Chomsky: Antifa’s Tactics Are a ‘Gift’ to the Right

After the violence at Charlottesville, Antifa, one of the groups responsible, just proves that the far left also uses violence to promote its cause.

Noam Chomsky, famed left-wing philosopher and political activist, argues that the Antifa movement is only exacerbating the fiery political atmosphere.  

“As for Antifa, it’s a minuscule fringe of the Left, just as its predecessors were,” said Chomsky to the Washington Examiner. “It’s a major gift to the Right, including the militant Right, who are exuberant.” 

President Donald Trump was met with tremendous criticism after calling out “both sides” for the violence in Charlottesville.

“There was a group on this side, you can call them the Left, you’ve just called them the Left, that came violently attacking the other group,” said Trump last week. “So, you can say what you want, but that’s the way it is.” 

But both groups came with shields and weapons, ready to fight.

“Counter-protesters fought back, also swinging sticks, punching and spraying chemicals. Others threw balloons filled with paint or ink at the white nationalists. Everywhere, it seemed violence was exploding. The police did not move to break up the fights,” said Joe Heim, a Washington Post reporter at the scene.

Then several government officials described the violence at Charlottesville as an act of domestic terrorism. Apparently, almost 200,000 Americans see Antifa as a terrorist group.

A petition to “formally recognize AntiFa as a terrorist organization” was put up on August 17 on the White House petition site and has collected almost double the 100,000 signatures needed to get a response from the White House in 30 days.  

Chomsky referred to the Antifa movement as “generally self-destructive.” 

“When confrontation shifts to the arena of violence, it’s the toughest and most brutal who win – and we know who that is,” said Chomsky. “That’s quite apart from the opportunity costs – the loss of the opportunity for education, organizing, and serious and constructive activism.”

Antifa came to Trump’s inauguration and used violent tactics like window smashing while rioting through Washington.  

Since then, left groups have become more organized and have demonstrated that using force against other groups is standard protocol.

“I’m seeing more concrete productive discussion between anti-fascists and others on the Left these days than ever before in my life,” said Mark Lance, professor of justice and peace at Georgetown University. “There is reason to think that it will become integrated into an emerging coalition that includes Sanders supporters, democratic socialists, dreamers, the Movement for Black Lives, environmentalists, [and] Native American organizers.”

Author’s note: Chomsky even recognizes Antifa for what it is– a dangerous group that is anything but civil. White supremacy groups, Antifa, and ANY group that uses violence should be condemned. I am not sure why Trump continues to be criticized for calling out all of these groups.

Editor’s note: We normally don’t cover commentator’s on events like Chomsky, but he is so far to the left. It’s like when the fat director guy predicted that Trump would win.