Well sure, and I'm not a lawyer or your lawyer, this isn't legal advice, etc.

I'm pretty confident that I know who killed both of those people. I'm pretty confident that both did it for ideological reasons. I'm pretty confident that both of those ideological reasons would be seen as "left leaning" in the American political spectrum.

As you say, neither has been convicted, but fortunately I'm not a court of law so I don't have to wait until they are convicted to draw inferences from what I see in the world.

Leave aside the shooters themselves for a moment. The other thing I find interesting is how those events are discussed and understood by other people, especially in contrast to right-leaning violence (like the people who killed Alex Pretti and Renee Good, or the person who killed Melissa Hortman and her husband and also shot John Hoffman and his wife, or even the guy who killed Jonathan Joss). Generally I find it to be a mark of extremism if you feel that political violence is justified as long as it is done against the other side. I've spoken to a lot of people who I would characterize as left-leaning extremists because they outright support the killings of Charlie Kirk and Brian Thompson, even if they wouldn't do it themselves.

This is different from understanding how they could happen, or sympathizing with the killers. I'm talking about people who outright cheer for this to happen more frequently. IMO they do not understand what kind of world they are asking for, but that doesn't stop them from cheerfully asking for it.

And similarly, I've seen people who dismiss the killing of Renee Good or Alex Pretti as justified because she "weaponized their vehicle" (no she didn't - watch the video) or because he brought a firearm to a protest (so what - that's legal ... and what about Kyle Rittenhouse?)

So basically, lots of words to say ... violence against people for ideological reasons sucks and isn't justified. Don't do it.

▲

jst1fthsdys 19 hours ago | parent [-]

> I'm pretty confident that I know who killed both of those people. I'm pretty confident that both did it for ideological reasons. I'm pretty confident that both of those ideological reasons would be seen as "left leaning" in the American political spectrum.

One can easily say with as much certainty that it was from fascist infighting, something fascists are well known for. Fuentes was saying some rather incendiary things about Kirk prior to the shooting, after all.

Someone hating UHC and the health care system in this country doesn't mean they are left leaning either. The base level that you can assume is they are sick and driven to extremes by a corrupt and cruel system.

> Generally I find it to be a mark of extremism if you feel that political violence is justified as long as it is done against the other side.

Is it extreme to approve of violence on those who further an agenda of committing violence on a societal level?

> IMO they do not understand what kind of world they are asking for

That is the world we have lived in forever.

> violence against people for ideological reasons sucks and isn't justified. Don't do it.

You might want to get on the line with the government and let them know this. A lot of problems would be solved.

	▲	aftbit 12 hours ago \| parent [-]
		>One can easily say with as much certainty that it was from fascist infighting I'd be willing to take this bet if you want. The prosecution just released some text messages purportedly including a confession from the mainstream suspect in the Charlie Kirk killing. Of course, all of this could be a snow job ... but I am relatively confident it was not. >Is it extreme to approve of violence on those who further an agenda of committing violence on a societal level? I suppose that depends on your definition of "violence on a societal level" and gets into some pretty heavy ethical questions. In general though, I'd say that approving of violence against people who act deplorably but do not intentionally and knowingly kill others is pretty extreme. >You might want to get on the line with the government and let them know this. A lot of problems would be solved. If they'd take my calls, I'd happily tell them this too. I have been disgusted at the violence done in the name of the people of my country by its current government, against people who were either totally innocent or at least not deserving of death for their crimes IMO. The cruelty of the state is unmatched in both its scale and temper. And yet, one of the fundamental "rights" of a state, if you will accept that framing, is the monopoly on legitimate violence. I don't like that, and I hope we find a better point of stability for society some day, but this is what we've got to work with today.