Riots Minneapolis
(AP Photo/John Minchillo)

The way Miami Herald  columnist Fabiola Santiago sees it, rioting, looting and arson are only “minor criminal offenses” that shouldn’t warrant the use of armed self defense by business and home owners.

But most telling of all is DeSantis’ call for an expansion of the troublesome and controversial Stand Your Ground Law to allow business owners to shoot looters or anyone involved in “criminal mischief.”

He calls it “anti-mob” legislation, but it’s an endorsement of vigilantes and of murder for a minor criminal offense.

It’s as if Florida, which let George Zimmerman get away with murdering a Black teen, didn’t already have enough vigilantes and wannabe vigilantes. But these are criminals the GOP likes because the ones we often hear about are Trump supporters.

In DeSantis World, they, instead of their victims, need to be protected. What’s next?

– Fabiola Santiago in DeSantis is Fashioning a Fascist, Gun-Happier Florida

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

109 COMMENTS

  1. When you own nothing, the threat of losing it all… just doesn’t matter.

    • That’s what I tell loved ones. Be careful with people who have nothing to lose. They’re not afraid of being arrested or fined. In fact most of the these people are low IQ but it’s as if they know instinctively, in their gut the cost / benefit ratio is in their favor. If they give you a hard time while protesting / rioting they have nothing to lose financially but you do if you retaliate; and they might even be better off if they can sue you for defending yourself.

      • For people without morals it is a question of risk vs benefit rather than right vs wrong. During a riot or “peaceful protest” there is the benefit of loot and/or destruction with minimal risk as there is not much chance of arrest and the arrest would not have great consequences. The business guarded men armed men is avoided as the risk is too high compared to the reward.

        • The older I get, the less life in prison is a deterrent.

          Wore that shirt to Walmart the other day… Quite the attention getter, especially if you are an old Biker and look like you mean it….

    • Define having nothing to loose!
      Then tell me how many Rioters Re subject to true poverty.
      I don’t see rural poor from Appalachia or Sioux Indians from the Pine Ridge Reservation rioting.
      Tell me about desperation while I watch fit young men steal big screen t.v. sets.

    • Ron Desantis proposed a Florida law where business owners could shoot looters.
      Ron Desantis for President in 2024!

    • If looting (burglary = entering a dwelling for the purpose of committing a felony, to wit stealing) and arson are on only minor offenses in Florida, I would like to have Mr. Santiago’s address.
      I would also like to to know how much the ticket will be? $5 like overtime parking or $50 like parking in a handicapped space so I will know how much cash to bring?

      • “If looting (burglary = entering a dwelling for the purpose of committing a felony, to wit stealing) and arson are on only minor offenses in Florida,…”

        I assure you, they are not.

        As a surprising number of folks discover each year in Florida when they are surprised to discover they just made a very poor life choice, that resulted in the loss of theirs… 🙂

      • The only thing worse than arson is arson for hire. The only thing worse than burglary is burglary of an occupied dwelling, These are all MAJOR felonies.

        But we know the author’s bent, when he says that the State of Florida (as opposed to a jury which included black females) “let” Zimmerman get away with “murder,” and equating that with Florida’s stand your ground law, which was not even in play. This was a straight up self-defense case under well-established legal doctrine, ipso facto Zimmerman was not a murderer. Defending hearth, home and livelihood is not “criminal.”

    • Perhaps, but we as a species are clearly susceptible to this. Orwell captured it as well as any: “War is peace, freedom is slavery”

    • Gas lighting, at least as I understand it, is when someone knows the truth but lies to psychologically disorient an intended victim. And that may be the case. However, I find it more likely based on a number of conversations I’ve had that the typical leftist actually believes what they are saying. Which makes them even more dangerous, if anything.

  3. Also from her, Florida residents crowding newly reopened beaches would “thin the ranks” of President Donald Trump’s supporters.

  4. Zimmerman did not ‘murder’ a black teen. He used self defense against a drugged up teenage thug. He shot to stop the threat and that he did. That thug would have cost Florida taxpayers lots of money putting his ass in jail. TFB 🤬

    • You are correct…nobody ever seems to have watched the court proceedings or seen the evidence presented for the Trayvon case.
      Zimmerman may not be the nicest guy…and trouble seems to find him..or he it…but the evidence pointed overwhelmingly to self-defense after Trayvon RETURNED to confront him.
      Blame the judge and jury and prosecutors. They did not present enough evidence.

