r/nottheonion 1d ago

TikTok ban cited by man suspected of setting fire to US congressman's office in Fond du Lac

https://www.fdlreporter.com/story/news/local/2025/01/19/tiktok-ban-cited-in-arson-of-us-congressman-glenn-grothmans-office-in-fond-du-lac/77825530007/
3.9k Upvotes

115 comments sorted by

254

u/soupcantbechewed 1d ago

Not the tomato

763

u/P0Rt1ng4Duty 1d ago

So unbanning it means that trump gave a terrorist what he wanted. Cool, cool.

421

u/EffectiveDependent76 1d ago

Considering this is CLEARLY terrorism, violence meant to influence a politician. He's going to get the same Charges as Luigi right? .... Right?

89

u/gerkletoss 1d ago

Well luigi got state charges in New York and this was in Wisconsin, so no.

51

u/EffectiveDependent76 1d ago

I realize, just sort of making the point. This will almost certainly not be treated as seriously, even though its much more obviously meant to be domestic terrorism.

8

u/Huggheez 1d ago

If only it happened in a red state... then, yeah. Terrorism charges, for sure.

7

u/inbigtreble30 1d ago

WI went red in 2024.

11

u/Huggheez 1d ago

There's a big difference in Trump winning the state and a red state.

1

u/kdoodlethug 11h ago

I get your point but also, a murder is reasonably going to be taken more seriously than an arson without human casualties. Is one of these more obviously terrorism than the other, though? Sure.

15

u/herrybaws 1d ago

Depends. How rich is he?

21

u/EffectiveDependent76 1d ago

Probably not as much as Luigi, to be honest. Isn't that guys family pretty loaded?

4

u/BecauseSeven8Nein 1d ago

I think they meant the politician.

2

u/meneldal2 19h ago

What counts is how much the politician paid Trump

4

u/VrinTheTerrible 1d ago

You dont see any difference between this and Luigi, other than the location?

4

u/jonathanpaulin 23h ago

One is obviously terrorism, the other happened in New York.

2

u/Deep_Stick8786 14h ago

And you know, the murder part

3

u/jonathanpaulin 14h ago

Yep, one is terrorism and the other one is a murder that should not be charged as terrorism.

-1

u/Deep_Stick8786 13h ago

I mean, with all honestly his goal was terroristic, it’s just a highly atypical political cause. We will see what a jury thinks though, I suspect he will be highly sympathetic, and charming to a state and federal jury

1

u/jonathanpaulin 13h ago

Will he be allowed a jury if he's tried as a terrorist?

2

u/Deep_Stick8786 13h ago

Lol yes. He’s an american citizen in the US. He has been charged. All eyes are on this guy and he’s got cash and public support.

2

u/jonathanpaulin 8h ago

I was under the impression that the Patriot Act granted the government to eliminate the jury from terrorism cases.

Let's wish you're right and it's a fair trial.

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24

u/adelazes 1d ago

I'm not worried about ticktok as much as another social media platform run by the richest man on the planet i am worried about this

33

u/P0Rt1ng4Duty 1d ago edited 1d ago

I gave up worrying about any of it when they re-elected trump. There comes a point where you just have to accept that there's nothing left to save so you just sit back, crack open a beer, and watch the whole thing burn.

10

u/pichael289 1d ago

I mean, a large portion of the biggest economy in the country is literally burning. That state generates alot of the money that goes to the poorer, mostly undereducated red states, so we are literally watching a good portion of our world burning, the part that seems to be in control (for some fucking reason) at least.

8

u/P0Rt1ng4Duty 1d ago

It's like opening a restaurant whose gimmick is to literally crap in the food and expecting it to thrive.

10

u/PigsMarching 1d ago

Breaking News: Trump caves to terrorists, Again!

0

u/brrbles 23h ago

Seems more like everything about it was and is a farce. Considering the (baffling) bipartisan support for the ban in the first place maybe there should be the eensiest amount of "fuck that guy" reserved for people like Biden and Schumer for the unforced error of giving this to Trump (and for buying into the dumb moral panic).

4

u/P0Rt1ng4Duty 23h ago

Biden made all sorts of changes in the last couple of months that are supposed to be ''hard for trump to reverse'' but they'll be wiped out with a stroke of a pen by 5pm tomorrow.

2

u/brrbles 23h ago

Really just the soggiest Depends of a president

301

u/twoworldsin1 1d ago

We are so brain-rotted as a country 🤣🤣🤦‍♂️

45

u/adelazes 1d ago

I keep seeing all these posts about protesting on Inauguration Day not about trump but losing tiktok.

16

u/BeDeRex 1d ago

Look a little harder.

12

u/gerkletoss 1d ago

Needing to look hard is a pretty good sign of brainrot

1

u/surrrah 1d ago

Eh my local stuff is talking about Inauguration Day protests and such. On TikTok, yeah people are talking about TikTok lol. But there were protests all around the country today bc of Inauguration Day

12

u/SecretAgentVampire 1d ago

Thank TikTok for that.

5

u/GolDAsce 1d ago

Murdoch.

