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What a real hate crime looks like – And real caring

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A Trump supporter went to Milo’s book opening a few weeks ago. He wore a “Make America Great Again” hat. Afterward, he went out with friends to a bar in progressive, tolerant, liberal Manhattan. Inside the bar, a straight couple told him how they hated his hat, and him. Then proceeded to assault him and cut up his face with a broken bottle.

Fortunately, a plastic surgeon is working pro bono to fix the guy’s face.

Comments

  1. I don’t support assaulting a person for wearing a political hat. And kudos to the doctor for stepping in to fix the damage created by the attackers. The couple was rightfully charged.

    This was an interesting bit at the end of the article:

    Valle was also arrested for misdemeanor assault, but the Manhattan DA “declined to prosecute,” a DA spokeswoman said. Just three weeks earlier Valle was one of two protesters who disrupted the final performance of the Public Theater’s anti-Trump rendition of “Julius Caesar.” He was charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct after storming the stage and shouting, “Liberal hate kills!”

    90% of Manhattan voted for Clinton. Theatre crowds, especially for politically-themed productions, especially in that city, are overwhelmingly liberal.

    So, the guy has a very specific history of disrupting spaces which are overwhelmingly liberal with the effect of either drawing attention to himself and/or creating chaos. The attack happened in an establishment that is part of the same overwhelmingly liberal town. The guy wore a piece of clothing that would be received negatively in the majority of the city (the vast majority of whom didn’t attack him). He wore this article of clothing into an establishment where, generally speaking, alcohol is consumed by the vast majority of patrons (Not excusing the behaviour, but violence is exacerbated by alcohol).

    But, yes , this is an example of Trump Derangement Syndrome as well as The Liberal Left Can Be Extremely Violent.

  2. Just a reminder that the patron also attended the Milo book signing that night, where there was DJ’ed music, as well as dancing (among other features). As well, there was a massive police presence at that venue, and a whole street was closed off due to security measures.

    Again, what was done to him was WRONG and I don’t support it. And he had every right to continue having a good time. But wearing that hat in that town coming from a venue where he was safe and protected to another where he was not and alcohol was being served was an exercise in poor judgment.

  4. Remember: The hat literally said “Make America Great Again”. And nothing more.

    Four words of text alone, expressing a desire for America to be a great place.

    So, there you have it. In the enlightened, progressive, tolerantly diverse heart of New York City, if you do nothing more noticeable than wear a hat with words expressing a desire for America to be a wonderful place, then

    1) Assholes will cut your face up, and
    2) Left-leaning blog commenters will imply that you had it coming *at least* due to your “poor judgment”.

    Again, what was done to him was WRONG and I don’t support it. And he had every right to continue having a good time. But…

    You know the old saying. “Everything before the ‘but’ is shyte…” (Quoted recently by Jon Snow.)

    Suppose, in 2008, you were in a bar in Houston with a simple hat that expressed a desire for, say, Hope and Change. Would anyone have cut up your face? Very doubtful. If they did, would any GP commenter say “I agree that is so wrong BUT…your exercise in poor judgment”? Very doubtful.

    Anyone should be able to wear a Hope and Change hat, anywhere in America.
    Anyone should be able to wear a MAGA hat, anywhere in America.
    There is NO other compassionate or morally acceptable answer. There is NO “but”.
    Jovanni Valle is a hero, for testing it out.
    He did not show “poor judgment”. If he showed anything, he showed patriotic heroism.

  5. CrayCrayPatriot, so what you’re saying is, that he wouldn’t have been assaulted if he was wearing respectable clothing? Also, it’s a damn shame he got assaulted, but it’s his own fault?

    Out of curiosity, anyone know when the book release party closed down? Or of any particular reason why someone might switch bars while in a party mood?

  6. CCP just told us that Progressives are unable to control themselves and should be banned from society.

    A woman in a mini skirt with a few drinks in her walks into a bar, gets assaulted. CCP says the assault is wrong but she deserved it. Now, that is the Progressive movement.

  7. Context lost on very literal interpretations.

    Suppose, in 2008, you were in a bar in Houston with a simple hat that expressed a desire for, say, Hope and Change. Would anyone have cut up your face? Very doubtful.

    It’s not the slogan, but the man who represents it that the attackers were responding to, is my guess.

