Anti-Impeachment Protesters Disrupt Rep. Schiff During Armenian Genocide Event
A wild world where both sides practice new rules of political engagement.
Weeks of impeachment hearings that have mocked fairness and transparency have subsequently spilled over to other congressional activities.
Scuffles broke out this weekend during a town hall event in California to mark the recent passage of US legislation officially commemorating the Armenian genocide.
It wasn’t the topic that was the center of the fracas. Anti-impeachment demonstrators attended to protest keynote speaker, Congressman Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank), who is at the center of the effort to impeach President Donald Trump.
The video below depicts the scene, and it shows several members of the audience were booing Schiff as during introductions.
Then, Schiff began to address the crowd:
“…The reason why it was so important is that it was so bipartisan, so overwhelmingly, is that it shouldn’t be a partisan issue. The facts in history are the factions in history: They will not be denied.”
And while it is clear that Schiff was referencing the slaughter of Armenians, the statement was more than anti-impeachment demonstrators could bear. The protesters began shouting, “Liar.” The demonstrators also yelled that Schiff should be in jail.
Tensions quickly escalated, especially after Schiff supporters began chanting “Adam.” In response, Trump supporters unfurled a banner. Audience members who yelled at Schiff also removed their jackets, revealing shirts supporting Trump.
The ruckus began shortly after, as protesters refused to leave, and personal space was being invaded (by whom, it is difficult to say from the video). Passions ran high on both sides.
Police were called in to handle the situation.
Glendale police officers were called and some of the audience members left and did not return to the 2-hour presentation.
There were no arrests made, according to police.
I am of two minds about how the choice the anti-impeachment demonstrators made to convey their message to Schiff.
One on hand, independent conservatives do not appreciate it when our speakers are interrupted by shouts and incivility. There are also the downsides of making Schiff a free-speech martyr and Armenian-Americans having a joyful moment tainted with political toxicity.
“Unfortunately, some came to the event with the intent to disrupt, but the Armenian community has had to overcome far greater challenges along the road to recognition than to be deterred by a few angry voices,” said Schiff, who as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee has helped lead the Trump impeachment investigation.
In a statement, the Armenian committee said what made the interruptions that much more “egregious” was that descendants of genocide survivors were in the room, many of them elderly, who had waited for the passage of such resolutions their entire lives and had attended the event to express their gratitude to all those who supported the cause for decades.
“While, as Americans, we value our right to freedom of speech, today’s actions by a select few were designed to disrupt an event that had no connection to recent political divisions and disrespected the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide,” the statement said.
On the other hand, Schiff has opted to be an impeachment activist instead of a representative of his constituency. It is doubtful that any polite, civilly presented message would have conveyed the anger being felt by California’s Trump supporters nearly as well.
Perhaps Schiff can thank his colleague, Rep. Maxine Waters, from the warm greeting he received in Glendale.
For three years, President Donald Trump and his supporters have faced hoaxes, forced out of restaurants, and smeared in the national press on false charges.
Recently, a 14-year old boy was assaulted on a school bus by a pack of teens for the crime of having previously worn a Trump hat.
My attorney @FoyeWalkerPA said it’s okay to release the video, ?warning graphic ? keep in mind this is only the first 21 seconds of the video…please RT to have these two girls and 3 boys held accountable. pic.twitter.com/8oEz79K2xN
— American Diaries (@AmericanDiaries) December 12, 2019
While I prefer a thoughtful approach in policy disagreements, I am not a fan of allowing political opponents to follow asymmetrical rules of engagement while I maintain civility.
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Comments
It is impossible to have sympathy for this corrupt fraud.
RE: Your comment….
“To dream the impossible dream……”
Armenian Genocide
https://www.armenian-genocide.org/genocide.html
Schiff et al learn to empathize. Perhaps now we can limit our appeals to empathy.
Armenian-Americans having a joyful moment tainted with political toxicity
The whole thing is already soaked in political toxicity, not to mention absurdity.
The bizarre notion that the US should be sucked into every shithole squabble on the planet is both ridiculous and dangerous. They can’t squabble about the Ottoman Caliphate; that’s gone. They can’t even squabble about the Czar; he’s long gone too. But the stupid old US is still here, and it can get punked by anybody if they agitate long enough. And the stolid citizens are even dumb enough to think that that’s a Good Thing.
Americans of Armenian extraction have been angling for this for decades. They’re hot to get the events around WW1 declared “genocide” rather than something more anodyne like “massacre” or “atrocity”, because “genocide” is a magic word in the UN. The dictionary meaning is irrelevant; it’s what the UN is obligated to do about it that matters. So if they can get the US vote in the UN to push it, they’ll be in line for some huge payouts . . . from countries which no longer exist. But which country does exist? That’s right, the US— the UN’s biggest financier. Congress has just voted to put another hand in the taxpayer’s wallet.