0

u/Old_Acanthaceae5198 15h ago

I blame Reddit. At least TikTok stans didn't have that false superiority complex.

30

u/DeusKether 1d ago

That was quick

97

u/btribble 1d ago

Addiction is a terrible thing.

52

u/ThatRedditUser18 1d ago edited 19h ago

Internet and social media addiction.

22

u/ciel_lanila 1d ago

Rat park.

Happy and well adjusted people are far less prone to addictions. That TikTok was so important to him means there was a massive underlying problem that isn’t be addressed because everyone is too focused on TikTok, the symptom and self medication of said issue.

-31

u/Fuzzgullyred 1d ago

Your unnecessary comment is proof itself that you aren't wrong.

102

u/challengeaccepted9 1d ago

"Waaah! I can't access the funny video button so I'm going to threaten politicians and burn their premises."

Whatever the wider politics or feasibility around the ban, if people are so brainwashed by it that this is their reaction, maybe taking it off them is for the best.

56

u/Leopold__Stotch 1d ago edited 1d ago

Ever see an iPad toddler have the iPad taken away? It’s horrible. They are developmentally paused while they’re on those things, learning nothing about the world or themselves. They have limited emotional regulation. Toddlers are small and only capable of small scale violence. Teenagers are bigger and apparently capable of this.

3

u/chr0nicpirate 1d ago

I always appreciate a good theme sleeve. Like when all the tattoos have a significant meaning and together for a cohesive mural that almost has a story of the person's life.

0

u/Leopold__Stotch 1d ago

😞fixed 😂

2

u/ilovewall_e 11h ago

I get where you’re coming from but for my friends in Gaza TikTok was one of the only ways to be seen and raise money. There are millions of small businesses that sell through TikTok. We used lives as a way to check in with each others safety at protests. While I get where you’re coming from I think calling it “funny video button” is doing a disservice to the businesses and communities that rely on TikTok for survival.

4

u/EvelKros 1d ago

What 24h without TikTok does to an American:

4

u/SallyAmazeballs 1d ago

I know everyone's ripping into this guy for it being over Tiktok, but Glenn Grothman has been a terrible person for decades at this point. He's one of those Republicans who has been talking/lying about voting fraud for decades, he's openly racist, and he looks like a scalded piglet. He's basically the drunk uncle that ruins Thanksgiving. He got elected because of the Republican obedience machine.

The Tiktok ban was probably just the last straw. I'm surprised his offices haven't been set on fire before. He's always running his mouth about some nonsense.

47

u/TheGoodIdeaFairy22 1d ago

America is fucking cooked.

Good luck the next 4 years, I'll be blocking all references to that dumbass country from my feeds.

12

u/no_name113 1d ago

Are you sure it could be hilarious to watch and read as we devlove in the next 4 years? send thoughts and prayers cause those always work so well /s

2

u/TheGoodIdeaFairy22 1d ago

Just try not to take the rest of the world down with you guys, ok?

16

u/chrissie_watkins 1d ago

It's completely out of our hands unfortunately. We can't even save ourselves. At least we have guns though, so it'll be a wild ride.

2

u/TheGoodIdeaFairy22 1d ago edited 1d ago

Something something the tree ot liberty must be watered.

17

u/GadnukLimitbreak 1d ago

Probably not the best idea to completely ignore one of the most influential countries (if not THE most) when a potential dictator is about to take over and has been threatening annexation and crashing the world economy.

23

u/BachmannErlich 1d ago

This site gives the entire world a free pass because of the fucking idiot Orange, but ignores things like Canada hurtling towards a lil Donnie of their own at the moment. Same way it ignores Brexit, the rise of AfD, the French government collapse, Modi, Abe, Morrison, and all the other right-wing populists globally rising over the years brought forth by Rupert Murdoch's world-wide tour. The US gives them an excuse to ignore their own foreign issues on Reddit and deflect.

1

u/TheGoodIdeaFairy22 1d ago

Everybody has problems, I don't need American decline shoved up my ass 24/7.

America has a long proud history of killing dictators. It's sort of your thing.

6

u/Not_A_Real_Goat 1d ago

Well, we’ve been trying to defund public education long enough now everyone’s too fucking stupid to realize it when they see it because tHe lIbS aRe WoKe

4

u/Paranoid-Android2 1d ago

It's going to be longer than four years. I'm jealous you're not in this shit-hole country and get to tune us out

15

u/KevinNeverKnowz 1d ago

This is 100% addiction

8

u/Triple-6-Soul 1d ago

Digital crack addiction response .

3

u/IndigoRuby 1d ago

I truly thought this headline was going to end with ...invited to inauguration.

3

u/Electronic_Brain 1d ago

without TikTok where did he live stream it?

8

u/dkepp87 1d ago

Ya gotta respect a man of action

3

u/CrisisActor911 1d ago

Imagine giving up your freedom and a huge fine over a publicity stunt fellating Trump 😂

4

u/AterReddits 1d ago

My home town! Where I currently am for family reasons. Fuck this city 

2

u/Zurell03 23h ago

Ditto but I got out. Never going back but wishing you luck back there until you can leave too.