        • It’s the Miami area – I wonder how long it will take for that sign to collect a bullet hole (or three)? 🙂

      • Zimmerman is morally guilty. Had he not gotten out of his vehicle, Martin would not have died that day. AND (embrace the power of ‘and’) he was legally within his rights to do so, and legally within his rights to defend himself.
        Any judgement will come from God.

        • If Trayvon had stayed home when he got there and not come back out looking for a fight he would be alive today. Assuming another thug had not ended him. Zimmerman has no guilt and no culpability.

          If you want to see how far government will go trying to railroad an innocent man watch “The Trayvon Hoax”.

        • So your advice is cowardice?
          As there is no and I mean 0 evidence that Zimmerman accosted Martin.
          What we do have is physical evidence of Zimmerman being attacked.

        • Your ethical calesthenics here are merely a failed attempt to assign guilt to someone who took his neighborhood’s safety into his own hands. Why is it never the criminal’s fault? Why wasn’t the tresspassing Martin morally culpable for his own death? Go peddle your moral inanity elsewhere.

        • If Martin had not been an assholel and a thug he would be alive today. It’s his fault he is where he is.

      • I watched the most of the case. I thought the prosecutors intentionally threw the case. They actually called witnesses that actually corroborated Zimmerman. Maybe they had to otherwise they wouldn’t have a case at all. But the media manipulation from the Zimmerman shooting is precisely what has been going on ever since they knew they could pull the wool over the eyes over half the American people in the blind trust of their journalism.

        • There is a good documentary on youtube that covers the problems in the Trayvon case. It is an independent made so just watch it with an open viewpoint.

        • Zimmerman could not be called to testify and Trayvon was dead. That leaves neighbors and police officers, and a small amount of forensic evidence that showed Trayvon was on top of Zimmerman when he was shot.Facts are facts, and you can’t ell the cookie which was to crumble. The case should never have been charged, but there was a prosecutor dead set on making a big name for herself (after the local DA decided not to press charges). Yes Virginia, the whole case was purely political. Fortunately, her vanity was her downfall.

      • “but the evidence pointed overwhelmingly to self-defense after Trayvon RETURNED to confront him.”

        Yes, he should’ve kept on fleeing the creepy man who was stalking him.

        • You’re totally right. Martin shouldn’t have to deal with a creepy man stalking him and was totally right to have turned around to try to give Zimmerman a beat down to protect his street cred.
          — Darwin, probably.

      • They presented enough evidence to get him acquitted. If he’s innocent, no amount of legitimate evidence will show otherwise. No amount of evidence would be sufficient to convince the leftist propaganda machine. To them Trayvon will forever be a skittles-eating little tyke, Mike Brown will be a gentle giant saying “Hands up, don’t shoot” and George Floyd will never have died of a drug overdose.

  5. Of course the left would parrot this.

    The funny part is, they keep screaming “fascism” hard enough, and long enough, eventually that’s what they’re gonna get.

    Any leftists here should do well by themselves to do some *actual research* on what’s going on in European politics right now.

    The left has been so dominant, for so long, it’s created a very hard right backlash, and those rather intense European right groups are actually gaining real political power.

    Any leftist here would also do well by themselves to learn what the European right actually is, and when you do, you’ll thank God the American right is far more tempered.

    Whatever happens next in Europe is the lefts fault. You can’t rub someone’s face in the dirt forever and not expect them to hit back. The pendulum of history swings back and forth. No “side” will be in power forever.

    • “Whatever happens next in Europe is the lefts fault.”

      (Paraphrase) “Those that forget history, are doomed to repeat it”.

      The very same place where the expression “Heads are gonna roll” was literally what happened…

  6. To rephrase that

    Looter: “Damn Cracka values his STUFF more than he values MY life!”

    Cracker: “Clearly you value your life less than you value my stuff!”

    My Wife is not pro-gun, not anti-gun.
    She works in a retail establishment, and would be in charge of deciding on a course of action if this happened.

    So, what would she do?
    “Um… call the police?”
    Watches a video of police not getting involved… hmmm… “Well, I’m not sure.”

