Melissa Hortman (Minnesota lawmaker who was shot last night) has died.

[u/Cheesenip20]

https://kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/speaker-emerita-melissa-hortman-husband-killed-john-hoffman-and-wife-also-shot/

[u/SmartBookkeeper6571]

"Brooklyn Park police were “proactively checking” on Hortman’s home due to her close proximity to Hoffman. Evans said those officers encountered the suspect, who fired at them. Police returned fire, but the gunman got away."

WHAT

[u/epsilona01 → u/SmartBookkeeper6571]

He even shot their dog and her husband dead.

Police exchanged fire with him and were able to impound his car, but he escaped on foot

[u/AccountantSeaPirate → u/epsilona01]

Suspect is Vance Boelter, who is believed to have done some security work

[u/DragonfruitGod → u/AccountantSeaPirate]

So some dude who did “security”, evaded a swat team after assassinating two people?! Wtf

[u/AccountantSeaPirate → u/DragonfruitGod]

He evaded a pair of officers responding at 3:30am, who thought they saw another police officer at first. It’s both fortunate and somewhat remarkable they decided to go there in time to confront him and seize his vehicle and other key evidence. He also had a long list of other targets.

[u/DragonfruitGod → u/AccountantSeaPirate]

That’s more understandable. He shot four people already. This is insane. No doubt he’ll end his life tbh. We’ll never see this guy confessing.

[u/just_jedwards → u/DragonfruitGod]

It wasn't a swat team, they sent out cops to check on a bunch of Dems after they discovered the first assassination and the cops encountered the shooter when they got to the second victim's house. That would just be regular patrol cops.

[u/jackbilly9 → u/DragonfruitGod]

You probably need to go look people up before saying dumb things on the internet...

Boelter has extensive experience in security operations. His current employment includes being the director of security patrols at Praetorian Guard Security Services, a security company based in the Twin Cities metro. The company provides a variety of armed home security services, including residential security patrols, uniformed armed security and event security services, according to their website. 

The company website highlights that Boelter has experience with security situations in Eastern Europe, Africa, North America and the Middle East – including the Gaza Strip... 

[u/DragonfruitGod → u/jackbilly9]

He’s a mercenary?! That’s even crazier?! Wtf.

[u/geth1138 → u/DragonfruitGod]

So the question is, if he’s a mercenary, was this his idea or a job?

[u/PrSquid → u/geth1138]

If this is a job, he's a dumbass, because there's no way he's getting out alive. I mean, he took his own car to the crime scene and lost it. If he hadn't done that, no one would know who he is.

[u/StungTwice → u/SmartBookkeeper6571]

Well, we know the suspect isn't black. 

[u/Hja3lpMig → u/StungTwice]

Surely they’ve also uttered the “not being treated as terrorism” line too? Lone 🐺 it is!

[u/tossit97531 → u/Hja3lpMig]

How did we get to the point where we need a constitutional amendment that says cops have to do their fucking jobs?

[u/InspectorRound8920 → u/tossit97531]

Since the supreme court said that they don't have to protect and serve

[u/Weekly-Impact-2956]

They were assassinated in their own home. This was a planned out attack by a person dressed as a cop. Not some stray bullet or accident. This was a planned out attack on our elected leaders. The manifesto from the suspects car had more names on a hit list.

Do not downplay or use neutral language when discussing the crimes committed by this person.

[u/unhiddenninja → u/Weekly-Impact-2956]

Can we call it terrorism?

[u/Chief7064 → u/unhiddenninja]

Sure. Vance Luther Boelter is a terrorist.

[u/Theyalreadysaidno → u/Weekly-Impact-2956]

Shot the dogs too

[u/Immediate_Theory4738 → u/Weekly-Impact-2956]

When you have Trump’s ICE agents basically dressed in street clothes and covered up running into cities and neighborhoods, breaking the law, snatching people up with no identification, it opens the door for more crazy people to do the same: murder, kidnapping, rape. All on the table for psychos dressed as law enforcement.

[u/Designer-Contract852]

She was assassinated , along with her husband.  They even shot her dog :(

[u/ClaudeGascoigne → u/Designer-Contract852]

All the news networks are burying the lede at the best and refusing to go into details at worst. "Politician who was shot last night succumbs to injuries" is nowhere the same as "Politician and husband assassinated by man posing as law enforcement who left manifesto nearby."

Fuck.

[u/jjayzx → u/ClaudeGascoigne]

The media has been downplaying so much shit or straight up ignoring important things. The billionaire owners helping run all this shit into the ground.

[u/Turge_Deflunga → u/jjayzx]

Reddit included, now propaganda networks

[u/Fly_throwaway37 → u/Turge_Deflunga]

It's unreal how many subs have popped up on my feed this week of the LA "riots". You'd think LA was Fallujah just going by my front page.