Goddamn, people in Washington are stupid. And people outside Washington aren’t much better. And the dumbassery standard-bearer has to be Schiffhead.
The facts in history are the factions in history: They will not be denied.”
Nobody’s denying facts, fool. They’re questioning that the US has anything at all to do with it. We have our own problems; no need to go looking for more. Look at the damn national debt; we can’t afford endless silliness, and especially not somebody else’s.
If they didn’t want toxicity they should have vetoed Schiff’s participation.
I think little of the Armenian “community” here. The ones descended from the immigrants of the 1900s are among the most insular, self-centered, and bigoted people I have ever encountered. When I lived in the Fresno area, your last name needed to end in “ian” or “yan”, or you were pretty much locked out of the business community.
The recent “refugees” (past 40 or so years) have a lot of welfare scrounges, gangsters, and drug traffickers.
While no one should suffer being slaughtered en masse, it’s not our fight.
Here is what I would have loved to have said at Schiff’s townhall …
“Mr. Schiff, in January of 2018, former Vice President Joe Biden bragged that the executive branch could be bought by forcing Ukraine to stop investigating Burisma. Burisma bought this protection from prosecution by giving Mr. Biden’s son a multi-million dollar job where he did nothing for it except have his name on their board of directors.
President Trump has tried to stop this flagrant conflict of interest from ever happening again, but now you are trying to stop him by the use of impeachment. This makes you the mafia bully telling the world that Democrats are in control, can be bought, and the USA is for sale on your party’s terms.
You have no shame or integrity. It is time you resigned.”
The Schiffster’s district includes Glendale California (where this fracas happened). Glendale has the largest population of Armenians in the world outside Armenia –second only to Yerevan, Armenia’s largest city. So any good politician –or even any sleaze like Schiff–is going to pander to the Armenian vote. Getting the Armenian “Genocide” recognized by Congress is like reparations for black slavery–both are groups that just won’t get over it.
But speaking of things that people won’t get over. What goes around comes around. Adam Schiff was elected in 2000 with a metric boat load of Democrat dough. He was selected and anointed to “take out” Jim Rogan–a Republican congressman who’d led the floor vote to impeach Bill Clinton.
Based on the Schiffster’s abominable, lying, sleazy performance in his effort to impeach Trump, one can only hope that the Rethuglicans can unload enough dough to take out the Schiffster this next election year. I doubt it, but one can hope.
Schiff should be expelled from Congress. I doubt he will be, but given his behavior, he should be.
“I am of two minds about how the choice the anti-impeachment demonstrators made to convey their message to Schiff.”
I agree on being of two minds here. But unfortunately I think we’re past the tipping point. The left has already shut down free speech and at times used violence to do so. Things are not getting better. I’m hoping a 2020 blowout will bring realization to the left, but I honestly believe it will cause them to lose all their remaining self control.
An event where I can see widespread social unrest, protests then violence will be upon the confirmation of the next PDJT SCOTUS Justice if the seat being filled is one on the left.
I am completely against violence. But I think if we keep sitting back and taking it without being vocal, we invite more bad behavior from the left.
I’d say the Dems are getting worried. My Dem congressman just sent an email survey on whether I support the “ongoing impeachment inquiry” (yes/no). He never did that before, like when he voted to start the inquiry.
I was honest and voted “no”. I’d want to throw the bum out anyway for voting to open the inquiry, but things will be neater if the House stops this internally.
The sack of Schiff has brought this upon himself and the impeachment sham will end up backfiring on the Commiecrats.
The breakdown of civil discussion is great sport these days, with each side legitimizing their newest incivility simply by pointing fingers and shouting, “Well, they did it first!” before tactically one-upping the last outrage against free speech.
What’s next? Funerals? Weddings I read and watch a fair amount of news. Isn’t that the kind of thing that happens in the Middle East? Do we really want that happening here?
We’re already shooting each other in schools and churches on a regular basis it seems. Excuse me for mentioning the 800lb gorilla in the room, but, if civil discussion continues to disappear in America can armed conflict be that far away? America may not be “at the brink” but it’s sure as hell not moving away from the brink either.
This actually an example of civil discussion. The purpose of town halls is to get feedback from constituents. There was no violence offered by those protesting. Violence always offered as the answer to conservatives speaking up.
At least the Armenian’s aren’t Muslims.
While pandering to his constituency (Who the Hell cares about Armenia,anyway?), Schiffhead meets the real world and is appalled by the response. Funny stuff! DemocRATS started this and Republicans will finish it.
In re: the school bus assault, Dindu’s only have the guts to attack someone when they outnumber their victim. Don’t expect them to be disciplined either.
Armenians and other Christians care about muslim slaughters that continue to this day.
People in DC get separated from their constituents and tied to money interests. A little down to earth and dealing ordinary people keeps them grounded in reality.