As Newsweek reported a few days ago, “Drivers who run down rioters will not be prosecuted under Oklahoma law.” That’s a massive oversimplification of the bill, which follows in the footsteps of similar anti-riot legislation signed into law in Florida. In Florida, Sheriff Grady Judd even brought photos to show the difference between a peaceful demonstration and a riot as “some people are slow learners.”
In its story, Newsweek admits that “HB 1674 exonerates motorists who ‘unintentionally’ wound or kill someone if they were ‘fleeing from a riot,’ providing the driver exercised ‘due care’ and believed it necessary to protect themselves from serious injury or death.” See? There’s a lot more to it than “allowing” drivers to run down rioters.
Talking Points Memo doesn’t seem to think so, publishing a piece arguing that “protecting drivers who ram into demonstrators” is the GOP’s new anti-protest tactic. No, it couldn’t have anything to do with people being shot at at roadblocks or pulled out of their trucks and beaten unconscious by Black Lives Matter protesters.
Cristina Cabrera’s article at Talking Points Memo is behind a paywall, but she does note that “in Oklahoma, drivers can now ‘unintentionally’ ram their cars right into a crowd of protesters without fear of criminal prosecution, even if the demonstrators are injured or killed — as long as said drivers can prove they acted in self-defense.”
Ruth Ben-Ghiat has an equation we don’t quite understand:
GOP measures to immunize people who run over protesters=GOP knows it needs fraud and violence to win elections. “They are hurrying to enact all these laws because they know social justice movements are spreading in the country.” My comments for @TPM https://t.co/fDToWg77Ql
— Ruth Ben-Ghiat (@ruthbenghiat) April 25, 2021
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Maybe there’s a simpler explanation:
If mostly peaceful protestors didn't smash car windows, block them with crowds, and attempt to drag out actually peaceful drivers there'd be no reason to pass self-protections for those cases.
Simply put: don't stand in the road. It's not for people.
— Almighty_Deity (@AlmightyDeity) April 28, 2021
Stop blocking traffic.
— Skateboard Cat (@AndrewEyedea) April 28, 2021
You're just mad that idiots who choose to play in traffic will actually have to be accountable for their actions.
— Ryan Hennigan (@wolfsoldier79) April 28, 2021
Apparently surrounding an innocent person's car and threatening them with violence while bashing on their windows with bicycle helmets is a form of "protest" is @ruthbenghiat 's world
— Thomas Birchfield (@ThomasBirchfie6) April 28, 2021
Seems that not blocking traffic illegally or forming mobs around people's vehicles is a reasonable remedy
— Nathan (@NathWatkins) April 28, 2021
Or the GOP is trying to prevent another Reginald Denny situation from happening and making things worse. ??
— North Jersey Guy, Esq. (@mschroeder_62) April 28, 2021
We almost had another Reginald Denny situation after the Derek Chauvin verdict.
Nice gaslighting. Sorry, honey, many of us remember Reginald Denny, or the poor woman in VA trapped with her toddler while her car and windows were smashed. Or countless others.
— SamAdams, Neanderthal (@SamAdam15959383) April 28, 2021
Don't block any cars, don't get run over. #Easy
— Goldens Rule (@jamesbranch3) April 28, 2021
Don’t play in traffic and you’ll be completely safe.
— Johnny Quest (@JohnnyQ54038087) April 28, 2021
Attack people in the streets, accept the consequences.
— SmokingDog (@EdgeLurch956) April 28, 2021
Ok let's go over everything wrong with this tweet.
THREAD ALERT
1) You are no longer a protestor once you are out in the streets committing acts of violence. This includes beating on vehicles and illegally attempting to block right of way for vehicles on the road.— ROARPodcastBackup (@ROARPodcastV2) April 28, 2021
2) The GOP is "Hurrying" because they know that #SJW's are the ones deploying more violent tactics to try to advance their agenda and innocent people need legal protections when it comes to defending their lives in situations where rioters assault them on the road
— ROARPodcastBackup (@ROARPodcastV2) April 28, 2021
Don’t block streets and threaten drivers trying to get home. Or go ahead and do it.
— Bubbalicious (@TontoGoldstei10) April 28, 2021
If the mosty peaceful protesters didn't deliberately block traffic, throw objects at cars and threaten the drivers with bodily violence and would simply part and allow traffic through, then there would be no need for this law.
— Everett Lunday (@everett_lunday) April 28, 2021
Fraud and violence? Those are the only things Democrats have to offer.
— Fight Back (@DLH30653044) April 28, 2021
Hold on. There’s no consequence for woke mobs looting and burning city blocks, but the bridge too far is reducing criminal liabilities for those fleeing the same?
— Joe Nski (@JediOnWelfare) April 28, 2021
Not only is there no consequence; the vice president will help bail the looters and arsonists out of jail.
Related:
Ben Shapiro has alternate headline for Newsweek’s story about ‘drivers who run down rioters’ https://t.co/wJ1Kgawtos
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) April 24, 2021
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