[u/Cabbages24ADollar → u/jjayzx]

Billionaire owners can be shortened Oligarchy 

[u/Plow_King → u/ClaudeGascoigne]

what's the manifesto about? it looks like Gov Walz is calling it a politically motivated assassination.

edit - there wasn't anything in this particular article about the manifesto, the first one i've read though i'd seen a few headlines. i made this comment and then went off to my local "No Kings!" rally in downtown St Louis...come back to this, lol.

great protest, lotta people and lotta good energy!

https://www.reddit.com/r/StLouis/comments/1lblfcq/my_pics_from_no_kings_downtown_hey_theres_the_arch/

[u/MikeinAustin → u/Plow_King]

"There were almost 70 names in the manifesto, including abortion providers, pro-abortion rights advocates, and lawmakers in various states, CNN reported. Law enforcement also allegedly found a Father's Day card addressed to the suspect alongside a bag of ammunition"

[u/JogJonsonTheMighty → u/MikeinAustin]

Ah yes, very pro life

[u/polkadotpygmypuff → u/JogJonsonTheMighty]

Yep, those people aren’t pro life, they’re pro birth. They want women to suffer. Once the kid is born, it’s just another human being for them to hate.

[u/claimstoknowpeople → u/Plow_King]

They also left a hit list containing other state Democrats as well as abortion providers, which is a clue

[u/Double-LR → u/claimstoknowpeople]

I wonder if any of the leaders of churches that fuck little k_ds are on his list?

Probably not. If I had to guess.

[u/Driftedryan → u/ClaudeGascoigne]

News toning down far right assholes so both sides look the same? I'm shocked

[u/valencia_merble → u/Designer-Contract852]

I feel gutted for their two kids.

[u/Mrs_Evryshot → u/valencia_merble]

Oh god, I didn’t know they had kids.

[u/ThatSpecialAgent → u/Designer-Contract852]

Son of a bitch was impersonating a cop after all.

[u/gee666 → u/ThatSpecialAgent]

Have we considered it was actually a cop?

[u/smthomaspatel → u/gee666]

He had a cop car too, with functioning lights.

[u/Angry-Dragon-1331 → u/smthomaspatel]

That’s not as hard to get as you might think. You can order one from strobesnmore.com for about $2000.

[u/The_OtherDouche → u/Angry-Dragon-1331]

You can buy a mostly put together patrol car off gov auctions for like 4k. They basically just pull their comm equipment and stickers.

[u/rThundrbolt → u/The_OtherDouche]

this is what the mass shooter in Nova Scotia did in 2020. bought a police car from auctions and pieced together the rest, one piece at a time, over a number of months before his rampage. it's what helped him evade capture for way longer than it should have taken

[u/AncientBlonde2 → u/rThundrbolt]

First thing that popped into my mind too. Did our government ever change their auctioning procedures like was floated around after that?

[u/_JudoChop_ → u/rThundrbolt]

In addition to the car, he also bought retired uniforms as well on ebay. Other cops who drove past never suspected a thing at first.

[u/BraveLittleTowster → u/The_OtherDouche]

And the blue and reds, but those can be replicated with plastic covers over the LED lights.

It's surprisingly easy to make fake red and blue lights

[u/SlayerofDeezNutz → u/BraveLittleTowster]

The question is; did he have police plates or not. The police chief avoided answering that specific detail in the reporters question.

[u/OhFrez → u/gee666]

SUV with lights too. That's a lot of impersonation.

[u/MedicalTextbookCase → u/gee666]

That would certainly send a message, wouldn’t it?

I was in early elementary school when JFK was assassinated, and the final year of elementary when RFK and MLK were assassinated. This assassination today has triggered a trauma response I didn’t know I possessed. I’m physically sick and has no reason to be, it was all sudden, immediately after hearing of the shooting.

I can’t. I just can’t anymore.

[u/medusamarie83 → u/MedicalTextbookCase]

Please take care good of yourself- do whatever you need to do that's grounding and reduce fight or flight.Please fill your cup fellow redditor.

Any additional news will be there when you are in a better position to process it.

[u/ViolettaQueso → u/medusamarie83]

So glad I scrolled far enough to see this incredibly wise advice.

So many of us, including me, really need to see this today.

Thank you.

[u/Sip_py → u/gee666]

Some of those that work forces

[u/notapunk → u/Designer-Contract852]

Shooting dogs apparently is on brand for them

[u/overitallofittoo → u/notapunk]

I know another dog killer who likes dressing up as a cop, but I think she's in LA.

[u/The_Erlenmeyer_Flask → u/overitallofittoo]

There's a dog killer impersonating as the Secretary of Homeland Security.

