Scott Adams came up with (or at least popularized) the concept of "two movies on one screen", where two people can watch the same event- even the same video of the event- and clearly "see" opposite things happening. January 6th was a great example. The ICE shootings also illustrate this.
It's clear that the movie you see depends on the biases you hold before the event happens. How could it be otherwise?
I make no secret that I am biased in favor of liberty. Always. Every time. I am biased against anyone or anything that is counter to liberty. Government finds liberty to be a mortal threat to itself and its power. Which it is. I can't be biased for liberty and not be biased against government. It simply isn't possible. It's like arguing for the existence of a 5-sided triangle.
I avoid watching videos of violent confrontations, unless it's a robber getting neutralized by his intended victim (that's comedy gold to me), so I don't normally see the videos where this "two movies on one screen" phenomenon plays out the most often. I did not watch the videos of the ICE killings, and I have no plans to do so. It wouldn't change my opinion, and it would make me feel bad, no matter how I interpret what I'm seeing.
Of course, it's not limited to video. You can experience the same thing simply by hearing various people describe what happened- from their perspective. You're not hearing about the event; you're learning which movie they're seeing.
Often, I can "see" it both ways, even if I think one interpretation is more likely to be true. But not always. Sometimes I think "Are you insane?" when I hear the version someone seems to truly believe happened.
But... if you are in a place where you have a right to be ("public" spaces are one of those places), doing something you have a right to be doing (protesting against infinite government power, being armed, and defending someone from an aggressor are among those things), then anyone using force against you is the bad guy. The aggressor's justifications are irrelevant.
I don't need to see a video of every tiny detail from every possible angle to recognize this fact. I don't have to agree with every aspect of someone's opinions to stand up for their natural human rights. Sometimes a person can be wrong about everything else and still be right when it matters. I don't have to like someone to take their side against armed criminal gangs. Not even if the armed criminal gangs claim some "authority" to be doing what they're doing, so they can pretend they aren't the criminals.
Even if government is doing something you want done- even if you think government is doing something essential- government is ALWAYS the wrong tool for the job. Supporting government is the anti-liberty position every time.
And that's the movie I am watching.
Tips are nice.
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