# Feds 'black-bagging people' in Portland **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 18, 2020, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-black-bagging-people-in-portland/915638 "2020-07-18T03:19:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 20
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-black-bagging-people-in-portland/915638/383 "2020-07-22T00:57:01Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > I think the feds bit off a bit more than they can chew–if they thought being terrorists around here would make us stay home [they drastically misread the situation.](https://i.imgur.com/62vEWQ6.jpg) That’s from today at the “Justice” Center. I think the Feds have read correctly, _for their purposes_. Maximum chaos, maximum fear. The more incidents they can incite, the more repression they can “justify”. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-black-bagging-people-in-portland/915638/384 "2020-07-22T01:06:09Z")
> [@galen\_ubal](#): > > I think the Feds have read correctly, _for their purposes_ . Maximum chaos, maximum fear. The more incidents they can incite, the more repression they can “justify”. I agree. They know what they’re doing. The goal is more violence and turmoil, not less. The stated reasons from the feds and the National Review are BS. ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-black-bagging-people-in-portland/915638/385 "2020-07-22T01:08:41Z")
@TroutMan: That is 100% my take on the situation as well. (Your earlier longer post). ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-black-bagging-people-in-portland/915638/386 "2020-07-22T01:17:16Z")
@Troutman, thanks for what appears to be an unbiased reporting of what is happening. That is the type of attempt at painting a realistic picture of what is going on that allows for analysis of where things are handled correctly or incorrectly from either side. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-black-bagging-people-in-portland/915638/387 "2020-07-22T01:33:17Z")
I appreciate your detailed response. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-black-bagging-people-in-portland/915638/388 "2020-07-22T01:54:47Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > I agree. They know what they’re doing. The goal is more violence and turmoil, not less. The stated reasons from the feds and the National Review are BS. Seattle had a mini-wave of violence on Sunday that strongly appears to have been for the sole purpose of justifying federal intervention right as things finally got back to semi-normal. It would surprise no one if the thugs that arrived with baseball bats at the end of a very peaceful demonstration downtown were sent there on purpose. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-black-bagging-people-in-portland/915638/389 "2020-07-22T03:31:49Z")
Portland nonviolent protest game is strong. Here’s the moms in action–I especially like the “[hands up, please don’t shoot me](https://twitter.com/MrOlmos/status/1285427135746764800?s=20)” lullaby. And this might be my [all time favorite protest sign.](https://imgur.com/mCvuIjS) ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-black-bagging-people-in-portland/915638/390 "2020-07-22T03:49:34Z")
Well you support the political violence then. It’s very bizarre to be in favor of political violence in order to further a radical right agenda which the federal leaders are enabling by not allowing people to exercise their constitutional rights by having police commit assaults and terrorism while using the flimsy excuse about the use of force to restore order. The cause in favor of police brutality is now being championed by American fascists and other far right groups such as the GOP and it’s unfortunate because law enforcement does need reform. Yet, fascism is not the answer and is very counterproductive. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-black-bagging-people-in-portland/915638/391 "2020-07-22T10:24:27Z")
The response of the Trump and the feds, and the way it has restarted and reinvigorated the protests mirrors the incompetent way in which they have managed the Coronavirus spread and their opening up of the economy - by reopening the pandemic has been restarts and reinvigorated but now it is highly likely to be worse than the original wave. Seems to me the more this administration tries to grasp and crush things, the worse they become. ---
**Author:** ![ThisIsTheEnd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisistheend/32/4713_2.png) [@ThisIsTheEnd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisIsTheEnd)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-black-bagging-people-in-portland/915638/392 "2020-07-22T10:44:01Z")
That’s about what I thought. There’s a solution. Have the actual protestors take a few nights off. I found the original source of the most commonly shown black bagging video. It’s a twitter account matcha\_chai. Now go look at that account. That’s someone who’s out every night looking for action, and I don’t mean policy action. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-black-bagging-people-in-portland/915638/393 "2020-07-22T10:55:20Z")