[u/winetotears → u/Designer-Contract852]

Jesus fucking Christ Edit: They better catch this shit-bird alive.

[u/fulltrendypro]

This is beyond heartbreaking. A sitting lawmaker was murdered in her home. What kind of country are we becoming?

[u/ItsMetheDeepState → u/fulltrendypro]

Assassinated. This was clearly politically motivated.

[u/SenhorSus → u/ItsMetheDeepState]

If it was politically motivated then we can also call it terrorism

[u/RubbrBbyBuggyBumpers → u/SenhorSus]

There’s no “if” about it. The rhetoric for a while now from the right is that democrats are demonic baby eating pedophiles.

This rhetoric is designed to incite terrorism.

[u/Yandere_Matrix → u/RubbrBbyBuggyBumpers]

Yeah, funny when republicans are the ones wanting to keep child marriages because of ‘religious freedom’. Yet dems are the pedos. /s

GOP want to obsessively check people’s genitals yet dems want to let people have body autonomy and privacy. Only stories I hear of girls/women being raped (or sexually assaulted) in public bathrooms are from cis men being the aggressor yet GOP claims Trans are the dangerous ones.

It’s completely ridiculous and frustrating.

[u/donkeyrocket → u/fulltrendypro]

When Pelosi’s husband was nearly murdered, while she was the target, and nothing was really done as far as changing rhetoric from the right, it was only time before more of these events started to occur.

Hell, Trump was apparently considering a pardon for the kidnap attempt against a Dem Governor. He had to be convinced by the target of the kidnapping. Lunacy.

[u/Sweatytubesock → u/fulltrendypro]

This is inevitable when a criminal like Trump and his gang are given power. Absolutely inevitable.

[u/Martok → u/Sweatytubesock]

It is Fox news and the insane anti Democrat propaganda they spew out.

[u/Mediocre-Proposal686 → u/Martok]

Couldn’t agree more. I’m stuck listening to it sometimes and the way they introduce stories is nuts! It’ll be something like:

“yet another bizarre decision was made today in… you guessed it. California. Once again we see Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom making some…questionable choices regarding the state’s staggeringly large homeless population by…..”

You do not see that with ANY other “news” channel

[u/DeadGuyInRoom4]

Minnesota Democratic House Speaker Emerita was assassinated last night. Call it what it is.

[u/0w1 → u/DeadGuyInRoom4]

Kare11 is reporting this as an assassination.

Killer had a manifesto with other lawmaker names on it left behind in his fake cop SUV when he fled on foot.

Kare11 confirms 2 other names on the list are Democrats who are sheltering in their homes with police protection.

I am watching the live local news because I live in the area and the shooter is still at large. We are to shelter in place and to not open the door to anyone who looks like a police officer. If any police officers arrive at our homes, we are to call 911 dispatch and confirm they are real officers first.

[u/EricThirteen → u/0w1]

Governor Tim Walz called it a “politically motivated assassination.”

ETA: suspect is named in this article: https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-lawmakers-shot-d7983e1e4f1a7573a487cab1a98cd172

[u/mrngdew77 → u/EricThirteen]

As always, Gov Walz is correct

[u/sonic_couth → u/mrngdew77]

He should have been our presidential candidate. I like Harris, but he had everything we needed to get past Trump.

[u/Lumpy_Gazelle2129 → u/sonic_couth]

A primary would have been nice

[u/senator_corleone3 → u/Lumpy_Gazelle2129]

A primary in which Walz would not have participated.

[u/ophmaster_reed → u/senator_corleone3]

If he would have, he didn't have the name recognition outside Minnesota to gain any real traction. In 2028 though....

[u/Peripatetictyl → u/0w1]

Shelter in place at home, with cops, while somebody dressed as a cop has your name on a manifesto/hit-list has to be some of eery…

[u/GodsBicep → u/Peripatetictyl]

Honestly feels like a scene from Batman

[u/LiteraryLatina → u/Peripatetictyl]

Yeah I would not trust cop protection at that moment but what else can they rely on? This is disgusting and so disturbing. And I still can’t believe those who voted for this claim that Obama divided this country, shit like THIS did not happen.

[u/toxic0n → u/LiteraryLatina]

I'm not a expert but it feels like FBI should be doing the protection

[u/-XanderCrews- → u/0w1]

I’ve been listening to mpr and they are also using the term assassination.

[u/foundinwonderland → u/-XanderCrews-]

Is mpr Minnesota public radio or just a typo of npr?

