It sounds like there were no good guys in that melee in the Ashford House, called “an Irish restaurant” in the article. The diners were associated with Stormfront, a white nationalist bunch. Of course, innocent bystanders were hurt so I hope the book is thrown at the vandals.
The people injured identified themselves as members of the Illinois European Heritage Association, which Cook County prosecutors said is affiliated with Stormfront, a group identifying itself as a White Nationalist umbrella group.
The mayor said the attackers were affiliated with a group called the Anti-Racist Action network, which was started in 1988 in Minneapolis and has clashed with neo-Nazi, fascist and white-supremacy groups.
Well, I’m glad I wasn’t trying to eat lunch there.
No soup for you!
Thank you for the follow up. I agree, no good guys here; however the bystanders are at least until proven otherwise, innocent guys [and gals if appropriate]. The next thing we should be concerned with, is what enthusiasm the prosecutor has for putting the assailants behind bars. As reprehensible as the members of the “Illinois European Heritage Association” may or may not personally be; their presence broke no laws and did not constitute legal justification for aggravated assault. The “Anti-Racist Action Network”, being part of the street action resources of the Democratic Party, may well walk. In fact, this being Chicago and the rule of law being weakest anywhere the Left is in Power [especially when that span can be measured in generations]; I openly expect them to walk.
If they are not appropriately subjected to the processes of the criminal law, it means that groups like the “Illinois European Heritage Association” will have rational reason for arming their own street action resources. And there will be a lot more innocent bystanders harmed.
Subotai Bahadur
I agree with SB – the Illinois European Heritage Association, or whatever Stormfront org they were – they were not breaking any laws, they were not provoking anyone by their presence in the Ashford House, they were not attacking anyone physically. If the members of the Anti-Racist Network Action network are not punished to the full extent of the law, than a principle has been established: that it is perfectly acceptable to go out and beat the s**t of people you disagree with, on any grounds you establish. Or anyone adjacent to them. AS SB said – now
Stormfront and various other white supreme organizations will have all the reason and justification they need to organize and respond in kind. I can almost hear the choruses of brownshirts singing the ‘Horst Wessel Lied’.
I am really thanking God now, that I live in Texas.
Sgt. Mom Says on
May 23rd, 2012 at 6:56 pm
I am really thanking God now, that I live in Texas.
The way things are going, you may soon be asked to give positive references for those seeking refuge there. [Note: not a request for myself, I have friends in both law enforcement and in blogging there.]
Subotai Bahadur
During the Weimar Republic days, the Nazis beat up Communists, who weren’t a very sympathetic group in the eyes of many, and the Communists beat up Nazis, who were at least equally unsympathetic. And we know where that led.
The use of political violence in America is not new, but seems to have been growing over the last decade or so, paced by the activity on certain university campuses. See my 2002 post Be afraid: the rise of political violence and intimidation in America“:
“”This may have been advertised as an anti-war rally,” said Suzanne Davidson, “but I could hear in the distance, as I looked at the hate-filled faces, military boots marching on broken glass.””
I have to share a great post from facebook by a friend of mine.
A guy comes home and sees people burglarizing his storage building.
He calls the police and tells them.
They tell him, “Thanks but we have no one available right now. We’ll send someone when they are available.”
He calls back a few minutes later and says, “I called a few minutes ago to report burglars. I just wanted to let you know there is no hurry. I shot them.”
A couple of minutes later there are a dozen cop cars and helicopters around his house.
The burglars are caught.
The cops rush in and one says, “I thought you said you shot them ”
He said, “I thought you said no one was available.”
Their essences may not be good, but folks who are peaceably assembled to share a meal are not the legitimate targets of a beating. The bystanders are victims of assault. But, in this world where all of us are capable of great evil, even when we think we are in the right, a breach of the peace is not mitigated by the evilness of the victims nor by the virtue of the attackers. The attackers deserve jail time and felony records no matter whom they attacked.
In fact, this being Chicago and the rule of law being weakest anywhere the Left is in Power [especially when that span can be measured in generations]; I openly expect them to walk.
This happened in Tinley Park, a south suburb that is populated by refugees from Chicago. Very much Reagan Democrat territory. I don’t think the case will be tried downtown, and assume any trial would be held in the south suburbs. A bunch of hammer-swinging left-wing goons aren’t necessarily going to get a pass if the jury is made of south suburban locals.
(BTW, I also immediately thought of Weimar street violence, too.)
This is why civilized polities allow private citizens to own and carry firearms. Illinois, on the other hand …
As near as I could make out some of Tinley Park is in Cook County, but some of it might be in Will County. Do any of you know which county the restaurant is in?
Robert Schwartz Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 3:45 pm
As near as I could make out some of Tinley Park is in Cook County, but some of it might be in Will County. Do any of you know which county the restaurant is in?
I show the restaurant at the corner of S. 80th Avenue and W. 159th Street. That looks like it is in Cook County, as the southern county line seems to be at W. 183rd Street. Which means that it will be prosecuted by the DA’s office in Cook County/Chicago. Can you say, “Get out of jail Free”?
Subotai Bahadur
More Information:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/12776463-418/eyewitness-recalls-violence-of-tinley-park-restaurant-attack.html
Eyewitness recalls violence of Tinley Park restaurant attack
BY STEVE METSCH Sun-Times Media May 26, 2012
Five Indiana men who prosecutors say are linked to the Anti-Racist Action Group remain in the Cook County Jail, charged with felony mob action, aggravated battery and criminal damage to property. They are John Tucker, 26, of Martinsville, Ind.; Cody Sutherlin, 23, and Alex Stuck, 22, both of Bloomington, Ind.; and Dylan Sutherlin, 20, and Jason Sutherlin, 33, both of Gosport, Ind. Two victims also were arrested on charges unrelated to the attack.
Robert Schwartz Says on
May 26th, 2012 at 2:34 pm
Y’all beat me to the post. I don’t have the time now, and probably not the resources to do it properly; but it might yield some interesting results correlating the persons listed above as having been arrested with: #Occupy, with OFA, and with other Leftist groups. Any correlation would almost guarantee a less than energetic application of the law as opposed to anyone not to the Left of Trotsky.
To throw another bit on the pile of totalitarianism; here is the list of key words the government is using to screen internet postings. It was released, unwillingly, pursuant to a Freedom of Information Act request. It has appeared in British newspapers, however as of this writing I have not seen it in the American media other than a short mention [now off the main page] at HOTAIR linking to the Brits.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2150281/REVEALED-Hundreds-words-avoid-using-online-dont-want-government-spying-you.html?ITO=1490
Subotai Bahadur