    Ok, what does Corporate say to do if there is an armed robbery?
    “Don’t try to stop them!”

    Right, so you should LOCK the store, and GTFO. Where are you going to go?
    “I’m going home!”

    Right, home. Why?
    “Because I live there?”

    OK, why is our house safer than somewhere else?
    “Uh… it’s … not in the city?”

    Maybe, population density counts. What is to keep the rioters at a distance?
    “I don’t understand.”

    Yeah, I know. How many rifle toting Crackers are between our house and the city?
    “Uh… all of them?”

    And, what do we have more of than anyone on our road?
    “Chickens in the street?”

    Dammit! She got me…

    • “How many rifle toting Crackers are between our house and the city?
      “Uh… all of them?””

      That was awesome.

      My wife would have answered the last question correctly, but it would have been hand guns. We only 7 or 8 rifles and 1 shotgun in PA and a couple more in another state. But handguns, we have plenty.

  7. Fabiola’s particular from of mental illness tends to manifest itself by trivializing assaults, robberies and destruction of THEIR property/business/lives…. as long as the targets of the” trivial and minor crimes” don’t share his worldview, beliefs,politics or (insular) existence….OTOH, this is a guy that no doubt is on board with creating” lists of Trump supporters” and others who disabled with him for their Thoughtcrime and Hatespeech- because not sharing HIS views is deemed an egregious offense….
    Hopefully everyone is paying attention-this guy who be OK with you and yours being looted,burned and physically assaulted. And if you called him out on his Progressitard Leftist Bull$hit, it’d be” Off to the Reeducation Camp with you!”

    • “OTOH, this is a guy that no doubt is on board with creating” lists of Trump supporters””

      What guy is that? The author of that screed is female…

    • Gregory Peter DuPont,

      You hit the proverbial nail on the head!

      The author of that screed (who is a woman by the way, not a man) is simply expressing the the standard mindset of her ilk:

      1) Everything that her group does and thinks is A-OK.

      2) People outside her group are evil and have no rights.

      3) Thus everything that her group does to outsiders is A-OK.

      4) Thus everything that outsiders do to her group is wrong.

      A word of warning to our nation: this is the natural result when people are unmoored from concrete and timeless truths and standards which transcend human emotion.

    • Just remember guys, looting and vandalism is no big deal because…insurance! /sarc

      It’s funny how they never mention that’s it’s morally wrong to steal and destroy other people’s stuff. Why is that?

      • “It’s funny how they never mention that’s it’s morally wrong to steal and destroy other people’s stuff. Why is that?”

        Because they think that private property is theft.

        They can call themselves whatever they want but a Commie by any other name is just as idiotic.

        • You agree with her correct? Or have you changed your mind, And agree with me that rioters and looters should be shot dead on site.

        • Chris – Commies believe the very concept of private property is theft from the greater good…

      • After a few payouts the insurance companies will decide certain businesses in certain locations are too much of a risk and will not provide insurance.

        Business versus politics.

        • And certain businesses, like pharmacies and grocery stores, will decide that the cost of doing business is too high and will not rebuild. Hence the great “food deserts” in the inner cities where fresh produce and local drug stores are nowhere to be found. Yet this fact is blamed on the government or “racism.

  9. These social justice warriors (AKA Fascists) want-a-be’s have no idea what Fascism truly is. I bet most never saw the movie Schindler’s list, never watch a documentary filmed in the camps post WW2, or spoke to someone with numbers tattooed on their forearm. It’s obvious Miami Herald columnist Fabiola Santiago has never done any of those things, otherwise never would have made such a moronic statement.

    • Fascism Communism Socialism…………well pretty much anything where the government has too much power is going to be a bad time for most involved.

    • They also have no clue what real socialism is like and should talk to people who lived it. I visited Croatia recently and the people will tell you like it is.

    • Several people in my wife’s family, in her grandparent’s generation had those number tattoos.

      NEVER AGAIN!

  10. If he does not like the laws here than he can leave the state that’s the way I feel about it and I am a true Florida resident born and raised here and is still here 66 years

  11. Self-ownership starts with your property interest in your own body.

    If someone holds my family hostage until I do what they want, they have enslaved me. If they steal the same thing from me after the fact, it also is theft of my labor, ie, slavery.