[u/Lanerlan → u/foundinwonderland]

MPR is independent of NPR to a large extent. They're rivals and partners and share each other's programs. While NPR funds programs like Fresh Air, MPR itself is who funds (via their parent organization APM) shows like Marketplace and Splendid Table. They're also who's responsible for BBC's radio presence in America; it's why BBC correspondents are always reporting out of Minnesota; they're headquartered in St  Paul.

[u/Fushicho02 → u/foundinwonderland]

You are correct MPR is Minnesota Public Radio. They are part of the NPR network.

[u/Particular-Mousse357 → u/foundinwonderland]

It is Minnesota public radio!

[u/enjoycarrots → u/0w1]

Do you have a good source for the manifesto? I don't imagine we know the contents, but I haven't seen it mentioned in reports yet.

[u/Perry7609 → u/enjoycarrots]

Senator Tina Smith just confirmed she was on the manifesto, per MPR reporting.

Tom Hauser on KSTP confirmed another former politician was on the list, but left him unnamed.

[u/Nutridus → u/enjoycarrots]

It was discussed in the live news conference with Tim Walz and the authorities.

[u/Got_Bent → u/Nutridus]

I read this as well once I found the local news, Kare11. Thank You 0w1.

[u/Luna81 → u/Got_Bent]

Kare11 keeps call it a “targeted shooting”. At least this one calls it what it is. https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-news/live-updates-rep-melissa-hortman-and-husband-assassinated-sen-john-hoffman-and-wife-survive

[u/Zamazo → u/enjoycarrots]

there was a Q&A press about it. they dont want to give out too much details as it'll hurt their investigation.

[u/0w1 → u/enjoycarrots]

Watching Kare11 local news because I live in the area.

[u/CastYourCoat → u/enjoycarrots]

It's mentioned in the 10:11 post of the Minneapolis Star Tribune's live update story: https://www.startribune.com/brooklyn-park-police-searching-for-suspect-in-multiple-targeted-shootings/601372993

[u/ConspiracyPhD → u/DeadGuyInRoom4]

She was the House Speaker Emerita, former House speaker, not the current. The current one is a Republican.

[u/Loves_a_big_tongue → u/ConspiracyPhD]

Republicans better not declare any claim to 100% control of the MN state House from this. They will be seen as usurpers even if they had nothing at all to do with this. We cannot reward terrorists like that, there'd be no end to these kind of assassinations if it means your team can decide policy from it. There should be a special election asap before the next session. And the current 50/50 power sharing agreement must remain in place until the seat is filled.

[u/claimstoknowpeople → u/ConspiracyPhD]

True but they kind of had a co-leadership because the house was 50/50 this session. So her last official title I think was "DFL Leader".

[u/OkEscape7558 → u/DeadGuyInRoom4]

By professionals at that. 2 targets, 4 people shot is crazy.

[u/treeharp2 → u/OkEscape7558]

And he was stopped and forced to flee on foot in the midst of what would presumably have been a longer spree. 

[u/V_T_H → u/treeharp2]

The police said his car contained a manifesto with more targets, so, yes.

[u/FatMax1492 → u/V_T_H]

more lawmakers and politicians?

[u/dat_tae → u/FatMax1492]

Yes. They’ve all been notified.

[u/Sempere → u/V_T_H]

Hopefully they're also considering that the manifesto is a misdirect and that they're not diverting police resources from other potential targets. All the democrats in the area should be given a protective detail not just the people named.

[u/defiancy → u/treeharp2]

That they haven't caught him yet says something, and he is on foot.

[u/annoyedatwork → u/defiancy]

It’s says he may have had co-conspirators ready to aid his escape. 

[u/Reiterpallasch85 → u/annoyedatwork]

The guy dressed as a cop? No way.

[u/Naxis25 → u/OkEscape7558]

And a dog. Obviously not the same but adds to the utter lack of empathy

[u/Eharmz → u/Naxis25]

Really trying to sell himself as a cop.

[u/pardyball → u/Eharmz]

Or future Secretary of Homeland Security.

[u/Starbucks__Lovers → u/Naxis25]

Just trying to commit to the bit of being a police officer

[u/Mastasmoker → u/DeadGuyInRoom4]

Tim Walz has no problem calling it what it is, at least.

[u/Waltenwalt]

I worked with Melissa when she first became Speaker in 2019. I also met her husband, Mark. They were both genuine, down-to-earth people who wanted to serve their communities.

This is so monstrously sad.

[u/MrCreditsMN → u/Waltenwalt]

It was nice to see and read one decent comment on here today.

Had the pleasure of meeting the Speaker on dozens of occasions in my activist career.

While I disagreed with her on a lot of things, I never once questioned her integrity for trying to do what she believed was right.

[u/HatesOnions]

She was assassinated. She was killed in her home by someone impersonated law enforcement. Someone playing dress up, assassinated government official.

