The Daily Signal - Victor Davis Hanson: Portland Sides With Antifa on the Wrong Side of History

Starting point is 00:00:00 Donald Trump is sending federalized troops into Portland, Oregon, because the ICE detention center and headquarters there is under veritable assault, especially in the night hours. In other words, Antifa-like protesters surround the facility. They make it almost impossible to drive in and out, and they're trying to disrupt the idea itself that the federal government has a right to apprehend illegal aliens that have warrants out for their deportation. In some ways, it's a lose-lose situation. There's a lot of you listening who say, you know what? If Portland wants to destroy their city, let them stew in their own Jews. But Trump's point, I think, is different. There is no legal justification for state nullification of federal law. Legally and morally, you're on the wrong side of history.

Starting point is 00:00:52 Hello, this is Victor Davis-Hansson for the Daily Signal. Donald Trump is sending federalized troops. troops into Portland, Oregon, because the ICE detention center and headquarters there is under veritable assault, especially in the night hours. In other words, Antifa-like protesters surround the facility. They make it almost impossible to drive in and out, and they're trying to disrupt the idea itself that the federal government has a right to apprehend illegal aliens that have warrants out for their deportation. Why would Donald Trump, want to get into that morass in Portland, Oregon. Why would he want to incur such anger from

Starting point is 00:01:40 liberal Portland? I don't think he wants to. After all, he's going to be judged in the November midterms on the economy, maybe the border, but not whether he went into Portland or want. In some ways, it's a lose-lose situation. There's a lot of you listening who say, you know what, if Portland wants to destroy their city, let them stew in their own juice. But Trump's point, I think, is different. He is saying that the city of Portland, by its non-enforcement, by intent, not just capability, by intent, it is allowing an area of Portland to be free of exempt from the law, local law, state law, but more importantly, federal law too. In other words, people can commit mayhem against federal personnel with impunity. And Donald Trump is saying that I have to

Starting point is 00:02:33 protect the civil rights of those agents and that agency. And I have jurisdiction as the President of the United States and the ultimate enforcer of federal law. So I'm going to go into Portland with sufficient force and I'm going to guarantee that that ICE facility works as it does elsewhere without harassment. And if this now designated terrorist organization and TIFA tries to disrupt, we're going to charge them not with local statutes, not with but federal charges, and these carry severe penalties. So this puts the ball in the Oregon court and the Antifa court, because if you object to what Donald Trump is doing,

Starting point is 00:03:17 you're finding yourself, as to quote Barack Obama, on the wrong side of history in two senses. Antifa is a terrorist organization. The only mystery is, is it centralized with a head that runs the tentacles of this octopus? I don't know. But by branding people who identify with Antifa, de facto is terrorists, it makes anybody who wants to create a safe haven for their terrorist activity part and parcel to terrorism. Do you really want to be defending terrorism if you oppose the federal government's efforts to protect its own personnel from terrorists? But more importantly, there's a larger historical question.

Starting point is 00:04:01 This is a civil rights issue. Donald Trump is saying that no city, no state, no county has the right to take away the civil rights of any citizen. And this was a civil rights issue in the 1950s and 60s. Remember, in 1962, George Wallace stood in the doorstep of the University of Alabama. And he said, as far as I'm concerned, segregation forever exists here in Alabama. I'm governor. And the Kennedy administration said, nope, you're a citizen. of the United States of America.

Starting point is 00:04:32 We've already adjudicated this. We had a civil war over. No state can violate federal law. And so you may think that the University of Alabama is sovereign, but it is in the United States. And I'm federalizing your National Guard and federal troops will come and they will remove you. And they will ensure that people that you do not want into the university on the base of the race will have the right to do so.

Starting point is 00:04:57 And it was successful. What am I getting at? The mayor of Portland, the governor of Oregon, the liberal community of Portland, by allowing this direct violation of federal law and the denial of civil rights to ICE agents is basically nullifying federal law. It is a neo-confederate idea. They are in league with the George Wallace's of history by saying, we and our infinite morality and wisdom can adjudicate what the, the federal government can do and what it can't do. I'm sorry, Oregon. We fought a civil war over that and your idea lost. There is no legal justification for state nullification of federal law. Legally and morally, you're on the wrong side of history. You're siding with terrorists who are

Starting point is 00:05:51 trying to maim and hurt federal agents for what, trying to enforce an existing federal law and specifically targeting people who have criminal records here illegally and are dangers to the community that you will not protect. Thank you very much, Victor Davis-Hansson for the Daily Signal. Thank you for tuning in to The Daily Signal. Please like, share, and subscribe to be notified for more content like this. You can also check out my own website at victorhansson.com and subscribe for exclusive features in addition.

The Daily Signal - Victor Davis Hanson: Portland Sides With Antifa on the Wrong Side of History

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