> [@ThisIsTheEnd](#): > > Have the actual protestors take a few nights off. …LOL. ---
**Author:** ![ThisIsTheEnd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisistheend/32/4713_2.png) [@ThisIsTheEnd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisIsTheEnd)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-black-bagging-people-in-portland/915638/394 "2020-07-22T11:05:38Z")
Lol yourself. > [@TroutMan](#): > > By 10:00 or 11:00 at night, most people have started to disperse, and a few people remain who are more interested in an antagonistic approach. > [@TroutMan](#): > > So they let things go until most people were gone and the remaining people were there to start shit, police presence or not. > [@TroutMan](#): > > With this approach, the protests were dying out after 40+ days. The starting crowds recently were less than 100, and the shit-disturbers were even fewer. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-black-bagging-people-in-portland/915638/395 "2020-07-22T11:17:26Z")
> [@ThisIsTheEnd](#): > > Lol yourself. …do you think that the protestors will suddenly decide to take “a few nights off” because a random person on the internet thinks that this is the “solution?” That isn’t how the world works. ---
**Author:** ![ThisIsTheEnd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisistheend/32/4713_2.png) [@ThisIsTheEnd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisIsTheEnd)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-black-bagging-people-in-portland/915638/396 "2020-07-22T11:23:19Z")
Tell me what’s wrong with the idea. Tell me what would be wrong about finishing up before dark when all the shit starts. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-black-bagging-people-in-portland/915638/397 "2020-07-22T11:33:36Z")
> [@ThisIsTheEnd](#): > > Tell me what’s wrong with the idea. …the protestors will stop protesting when they don’t have anything to protest about. There have been running protests all over the United States for nearly 60 days. They aren’t going to stop because you think its a good idea. And stopping protesting isn’t going to stop “black-bagging.” One of the defenses against creeping authoritarianism is to get out in the streets and to make your voice heard loudly and clearly. > [@ThisIsTheEnd](#): > > Tell me what would be wrong about finishing up before dark when all the shit starts. Are you planning on sending a politely worded letter to Antifa HQ asking them to order everyone to go home when the sun sets? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-black-bagging-people-in-portland/915638/398 "2020-07-22T11:35:52Z")
Did you read the entirety of the post you quoted or just felt like responding to the bits that suited your argument? Things were headed in the right direction. Fewer and fewer people were showing up. Eventually, even the shit disturbers were starting to run out of shit to stir. Then the Feds showed up to stoke the embers. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-black-bagging-people-in-portland/915638/399 "2020-07-22T11:39:45Z")
Yeah, you can’t even get a few hundred people on a message board to ignore a troll, there’s no reason to think it possible that several thousand people would all be on board with stopping an activity at a predetermined time. ---
**Author:** ![ThisIsTheEnd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisistheend/32/4713_2.png) [@ThisIsTheEnd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisIsTheEnd)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-black-bagging-people-in-portland/915638/400 "2020-07-22T11:47:55Z")
And so they took the bait. How about thinking first and not taking the bait? ---
**Author:** ![ThisIsTheEnd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisistheend/32/4713_2.png) [@ThisIsTheEnd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisIsTheEnd)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-black-bagging-people-in-portland/915638/401 "2020-07-22T11:51:44Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > …the protestors will stop protesting when they don’t have anything to protest about. There have been running protests all over the United States for nearly 60 days. They aren’t going to stop because you think its a good idea. Trout Man said they were already dying out. Are there some people determined to go for a world record streak? Are they gaining anything at this point? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-black-bagging-people-in-portland/915638/402 "2020-07-22T12:08:30Z")
Took the bait? You think that a loud and public response to junta style tactics by federal authorities is “taking the bait”? WTF are you even talking about? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-black-bagging-people-in-portland/915638.md?page=19) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-black-bagging-people-in-portland/915638.md?page=21)