Given the newly released footage of the Jan. 6th videos in which the general public wasn't allowed to view, it's apparent that our country has been diminished into two camps, the one who know the truth and the ones that say they speak the truth but are liars. I believe that Ashli was murdered by the capital police, based on the video evidence and not what the media would portray as an activist. Why was she killed? What crime did she comment?
It's apparent that our constitution and our country was destroyed on Jan. 6th, given we aren't united and we don't believe in freedom of speech and assembly isn't allowed within the United States.
Our country is being destroyed within, no matter what you think of Ashli Babbit, the capital police or the news media.
I consider Ashli a martyr. God rest her soul. Time will tell. Proverbs 12:19 "Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment".
Tim Bittenbender
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I read the opinion piece by Mr. Bittenbender with grave concern for the future of our republic. Mr. Bittenbender obviously is obtaining what he considers news from Fox Inc., which is not a news broadcasting company. Mr. Bittenbender is unaware that his source of information is (and has for years) manipulating him, and many thousands of others. Fox is not broadcasting any news regarding the lawsuit brought against them by Dominion Voting Machines Inc.
Court Filings that include internal communications between top Fox celebrities and other Fox employees, including Rupert. Murdoch himself, reveal unequivocally the nature of Fox as a manipulator of the public for profit. Mr. Bittenbender is unaware that Tucker Carlson is totally aware that the 2020 presidential election was not stolen by fraudulent vote. Mr. Carlson, Laura Ingraham and others at Fox all agree in their private correspondence that the election was not fraudulent. Murdoch as well admitted this under oath. They also agree that the top proponents of this conspiracy fraud were lying and perhaps insane. Specifically emails between Fox celebrities identify Sidney Powell as a “liar” and a “nut”. Other internal Fox communications revealed that Ms. Powell got her data by semi-conscious time travel, according to her own words. Meanwhile, Fox celebrities continue to broadcast untrue conspiracy theories about “stealing“ the 2020 presidential election.
The persistent reinforcement by Fox of the big lie started by disgraced President Trump generated anger and fear in the minds of its audience. This anger and fear culminated with a violent attack on our capital Jan. 6, 2021. The tragic death of Ms. Ashley Babbitt was one of the results of the lies continually told by Fox celebrities. The officer who shot Ms. Babbitt was doing his job as hundreds of angry violent people were storming the capital and smashing into the inner chambers where elected officials were attempting to conduct the peaceful transfer of power of the presidency. The additional surveillance videos that Mr. Carlson uses to portray peaceful entry of our capital ignores all of the video of screaming violent insurgents attacking police officers, and smashing through windows and doors of our nation’s capital. Mr. Carlson also ignores our judicial system which has convicted and sentenced hundreds of the insurrectionists who were storming our capital on that fateful day.
Unfortunately, Mr. Bittenbender is probably unaware of all the facts and realities surrounding the big lie by Mr. Trump. This is because Fox is informing people like Mr. Bittenbender and manipulating them to keep them turned in to Fox. This is solely for profit without regards for damage to Mr. Bittenbender or the fundamental pillars of our republic. Hopefully, as the dominion lawsuit concludes Fox will be held liable to the tune of $1.6 billion for the lies they have promulgated over the last two years. Perhaps then the unfortunate Fox audience, or at least part of it, will finally accept the truth.
Robert Landry
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By considering Ashli Babbitt a martyr, Tim Bittenbender is condoning the events of insurrectionists that day.
He does correctly point out "that our country has been diminished into two camps, "the ones who know the truth and the ones that say they speak the truth but are liars". But he is completely backwards as to who is who. That is apparent by referring to the video evidence which can only be that selectively edited and shown by none other than the now proven liar and Trump hater, Tucker Carlson.
Carlson, a commentator and not a reporter, has been given sensitive footage over the objections of the Capitol Police and Homeland Security because of a "promise" made by Speaker McCarthy. He is free to edit and publish as he sees fit. But his selective editing is not objective reporting.
It's ironic that people like Mr. Bittenbender are all for the police, defending their actions and the stand your ground laws until one of their own is the victim.
Ashli Babbit was not a Tyre Jones, Eric Harris, Philand Castile, Daunte Wright or Patrick Lyoya. Those men were shot by police after traffic stops. None were stopped for any other reason and all were no threat to police. So why is Ashli Babbit different? She was not stopped because an alleged traffic violation. She was the one illegally trespassing and among a mob threatening Capitol Police.
Why is the perspective of Capitol Police Office Michael Byrd now wrong? Wasn't he doing his job by "standing his ground" in the line of duty? Wasn't he protecting elected officials and staff since an angry mob, including Ashli Babbit, was in the process of trying to overcome a barricaded doorway, with the intent of "hanging Mike Pence and Nancy Pelosi"?
The answers to Mr. Bittenbender's questions of why was she killed and what crime did she commit are exceptionally clear when not viewed through Tucker Carlson's filter. And from the Dominion Voting Systems depositions, we know who the lying tongues of Proverbs 12:19 are. Unfortunately, those lying tongues have not been just "for a moment".
Mr. Bittenbender should be quoting Proverbs 12:19, NLT: Truthful words stand the test of time, but lies are soon exposed.
Joe Warren
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I see the pots have come out to call the kettle black.
The other networks and political players have shown, up to this point, what they wanted you to see and have you believe about the Jan. 6 protests. A very curated viewpoint for the leftists of the nation to cheer with glee and fervor. And for bonus points, add in the scare word "insurrection" and the political players get to beat their chests, "we saved the nation". And certain pliable subjects of the kingdom have responded as predicted.....just as good as Pavlov's subjects.
Now, Kevin McCarthy has released all the Jan. 6 protest videos to Tucker Carlson and Fox, for which all the pliable subjects have the opportunity to see the protests of Jan. 6 in different light from which has been curated previously. A potential "red pill" moment for some.
Now we get to see "the rest of story". It's what I would call a Paul Harvey moment.
Phil Snider
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Mr. Warren and Mr Landry have done a good job saying what I would have said if I had gotten there first. Ashli Babbit was shot for being at the wrong place at the wrong time and for the wrong reasons. She was, in fact, breaking the law and was possibly a threat to any of the officers who were trying to protect the Capitol. At the time she was shot she was in the process of breaking into a building she had no reason to be in. She was there to stop the Constitutional job of Vice President Pence. There were those there that wanted to hang Nancy Pelosi and VP Pence. The ones that got inside did millions of dollars of damage to the Capitol. There were people there that wanted to hang a lot of people.
Every time I look at the photographs of the gallows that was in the lawn, I see something that was built by a group of idiots and zealots for the wrong reason. It was not built by carpenters, it would have collapsed if they had really try to hang someone. They have captured more than 1,000 of the insurgents and are looking for more.
My advice to Mr. Bittenbender and those like him to go to responsible journalists to get the news and not propagandist who are there for the sole purpose of inciting people dumb enough to watch them and believe what they are saying. The real perpetrator of all of the problems of Jan. 6 is no one less than Donald Trump. He is the primary cause of the polarization of this country.
Bill Perry