Democrats and Republicans

[W. Gray]

All right all you political experts out there.

How about refuting or providing support to the below observation.

I have heard this comment several times over my life and heard it again this morning:

ONLY DEMOCRATS RIOT.

[Teresa]

I think it might have something to do with the The 1968 Democratic National Convention of the U.S. Democratic Party  from August 26 to August 29, 1968, for the purpose of choosing the Democratic nominee for the 1968 U.S. presidential election.

1968 already had been a tumultuous year for the United States, with the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. in April and Robert F. Kennedy (then a U.S. senator from New York) in June during his campaign for the Democratic nomination, and widespread protests against the Vietnam War. The convention achieved notoriety because of rioting between protesters and police, and the generally chaotic atmosphere of the event. The turmoil was widely publicized by the mass media on-hand for the convention, resulting in a nationwide debate about the convention and leading to a flood of articles and books about the event.

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Delphi/1553/

[W. Gray]

You can extend that observation world wide if one substitutes liberal for Democrat.

[Teresa]

very true.. but you just ask why the Democrats Riot.. 

[W. Gray]

I guess what I was looking for was examples of Republicans rioting in the streets.

Or, is it only the Democrats who have resorted to expressing themselves in that manner.

[Diane Amberg]

Talk about grabbing a rattlesnake by the tail!   Back when I was teaching my famous class on "Riots are Us", ....just kidding, never happened. First, I assume you mean "riots" in the violent sense, because if you go back in history, large gatherings by noisy non violent people were also called riots. With some uprisings it was a class thing, or a religious thing, or a personal thing more than a Democrat vs Republican thing. The draft riots in New York City could be one example. It was poor Irish immigrants rebelling against what they thought was unfair conscription. ( People who feel disenfranchised tend to be more rebellious because they feel  they have no hope to accomplish anything that benefits themselves any other way. It is true that would be mostly Democrats.) Yes, Republicans were in power and it was Union soldiers who were ordered to fire on them. But that would be like saying the slaves in the south must have been democrats and their owners republicans. Generalizing and putting labels on people can get you into serious trouble. It's rarely that simple. By extension, I should be able to say then that if Democrats are in power "the people'' will be satisfied and will have no oppression or problems to riot about! Ah, if life was just that simple! I suspect the pure answer to the question would be yes, it's probably true. The Republicans are seen as the "follow the money" big business money class, who strive to make it and keep it and the smaller Democratic party is the poorer class who are struggling ...they fight among themselves too and have a hard time getting anything done either, but they are more "people" oriented. See how generalities and labels can getcha in trouble?

[W. Gray]

I don't think I was generalizing or putting labels on people.

I was not talking riots in general or about slaves or down trodden classes.

Only whether Democrats will riot to try and get what they want and not Republicans.

That is probably true.

The only thing that might come close for Republicans would be the abortion rights people, but even though  they might be a pain, they don't riot.

It is probably also true that only Democrats will interrupt freedom of speech with pie throwing or loud verbal means to drown out a speaker, etc., and then claim that is their freedom.

I was looking for something that would counter that only Democrats riot.

[Diane Amberg]

I didn't mean ''You" you, that was meant in the big plural sense...I'm sorry. I wasn't being critical of you in any way. But In my knowledge of history...limited as it is, I think it may indeed be true, but because of who the Democrats usually are as a group. To make a totally Smart Ass comment, Republicans would hire someone to riot for them.   (running to hide to avoid the flying pies) Now abortion is another hot button entirely. Me, I'm one of those flaming  Independent moderates. I have to take every issue on its own merits and decide from there.

[Catwoman]

Diane, I knew I liked your thinking!

[Diane Amberg]

Thanks!