    You must believe if you asked the NYC assailants what they were attacking, they would respond that it was someone who wanted to “make America great again” verses a person who supported Trump and his the divisive beliefs which made him popular (build the wall, Muslim ban, etc). You must believe that they very consciously don’t want America to be “great.” You’re free to do so, but a rational person would disagree.

    Anyone should be able to wear a Hope and Change hat, anywhere in America. Anyone should be able to wear a MAGA hat, anywhere in America.

    Anyone should be able to wear a shirt that says “I love anal” at a orthodox church, synagogue, or mosque? No. We all exercise judgment when we choose what we wear and where we wear it.

    Jon Snow

    I don’t trust zombies.

    Out of curiosity, anyone know when the book release party closed down?

    I’m assuming 11 PM unless they got a special ordinance to stay open later. It was a Thursday night at The DL. I’m assuming Valle wanted to continue to party and he was too drunk to care that he was leaving a venue under high security. I think it’s also possible he was hoping for a fight (someone who instigates a captive crowd of divergent political beliefs fits the profile).

  9. So…he wanted to continue partying with his friends. The venue with high security that he was at closes.

    Someone recommends a bar. It literally does not matter who recommended it or why. As you said, 90% Clintonistas in Manhattan.

    They go continue the party. Leaving the -closed- venue with high security that you seem to be implying he should have stayed at. Which said high security would probably be leaving, since the party was over.

    At 3:30 am – 4 hours and change – later, a bar fight breaks out on the dance floor with someone stomping on his MAGA hat. Maybe he pushes her away. Then he gets bottled in the face.

    It’s his responsibility for instigating this?

  10. They go continue the party. Leaving the -closed- venue with high security that you seem to be implying he should have stayed at.

    No, that’s not what I’m implying. I made it pretty obvious that the venue closed at 11 PM and he wanted to continue to have fun. He was out for over four more hours. I’m suggesting he should have continued having a good time without the hat, if he wanted to avoid trouble.

    It’s his responsibility for instigating this?

    I’m wondering whether he wanted to happen, all the while holding the assailants responsible for unrightfully attacking him. I’m not sure how much plainer English I can write.

    Maybe he pushes her away.

    Well, he touched her at the very least, which was pretty stupid move.

  11. I’m going to stick up for CCP here. He’s right. He said, repeatedly, that what was done to him was wrong. And, yes, he did exercise poor judgement.

  12. Craig – Really??

    CCP compared wearing a MAGA hat, which is something that anyone in America should be able to do anywhere and anytime hats-with-text are allowed – to advertising anal sex in an orthodox church. You don’t see the absurdity? Or the craven relativism in that?

    Valle didn’t exercise poor judgment; rather, Valle exercised his free speech rights – in a way that tests (or stands up for) everyone’s free speech rights. And paid a price that no one should ever have to pay. Why isn’t the ACLU defending him?

    How can it be “poor judgment” to exercise your most basic, important, constitutional rights? The very meaning of the noun, “right”, is that you ARE RIGHT to do the exercise (even if others would criticize you on the level of content). It’s others who are showing poor judgment (and worse), if they commit crimes in response.

  13. We are in New York once or twice a month. Our apartment is a few blocks north of Trump tower and there are protest just about every time we are there. The anti Trumps AND the pro Trumps are just about the nastiest and most vile people I have ever witnessed. Having said that, I would not go anywhere in New York ( hell, I would think twice about it here in New Orleans) wearing any type of propaganda apparel- it’s just not worth the risk. It is a horrible thing that happen to that young man. I hope the people who did this face the most severe punishment available to the court.

  17. It seems that what you all are arguing about is the difference between what a person CAN do in a given situation and what a person SHOULD do. My uncle is an older gentleman from Texas. He makes no bones about using free speech. In fact, in doing so, he occasionally uses derogatory terms for certain ethnic groups, as he did once at a Mexican restaurant we took him to when visiting. While discussing some socio-political topic, he decided to us the N-word and S***s to reference black Americans and Mexican Americans. Now, I realize he has the right to free speech and therefore CAN use such terms. However, does that mean he SHOULD use them, particularly in a public place in which 99% of the clientele would find one or both of those terms offensive? (We live in a border town). I feel that this illustration explains what both CCP and ILC are getting at. So, who’s right, and does CAN vs. SHOULD matter?

