My answer on Quora.
Antifa in and of itself is not yet a danger to the US politically . However the tactics that Antifa uses in attacking journalists, doxxing opponents and shutting down the First Amendment Rights of its critics most certainly does. Should their approach become the acceptable norm then the nation will indeed be staring into a darker abyss.
The United States of America was and remains a brilliant experiment in liberalism, private ownership of property and individual sovereignty. At its core are the notions of freedom of speech and thought. By extension this implies that ideas should be allowed to enter into the market without mandated barriers, even if the ideas are deplorable (a feature that is usually but not always the preserve of the various extremes).
Antifa does not adhere to this essential nation-building philosophy and by its philosophy of direct action violence is more of a pernicious instrument directed at our liberal core. While a strong stance against Fascism is at times necessary, Antifa has used this excuse to cast the net further by physically attacking both oppositional extremists as well as legitimate critics. This should not be acceptable anywhere in a free society.
The attack on journalist Andy Ngo is just one example of Antifa’s propensity towards violence. We need to pay attention to the attack on Andy Ngo.
Source for picture: Andy Ngo and the violence of political correctness
Those legitimately concerned about the fate of journalists should have been universally concerned about this. Some are - Three suspects sought in connection to Antifa Andy Ngo attack - The Post Millennial.
Others are conflating the issue for political firepower - Opinion: The right want to make Antifa aggression a reason to stop confronting fascists.
A few are starting to wake up - The assault on conservative journalist Andy Ngo, explained - although they have a way to go. Kudos to Andrew Yang - 2020 Democrat Andrew Yang sends well-wishes to Andy Ngo: 'Journalists should be safe to report on a protest'
The Ngo incident is not a first in Antifa’s history of violence. They were involved in a series of violent altercations in February 2017 at Berkeley (in response to a talk by Milo Yiannopolous), where they were seen throwing Molotov cocktails and destroying property. The Boston Free Speech Rally in 2017 was another event that was violently transformed by Antifa. There are several others. 'Antifa' violence in Berkeley spurs soul-searching within leftist activist community
However it is not just protests that define Antifa’s violence. In December 2018 two US Marines were attacked. BUSTED: Shadowy Leader of Notorious Antifa Mobs Arrested For December Assault on Two US Marines. Neither is this the first time U.S. Marine have been targeted Philly Antifa member in custody following attacks against U.S. Marinereservists
Antifa ‘Activist’ debating the big issues Hundreds of black-clad antifa activists confronted Trump supporters at a violent Berkeley rally
Clearly Antifa’s actions and rhetoric pose a number of challenges to all of us who value our democracy (speaking to both sides of the political equation). In fact they could be empowering the Alt Right further. Pictures like the one above could well serve as a recruitment aid for those on the Far Right. There is enough division in the nation on key issues that we don’t need extremists on either side adding to the tension.
However Antifa’s presence brings up a far bigger question which the left itself has yet to deal with. At what point do those who campaign under the same ideological tent go too far?
Jordan Peterson talks about this notion under the rubric of limits and boundaries. Conservatives figured this out some time ago when Bill Buckley ousted the Birchers - The Inside Story of William F. Buckley Jr.’s Crusade against the John Birch Society | National Review.
Will the mainstream left do the same with Antifa and indeed the other radicalisms that are poisoning it?
Dissent editor Michael Kazzin takes a practical approach when he says ‘Non-leftists often see the left as a disruptive, lawless force. Violence tends to confirm that view’ The case against antifa.
So does this article in the Daily News - Calmer voices on the left must disavow antifa’s tactics — or else they will give rhetorical ammunition to Trump
However what is most concerning is that the case against being made by progressives is largely not formulated within the context of Antifa’s opposition to Free Speech. Was this ideal not once part of the mantra on the left? Free Speech Movement.
If Free Speech is no longer a priority on the left (including protection of the rights of those we abhor) then a necessary common ground to build bridges across the fractured spectrum has indeed been lost. This is the real concern.
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