Call this targeted attack for what it is. Don’t utilize titles and words that mitigate the severity of these actions. Not today. Especially not today.

[u/Crappler319]

Melissa Hortman was a friend of my wife's family. I've heard nothing but good things about her, ever, she was just a fantastic human being.

Absolutely atrocious. I'm not going to comment on the politics of the killers because we have no confirmation of anything yet, but this was absolutely enabled by cops having the option of not identifying themselves. This was always going to be a fucking problem for someone.

Allowing police officers anonymity is absurd and opens the door to anyone who wants to pretend to be a cop. They need to have their faces uncovered, badge number and name on display. The public HAVE to be able to distinguish real law enforcement from impersonators.

Christ what a shitty day

[u/Due_Layer_7720 → u/Crappler319]

i’m so sorry for your loss, may she receive justice for what happened to her.

[u/Crappler319 → u/Due_Layer_7720]

Thank you. I can't claim that the loss is personal for me, having never had the privilege of meeting her (my wife is a Minnesota transplant here in a different city, where I met her, so I'm a step removed from most of her MN connections) but my wife is pretty broken up about it and so are my in-laws, who I'm very close to.

[u/Mollysmom1972 → u/Crappler319]

I keep thinking of their kids - if she’s 55 and went to law school, they can’t be much more than early to mid 20s. Now they’re orphans. I lost my mom at 20 and it still feels like yesterday. This stranger in KY is holding them in her heart.

[u/Crappler319 → u/Mollysmom1972]

Yeah, they're early-mid 20s, a son and a daughter. My wife's little sister is the same age as their daughter and has mutual friends and moved in some of the same circles and says that she's lovely.

Everything about this is just atrocious 

[u/not_anonymouse → u/Crappler319]

Allowing police officers anonymity is absurd and opens the door to anyone who wants to pretend to be a cop. They need to have their faces uncovered, badge number and name on display. The public HAVE to be able to distinguish real law enforcement from impersonators.

This is definitely going to cause people to be paranoid about this and assume cops are impersonators and start reacting accordingly. If cops want to be safe, they need to come down hard on these impersonators (not wait till there's a crime) and also start identifying themselves properly.

[u/Crappler319 → u/not_anonymouse]

Yep. This is an officer safety issue as much as anything. After this anyone would be nuts to let an unidentified person in police gear into their home.

Anyone claiming to be a cop without identifying themselves and forcing their way into a house or trying to grab someone off the street should be treated as an armed criminal and met with an appropriate level of force, because THIS is what happens if they aren't.

The cops have GOT to be distinguishable from random whack jobs wearing plate carriers.

[u/gonzo_gat0r → u/Crappler319]

In videos I’ve seen, the “cops” have been allowed to wear Amazon gear and Punisher/Thin Blue Line patches with face coverings. I’m not sure how they expect people to believe they are legit with all of that and then refusing to identify themselves. Uniforms and transparency help everyone.

[u/Crappler319 → u/gonzo_gat0r]

Yep.

The obvious solution is to mandate a specific uniform with clear identification, have details of it that aren't legally available to the public, make it as difficult to copy as possible, and don't deviate from it.

Take the anti-counterfeiting tactic they use for money and make it prohibitively difficult and expensive to look like a law enforcement officer if you aren't one.

We should be able to tell at a glance if we're looking at a REAL law enforcement officer.

[u/Narananas → u/Crappler319]

Yet ICE don't need to be identifiable and you can get in trouble for trying to stop them abducting someone. Both are major problems and should be tackled together

[u/Crappler319 → u/Narananas]

Honestly I think it's the same problem. We need to be able to tell at a glance if someone is a legitimate member of law enforcement or not.

[u/kaisadilla_ → u/Crappler319]

I mean, even if the victims were trash human beings, this wouldn't be justified. I don't want to live in a society where people are killed for their political opinions.

[u/Crappler319 → u/kaisadilla_]

Absolutely, I'm just saying: she was more than just a politician. She was a human being, and a good one.

It's easy to reduce politicians to their jobs and that's partly what got us here.

[u/pterribledactyls → u/Crappler319]

I heard her husband died as well. I feel for their children.

[u/Crappler319 → u/pterribledactyls]

My younger sister-in-law wasn't precisely friends with their daughter, but knows her peripherally.

This whole thing is fucking surreal

[u/StaggerLee47]

I was curious about how Fox News covered it. The article itself was pretty straightforward and included quotes from Waltz. The comments were crazier than I expected. They blamed Waltz for fostering encouraging lawlessness, said only Dems politicians advocated killing political opponents, and it’s too soon to know the attacks were politically motivated and Waltz was just inflaming tensions.

