WASHINGTON D.C. – While political pundits skillfully choose words and descriptors that best fit their biases, the issue of whether Antifa is an organization or merely an idea seems to be drawing ire.
Regardless of where the American people come down on the issue, it appears there is no doubt that Antifa meets the criteria to be labeled as Domestic Terrorists.
In the recent presidential debate, former Vice President Joe Biden revealed that he believed Antifa was not an organization, but instead was only an idea.
However, when an idea is linked to action by someone, it becomes a movement. The violent actions perpetuated by individuals claiming to be members of Antifa result, in fact, in the classification of Antifa as a movement.
Of course, Biden indicated the “idea” assessment had originally come from Trump’s own FBI Director Chris Wray.
But Chris Wray called Antifa an ideology. Not the same thing at all.
According to National Review, here’s what Wray actually said:
“We look at Antifa as more of an ideology or a movement than an organization. To be clear, we do have quite a number of properly predicated domestic terrorism investigations into violent anarchist extremists, any number of whom self-identify with the Antifa movement.
“And that’s part of this broader group of domestic violent extremists that I’m talking about, but it’s just one part of it. We also have the racially motivated violence extremists, the militia types, and others.”
FBI Director Chris Wray’s direct quote, according to the National Review, stated:
“I want to be clear that by describing it as an ideology or movement, I by no means mean to minimize the seriousness of the violence and criminality that is going on across the country.
“Some of which is attributable to that people inspired by, or who self-identify with that ideology and movement. We’re focused on that violence on that criminality. And some of it is extremely serious.”
In a comment on the YouTube video of Biden’s “idea” opinion during the presidential debate, one viewer named Andrew wrote:
“When an ‘idea’ has followers who communicate with each other and coordinate strategies, organize security and execute plans to destroy property and harm individuals, it becomes an organization.”
James Woods, well known actor and Twitter user followed by 2.6 million people, facetiously seems to agree:
Democrat #Antifa proposing an “idea” to burn a Starbucks to the ground. pic.twitter.com/TdBhhC1bje
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) October 4, 2020
The Antifa movement has thrived in those communities suffering violence and riots, many of which are governed by Democratic mayors. As the Antifa movement becomes more organized, it thrives on the power vacuum created by anti-law enforcement cities.
Legally, the definition of a terrorist organization is a group that uses violence or the threat of violence in the pursuit of political, religious, ideological or social objectives.
FBI defines domestic terrorism as violent criminal acts committed by individuals and/or groups to further ideological goals, stemming from domestic influences of a political, religious, social, racial or environmental nature.
As businesses and individuals in riot-hit communities can attest, they have been the victims of domestic terrorism.
Black Lives only matter if you are Liberal! Look how the tolerant Antifa treat women of color! @JoeBiden Antifa is just an idea right???? You stupid bastard 😂😂😂😂 https://t.co/Cr1TSCOgUa
— Hodgetwins (@hodgetwins) October 5, 2020
It is clear that the activities undertaken by violent rioters by those claiming to be Antifa fit the definition of domestic terrorism.
Biden’s assessment led to a vigorous and heated response from law enforcement officials across the nation.
Joe Gamaldi, president of the Houston (Texas) Police Officers’ Union, heatedly responded in a video posted on the Facebook page of the National Fraternal Order of Police:
“Vice President Biden said Antifa is an idea. Well excuse me, but ideas don’t throw bricks at officers’ heads.
“They don’t hit officers in the heads with baseball bats, they don’t throw Molotov cocktails and they don’t attempt to assassinate police officers.”
Gamaldi went on to say:
“Antifa is terrorists, and we need to make sure they are calling it by that name. And Vice President Biden frankly owes an apology to every single law enforcement officer across this country who puts on a uniform every single day for that ridiculous comment and to undermine the very real threat that Antifa poses not only to law enforcement but our entire country.”
Antifa, much like ISIS, formed first as an idea. ISIS then became a movement and eventually a full blown terrorist organization – formed in the absence of a legitimate or inept government.
Remember, the definition of a terrorist organization is a group that uses violence or the threat of violence in the pursuit of political, religious, ideological or social objectives. ISIS or Antifa – both fit the description for terrorism.
Joe Biden: “Antifa is an idea not an organization”. Tell that to the victims across America (op-ed)
September 30, 2020
CLEVELAND, OH – During the first Presidential debate on Tuesday, Democratic Presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden defended the far-left anarchist ‘movement’ of Antifa.
