Is there a difference?

[Honda]

Honest question. Is there a difference between a right-wing extremist and a white supremacist? The reason I ask is that a large number of the maniacs that attacked the capital are being labeled as white supremacist. I'm trying to understand how the authorities are making the determination as to which of the people were white supremacist. Could it be what they vocalized, what signs they were carrying, or other evidence? I know the president and the soon-to-be Attorney General referred to White supremacist but have not heard them refer to any other segment of society that might have been involved.

[CactusCurt]

Color?

[Kevin]

A lot of them are active in groups advocating white supremacy. Actually, I find right-wing extremists easier to take. I lived in Georgia in the middle and late 1960s and have a visceral reaction to white supremacists. Right wingers are people I grew up with who voted Goldwater. I can deal with them.

[Honda]

But how out of a crowd of thousands upon thousands do we know which are white supremacist? Clearly the federal authorities have put that group out front as the actors in this event.

[Kevin]

OK, you gave it away with your last sentence.

[Honda]

OK, you gave it away with your last sentence.

I want to know who organized and committed the violence in this event with particularity. I don't seem to be getting it from news sources or the Feds. A huge cast net description of "white supremacists" does not get it for me.

[UTAH]

I saw one of the rioters interviewed who happened to be Black. Now, I would think if there were White Supremacists there, there would have been problems between him and the WS. Yet, I don't recall that there was. But - I also think that they had a common goal (taking control of the site) and perhaps cooperated.

Maybe as we learn more about all of this, we'll find the answer.

Hunter

[CactusCurt]

I saw one of the rioters interviewed who happened to be Black. Now, I would think if there were White Supremacists there, there would have been problems between him and the WS. Yet, I don't recall that there was. But - I also think that they had a common goal (taking control of the site) and perhaps cooperated.

Maybe as we learn more about all of this, we'll find the answer.

Hunter

Steve Martin would ave really been confused at the riot.

[TriGuy]

It's not difficult for the feds. Pretty damn sure they monitor web traffic to extremist groups of all sorts and keep track of folks that post things that meet the "watch Criteria". And you can be certain they are pouring over any social media accounts associated with those arrested or identified.