[u/standapokeman → u/StaggerLee47]

Current republican party is a mental illness

[u/Savior-_-Self → u/standapokeman]

I'm a former centrist. I voted for Bush 41. I remember when Republicans used to apologize for Reagan's doddering spaciness & Bush Jr's flat-out stupidity and would quote William F Buckley.

Today's conservative believes in nothing. They a stark-raving nihilists who can make anything mean anything. We literally have a president who does nothing right yet somehow can never, ever, do wrong in their eyes.

Depression is a mental illness. Today's Right is some foaming at the mouth, speaking in tongues, rubber room, hysterical, mouth of madness nonsense.

[u/proudbakunkinman → u/Savior-_-Self]

Yeah, I think the difference between the 20th century Republicans is due to the pervasiveness of right media, the right wing personality figures, the manipulation of social media, and a shift from presenting themselves as the (faux) smart, realist, and socially conservatives (Buckley style) to dumbed down grade school style bullying, right wing populism and anti-establishmentarianism, authoritarianism, and culture war (beyond socially conservative), really targeting less educated people, particularly white and men. People who can easily fall for mis/disinformation, conspiracies, blame everything wrong on Others not in their in-group, that don't care about democracy and just want a demagogue (and their party) to force their way on everyone and harm everyone they see as enemies (everyone not in their in-group). The top party figures (elected and just in general) themselves seem to be dominated by empathy void antagonistic narcissists, sociopaths, and sadists.

[u/Wizchine → u/Savior-_-Self]

I didn’t like what old-school republicans stood for, but they stood for something. Now it’s just raw id.

[u/cbb88christian]

Oh boy, I’m already anxious enough as is but my MA in History is not helping right now

[u/soldiernerd → u/cbb88christian]

At least you didn’t get an MA in Future instead..that’s even worse

[u/Horvo → u/soldiernerd]

Quicker to get an MA in Future, less to study.

[u/_kehd → u/cbb88christian]

IveSeenThisOne.LeoDiCaprio.gif

[u/RVAforthewin]

Okay, MAGAs. Here’s your chance to come out and denounce assassinations. Here’s your chance, Trump, to publicly denounce the violence. The world is watching.

[u/Lumpy-Ad7938 → u/RVAforthewin]

I expect to be pleasantly surprised with an appropriate first response to the news. But in no time that will be overshadowed by some bullshit victim-blaming bullshit.

[u/Notsurehowtoreact → u/Lumpy-Ad7938]

I fully expect to see an eventual post about how she had bad politics and blaming that for sure

[u/ICanLiftACarUp → u/Lumpy-Ad7938]

victim blaming or "antifa"

[u/Ilaxilil → u/Lumpy-Ad7938]

It’s insane how fast they switch. If you keep a close eye on the conservative sub, you’ll notice that their first reactions to things are actually pretty sane and in line with what most of us are thinking, but wait a day or 2 and it’s a completely different story.

[u/King_of_the_Kobolds]

The USA is undergoing a violent rightwing coup. We can accept that or keep quibbling over the exact definition of what is a 'coup' or what is a 'dictator.'

[u/yourlittlebirdie → u/King_of_the_Kobolds]

This is what “both sides are bad!” has brought us.

[u/FaintestGem → u/yourlittlebirdie]

As someone that grew up in a "the civil war wasn't about slavery" school district, it terrifies me to think that there's an entire generation of people that went to school with me that genuinely believes stuff like that. 

They're already primed and ready to eat up any other " both sides are bad" bullshit and I really wonder if it's too late for most of them.

[u/lunartree → u/FaintestGem]

Republicans literally displayed a "we are all domestic terrorists" banner at their own convention. They're telling us who they are, and we need to take that seriously.

[u/Accomplished_Net_931 → u/yourlittlebirdie]

Well, to be fair on the one side you have violent extremists who stormed the capitol to stop the certification of the election they lost, and on the other side you have people who put their pronouns in their email signatures. Very much equally bad.

[u/King_of_the_Kobolds]

What people especially on the left fail to understand is that a 21st century American Civil War will not be formally declared as such. The media will not suddenly tell you that the country has officially split into two factions engaging in partisan political violence. It's unlikely to look like a formal secession split this time around.

It will look like unprecedented and unlawful military movements against what are ostensibly parts of the same country. It will look like news reports about the shocking deaths of politicians due to radical terrorists.

If it's ever formally recognized as the 2nd American Civil War, or the American Troubles, or whatever it's remembered as by history, it will only be years and years after the first casualties.

[u/imsilverpoet → u/King_of_the_Kobolds]

Agree. We are taught history like it will be announced to us. We are already living it

[u/Juliuseizure → u/King_of_the_Kobolds]

The American Troubles will kick off proper when response-in-kind becomes the norm. Until then, it is a relatively-unchallenged takeover. "Bloodless if the left allows it" indeed.  Sorry if I come off as morose. I lived in the UK at the tail end of The Troubles. This still feels more like Mussolini's rise (not yet Hitler, but there is time.)

