Message from @Sara
Discord ID: 471378995775012894
I think it’s definitely going to be different in terms of attendance," he said. "A lot of people are going to be very scared for their safety."
The group also faces internal divisions and struggles to turn an Internet-focused movement into a viable political force.
“I think the hope was that they would step away from their computers and enter into real politics," said George Hawley, a University of Alabama professor who has written a book about the alt-right. “And that was not the result."
Facebook chats between Kessler and other white nationalists — obtained by ThinkProgress, a left-wing website — show the difficulty of planning the August rallies. According to the chats, organizers struggled to agree on speakers and logistics and grew frustrated with neo-Nazis who did not support the white civil rights-only theme.
ADVERTISEMENT
How weight loss surgery can help change more than just your appearance
Ad By Diagnostic Group
"The Alt-Right is poor, disorganized and lacking in conviction," Kessler wrote in a May 13 message.
Last August's demonstrations rocked Charlottesville for two days. On the evening of Aug. 11, hundreds of torch-bearing protesters marched through the University of Virginia campus, chanting white supremacist slogans such as "Blood and Soil" and "Jews Will Not Replace Us."
The next day, the group swamped downtown Charlottesville – along with several armed, uniformed paramilitary groups – and were met by counterprotesters.
Rioting broke out, several people were injured, and one woman, Heather Heyer, 32, died after a protester associated with the neo-Nazi groups backed his car through a throng of counterprotesters and struck her.
"The American public was appalled," said Lawrence Rosenthal, who chairs Berkeley Center for Right-Wing Studies. Americans "no longer saw these people as pranksters, especially after the death."
A group of counter-protesters injured during the rally have filed a civil lawsuit in federal court against Kessler and other leaders, alleging the demonstrators were responsible for the violence and the injuries. That case is still ongoing.
Another lawsuit, filed by Georgetown's Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection, alleged that the armed paramilitary groups at the rally were unlawful. Kessler and several of those groups recently agreed to a settlement, which stipulates that Kessler must "actively discourage" that sort of activity.
Mary McCord, the lead attorney for the plaintiffs in that lawsuit, said she hopes the settlement will discourage some protesters from attending a potential rally in Charlottesville next month.
“My hope is that this is sufficient deterrent to the individuals and defendants who are sued," she said. “Maybe they just won’t come back at all – that would be great."
If they do come back, Charlottesville will be ready. The city is organizing several community events to mark the anniversary – whether or not Kessler gets his permit.
We’re trying to use this anniversary as a chance to reflect, and to maybe make our own statement of protest and solidarity," said Rabbi Tom Gutherz with Congregation Beth Israel, Charlottesville's only synagogue. Beth Israel is located at the center of town and was forced to take security precautions last year when armed demonstrators began to gather outside.
City officials are also gearing up for security risks. Even without a permit, demonstrators could gather in smaller groups and make their presence known.
“The fact that they can show up, even if there’s five of them ... it’s something that alarms us," City Councilor Wes Bellamy said.
Bellamy, who is black, led the city's initial fight to remove Confederate statues, which sparked last year's rallies. “Regardless of whether they come with 10 or 20 or two, people are going to be on edge," he said.
Local activists are getting ready, too. Tanesha Hudson, a filmmaker and longtime advocate for minority rights, spent hours counterprotesting during last year's demonstrations. This year, she's prepared to fight harder.
“The more that they think they’re going to come here and disrespect my city, the more I’m going to plan and strategize to protect my city," she said.
Lisa Woolfork, a University of Virginia professor and Black Lives Matter organizer, said the anniversary gives Charlottesville a chance to show its distaste for the ideology seen at last year's rally.
“Our plans remain the same," she said. "It’s to stand together as a community to resist the rising tide of white supremacy – and that’s going to happen whether they’re granted permits or not granted permits.”
Now let’s blame the weather
https://www.facebook.com/102946646603/posts/10155470369491604/
@retiredDep how are you able to drop large text messages? Mine fail every time
WASHINGTON (CNN) —
Utah Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch's office has launched a campaign on Twitter to prove he is alive following the discovery that Google falsely shows he died in 2017.
On Monday, Hatch's office posted a screenshot of the auto-generated search result, writing, "Hi.. @Google? We might need to talk." Since the discovery, his Twitter account has posted several photos of Hatch reading the newspaper and attending his birthday party in March.
You have gained a rank @renachan, you just advanced to 13 . Thanks for all you do Patriot!
Among the tweets showing the senator is still alive and well were images of Hatch attending events in his state and giving a gift to German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Hatch, 84, is the longest-serving Republican senator in history. He is retiring at the end of his term, clearing the way for former Massachusetts governor and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who is running to replace him in a solidly red state.
Hatch's office also sent a video of Hatch to CNN's "Inside Politics with John King," wherein Hatch says, "The reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated."
Following the release of the photos and footage on social media, Google changed the search result in order to reflect that Hatch is
Attorney General Jeff Sessions laughed off and repeated a “Lock Her Up” chant during a speech at a high school leadership summit.
Advertisement
Sessions was speaking Tuesday in Washington, D.C, when members of the audience interrupted him with cries of “Lock Her Up.”
The chant refers to Hillary Clinton, President Donald Trump’s opponent in the 2016 president election. It was a staple of Trump campaign rallies as the FBI investigated Clinton’s use of a private email server and remains prevalent at some Trump events.
Sessions, the country’s chief law enforcement officer, laughed at the chant Tuesday and repeated the words once.
His speech was about Justice Department efforts to protect free speech on college campuses.
The Justice Department did not immediately comment.
Shooting suspect spotted headed toward Asheville college campus, authorities say
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College on lockdown
108Shares
WYFF 4 Updated: 1:00 PM EDT Jul 24, 2018
SOURCE: WYFF News 4
ASHEVILLE, N.C. —
A college in Asheville was put on lockdown Tuesday afternoon after a shooting suspect was seen headed in the direction of the school, according to Asheville police.
Police said shots were fired in the Erskine area and the suspect was seen headed in the general direction of the Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College.
The school is on Victoria Road.
AB Tech and Asheville High School were put on lockdown. The lockdown has been lifted.
Police are not aware if there is a victim of the shots fired. Police have not said if the suspect has been arrested.
Cut paste?
Dogged by accusations of political money laundering, Los Angeles school board member Ref Rodriguez pleaded guilty Monday to a felony count of conspiracy and resigned from office as part of an agreement with prosecutors.
In the deal, Rodriguez, 47, who had no previous criminal record, will avoid jail time. Instead, he will get three years’ probation and 60 days of community service. His resignation was effective immediately.
https://ps247.link/BLoda2xW6ff
Ivanka Trump's clothing company is shutting down and all its employees are being laid off, according to news reports.
The New York Post is reporting that its sources say the company "will be shuttered 'ASAP' and that staff have been informed that they're being laid off."
The Ivanka Trump brand sells clothing and accessories such as handbags, perfume and shoes. It was created in 2014.
After her father, President Donald Trump came into office, critics of his politics put the brand at the center of boycotts and protests. Nordstrom recently pulled its brand from its stores, citing poor performance.
Ivanka Trump, who is a senior adviser to her father, President Donald Trump, has recently been encouraging U.S. companies to pledge to hire American workers. Her company has been accused in the past of using foreign workers to make its products abroad.
Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.