DHS Report Was Correct, In Spite Of Right-Wing Objections
Looks like the Department of Homeland Security report that was disparaged by the right wing was on to something. Conservatives were outraged that right wing extremists and particularly military veterans and those with anti-abortion and anti-immigration views were the focus of the report.
“I think this latest round of killing once again shows how ridiculous the criticism from the right of the Department of Homeland Security report was. That whole brouhaha was absurd,” said Mark Potok of the Southern Poverty Law Center. “Rush Limbaugh and John Boehner can go on until the end of time about how [the report] was an attack on conservatives, but in reality it was a perfectly sober assessment of what was going on out there.”
“We felt the DHS report was pretty right on,” said Deborah Lauter of the Anti-Defamation League. “Clearly the election of Obama, the current financial crisis, and the discussion of immigration reform -those things have certainly fueled the right wing extremist movement in this country….There are clear indications that the rhetoric is manifesting. We hope it’s not the tip of the iceberg.”
Because of pushback from conservatives, the report was withdrawn, the biggest objection being how it profiled some military veterans. In addition to the shootings at the Holocaust Museum and the Tiller clinic, the shooter of three Pittsburgh police officers in April, Richard Poplawski, was worried that Obama’s policies would result in him losing his guns. Another shootout in April in Florida ocurred when a national guard soldier, Joshua Cartwright was about to be arrested for domestic abuse. Cartwright was “severly disturbed” about the elecction of Obama.
It’s a shame the DHS withdrew a report which, it turns out, was more accurate than anyone might have hoped.
We ain’t seen nothing yet like the BTO song. As long as you have buffoons like Rush spewing vile someone will react like George Wallace anti stance againist the Civil Rights Movement and the klan reacted.
average james Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Steve,
I am afraid you’re right.
It saddens me that the weaker among us can be whipped up so effectively.
This is not a problem exclusive to the right, however conditions being what they are, the right currently poses the greater threat.
steve Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
You cannot blame Rush,but people take his message to heart. The left as well. Because some will react to the reactions like the regulators doing the wild west days.
June 11th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
“We hope it’s not the tip of the iceberg.”
It absolutely is just the tip of the iceberg, which is more than amply demonstrated by the fact that all the worst violence comes from the radical rightwing extremists who have no regard for the law or for the lives of anyone outside their evil little anti-American cabals.
EricG Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
I hope your wrong, Rocky.
I hope this is the end of it.
Right here.
No more killing anyone.
But unfortunately you may be right.
average james Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Yah,
Bummer, but I think Rocky’s right.
Daddio Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Humans fail all the time. I don’t know what any of your faiths are but I believe as long a evil or Satan, which is evil incarnate, walks on this earth there will always be evil acts.
From the murder of Abel to the murder of Tiller.
I pray for it all to end. Someday it will.
Um Cara Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Willy,
I believe as long a evil or Satan, which is evil incarnate, walks on this earth there will always be evil acts.
The other day you were blaming God, saying he put us in the ’situation’ of the Holocaust, to ‘teach us a lesson’ (the other ’situation’ you mentioned God apparently ‘puts us in’ is rape), now it’s Old Scratch who gets the blame.
Make up your mind. Are these horrible events object lessons by God, to ‘learn us a lesson’, or is it the devil that makes us do it?
OldLefty Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Just throwing my two cents in:
In Hinduism accounts of the origin of evil include:
In order to distinguish actions, the creator separated dharma and adharma and made the pairs of opposites such as happiness and unhappiness. Though here the creator god is willingly creating evil, it is, paradoxically, considered a good act; since, without distinguishing features such as good and evil the universe would not exist.
In one account the Hindu creator god is forced, by time or karma, to create evil. He does not consider evil ‘a good thing’ but cannot avoid it. Still other accounts have God dismembering himself in a cosmic sacrifice to create the four classes of men, along with evil elements (and sometimes Man himself) from god’s own ignoble parts
TDro319 Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
“No, He will not forgive the unrepentant.”
And, when you die, Trees’ god will send you to burn in hell for all eternity – because he loves you.
June 11th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
You know, the whole subject is ridiculous. There was also a report about left wing extremists. Both sides should acknowledge there are nuts on both sides. OK. That wasn’t so hard now was it. Sometimes I think right wingers are the biggest whiniest cry babies. We are not extremists! Dude, nobody said you personally are an extremist. We didn’t get our panties all wadded when we found out about the left wing extremist report.
Daddio Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Your first three sentences are right on Southern Girl. You could have added left wingers as big cry babies but I won’t quibble over that.
My question is why did Alan not include the muslim convert who murdered that innocent soldier in his list of shootings? After hearing what the muslim murderer said afterward he is now officially listed as a terrorits. Not a mention here though by Alan.
VegasLib Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
If there are extremists in any group, the Muslim extremists are the more prevalent.
This post, though, is not about the Muslim extremists. It’s about how the report the DHS had released about right-wing extremists was accurate. And THAT it was.
flap Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
“You know, the whole subject is ridiculous. There was also a report about left wing extremists. Both sides should acknowledge there are nuts on both sides.”
I can’t believe it, but SGL speaks the truth! ;)
June 11th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Conservatives were outraged that right wing extremists and particularly military veterans and those with anti-abortion and anti-immigration views were the focus of the report.
