Breitbart Writer On His Experience With "Black Lives Matter"

[Perknose]

http://www.breitbart.com/big-govern...eekend-incarceration-in-a-baton-rouge-prison/

When I cover protests, especially shooting footage for this film, I don’t do it from a distance. I want to be where the action is, but I always balance this with obeying place orders. As anyone who follows my work here on Breitbart News is aware, I have been a tireless critic of the Black Lives Matter, and I’m also a strong supporter of law enforcement.

[...]

I did nothing to break the law. I was not obstructing traffic because with the road closed and police blocking the lane, there was no traffic. At no point did I hear the police give any order for me or anyone else to stay back. I was given no warning whatsoever; I was simply approached and forced to stop recording.

[...]

The police took my camera and put a temporary pair of handcuffs on me. I was taken across the street and into the Baton Rouge Police Department headquarters for initial processing.

[...]

After an hour or two in this jail facility, I was handcuffed again and transferred with 11 others to the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. Here, we were put into a 20’x20′ cell, and gradually, the number of protesters in that cell grew to about 30. At no point had I been told that I was arrested, what I was being detained for specifically, or my rights.

[...]

While a number of the protesters I was in with would likely have no problem with being described as “young thugs” – in fact, they would probably take it as a badge of honor – that is definitely not the way the entire group should be described. There were also idealistic young people, a PhD who worked at LSU doing research on the connection between AIDS and alcoholism, a man who had his own web development company, and others who do not fit the preconceived stereotype some people may have of the type of people who would be arrested at a protest.

We had a lot of time to kill, and I had some great conversations. I quickly learned that the issue here in Baton Rouge for these people was not ideologically driven. Over and over, they told me the issue was not about Democrat or Republican but about the way law enforcement handles things in both Baton Rouge and the state of Louisiana in general, which has one of the largest incarceration rates in Western civilization. These protesters did not have the agenda of overthrowing capitalism that many of the top leaders of Black Lives Matter have; they want police abuse to end, and they see the Alton Sterling case as emblematic of that problem.

I was open with everyone about what I did for a living and that I work for a conservative website, as well as being a Republican. I encountered no hostility whatsoever for those beliefs, although I did get some genuine curiosity, particularly from some of the younger black man who had never really had a conversation with a Republican. They were curious as to my opinion of Donald Trump, and one of my fellow inmates told me flatly that he was planning to vote for Donald Trump. No one I spoke with seemed enthusiastic about Hillary Clinton.

After the first couple of hours, Sean, the white leftist from New Orleans, was able to get the number of the National Lawyers Guild in Baton Rouge. I have been a major critic of the NLG, the Institutional Left group that was founded by communist attorneys and that has protected people and groups that I find repugnant.

That being said: in this case, thank God for the National Lawyers Guild.

[...]

Do I wish there was a conservative, pro-liberty legal group out there that I could’ve called? You’re darn right I do, but there was no such group involved in what was going on in Baton Rouge.

I’ll also mention that when my friend and colleague Brandon Darby went to pay my $250 bond hours later, he found out that the NLG had already paid it. Had simply paid everybody’s bond. Breitbart News will be sending the National Lawyers Guild a check for $250 to reimburse them, but I appreciate the gesture and consistency, covering my bond, even though they knew I was a harsh critic of theirs.

[...]

At about noon, based on the conversations I’d had, I thought we were due to be released at any minute, but the authorities had other plans. I believe things were happening to slow down the process of release.

For the next eight hours or so, we were moved to a variety of rooms in the prison for short bits of processing, but endless amounts of waiting time. During this period, we had no access to phones and, therefore, no access to information from the outside world about what was happening.

[...]

So is there a moral to the story?

When some people heard I’d been locked up with protesters, they expressed concerns for my safety based on the idea that being a conservative writer with Breitbart might put me at risk.

I never felt in danger one time, nor was I threatened in any way. I made it very clear to everyone I met who I was, what I did for living, and what I believed.

 

[Atreus21]

Good for him. Honesty and sincerity over partisan loyalties.

Good qualities in a reporter for any news organization.

 

[Perknose]

Good for him. Honesty and sincerity over partisan loyalties.

Does it in any way deepen your understanding about what the bulk of the people who constitute Black Lives Matter want and are all about?

