We should be well beyond the point that anyone would believe Antifa is a group of rational, nonviolent individuals. They trash cities. They harass and beat Trump supporters, sometimes with impunity. Their rage and hatred know no bounds – and no group is excluded, it seems. They’re something like equal opportunity haters; they’ll unleash their uncontrollable fury on anyone at a moment’s notice. [perfectpullquote align=”right” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=”24″]…they merely swapped to calling him a spic and a wetback.[/perfectpullquote]
Perhaps the best story that illustrates this point is that of the two Marines who were assaulted in Philadelphia. According to the testimony of the survivors – one of whom is of Mexican descent – the thugs who beat them called them white supremacists and Nazis. Well, that fits, right? Punch a Nazi, and all that. But when Alejandro Godinez identified himself as Mexican, they merely swapped to calling him a spic and a wetback.
Philadelphia Magazine reported both the initial assault in November and the mid-December day in court. Here’s what the victims claimed happened:
Marines Assaulted
On Nov. 17, Alejandro Godinez and Luis Torres, two U.S. Marine Corps reservists, were in town for a Marine event with the rest of their helicopter unit. They were unaware of the “We the People” rally taking place that day and were out seeing the sights.
Thomas Keenan
As they toured the local landmarks near Front and Chestnut streets, Thomas Keenan – who was later charged in the assault – approached them. “Are you proud,” he asked them. “We are Marines,” Godinez replied. Keenan then clarified that he meant to ask if they were Proud Boys. Torres claimed not to know what that meant, but the Antifa thugs didn’t care, as will soon become clear. At some point shortly after, around 12 people – including the two defendants, Thomas Keenan and Thomas Massey – jumped them. They beat the soldiers and sprayed them repeatedly with mace. They also chanted “F*** him up” and called the two Marines white supremacists and Nazis.
Godinez testified that he had been bewildered by the insults, so he cried out “I’m Mexican!” But the abuse continued unabated. The only difference was that, according to the victims, Keenan switched to ethnic slurs, including spic and wetback. After being sprayed with mace at least six times and repeatedly kicked in the head and ribs, Godinez could have died that day – and he knows it. But he recalls Keenan “laughing, smiling, and having a good time.”
The two Antifa members who were identified – the other ten or so managed to fade back into anonymity – face felony counts of aggravated assault and conspiracy, as well as multiple misdemeanors, and, thanks to the racial slurs, Keenan has one felony count of ethnic intimidation as well. The trial is set for Dec. 27.
Friendly Fire
Incidents of Antifa violence against rally goers and random Trump supporters or ICE employees come as no surprise these days, but the fact that they don’t care who they attack shouldn’t be a shocker either. This isn’t the first time they’ve picked the wrong targets – though it might well be the best demonstration that they just don’t care. Liberty Nation’s Leesa K. Donner exposed the so-called anti-fascist group’s rabid nature back in August. Paul Welsh, a progressive from Portland who supported first Bernie then Hillary for president in 2016, decided to protest a conservative rally. Unfortunately for him, Antifa has declared the U.S. flag a “symbol of fascism.” When he refused to hand over the hateful icon immediately, the Antifa thugs clubbed him over the head.
Unfocused Hate
Antifa claims to exist only to fight fascism. If that’s all they did, there would be no problem. After all, there isn’t much of it to be seen these days outside of the group’s own tactics. The problem is that, just like the race baiters and “literally Hitler” folk, they’ve expanded the meaning of their chosen term to mean “anything I don’t like.”
It is tempting to use this example as evidence that Antifa hates Mexicans. But that’s simply not the case. They hate everyone who isn’t them, and they do so pretty much equally. Sure, if you wear a MAGA hat, you’re instantly bumped to the top of the list – but don’t think for a second that anyone of any race, sex, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or even political ideology is safe from their ire. All it takes is disagreeing with them in any way, or just refusing to immediately comply with their demands. It almost seems that the only people immune from Antifa violence are the members themselves – though one must wonder how quickly they would turn on each other if given the chance and half an excuse.