He said that white supremacists posed a greater danger to the country than Antifa.
Biden said:
“Antifa is an idea not an organization.”
President Trump responded to a question that Chris Wallace, the moderator of the debate and a host on Fox News, asked.
The question was if President Trump would condemn white supremacists and militia groups. Wallace, referencing violent riots in a number of democratic cities over the summer asked:
“You have repeatedly criticized the vice president for not specifically calling out Antifa and other left-wing extremist groups, but are you willing tonight to condemn white supremacists and militia groups and to say that they need to stand down and not add to the violence in a number of these cities as we saw in Kenosha and as we’ve seen in Portland.”
Trump said someone should “do something” about the anti-fascist movement. He claimed that far-left anarchists are more dangerous than white supremacists.
“Sure, I’m prepared to do that. I would say almost everything I see is from the left-wing not from the right-wing. I’m willing to do anything. I want to see peace.”
Biden and Wallace pressed the President hard to specifically condemn white supremacists and the far-right group the Proud Boys. Trump retorted:
“Proud Boys stand back and stand by, but I’ll tell you why, somebody’s gotta do something about Antifa and the Left because this is not a right-wing problem.”
Former Vice President Biden said:
“Antifa is an idea, not an organization, not militias, that’s what his FBI Director said.”
The Bureau’s director Chris Wray told lawmakers this month that Antifa is an ideology or a movement, not an organization. He did say that that activists were a serious concern, and Antifa is a “real thing.”
Trump, who had already promised to designate Antifa a terror group, said that Wray was wrong. He continued to say:
“When a bat hits you over the head that’s not an idea. Antifa is bad. Antifa is a dangerous radical group and you ought to be careful with them, they’ll overthrow you.”
Black-block anarchists, who many identify as “anti-fascists,” rioted in a number of major American cities this summer.
These cities include but are not limited to Atlanta, Washington D.C., New York, Portland, Seattle, and San Francisco. They vandalized businesses and homes, set fires, and clashed with law enforcement.
There seems to be a lot of confusion over the difference between an organization and an idea. The definition of idea according to dictionary.com is rather simple.
It’s any conception existing in the mind as a result of understanding, a notion, a thought, an impression, an opinion or belief, an intention, or a groundless supposition like a fantasy. In short, it’s a likeness or a mental image.
Then there is the definition of an organization.
This is defined by dictionary.com as a noun in the act or process of organizing, the state or manner of being organized, something that is organized, or an organic structure; composition like art.
The adjective side is that it relates to an organization, and informally conforming entirely to standards, rules and demands of the organization.
And let’s look at the Dictionary.com definition of Antifa:
Antifa is a left-wing political movement, made up of various autonomous (self-governing, following its own rules) groups, that opposes fascism (a regimental system led by a dictator with complete power. A good example would be Mussolini or Hitler) and other right-wing ideologies, often through militant protest tactics.
There is no one Antifa organization.
This means there isn’t necessarily a single address for the organization. Rather, the movement is made up of various groups and individuals united by their opposition to fascism.
Antifa especially targets people and groups that support the oppression of minority groups. They support socialism, communism, and anarchism.
But who or what is this movement and what does it do? Antifa activists harass people both online and in real life.
They aren’t “unified” per se, as it’s a loose collection of groups and individuals. They intimidate people, anyone that disagrees with their message, and then they blame other people for their actions. They often call people “Nazis.”
At protests or rallies they will beat people up, throw projectiles, including bricks or crowbars, use homemade slingshots, metal chains, water bottles, balloons filled with urine and fecal matter.
They also use doxxing, which also exposes people’s identities, addresses, jobs and other private information. This allows people to be harassed, lose jobs, and other consequences.
Now, Trump’s FBI director agreed that Antifa is an ideology and not an organization. However, let’s look at the actual context of this. Yes, Chris Wray did say that it was an ideology and not an organization. He also stated:
“We don’t really think of threats in terms of left, right, at the FBI. We’re focused on the violence, not the ideology.”
Additionally, the AP Press said that Wray did not dispute that Antifa activists were a serious concern. He concurred Antifa was a “real thing” and that the FBI had undertaken investigations into people who identify with Antifa.
Is Antifa an idea or an organization? Let’s find out using the basic definitions of idea and organization.
