Yep, and he didn't cross state lines with the gun. He kept in at his friends house in Kenosha, where he used it for hunting. He also wasn't breaking any laws since it's legal for a 16 yr old to carry that weapon in the state of Wisconsin. I believe it would've been illegal for him to have had that gun in Illinois 15 miles away. So obviously he knew the laws and wasn't some mentally handicapped kid like some on this MB have tried to portray him.
You've never lived in the country. 15 miles is community, often you have to travel that 15 miles to shop for groceries. Totally different mindset.
Oh, he for sure knew what he had to do to purchase the assault rifle illegally. He knew he couldn't legally purchase the assault rifle so he had a friend purchase it for him. he also knew he needed to apply for a gun permit but that was denied for him... though obviously not having it didn't deter him from using the illegal assault rifle. Don't know how this seems a good thing to you, but I realize you want to make a a hero out of him...
I agree with you that his use of that hand gesture was probably a bonding-thing with the people around him, some of whom were apparently members of the Proud Boys. There clearly was some common cause between the people there, otherwise they wouldn't be enjoying eachothers' company. I don't think that means the gesture was intended to express white nationalist sympathies, and I don't agree that the gesture should be taken to be a white nationalist symbol. Even if it is coming from a member of the Proud Boys (many of whom expressly distance themselves from white nationalism, regardless of the other shitty views they may have). If we're going to say something is a "white nationalist symbol", in my mind there is a requirement that the thing should be used almost exclusively by people who actually identify as white nationalists.
I used to live near Lake Tahoe in California (think that would qualify as "country") and I would never consider I was a part of the community of Reno, Nevada. Different state. Different laws.
The Babylon Bee (@TheBabylonBee) Tweeted: Kyle Rittenhouse Asked To Step Outside And Defend The Courthouse While Verdict Is Being Read https://t.co/UjBo6ufYSj no justice no peace right.
The stretch you are having to make to excuse his use of the white national symbol... if he wasn't interested in the Proud Boys, why did he travel to Miami to meet with and have lunch with the president of the Proud Boys? And you think "many" members of the Proud Boys distance themselves from the white nationalist movement? FBI Categorizes Proud Boys As Extremist Group With Ties To White Nationalism And a hate symbol has to be used exclusively? How would that work when the KKK used to burn crosses to terrorize people?
Is this the person you are referring to that he went to have lunch with? He is the current leader of The Proud Boys: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enrique_Tarrio In regard to his views on extremist groups and ideologies, Tarrio has been quoted as saying, "I denounce white supremacy. I denounce anti-Semitism. I denounce racism. I denounce fascism. I denounce communism and any other -ism that is prejudiced towards people because of their race, religion, culture, tone of skin."[28] In regard to his own ethnicity, he has said, "I'm pretty brown, I'm Cuban. There's nothing white supremacist about me."[11] As I understand it, there has been in-fighting within the organization over whether it is sufficiently racist: https://www.dailydot.com/debug/far-right-infighting-trump-defeat/ So, I think my statement was fair. Who was using the burning cross in America other than white supremacists / Klansmen?
Tarrio has made a number of false and misleading statements in the past (including about whether he acted as an FBI informant in the past). So I don't know how solid his testimony would be. But at the very least you have to admit that the Proud Boys is an extremist group with ties to white nationalist groups. So why was rittenhouse at a bar with some members while out on bail, and why did he travel to Miami to have lunch with their president?
Why did he target white sex offenders and woman beaters? Why do leftists inject race into everything?
He isn't handicapped. He just flunked out of high school and his classmates called him "the next school shooter" while also being known to be confrontational especially when it came to Trump. Nothing about his life suggests he would be responsible carrying a firearm around.
Sure, but "with ties to" is a far weaker designation than "is a". Groups can have all sorts of ties, based on whether they have common ideological opponents for instance. I'm certain many members of The Proud Boys are loud and proud white nationalists, but I don't think that means Rittenhouse was a white supremacist in the Summer of 2020 or after accepting their invitation in January 2021. I can't say, other than they invited him, maybe paid for his trip, and he thought it would be fun. He's being attacked as a murderer by half the country, so I am not surprised if he welcomes the company of those who instead hail him as a hero. A number of non-whites are actual members of The Proud Boys too, including their leader, so enjoying lunch with them doesn't mean you're a white nationalist.
Which woman beater? And why do right wingnuts defend the Proud Boys and other extremist groups with ties to white nationalist groups? https://metro.co.uk/2020/09/02/keno...weeks-before-killing-blm-protesters-13211214/
I know you have clearly shown you will defend rittenhouse here. And others will make him out to be a hero (eg. the members of the Proud Boys).
Regardless of his guilt or innocence, I think you are stretching here. I have lived in MN and TX, so there are a number of areas where I still feel part of the community OR would go help if my good friends and/or family asked. Now, would I take a gun with me - doubtful. Had Rittenhouse not brought a gun with him and truly was doing nothing more than cleaning graffiti, helping put out fires and cleaning up, he and others like him would be universally praised.