    Anyone who denies my right to protect my property is literally a slaver.

  12. Kel-tec needs to make a Zimmerman special edition of the PF-9, include a complementary bottle of lube called Trayvon tears.

  13. This Fabiola clown is covering for domestic terrorists who have nothing but sht for brains. Fabiola is their sideline cheerleader because he knows if he pulls their sht he stands a good chance of injury or death.

  15. She, FFS people.
    Are you so culturally inept that you don’t recognize “Fabiola” as a feminine name?

    • But…does IT identify as female…male…non-binary…they…%^&*…???
      You never know these days…and can easily offend someone by using the wrong gender/pronoun.
      Wish it was a joke…but it is horrifyingly true.

      • John is correct though, most of the commenters here never take the time to go directly to the referenced documents where they would have seen her picture.

        • I did se her picture, she look like the average SJW, can still see traces of Ring Dings around her 3rd chin. I don’t understand how people can so stupid, that they think socialists and socialism is preferable to anything else. Fat, lazy and stupid is no way to go thru life.

          • “Fat, lazy and stupid is no way to go thru life.”

            Well, that’s just your opinion. Many of us enjoy the fact that socialist policies put the burden of responsibility on others, so that we get all the benefits, with little effort. Would you rather be working hard to build a family and a future, or have that family and future while surfing off the coast of California, drawing unemployment and other benefits?

            “A man’s a fool if he stands when he can sit, sits when he can lie down.”

        • In response to Sam, old joke:

          A young black child asks his mother, “Mama, what is Socialism and what is Racism?”

          “Well Child, Socialism is when the white folks work every day so that Blacks, Latinos and Muslims can get all our government entitlement stuff for free. You know, like our free cell phones for each family member, rent subsidy, food stamps, EBT, WIC, free school breakfast, lunch, and in some places supper, free healthcare, utilities subsidies, and a Riot every now and then, and on and on. You know, that’s Socialism.”

          “But, mama, don’t the white people get upset about all that?”

          “Sure they do, Honey, that’s called Racism.”

    • “John (I’m still young enough for this shit) in FL”

      A tip of the hat to you, sir! 🙂

  16. The First Amendment says, “..the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
    Fabiola Santiago says of Gov. DeSantis’ proposed Legislation, “…it’s an endorsement of vigilantes and of murder for a minor criminal offense.”

    I don’t think you can get to what Santiago concludes from what the First Amendment says given the ample documentation that “peaceful protests” turned into mob violence which included destruction of private property, arson, physical injury to persons and murder…

  17. If I was a “Miami Herald” reader (fat chance) I would demand the Herald fire this idiot and cancell my subscription. Obviously, the Herald’s editors have not considered that through this Commie, they are advocating the criminal plundering of their readers ( and ultimately themselves).
    Cancelling my subscription is my way of reverse looting the Herald. The free-market way.

  18. It feeds on itself and only results in no one having anything. Then it spreads as alternative food sources are found further out. This is exactly the opposite from what the American Dream was all about. This is what fascism creates. A society where all are born into the lowest levels of existence and will never grow beyond that. Growth does not happen where extreme violence flourishes. The existence of war torn 3rd world nation-states all over the middle east and Africa should be evidence enough to teach lessons of the past.

  19. Wonder what Fabiola would think if the same mob was looting and burning her home/property.
    Wonder if Fabiola still lives at home and has nothing of value to lose that hasn’t been paid for by Mommy and Daddy.
    Maybe they think everyone has insurance for their stuff. Guess what? They all don’t. And sometimes insurance does not pay…or not enough to replace everything that is lost.

    • First of all, if Fabiola has a home and property, then she comes from a place of privilege. That means, of course she has insurance. Therefore, she should stand back and allow the looting and burning to take place. If she had an ounce of dignity, she would hand them the matches. /s

  20. I understand toilet paper is becoming hard to find again. If so, there will finally be a good use for the Miami Herald.

    • Lot’s of things are going to be tight for quite awhile.

      Examples right now would be plastic stock materials are down, particularly for the manufacture of medical grade plastics for things like syringes or pipettes. Iron is having disruptions as well, to the point that shunting iron to steel production has disrupted the manufacture of iron goods until at least Q2 2021. Fitness equipment across the board is backlogged like three months.