  18. Just another case of unhinged Progressives who don’t have the emotional capacity to control themselves after being “triggered” by a hat.

    CCP inadvertantly tells us Muslims would attack members of a same sex kiss-in at a Mosque and he would blame the kissers. Moral relativism always breaks down under scrutiny.

    Will CCP and rusty now agree that the reporter who was lightly pushed by a GOP politician was at fault for the altercation for not being aware of his surroundings?

  22. I know it’s a cliché, but Vince is almost perfectly paraphrasing, “Of course, I don’t support rape. Rape is bad. But she shouldn’t have been wearing such a short skirt. She was pretty much asking for it.”

  23. Given the fact that al-Cray-da equates wearing a MAGA shirt with a woman’s short skirt and that any attack on either one was warranted leads me to believe that he is a closet Muslim sympathizer who secretly believes in sharia law.

    Tsk, tsk, tsk – scratch a liberal, find a bigot.

    Regards,
    Peter H.

  24. Vince is almost perfectly paraphrasing, “Of course, I don’t support rape. Rape is bad. But she shouldn’t have been wearing such a short skirt. She was pretty much asking for it.”

    Bingo. I would only add that he tried to disguise it by saying “poor judgment” instead of a literal “she was asking for it”, and by saying “Of course I don’t support it” extra times or IN CAPITALS. Such disguises don’t work, with me.

  25. My uncle is an older gentleman from Texas. He makes no bones about using free speech. In fact, in doing so, he occasionally uses derogatory terms for certain ethnic groups, as he did once at a Mexican restaurant we took him to when visiting. While discussing some socio-political topic, he decided to us the N-word and S***s to reference black Americans and Mexican Americans.

    TAD – so, you’re going to compare using racial slurs to wearing a MAGA hat? Really?

    The words state a polite political desire, “Make America Great Again”, that half of our fellow Americans voted for in 2016. And you’re going to imply that a reasonable person (of any stripe) could react to it like N—– or S—? Really??

  26. I guess I will side with Cray,Cray, — sort of ….

    Cray,Cray says that slogan which stirs up violent reaction, like “Make America Great Again” is perceived as hate speech by rowdies who hate Trump and therefore, the guy flashing the hate speech is guilty of disturbing the peace and inciting to riot and is responsible for what comes his way.

    I agree that Progressives have gone so far around the bend that they have become dangerous lunatics.

    Cray,Cray says he would not have thrown a punch himself, but we should understand that we caused the punches to be thrown because we don’t keep our trash in line.

    Like that asshole kid who sits in the cafeteria at lunch and reads his Bible. But not like the Muslims who block an entire street to do their Mecca bobbing. Like gays who sue bakeries, but not like bakers who refuse to violate their religious belief system.

    Got it. Not really.

  27. @ 25: My point was not to compare what my uncle did to the MAGA cap. My point was to indicate that while we have rights to do certain things, doesn’t mean that we SHOULD do them. I guess I didn’t finish the thought, which was to point out that each situation needs to be tempered with a little common sense. Maybe the guy should’ve stopped and thought, “I am drunk. I am going to a bar in Clintonville. All of the SJW’s inside will also be drunk. Drunk people do stupid things. If I wear my hat, i might have issues.” If he wears it, good for him. If he doesn’t good for him. But at least there would have been an attempt at common sense thinking, which is seriously lacking in this country. Do what you want, and I will defend you, even if I disagree, but don’t go in blindly. Use some common sense.

  28. I meant to say that you can say what you want and I will defend your right to do so…certainly nobody should DO whatever they want (I.e. beat people with a bike lock)

  30. And, back on V’s point at #22: rusty’s version is, “You *know* she was asking to be raped because just look at the past dates she’s gone on, that her father didn’t approve of. She’s a slut.”

  32. So you agree he’s a free speech hero?

    Although that’s a true statement, of course we know that’s not the point you were trying to make. The point you were suggesting is that the woman deserved the rape because of her past dates. Which is a sickening point, rusty.

    Again: ALL he did was go out with friends, in a hat that said “Make America Great Again”.

    [Comment edited to change a loose “You are…” type of statement into a statement about rusty’s ideas. I prefer it when people focus on the ideas or principles involved (not personalizing things), and of course it’s up to me to do likewise. –ILC]

  33. each situation needs to be tempered with a little common sense

    Again, TAD: All he did was wear a hat that said “Make America great again”.