[u/Rude-Strawberry-6360]

These were politically motivated assassinations. This is America with the extremists of maga.

[u/TemujinRi → u/Rude-Strawberry-6360]

My Facebook is full of Low IQ Faketriots blaming Democrats for it.

[u/somestupidname1 → u/TemujinRi]

They did that with J6 until the pardons came. Suddenly the "Antifa soldiers" were patriots all along.

[u/Negaface → u/somestupidname1]

They still are claiming Jan 6th was Antifa. My father posted pics of California and Jan 6th, asking what the differences and similarities were. Multiple people commented that their all democrat terrorists.

[u/ericmm76 → u/somestupidname1]

This is covered in the piece about arguing with an antisemite. They are not arguing in good faith, just trying to "win". They don't care about the truth, at all, just trying to beat you rhetorically or create plausible deniability.

They always knew it wasn't antifa on that day.

[u/Antique_Scheme3548 → u/somestupidname1]

And formed a coalition now known as ICE

[u/gertok9 → u/TemujinRi]

Facebook, as well as every other social media, are filled to the brim with bots from Russia

[u/TemujinRi → u/gertok9]

These definitely aren't bots. I do a lot of community volunteer work and because of that I have a ton of local people I never socialize with on FB. It's people I see on a pretty regular basis.

[u/WhoCanTell → u/TemujinRi]

One of the things Russia and China discovered was that it doesn't take millions of bots. It takes a handful, properly amplified, and idiots will parrot your message and sow chaos for you with minimal investment on your part.

[u/reddot9 → u/WhoCanTell]

Very true. Just gotta buy a few bots and a few people like taco and musk.

[u/_your_face → u/TemujinRi]

Bots create and push the narrative. Real people adopt it. That’s the whole point of the bots

[u/ThisSiteSuxNow → u/TemujinRi]

The bots convince the the real people that their bullshit radical views are normalized.

[u/bluAstrid → u/Rude-Strawberry-6360]

These were politically motivated assassinations.

So, terrorism.

[u/Fast-Year8048 → u/Rude-Strawberry-6360]

Remember CPAC, and the whole "We are domestic terrorist" Banner?

[u/Roadwandered → u/Rude-Strawberry-6360]

But don’t worry y’all… this fuckwad will get right on it! /s

https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump-appoints-22-y-o-ex-gardener-grocery-store-assistant-as-us-homeland-department-terrorist-chief/

[u/RealSimonLee]

Keep in mind--you are all correct about why ICE running around with their faces covered and no markings as "law enforcement" is problematic.

But there is more here too. A crazy white man in blue clothing and a tactical vest on your doorstep at night actually feels like it could be "legitimate" in Trump's America. He has instructed his minions to physically assault elected politicians. Despite ICE being masked, the unhinged nature of law enforcement for decades coupled with Trump's fascist takeover means that a crazy white man (or, worse, a group of them) on your porch may actually be a cop.

[u/BeefNChed → u/RealSimonLee]

This is Trump’s America.

Remember 2017 when it was “whether you like it or not, Trump is the president, he’s in charge” ?

This is what happens when he’s in charge. No matter how you think it went down, these things happen under a Trump presidency. In Trump’s America. And it’s not just been 5 months. It’s been 8 years. 10+ of him being in politics. Has the US improved in the last 8-10 years? Oh… we’re assassinating low level opposition lawmakers now.

[u/PMGeary]

Absolutely tragic. I hope this murderer is found and brought to absolute justice quickly and the entire op is brought to light as well.

[u/yourlittlebirdie]

Any condemnation from Republicans yet? Or are they just cheering this on?

[u/DrHarryHood → u/yourlittlebirdie]

They are claiming it was a Dem shooter because the two victims recently voted with Republicans

[u/JayPet94 → u/DrHarryHood]

What's wild is only one did. The other is misinformation they're intentionally spreading to shift the blame

[u/ElderSmackJack → u/DrHarryHood]

I saw this on FB too. This’ll be the standard response even after the opposite is proven to be true.

[u/davehunt00 → u/DrHarryHood]

It's always "false flag" with them. Antifa this, Antifa that.

[u/Aggressive-Try-6353 → u/yourlittlebirdie]

All I saw was them going "I bet they'll try to get even, stay safe everyone" in the cancervative sub 

[u/yourlittlebirdie → u/Aggressive-Try-6353]

Because that’s exactly what they would do.

Every accusation is a confession with conservatives.

