s***@wash.mon
2009-06-11 08:42:39 UTC
Right-Wing Violence Is Very Real and Very Dangerous
Posted by Steve Benen, Washington Monthly at 4:31 PM on June 10, 2009.
'I hope that everyone who mau-maued the Department of Homeland
Security for expressing concern [...] feel appropriately ashamed of
themselves.'
In light of the shootings at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in
D.C. this afternoon, allegedly committed by white supremacist James
Von Brunn, Matt Yglesias noted, "I hope that everyone who mau-maued
the Department of Homeland Security for expressing concern about this
kind of thing feel appropriately ashamed of themselves."
It's hardly an unreasonable point. Two months ago, Richard Poplawski,
a right-wing extremist, allegedly gunned down three police officers in
Pittsburgh, in part because he feared the non-existent "Obama gun
ban." A few weeks ago, Scott Roeder, another right-wing extremist,
allegedly assassinated Dr. George Tiller in Kansas. A few hours ago,
Von Brunn, another right-wing extremist, allegedly opened fire at the
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.
There are other recent examples that bear similar characteristics.
This story out of Tennessee from last year continues to haunt:
Knoxville police Sunday evening searched the Levy Drive home of Jim
David Adkisson after he allegedly entered the Tennessee Valley
Unitarian Universalist Church and killed two people and wounded six
others during the presentation of a children's musical. [...]
Inside the house, officers found "Liberalism is a Mental Health
Disorder" by radio talk show host Michael Savage, "Let Freedom Ring"
by talk show host Sean Hannity, and "The O'Reilly Factor," by
television talk show host Bill O'Reilly.
The shotgun-wielding suspect in Sunday's mass shooting at the
Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church was motivated by a
hatred of "the liberal movement," and he planned to shoot until police
shot him, Knoxville Police Chief Sterling P. Owen IV said this
morning.
Adkisson, 58, of Powell wrote a four-page letter in which he stated
his "hatred of the liberal movement," Owen said. "Liberals in general,
as well as gays."
Obviously, we're dealing with sick individuals here. There are key
differences between violent right-wing radicals and mainstream
Americans who happen to be conservative. Indeed, I'm not suggesting
that conservative activists are necessarily dangerous, violent people.
I am suggesting that it makes sense of the Department of Homeland
Security to coordinate and communicate with law enforcement agencies
about potentially violent extremists -- of every ideological stripe --
to help prevent tragedies like the ones we've seen lately.
The DHS report specifically addressed the possibility of violence from
anti-abortion radicals and anti-Semitic extremists. And in the last
two weeks, Tiller was assassinated and a white supremacist opened fire
at the Holocaust Memorial Museum.
The Republican hysteria over the DHS report -- which was, by the way,
initiated by a Bush administration official -- was always based more
on a partisan scheme than reality, but the incessant complaints look
especially misguided today.
Posted by Steve Benen, Washington Monthly at 4:31 PM on June 10, 2009.
'I hope that everyone who mau-maued the Department of Homeland
Security for expressing concern [...] feel appropriately ashamed of
themselves.'
In light of the shootings at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in
D.C. this afternoon, allegedly committed by white supremacist James
Von Brunn, Matt Yglesias noted, "I hope that everyone who mau-maued
the Department of Homeland Security for expressing concern about this
kind of thing feel appropriately ashamed of themselves."
It's hardly an unreasonable point. Two months ago, Richard Poplawski,
a right-wing extremist, allegedly gunned down three police officers in
Pittsburgh, in part because he feared the non-existent "Obama gun
ban." A few weeks ago, Scott Roeder, another right-wing extremist,
allegedly assassinated Dr. George Tiller in Kansas. A few hours ago,
Von Brunn, another right-wing extremist, allegedly opened fire at the
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.
There are other recent examples that bear similar characteristics.
This story out of Tennessee from last year continues to haunt:
Knoxville police Sunday evening searched the Levy Drive home of Jim
David Adkisson after he allegedly entered the Tennessee Valley
Unitarian Universalist Church and killed two people and wounded six
others during the presentation of a children's musical. [...]
Inside the house, officers found "Liberalism is a Mental Health
Disorder" by radio talk show host Michael Savage, "Let Freedom Ring"
by talk show host Sean Hannity, and "The O'Reilly Factor," by
television talk show host Bill O'Reilly.
The shotgun-wielding suspect in Sunday's mass shooting at the
Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church was motivated by a
hatred of "the liberal movement," and he planned to shoot until police
shot him, Knoxville Police Chief Sterling P. Owen IV said this
morning.
Adkisson, 58, of Powell wrote a four-page letter in which he stated
his "hatred of the liberal movement," Owen said. "Liberals in general,
as well as gays."
Obviously, we're dealing with sick individuals here. There are key
differences between violent right-wing radicals and mainstream
Americans who happen to be conservative. Indeed, I'm not suggesting
that conservative activists are necessarily dangerous, violent people.
I am suggesting that it makes sense of the Department of Homeland
Security to coordinate and communicate with law enforcement agencies
about potentially violent extremists -- of every ideological stripe --
to help prevent tragedies like the ones we've seen lately.
The DHS report specifically addressed the possibility of violence from
anti-abortion radicals and anti-Semitic extremists. And in the last
two weeks, Tiller was assassinated and a white supremacist opened fire
at the Holocaust Memorial Museum.
The Republican hysteria over the DHS report -- which was, by the way,
initiated by a Bush administration official -- was always based more
on a partisan scheme than reality, but the incessant complaints look
especially misguided today.