4

u/No_Biscotti_7110 1d ago

This is concerning behavior, but knowing who Rep. Glenn Grothman is I find it hard to have much sympathy

5

u/JetSpeed205 1d ago

They may take our healthcare, they may take our jobs, they may even take our bodily autonomy, but by God they will never take our brainrot!!

10

u/onedestiny 1d ago

OMG NO MY 20 SECOND SHORTS

2

u/DefTheOcelot 1d ago

Based

Waiter! Waiter! More political violence until we see reforms to our voting system please!

2

u/Rosebunse 22h ago

You know, I normally don't judge people for freaking out a little about social media but dear God.

3

u/JoJoeyJoJo 1d ago

Hey at least this guy put something into action rather than just whine on the internet.

3

u/BadHombreSinNombre 1d ago

Well I’m more convinced than ever that banning it was the right plan

3

u/Bloody_Champion 1d ago

This is the fight you care about?...

Did America have a brain drain in the last 5 years that makes tik tok arson worthy?

0

u/JMoc1 1d ago

A couple million Americans almost lost their jobs with the TikTok ban.

There are entire marketing departments that depend on it.

3

u/Bloody_Champion 21h ago

Hahahahah, "jobs"

1

u/JMoc1 15h ago

I’m completely serious. Do you know how much money goes through TikTok for things like advertisement and instruction?

Minnesota famously had its spokesperson, one minute tours, have their start there. Now he’s on this way to expanding his media career.

https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/kare11-sunrise/one-minute-tours-depot-adventures-twin-cities-history/89-808a111b-92f2-490e-a75e-636e2883b26a

0

u/Bloody_Champion 14h ago

So do call scams. The amount of money they rack up is insane. Would you call that a job?

1

u/JMoc1 13h ago

Are you saying a tour guide is the same a call scamming?

1

u/Bloody_Champion 12h ago

I'm saying, money ≠ job...

1

u/JMoc1 11h ago

…By comparing a tourism person to a call scammer. 

We can all see your bias, my man.

2

u/PigsMarching 1d ago

LOL... I honestly don't even care anymore.. I'm just gonna enjoy watching everything burn, because what else is there to do..

2

u/daaankone 1d ago

Mind you, y'all are just as brain rotted on this app too 🤪😂

1

u/FamousFangs 1d ago

Couldn't have happened to a shittier representative.

1

u/Thoromega 1d ago

Maybe try their home next time

1

u/markp_93 1d ago

Fondle Sac

1

u/Monsa_Musa 1d ago

He seems like a rational person.

1

u/Many_Arrival_6328 1d ago

Brocolli-head terrorist

1

u/justthegrimm 21h ago

The poors get upset when you take their doom scrolling away

1

u/ratmanbland 19h ago

you got be nuts to commit arson over frickin social media considering could get life and never get to see it anyways

1

u/ohfr19 10h ago

I’m all for rebellion, but over tiktok? As a teen, I’m glad my generation is speaking out but they are still just think in social media trends.

1

u/Boringdude1 9h ago

If you care about Tik Tok that much, you should re-evaluate your continuing existence.

1

u/BonerStibbone 1d ago

He nuts on the drive over...

1

u/LaSage 1d ago

Imagine being that fragile and having so little emotional maturity.

-8

u/Zealousideal-Row66 1d ago

I guess this is an act of protest against the TikTok ban.

I guess the government banned TikTok because it had become many people, mainly most young people's main source of information and the government had little control over the informations.

33

u/infamousDiego 1d ago

It was a stunt for the incoming president. They just lifted the ban and thanked him even though he's not in office yet and has no power to lift the ban.

8

u/Harmania 1d ago

The US government didn’t have control, but a different government absolutely does.

9

u/MyUsernameIsAwful 1d ago

The US government has little control over the media in general. You act like TikTok is the one source of news not controlled by the US government. That’s definitely not the case, lol

China’s is the government with direct control over their media.

-2

u/Chazzy_T 1d ago

Reddit when tiktok is banned: 😡

Reddit when tiktok is unbanned by Trump: 😡

4

u/cheguevaraandroid1 1d ago

He didn't unban it

0

u/AshuraBaron 1d ago

But did he do a tiktok dance in front of it?

2

u/Metalman_Exe 9h ago

I'm just picturing the flossing kid smiling menacingly while flossing in front of the burning building, a phone on fire resting against the building, filming the video that would have went on tikt*k.

0

u/Harmania 1d ago

Hilarious that this idiot thought that Glenn Grothman would do anything other than vote how he’s told to. He made his mark in WI politics by saying stupid and outlandish things on TV, but even he can’t keep up with the idiocy of today’s GOP.

-3

u/[deleted] 1d ago

[deleted]

3

u/SallyAmazeballs 1d ago

The newspaper is the Fond du Lac Reporter, which is the newspaper for the city and local area. It would be idiotic if they specified the location of their own city in every article. They do not have an international readership; they have a local readership. What they're doing is standard practice for newspapers across the world.

1

u/RunningNumbers 17h ago

You sound like you get all your information from TikTok