The definition of idea is:
It’s any conception existing in the mind as a result of understanding, a notion, a thought, an impression, an opinion or belief, an intention, or a groundless supposition like a fantasy. In short, it’s a likeness or a mental image.
The problem with this is that it’s referring to an idea, a belief, supposition.
Antifa has an ideology of anti-fascism and anti-white supremacy. They also use a lot of groundless suppositions: like every white person is a white supremacist, unless the white person is a member of Antifa. As a collective group, yes, they have a cohesive idea and philosophy. They have tactics.
But here is the thing that is most intriguing. The group themselves have an idea that defines them. The American public’s idea of Antifa’s members are people usually dressed in all black, throwing things at other people, setting fires, murder, destroying businesses.
The problem is? They aren’t imaginary. They are real entities, real people with this idea of violence.
Are they an idea?
If you can see them, touch them, hear them, or see the impact they have with the violence, they aren’t a fantasy. They are real. Nope, not an idea.
Are they an organization? Let’s look at the definition of an organization:
A noun in the act or process of organizing, the state or manner of being organized, something that is organized, or an organic structure; composition like art. The adjective side of it that it relates to an organization, and informally conforming entirely to standards, rules and demands of the organization.
Antifa is full of a bunch of autonomous groups and individuals. However, there are groups that are labeled Antifa. We also know that these people are not above traveling hundreds of miles to fight for a cause.
For example: there is an Atlanta Antifascists. The page was created in 2016 and has over 5,000 likes.
It can be gathered, doing a quick Facebook search, that there is indeed a way of organizing people of like minds. We also know that there is communication between the groups such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, individualized websites, and other apps. Someone has to get the word out.
We also know for a fact that most of the people who believe in Antifa are deeply ingrained in this organization through ideas, and they follow the rules and the same tactics. There’s a leaked e-mail that suggests that Antifa organized the violence in Portland.
By the sole definition of idea versus organization, Antifa is hands down an organization, and it is a violent organization – albeit not necessarily one defined as such from a legal or tax-based perspective.
The Biden Campaign still seems to have totally missed the point.
Here is the segment again, and let’s hear social media’s response:
On this video at the beginning of the day after the Presidential Debate – there were over 500 reactions and 130 comments. These comments included:
“Biden said that Antifa was just a thought! Yea right!!! Then when questioned as to why he hasn’t called the rioting cities and told BLM to stop the violence. He said I have no office right now.”
“How can a moderator bring up Trump’s taxes when the story is so biased? Here’s why….the moderator is biased. The stupidest thing Biden said…’ANTIFA is an Idea.’ So…the idea was to burn down America?”
“Of course Biden will downplay Antifa!”
“Trump calls out Biden and all Dems- Biden totally lied about Antifa.”
“Denial is the first step Joe…you have a long way to go!!”
But then others added in Facebook. This post got 171 reactions (at the time of the post), 458 comments and 64 shares. Their audience reacted also. Some told it like it was:
“He didn’t want to alienate his base.”
“No one really trusts the news anymore. The best thing for Trump is for you to keep supporting Biden.”
Some were just confused:
“I guess I didn’t know Wallace was debating President Trump tonight too.”
Some were stunned at what Biden had said:
“And Antifa is an idea, really!?!”
“Antifa is an idea? What are you talking about joe? Who’s the racist? Sounds like you. We know what Antifa is.”
Even international news outlets were confused by this statement:
To be fair, what about the “White Supremacist Group” that Biden and Wallace pressured Trump to denounce? Proud Boys? Aren’t they racist?
Well, according to this post, no. They are a militia.
This post received 3k reactions, 760 comments and 1.1k shares. Some of them weighed in:
“Proud boys wouldn’t have anything to do if it weren’t for Antifa! How about the left condemn Antifa first!”
“I noticed that too. He said “Chris, give me a name.” Chris said “Proud boys.” It may have been Biden. He asked Chris and I was looking away and assumed Chris answered him, but Biden may have said it.”
Law Enforcement Today can verify it was President Trump.
“Biden said Antifa wasn’t real🙁🙄🤣🤣🤣 listening to him talk was like pulling my hair out strand by strand. Kinda felt sorry for the guy. And I’m an independent voter, watch me swing🤣🤣”
“So, that was an idea burning all those cities? Spontaneous combustion, I’ll bet!”
Social media seems to agree that indeed Antifa is real… and not an idea or a figment of the imagination.
Sorry, Joe.
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