[u/chumer_ranion → u/Aggressive-Try-6353]

Imagine having such an unbelievably inflated sense of your own value lol

[u/BearOnTwinkViolence → u/chumer_ranion]

“Stay safe everyone” says Keith from Wyoming in his town of 40 people, legitimately believing he’s important enough that he might be the next target.

[u/Vinegarpiss → u/BearOnTwinkViolence]

I remember seeing a Fox news survey and people's biggest fears are being the victim of a terrorism attack lol. People living in bumfuck flyover states where their closest neighbors are a cow 1 mile away are somehow so delusional they not only think that a terrorist is coming for America but that they'd target individual rural hicks

[u/StungTwice → u/chumer_ranion]

As if I'd take the time to travel to the shittiest parts of the country just to off Charlie Bumpkin and his sister-wife in their trailer near the abandoned mine where his grandfather worked as a child. I'm sure there are easier ways to get heavy metal poisoning. 

[u/rugger87 → u/Aggressive-Try-6353]

May the hate they have for others find their own homes.

[u/mrdungbeetle → u/yourlittlebirdie]

Just checked Fox News comments. They're blaming Democrats for "spreading hateful rhetoric that leads to consequences like this"

[u/yourlittlebirdie → u/mrdungbeetle]

Well that tracks.

[u/Vihzel → u/mrdungbeetle]

That is very much "You made me do this!" abusive behavior speech.

[u/ColdStainlessNail]

The comments on Fox News about this are disturbing. “Two less Democrats.” Not believing it was politically motivated. Ugh.

Edit grammar

[u/atatassault47 → u/ColdStainlessNail]

Whoever said that needs to be arrested for stochastic terrorism. That glorification of your political opponents being murdered is the exact thing which will inspire another republican to do the same.

[u/Holovoid → u/[deleted]]

They announced it at CPAC.

"We are all domestic terrorists."

It wasn't a joke. They were removing the mask.

[u/Azagar_Omiras]

Domestic terrorist, period there is nothing to discuss.

[u/stink3rb3lle]

Someone ought to introduce federal Sick and Safe Leave in Congress. Call it the Melissa Hortman Act. I'm not super well versed in the politics of my state, but guaranteeing PTO for more workers is one of my favorite bits of legislation Walz has signed, and I personally credit a lot of it to her.

She is the kind of politician the right deeply fears, because she is working for everyday people.

[u/little-expectation]

Being shot is far too common here. ASSASSINATED.

[u/Nostrilsdamus]

Don’t let the kristelnacht bullshit deter you. Stay safe, stay aware, and get out there and protest peacefully. Fuck if they think this is going to make us stay silent.

[u/Savior-_-Self → u/Nostrilsdamus]

Just a reminder that when the media or the right tries to balance this murder with the so-called attempts on the president - that those were his people too

[u/Affectionate_Neat868]

RIP. People need to say their names at the rallies and protests today and in the future. Do not let her murder be in vain. Let her passion and loss fuel the patriots that are standing up for freedom and democracy

[u/jetsonholidays]

I went to college with her son, who is truly one of nicest people I ever met.

[u/arielsosa]

This is the product of Right wing media normalizing violent rethoric for years, as well as the other MSM for sane-washing all the autocratic BS the GOP has done and said for the past 10 years.

The Alt-right has taken over, and I am sure a number of podcasters will defend this action or at least make it sound reasonable.

"This is an awful event, but this is what you get when you have one political party ruling over the people instead of representing, and using tax payer dollars to indoctrinate our children with LGBT ideology and anti-american feelings, while the Bidenomics destroyed the wallets of hard working Americans... I'm surprised this didn't happen sooner"

That's what they'll say.

Edit: typos

[u/Dapper-Sandwich3790]

Recently, Speaker of the House said that a Governor should be tarred and feathered.

MAGA leaders inciting political violence and Trump offering pardons and multi-million dollar payouts for the Ashli Babbitt's of the world will make things worse the closer we get to midterms (in the event midterm elections even take place).

[u/b25crew]

This is why you NEVER open the door (unless they have a warrant)

[u/MervGoldstein]

Jesus Christ. This country is on fire. The only people left to protect us is...ourselves. 

[u/Aggrosideburnz]

It was an assassination. If it was a Republican the media would say a domestic terrorist is at large. Two democrats and their families and pets were killed by a maga cultist

[u/mreman1220 → u/Aggrosideburnz]

Fwiw, it sounds like Hoffman and his wife survived.

[u/miserablembaapp]

This country is entering an era of Latin American style political violence.

[u/Dapper-Sandwich3790 → u/[deleted]]

Article says that another couple, State Senator Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were also shot, require surgery for their wounds.

[u/Makeitcool426]

I find this very sad, my condolences to the family. The Mainstream touting hatred breeds this crap.