 

[dphantom]

very good article

 

[theeedude]

Not a fan of Breitbart's agenda, but the actual journalism in the article is very refreshing.

 

[Atreus21]

Does it in any way deepen your understanding about what the bulk of the people who constitute Black Lives Matter want and are all about?

Yes and no.

I would expect that if I were to embed within the protest I might find most of them to be perfectly reasonable people. Dealing with people face to face and one on one usually reveals reasonable people.

Black people suffer unfairly due to racial profiling by police officers, and I can understand protesting against that.

But I condemn those among them who call for the killing of cops or otherwise seem opposed to policing and civilized society.

 

[ivwshane]

I always find it amazing how a rightys mind changes on an issue when they come face to face with an issue. See Chris Christie and drug addiction, dick Cheney and gay marriage, and now this.

So yeah its great that this "journalist" had an epiphany but then I'm reminded of what his opinion was before this and I wonder how many articles or coverage he has submitted that has fueled ill informed opinions.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

I always find it amazing how a rightys mind changes on an issue when they come face to face with an issue. See Chris Christie and drug addiction, dick Cheney and gay marriage, and now this.

So yeah its great that this "journalist" had an epiphany but then I'm reminded of what his opinion was before this and I wonder how many articles or coverage he has submitted that has fueled ill informed opinions.

Did his mind really change or was he just giving a fair assessment of what happened? It may be shocking, but there are moderately reasonable people in this world who aren't just spewing blatantly partisan word out of their mouth.

I wrote something similar to this as a Trump supporter who hung around after his rallies and intermingled with a few protesters. The ones I did talk to were very nice and gentle and we shook hands. At no point were we ever arguing but just hearing why each of us supported the candidates we did. That was it.

I suppose it's more the attitude you take more than anything else. Had this writer gone in with harsh antagonistic tones and the intent to draw a dividing line between his views and BLM views, I'm sure he would've had a rough time. Also let's not forget that those arrested represent a small subset of protesters.

 

[Starbuck1975]

I always find it amazing how a rightys mind changes on an issue when they come face to face with an issue. See Chris Christie and drug addiction, dick Cheney and gay marriage, and now this.

I would counter that this is true for anyone given the opportunity to experience perspective outside of the safety of their insulated worldview.

 

[ivwshane]

I would counter that this is true for anyone given the opportunity to experience perspective outside of the safety of their insulated worldview.

True but the difference is that those on the left typically don't need to have a personal experience in order to gain perspective.

 

[Moonbeam]

But I condemn those among them who call for the killing of cops or otherwise seem opposed to policing and civilized society.

I'm against the ones who divine the future with chicken entrails. I only mention it because, well, we must be talking, maybe some fraction of 1 percent.

 

[Starbuck1975]

True but the difference is that those on the left typically don't need to have a personal experience in order to gain perspective.

I wouldn't be so sure about that. I know a lot of left leaning, urban raised, Vietnam protesting Baby Boomers of my parents generation who through white flight and economic opportunity suddenly became fiscally conservative, NIMBYist corporate and materialistic whores during the Reagan and Clinton administrations.

Right wingers tends to slam into and evolve on social issues. I would consider myself one of them.

Liberals tend to evolve on fiscal issues, economic realities and the inherent injustices of how the real world operates.

 

[michal1980]

True but the difference is that those on the left typically don't need to have a personal experience in order to gain perspective.

LOLOLOL.

Oh get off your high horse already.

People on the left are far worse.

 

[ivwshane]

LOLOLOL.

Oh get off your high horse already.

People on the left are far worse.

Exhibit A

 

[MongGrel]

http://www.breitbart.com/big-govern...eekend-incarceration-in-a-baton-rouge-prison/

Good for him. Honesty and sincerity over partisan loyalties.

Good qualities in a reporter for any news organization.

Yes and no.

I would expect that if I were to embed within the protest I might find most of them to be perfectly reasonable people. Dealing with people face to face and one on one usually reveals reasonable people.

Black people suffer unfairly due to racial profiling by police officers, and I can understand protesting against that.

But I condemn those among them who call for the killing of cops or otherwise seem opposed to policing and civilized society.

