It's OK when we do it

At the risk of idiot hunting this issue, I wonder how many of the people who approve of union members assaulting right wing comedian Steven Crowder were also opposed to police using pepper spray to remove dug-in protesters at U.C. Davis last year.

After all, we were told, those U.C. Davis protesters were non-violent, so it was wrong to use force to remove them, even though they purposely put themselves in a situation where they could only be removed with force.

That's why we get comments that non-violent Crowder was "asking for it" by being part of a small group that set up a protest tent where the union members would be engulfing them. Our old friend utilitarianism is being evoked to justify the assault on Crowder, as well as the assault on opposing speech.


Saying that Crowder should have known that setting up a tent in an area surrounded by union protesters will get him assaulted is admitting that union protesters are violent thugs. It is no different than saying mocking Islam will inspire terrorist attacks.

Props to Crowder who issued an ultimatum to his assailant: Agree to fight him in venue that will raise money for charity, or charges will be pressed.