Where are the examples of Islamic extremists committing crimes almost exactly of the same nature?
Militants targeting Jewish mosques and then the Islamic extremists who shot the soldiers.
Seems to me the mix is about even. And if not even, certainly there is no statistical significance.
You know, the whole subject is ridiculous. There was also a report about left wing extremists.
SGL–Well said. Thank you.
steve Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
True PINO and i watched a show on 1 of the History channels where the Nazis had a Arab SS unit doing World War II.
I have stated about that guy killing that Army guy last week. He is a terrorist,he is no differnt than the asswipe from yesterday and the man that killed Tiller.
EricG Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
All violence is evil. Violence against innocent people is even more evil.
All murders and terrorists are to be condemned.
But I believe that understanding what drives these select few insane individuals is usually a introspection into our society and our species.
June 11th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Cool post Pino,
I would say, however,
The left is in power, decisively so.
By definition the right(resistance) is much more active, simply because of the current circumstances.
Daddio Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Which is what happens in this country James. The party out of power is always the more active party. The out of power party always is in the attack mode.
Replace Obama with McCain and the Dem controlled congress with Repub and, as they say, the shoe would be on the other foot.
average james Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Yep.
Daddio Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
You sure look a lot younger James. Is it the water? :)
average james Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Class of 1980 photo Willio.
Just thought I’d mix it up a bit.
My sister’s passing has found me looking through old photos.
Daddio Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
Ahh, the good ol days. I was in the class of 1973. Don’t know how to put a photo here though. I am basically computer illiterate.
Daddio Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
Oh, age will get you looking through old photos also.
Memories are great. Hope you’re holding up ok.
Time is a good healer, I have found out.
steve Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
Daddio
You have to have the correct wires to do it. I know what you mean,i have a ipod collecting dust. My step-daughter knows how.
Daddio Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Gotcha Steve. I am glad I am not alone. Maybe some day I will be able to show my mug here, but don’t hold your breath. you may not like what you see. :) :)
I gotta run a few things to my daughters house so I will be gone for a little bit. Great talking with you Steve.
Great talking with James and Eric and Southern Girl also.
More later.
VegasLib Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
YO, AJ! Is that a picture of Michael Cera you have on your profile? LOL.
average james Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
I don’t know who Michael Cera is, but no, it’s just me 1980. Pre-punk.
What’s up whippersnapper ??
June 11th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
No enraged right winger ever has the report accurately represented when they spout off about it.
So I lost all interest in hearing their blah-blah about it. They keep misquoting the report and making up things that are not in it.
I think this report balanced against the similar report on left wing extremism is a great example of what is going in the modern political media.
A left wing report about people who have nothing to do with mainstream liberals comes out and the reaction is … pretty much null. Because that report had nothing to do with people like me and the Democratic Base.
A right wing report about people who have little to nothing to do with mainstream conservatives comes out and the reaction is … every right winger and radio host in the country acts as if the report is talking about them personally. Because the report mentioned the side of the fence they are on they assume it portends directly to them and their ideals. Maybe it does, perhaps the right wing of America is a bunch of terrorists listening to Limbo and Shammity all day and getting ready to go kill the ‘liberal pukes.’
That’s what I hear coming through the radio-waves.
But you never know. I doubt seriously that Washington GOP types want to even sit in a room with the radical hate-mongers that conservative-radio caters itself to.
rafferclinton Reply:
June 12th, 2009 at 11:32 am
Sadly, both sides are guilty as charged… TV – left wing; Radio – right wing.
June 11th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
According to el Rushbo this morning, von Brunn “might” have also been targeting the offices of the nearby conservative rag, “The Weekly Standard”.
This, of course, means von Brunn was a leftwing, liberal terrorist and not a rightwing, conservative terrorist as has been falsely portrayed in the liberal media.
I see some of the regular conservative commenters here on the same page as Rush Windbag.
Geez, you can’t make this stuff up.
Rocky the Liberal Rottweiler Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
“…von Brunn “might” have also been…”
And if it “might” have been it’s as good as a proven fact witnessed by millions and testified to by God and all the angels, in so far as the radical rightwing extremists are concerned.
Heck, if it *might* have been that’s as good as written into the “bible.”
June 11th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Oh, my goodness. Much ado about nothing.
THERE ARE IDIOTS OUT THERE. BIG SURPRISE.
The abortion doctor murder, the soldier murder, and the security guard murder.
Weren’t these people RADICALIZED way before the current political environment? All these people are fringe folk who probably would have acted no matter the political environs. It’s preposterous and unfounded to blame this crap on talk radio or Republicans.
average james Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
I dunno Flap,
It’s gettin’ kinda wierd these days. Lots of paranoia, lots of hate, on the streets. I pay attention to those around me fairly well. I hear quite a bit, alot of it is Obama aimed. Too much is racial slurs and jokes. Some is armed and pissed off talk. There is a disturbing amount of all of the above.
June 11th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
And if it “might” have been it’s as good as a proven fact witnessed by millions and testified to by God and all the angels, in so far as the radical rightwing extremists are concerned.
Heck, if it *might* have been that’s as good as written into the “bible.”
Sorry, I posted this in the wrong post before. More appropriate here:
Rocky, did you even TRY to look this up to verify? Or, did you just type what you wanted the truth to be?
June 11th, 2009 at 4:41 pm