+1

Is how journalism is supposed to be to begin with.

The wife and I were both raised in conservative right wing families, my father had a bit of an epiphany about things 20 years ago before he passed away. He lightened up a lot in the way he perceived life in general.

 

[ivwshane]

I wouldn't be so sure about that. I know a lot of left leaning, urban raised, Vietnam protesting Baby Boomers of my parents generation who through white flight and economic opportunity suddenly became fiscally conservative, NIMBYist corporate and materialistic whores during the Reagan and Clinton administrations.

Right wingers tends to slam into and evolve on social issues. I would consider myself one of them.

Liberals tend to evolve on fiscal issues, economic realities and the inherent injustices of how the real world operates.

You pretty much said the same thing I just said, unless "slam into" means something different to you.

 

[MongGrel]

LOLOLOL.

Oh get off your high horse already.

People on the left are far worse.

You're a bit pathetic in your beliefs, to be honest.

But you do not care.

Someday, you may grow up.

 

[Starbuck1975]

You pretty much said the same thing I just said, unless "slam into" means something different to you.

I expanded your definition that liberals tend to encounter different types of personal issues. Unless by personal you were limiting your definition to social issues, in which case yes we are saying the same thing.

 

[ivwshane]

I expanded your definition that liberals tend to encounter different types of personal issues. Unless by personal you were limiting your definition to social issues, in which case yes we are saying the same thing.

Yes, I was referring to social issues. I apologize, I thought that was implied by the examples I gave.

 

[michal1980]

True but the difference is that those on the left typically don't need to have a personal experience in order to gain perspective.

LOLOLOL.

Oh get off your high horse already.

People on the left are far worse.

Exhibit A

Surely you are talking about yourself with that comment.

What liberal has perspective? Liberals are some of the least tolerant people on the planet. The walk around thinking that know better then everyone else, that they are always right, and that everyone that doesn't think like them are a bunch of ignorant sub-humans.

Your post claiming that liberals have perspective is both laughable, and proof you don't.

 

[michal1980]

+1

Is how journalism is supposed to be to begin with.

The wife and I were both raised in conservative right wing families, my father had a bit of an epiphany about things 20 years ago before he passed away. He lightened up a lot in the way he perceived life in general.

Except for liberal msm journalism, since they start have the belief that they are the smartest, best, righteous individuals on the planet, they don't need other perspectives.

 

[Starbuck1975]

Yes, I was referring to social issues. I apologize, I thought that was implied by the examples I gave.

Apology accepted admiral

 

[Moonbeam]

Surely you are talking about yourself with that comment.

What liberal has perspective? Liberals are some of the least tolerant people on the planet. The walk around thinking that know better then everyone else, that they are always right, and that everyone that doesn't think like them are a bunch of ignorant sub-humans.

Your post claiming that liberals have perspective is both laughable, and proof you don't.

I taught you what you just said. I am a liberal. I taught you because I have perspective. I can see that you can't reason properly You have a conservative brain defect, you are a poster boy for that defect in fact. I taught you these things because I know that every time you enter a thread and expose your lack of ability to rationally reason, you will be exposed to a massive wall of liberal contempt, that you will trigger the liberal brain defect of a large portion of the liberals here and I don't want you to further internalize such hate. I taught you what to expect from liberals so that you wouldn't have to throw yourself under a bus and suffer endless humiliation because you are not responsible for you inability to think properly.

And what you do of course, is continue to pretend the problem is only with liberals, that they are the reason they respond as they do. They are no more to blame than you are. They have a defect that isn't their fault just as you do.

You take everything you learn and turn it into a weapon to use against the other when the other you use it against is exactly like you. Knowledge is power only when it brings detachment to ones past programming. To detach from the ideological struggle you wage is to free yourself from it, to have sympathy for the weakness you see in others. I taught you these things to help you not to feel anger or pain. Love you.

 

[CitizenKain]

How soon until he is fired from brietbart for talking to black person?

 

[michal1980]

How soon until he is fired from brietbart for talking to black person?

this must be that great example of liberal perspective.

This idea that all non-liberals are racists, bigots, closet KKK members, etc etc.


And yet ivwshane and his lefty buddies will continue to sell us this narrative of how open minded and enlightened the left is.