 months ago (26 children)

“I don’t know anything about that,”

This seems to be the canned response to all "uncomfortable" topics.

It seems that right-wing "debates" are not about arguing a point or another, but bringing up the "right" talking points, and backing out the wrong ones.

load more comments (26 replies)
[–] tootoughtoremember@lemmy.world 34 points 7 months ago (2 children)

"We're gonna have a little bit of a dialogue of what racist things that Charlie Kirk said."

"I don't know anything about that,"

Not much of a dialogue lol

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] Wrench@lemmy.world 32 points 7 months ago

You're telling me that the guy who showed up to counter protest with a gun, who provoked protestors while holding a gun, is actually a coward who's too afraid to comment on the racist remarks of his shitty friend.

Who'da'thunk'it

load more comments (14 replies)
[–] ChonkyOwlbear@lemmy.world 229 points 7 months ago (48 children)

Even if you don't think it was murder, it's repulsive that he is trying to make a career out of killing two people.

[–] nonailsleft@lemm.ee 98 points 7 months ago (10 children)

I don't think he gets many other job offers

[–] moistclump@lemmy.world 67 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Racist murderer? Does that not sound like American cop material to you?

load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments (9 replies)
load more comments (47 replies)
[–] DozensOfDonner@mander.xyz 158 points 7 months ago (138 children)

Maybe I'm missing something as I'm not from the states. Why the hell is a guy who is famous for murder invites to talk at a university?

[–] captainjaneway@lemmy.world 92 points 7 months ago (6 children)

Rittenhouse was invited to speak at Wednesday's event by the university's Turning Point USA (TPUSA) chapter. Founded in 2012, the non-profit promotes conservative politics at schools and college campuses.

[–] jettrscga@lemmy.world 71 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

It's insane that the only reason he was noticed and brought into their political organization was through ~~murder~~ shooting and killing people.

That's how gangs initiate people.

Edit: removed "murder" so nobody whines about whether he lawfully drove to another state with a gun and shot people.

[–] Wogi@lemmy.world 44 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

for the express purpose of intimidating people and hopefully getting the opportunity to shoot them in 'self defense'

[–] jettrscga@lemmy.world 33 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (2 children)

while he was too young to lawfully be able to purchase the gun that he used

load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments (5 replies)
[–] Stern@lemmy.world 60 points 7 months ago (2 children)

He got away with it so he's automatically a power fantasy for Cons.

[–] Red_October@lemmy.world 33 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Don't forget that he murdered people at a BLM protest, so Cons also think he's a hero.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Gork@lemm.ee 60 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Our gun culture is so nuts that it normalizes shit like this.

When you look at it this way, it is utterly unsurprising that we have so many mass shootings.

[–] PoliticalAgitator@lemmy.world 36 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (2 children)

This isn't normalisation, it's celebration.

I'm not going to be coy about why they're celebrating him either: The pro-gun community spends hour after hour theorycrafting about how they can shoot people with their cool guns and get away with it. Kyle is being celebrated for finding a new "get out of jail free" technique that specifically targeted undesirables for murder.

That's all there is to it. They shower him with fame and money because he killed BLM protesters with America's favourite gun. It's his reward.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] Empricorn@feddit.nl 58 points 7 months ago

Because he's useful to the Republicans, our extreme-right Party.

[–] octopus_ink@lemmy.ml 50 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

It's because the US right will celebrate literally any action that they perceive as working against what they think everyone left of them supports or enjoys. Kyle was a clean cut looking young white man who heroically skirted the edge of laws regarding firearm purchases and visited a town that was not his own where he made sure to keep looking until he find a situation that required him to use his gun. The context was protests fueled by the death of George Floyd and shooting of Jacob Blake at the hands of police.

There were probably folks who literally touched themselves after hearing a red blooded, AR wielding young white man was able to be acquitted of murder after shooting protesters at a BLM protest. On top of that, one of the men had some form of pedophilia in his past, boosting their drumbeat of messaging claiming that folks who support LGBTQ+, and by extension all democrats and leftists, are groomers out to molest kids.

It was a perfect storm of trump supporter daydreams all centered around Kyle Rittenhouse. Folks who buy into all or most of that view are big fans.

load more comments (133 replies)
[–] Daft_ish@lemmy.world 128 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Why the fuck is this person on a stage to begin with?