      If the iron issues continue along with demand in firearms prices will respond accordingly. I wouldn’t expect brass to do much better with a projected 300,000 ton shortage in the copper market either.

      • Aluminum supplies are also tight. I’m having problems finding iced tea in cans for the church refrigerator…

        • Yup. Non-sugar sweeteners too… chem stocks from ChiCom land.

          Ah well, all that’s left to do is wait a bit for the entire West to finish rolling over like a dog.

  21. Treyvon Martin was bashing George Zimmerman’s head into the concrete when he got shot because he thought Zimmerman was gay. Calling his killing ‘murder’ is enabling gay bashing.

  22. There is no way to give such ideas legs while the overwhelming majority are slaves to Social Media, Major Media, Hollywood, Professional Sports, etc.

  23. Hey, Fabiola, You’re on the wrong side of history and the law when it comes to self-defense. You think that Arson, Looting, and Rioting are only “minor crimes?” Okay. I’m going to come to YOUR home with my friends. We’re going to kick in your doors, steal what we want, and then burn your home to the ground. But, first, we’re going to give you a chance to save your property by giving you a gun. Are you going to be a man and protect your family home or be a Pussy and just stand there?? 
    Answer the question.

      • Obviously he is hoping SHE does not, or he would never have made such a blatant and ignorant threat… Apparently he does not read TTAG either or he would have known Fabiola is a SHE and not some “pussy” guy that would feed his family to a pack of home invaders.

    • Because she like many others of her ilk have no idea what true fear is.

      More or less they have lived a life of safety, but in their deluded mind they are constantly in danger from the fascists’, Nazi’s, hillbilly right wing gun owners ect

      My wish for them is to experience fear… bladder emptying, life in danger real fear.

      Fear alters perception and aligns one thinking with reality.

  27. Everything is racist.

    ICYMI, read the history of the 20th century revolts in Russia (1917). Everyone demanded everything. Finally, Lenin put a stop to all the bickering. The choice was to appease the mob, or eliminate the mob. The Tsar tried to both appease and eliminate the mob, meekly, and lost. Lenin was ruthless, and won. Power emanates from the barrel of a gun.

    The mob is never satisfied. Just as we see today.

  28. Wrong order Media, Lawyers, Judges and Pols first which will eliminate most of the radicals and progs. Then deal with the the criminals and thugs because there will be no one left to protect them. When killing a snake iit’s always best to cut it’s head off before you chop it up for fertilizer.

  30. There is nothing Fascist in the right of self-defense. It is a natural right all humans are born with, it has no political roots in any party or ideology. It is as pure a natural right as breathing.

    Fascism has become a term that all sides use as an insult, devoid of meaning or historical context. Like a dirty word, trying to paint an opponent with something unpleasant.

    A brief explanation is that while Fascism came out of an ultra-right wing viewpoint it is in fact a third viewpoint in political and economic theory. This to a degree where it is the blood enemy of Western Democracy, Marxism, Socialism and Anarchism. For a nation-state to be Fascist it must:

    1. Be a dictatorship,
    2. Apply forcible suppression of opposition. This means suppression using both laws to protect the regime and violence clearly outside of the laws of the nation. Kidnappings, targeted attacks by thugs, murders, torture, concentration camps, mass execution, there are no limits.
    3. Impose an intense regimentation of society. Every function of society is for the greater glory of the State (Motherland/Fatherland) and reinforces the myth building of the State, The Party and the Leader.
    4. Uses Capitalism and the economy as a tool of State Power. Profit is fine, but all must work toward the State’s higher goals.
    5. Builds a mythology around itself, creates a folklore behind its right to power, and of the dictator’s natural right to power.
    6. Seeks great military power, building upon concepts of the natural right of the strong to rule the weak. This leads to aggressive moves in foreign policy
    7. Requires scapegoats. Picks one or more demographics of society to blame all the nation’s, and the world’s, troubles upon. Builds a narrative of myth, lies and propaganda to demonize a group or groups for the general population to focus hate upon.
    8. Is ultra-nationalist, with all else it does being fed by and in return feeding this ultra nationalism. Typically this includes denigrating all other nations and peoples as corrupt, diseased, dishonest and deserving of conquest.

