Protecting speech, stopping anarchist violence. Why is that hard to agree on?
Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) led a congressional hearing on the anarchist violence of Antifa framed by the co-occurring issue of protecting free speech amid peaceful protests.
Though Senator Cruz’s Antifa hearing was aimed at drawing attention to the violence being perpetrated by Antifa, the real fight was between Democrats and Republicans, with the issues divided on partisan lines.
Both sides activated their own ideological political scripts as fire power dwarfing the larger purpose of the hearing.
Republicans focused on Antifa as violent Marxists, and made a point to separate the rioters from the peaceful protests:
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Rioters are not protestors & protestors are not rioters. pic.twitter.com/mnaWWC0aqH
Democrats focused on what they called heavy-handed police tactics, which they perceive as the far bigger threat to the nation.
Republicans painted Democrats as terror sympathizers, while Democrats countered that Republicans were offering President Trump cover for authoritarianism.
https://clarionproject.org/will-senator-cruzs-antifa-hearing-make-a-difference/