"Everyone, Kyle Rittenhouse is here to tell us about indiscriminately provoking people and killing them. Round of applause, please."

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] Furbag@lemmy.world 123 points 7 months ago (33 children)

Confronting Kyle Rittenhouse? Be careful, no sudden movements. We wouldn't want him to feel threatened, now would we?

load more comments (33 replies)
[–] IvanOverdrive@lemm.ee 112 points 7 months ago (7 children)

I would also like to point out after Rittenhouse had murdered two people, he was photographed flashing a white power symbol wearing a "free as fuck" t-shirt with the Proud Boys.

There isn't a doubt in my mind he went to that protest to murder.

load more comments (7 replies)
[–] papalonian@lemmy.world 105 points 7 months ago (1 children)

"I think it's funny how everyone's saying I got booted off stage, when in reality, we just did a hard cutoff time and just happened to leave at that time.."

Lmfao solid save

[–] 0110010001100010@lemmy.world 69 points 7 months ago (3 children)

“I think it’s funny how everyone’s saying I got booted off stage, when in reality, we just did a hard cutoff time and just happened to leave at that time…”

Press (X) to doubt

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] CileTheSane@lemmy.ca 94 points 7 months ago (40 children)

he was at the demonstration to "protect businesses and provide medical assistance."

Remember kids: you can take lives to protect property. You can not damage property to protect lives.

load more comments (40 replies)
[–] inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world 80 points 7 months ago

He was a fucking murderous snowflake then and he's still a pathetic fucking snowflake now.

[–] resetbypeer@lemmy.world 79 points 7 months ago (2 children)
load more comments (2 replies)
[–] phoneymouse@lemmy.world 70 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (17 children)

mods removed my comment for saying this guy is a murderer, cause he killed people.

Apparently, that is equivalent to hate speech.

[–] skozzii@lemmy.ca 44 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (5 children)

Last I checked taking a gun to a place specifically to kill someone is murder, yup, even if our jurors decided they are not criminally liable , still a murderer, just not convicted.

load more comments (5 replies)
load more comments (16 replies)
[–] lennybird@lemmy.world 59 points 7 months ago (4 children)

Careful, he may feel the urge to self-defend again from hecklers.

load more comments (4 replies)
[–] HawlSera@lemm.ee 58 points 7 months ago

Rittenhouse is a murderer!

[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 58 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Aww, does little Kyle need a safe space?

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] taiyang@lemmy.world 56 points 7 months ago (2 children)

At least he didn't murder anyone in this confrontation.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] jinarched@lemm.ee 53 points 7 months ago (3 children)

Try not to shoot someone on your way to the parking lot.

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] dezmd@lemmy.world 51 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

I still cant' get past his forced cry at his trail, with the little side eye peek to see if they were watching.

[–] Red_October@lemmy.world 48 points 7 months ago

Pissbaby Kyle much prefers it when he can shoot the people he provokes, but when he has to use his words he proves once again he's nothing but a pissbaby snowflake, melting under scrutiny.

[–] Tenthrow@lemmy.world 44 points 7 months ago (3 children)

Cafeful, this is a guy famous for killing when feeling threatened by unarmed people.

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world 40 points 7 months ago (12 children)

I almost feel sorry for how this kid is going to be forever type-cast as a stupid gun-nut culture warrior type. Before his brain has even fully developed. What a disaster. What he did was gawdawful but it's likely he will NEVER learn from his mistake and become a whole human being. Not when being a total dumbass for the RW elitists willing to fund such things pays a lot better than the alternative, I bet.

And when people talk about how what he did was in "self defense"....I always ask, what fuck was he even doing there in the first place? He had zero reason to be there.

load more comments (12 replies)
[–] KillingTimeItself@lemmy.dbzer0.com 38 points 7 months ago (13 children)

this dude bought a gun illegally (wasnt charged because of a loop hole) recklessly endangered numerous people. His parents fucking allowed this shit

AND he has the audacity to be a political figure? Fuck this guy, seriously.

load more comments (13 replies)
[–] moon@lemmy.cafe 37 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Aw and I had forgotten this murderer existed

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments
view more: next ›