    Fascism is possibly the most difficult concept of government for the average American to understand beyond its value as a convenient insult. Opposing as it does the Right-Left ideologies of the two main parties within a representative democracy (a Republic), Fascism loses context for most of us. We all know it is bad, it is evil, but the instant any of us claims one of our two big political parties is Fascist the only fact revealed is that the person saying so is utterly clueless as to what that evil was.

    Anyway, like I said, there are certain rights existing outside and apart from any political theory. The right of self defense is one of them. It is a big one, and naturally includes the tools of self defense.

    That means firearms.

  31. Framing looters as victims… sure

    I know this has been asked before- maybe because there is yet to be a good answer- but why should I care so much more about a looter’s life than he does? Why does he care so much more about scoring that pair of Nikes than his own life?

    I’m betting he doesn’t. He just knows no one is allowed to stop him.

    • “…why should I care so much more about a looter’s life than he does? ”

      Because the looter is a desperate victim of your privilege.

      See how simple it is?

  32. He calls it “anti-mob” legislation, but it’s an endorsement of vigilantes and of murder for a minor criminal offense.

    Actually it’s called “Exercising your God Given rights to protect and defend your personal property and the livelihood that you have worked your ass off most of your life to build” it’s called “Hey dumbass, get a job, go to school and learn how to get your own life LEGALLY without disrupting or destroying some other person’s life just to get free shit”……..

  33. That anyone on this site could still be unclear about the Zimmerman/Martin shooting is truly astounding. Go read up on it, and ignore anything the MSM said about it. It was clear cut. Obama and the grievance machine tried to pillory Zimmerman, and they failed.

    And way to go, Governor DeSantis! We need to primary Scott out of the Senate, and out of politics forever.

    • It was clear cut for the most part, but could have been avoided. The entire case was trashy as fuck. Allowing a witness to say “his voice sounded like a creepy ass cracker” as evidence and the media portraying zimmerman as a white man was the start of where we are now. They had done it with cases like that before but the grey hoodie case gave way to BLM and all the shit you see today. Zimmerman could have just not got involved, and he should have not pursued. He even had multiple instances years after this that could have landed him in the same spot. Not the smartest person, and exactly why he was in the position he was in. That said, not guilty of all the accusations.

  34. “…troublesome and controversial Stand Your Ground Law.”

    It’s actually very straightforward and clear cut. Anyone against such a stance has criminal intent. Plain and simple.

  35. Thank god for Florida Gov DeSantis. Now the Libertarians Liberals and the Left will be forced to come out and say they are against private individuals protecting private property using deadly force.

    They hate the cops. But they don’t want private citizens to shoot looters. This is going to become the line that really separates city dwellers from rural folks. People who have land. A home. A car. Are you willing to let violent strangers take what you have? Or are you willing to kill if necessary to keep what you own?

    Most of the Libertarians Liberals and the Left live in places like Pacific Heights California. The Berkeley hills. Or some very wealthy neighborhood far removed from the more dangerous major cities. Or they are like many Libertarians who have moved to the country. But still tell others how to live.

    And telling other people to not shoot thieves is telling others how to live. Especially when you don’t live in crime prone parts of the country.

  36. Fabiola Santiago along with most others on the left need to learn actually what fascism is prior to calling anyone a fascist.
    Self defense, defense of others and the defense of property from mobs is anti-fascism.

    • “Fabiola Santiago along with most others on the left need to learn actually what fascism is prior to calling anyone a fascist.”

      “Actual fascism” is any person, place or thing trying to pull the reins in on me. That is, any person, regulation, policy, social interaction that does not let me have what I want, exactly as I want, when I want.

      The fascism you are thinking about is so 1930s out of date.

      • “The fascism you are thinking about is so 1930s out of date”
        Comes from years of listening to the stories from my father and uncles who were on the ground in Europe fighting against an army that was led by an actual fascist.

  37. “finally the media and politicians..” No! This has to be step one, then the other things can be done

  38. What actually surprises me is that no one set up a sniper position and started clearing out the rioters and looters. One guy with a Ruger 10/22 takedown (easily concealed in a backpack) with a suppressor could change the entire mentality of the mob once they notice they are bleeding. A mag dump and disappear into the fleeing crowd crowd of facemasks and black hoodies. . Just saying, I am surprised this has not happened yet.

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