A Chicago-based real estate agent got fired from her job after posting selfies of herself at the riot, with the caption “storming the Capitol.” (It’s partway down this story, after mention of the tech company CEO, and a tattoo artist who got arrested for breaking the curfew.)
That’s fair, so everyone who participated in the rally and march, but stayed on the street instead of going into the Capitol is OK in my book. Well, OK from the “you didn’t commit a federal crime trying to overthrow the government” perspective.
Personally I’m a bit uncertain on whether merely participating in the march to the capital building (a march explicitly intended as part of a militant insurrection) would count as something akin to insurrection, if somebody decided to start charging people with something akin to insurrection. Not that I expect it to come to that; these people are white.
Merely being at the rally would of course be fine in any case. It takes more than standing and listening to be part of an insurrection.
I would not aid nor abet insurrectionists, so I would ID them.
“I forgot to take these pipe bombs out of my coat before I left the house!”
Maybe not everyone intended for it to get violent but it was obvious enough what the goal was that I’m not going to assume someone just happened to be stopping by. If they were, let them explain it to the Feds.
I’m not good with faces. I’ve only actually seen a handful in the last ten months.
Sometimes the decision on whether to assist the authorities can be a tough call, but not here. The crowd was there to interfere with the peaceful and legitimate transfer of power. Their stated motivations were ridiculous, dangerous, delusions. Those delusions were spurred on by remorseless liars – and some insane people.
Yeah, I ID them. Even the ones who were just milling in the street – because who knows if that’s all they were doing. Let the FBI ask some questions, and investigate their insurrectionist asses.
Just saw a video of the WV delegate who took part being arrested. Relevant to this thread because his grandmother was in the video. I doubt she turned him in but she didn’t seem too happy about him or Trump and I suspect she gave him an earful.
I wouldn’t give it a second thought - I wouldn’t even care if it’s family. I want nothing to do with insurrectionists.
Yes I would, but I’d be a bit nervous about the consequences.
I spotted an article once about a man I knew that committed murder, it was a cold case file. I called the detective involved in the case BC I had some information I thought would help his case.
The detective was really nice. But boy howdy did I have to suffer hours of interviews.
for this specific situation, this is how you report: FBI Tipline
To answer the OP myself, I’m another vote for hell to the feckin yes.
The question is very much like one I got as an interview question (!) when I was interviewed for an IT job with a county 911 agency. The director said that I’d very likely see names and other identifying information about suspects on the computer screens, so what would I do if I saw that the cops were planning to go after a friend. I thought it was a fantastic question for that particular job. I thought about the options for a minute:
a: tell my friend so he can run
b: tell the police where friend lives
c: keep my mouth shut and don’t get involved
I opted for c in that scenario which the director seemed to like. It was neither disloyal nor interfered with an investigation. I’ve had many jobs since then, and many more job interviews and that’s still the best question I’ve ever gotten. So I’ve thought about this kind of thing. In this week’s scenario… yeah, FBI tip-line would be hearing from me if I knew/recognized any of those jackasses.
I think it would be enough to say, “I’m not 100% positive, but I believe that is [whoever].” The FBI can then follow up.
I would wait until the 20th of January, and then report them. I worry that anyone identified before then may be included in a blanket pardon.
I have a long held reluctance to rat people out. Some of it stems from working in union shops (when I was young) where there was a very antagonistic relationship between company and employees. In later employment, in non-union plants I have been asked to rat on fellow employees and just couldn’t do it. In this case, where I am in such complete opposition to the Trumpy, Qanon, dumbfounded dipshit insurrectionists…not sure. I’d like to think I could but maybe not.
Don’t leave us hanging. Did they get him?
There is likely a grey area of crimes where I would have to seriously consider whether and how to get involved with reporting a guilty party, depending on who the individual was and what the crime was (and the impact thereof).
But terrorism? Definitely calling the FBI.
Yeah, the guy had already been arrested when I called. He was in jail awaiting trial. I just wanted to offer more information to make it a more solid case.
He was found guilty and sentenced for life. (or effectively sentenced to life as he died in jail.)
Would I? You betcha.
Were I certain? You damn betcha I would.
Who do I recognize, and what are they doing? My aloof neighbor who took a selfie of himself inside the capitol? Hell yes, I call the FBI. My halfwitted cousin, who is kind to animals but easily led astray, photographed by a third party, outside, at the rally? No, probably not.
He was inside the Capitol. That is not the wrong place at the wrong time. That is an invasion. Standing on the sidewalk would have been wrong place/wrong time.