    You’re saying it’s “common sense” that a person should NOT express that wish in what is, supposedly, the most American and civilized of cities? Really?

    A place where, supposedly, people express themselves freely as it is the height of the American Dream, with a great Statue of Liberty that advises people to breathe freely. You really think a person should know better than to say “Make America great again” in an after-hours bar in that place?

  34. rusty, did the attackers know who they were attacking? Did they review his FB account before they attacked him? If not, your statements of his activist activities are pointless.

    However, you have given permission for conservatives to attack liberal activists. Just check the liberal activists FB account, find a posts you don’t agree with and proceed guilt free.

    “Make America Great Again” is not a controversial slogan. Are Progressives, like yourself, so fragile that 4 words can make you attack another individual? At least the attackers didn’t cover themselves in a black mask and use a bicycle lock to the back of the head. Such cowards.

  36. ILC, I see what you are saying, and I agree that in and of itself, MAGA is an inoccuos statement, and there should be nothing wrong with sentiment behind it at all. You are absolutely right. However, I must say again, he was in Clintonville and the slogan is connected to Clintonites’ #1 enemy, President Trump. He knows that. So, knowing that, I would think twice to wear the hat there. He had every right, and I support that right, and those who assaulted him were completely and totally wrong, but the situation COULD have been completely avoided if people thought a little and stopped using their stupid feelings.

  37. he was in Clintonville and the slogan is connected to Clintonites’ #1 enemy

    OK, so if a conservative Republican in Houston (silly example because Houston and conservatives are fine and this would never happen) cuts up the face of a Democrat activist wearing a Hope and Change hat… then, while saying “Of course we agree it’s a crime and all”, we can also fault the Democrat activist’s “poor judgment” and lack of “common sense” for doing such a stupid thing as to wear a Hope and Change hat around American conservatives in an American conservative city?

    Otherwise we would have a double standard. To put it another way: Do you really not see the double standard you’re endorsing implicitly?

    Sorry, but there is only one right answer here. In any context where hats-with-text are allowed,
    – Anyone should be able to wear a Hope and Change hat. People are NEVER wrong to choose that slogan.
    – Anyone should be able to wear a Make America Great Again hat. People are NEVER wrong to choose that slogan.

    the situation COULD have been completely avoided if people thought a little and stopped using their stupid feelings

    There is one and only one set of people to fault here for using their stupid feelings too much: Those who committed the crime.

    If nothing else, they should have viewed Valle as a quaint, charming foreigner to the city’s local ways. Like I view the occasional woman (resident) with a Muslim head scarf, in my area. Even though I view Islam as a dire, mortal enemy, I still don’t give such women the tiniest problem. It doesn’t matter how much they go against local mores, or how much I despise/fear what they stand for; they still don’t deserve it. Even when out drinking, I just think to myself “Wow, they really believe that stuff. How quaint.”

  38. If you didn’t notice I wasn’t disagreeing with you and your example is Duly noted…but conservatives wouldn’t attack people for wearing A hope and change hat because we don’t do that to people like the Liberals do…and again, I do not attribute any wrongdoing to Mr. Vallé… The attackers are the only ones at fault… and no there should not be a double standard nobody should be attacking anyone for what they say or what they believe… I just don’t know why it’s wrong to say that people should use common sense in any given situation

  39. Common sense should exclude the self-silencing of something as innocuous as “Make America great again”. I just don’t know why you can argue that self-silencing is common sense, here. For free speech to exist, it must be exercised. NO fault must attach, in any way, to innocuous exercises of free speech in public contexts. Or at least no double standards.

  40. But, you seem not to understand that in this context, since the phrase was used by their “enemy” in his campaign, the Clintonites of Manhattan were never going to see the phrase as inoccuous, no matter how inoccuous it actually is. It’s not a double standard, it’s an unfortunate reality of living in a place where anyone who would support Hillary Clinton exists.

  41. Which is a deep condemnation of the Left. I’m saying, let’s phrase it that way. Place the blame squarely where it belongs. Valle did nothing improper or even foolish. He did exactly what a New Yorker, or an American, is supposed to do: Express a reasonable personal opinion, with pride, yet without infringing on others. He did not exercise “poor judgment” or “lack of common sense” or any of that. Others did. Don’t hedge it.