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Tree Swallow

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Grim Reminder

In April, Janet Napolitano and the Department for Homeland Security were vilified by the right for releasing a report cautioning that right wing terrorist groups and individuals could be planning acts of violence.

The report, titled "Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment," released by the DHS' Office of Intelligence and Analysis, said while there is no specific information that domestic right-wing terrorists are planning acts of violence, it suggests acts of violence could come from unnamed "rightwing extremists" concerned about illegal immigration, abortion, increasing federal power and restrictions on firearms.

Today the Holocaust Museum in Washington was the scene of just such an event, a gunmen shooting several guards. While as yet, little is known about the perpetrators, I am guessing that it was not a random act. This comes on the heels of the deadly murder in Wichita by a man who was involved in the anti-semitic Christian Identity and Freemen movement.

I am sure that Ms. Napolitano will never get an apology from those calling for her head but it looks like her warning and admonition was quite prescient.

Info on the White Supremacist shooter.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

You can't connect this wack-job's actions with the ambiguous warning by DHS. This guy has a long history of anti-semetic behavior.
Recently the press asked Rev Wright if he had talked to Pres. Obama since the election...his response; "them Jews ain't going to let him talk to me"
Maybe DHS should expand their paranoid warning...better yet Janet, forget the whole idea.

Blue Heron said...

Last thing I knew, Wright wasn't aiming a gun at anybody...

MMWB said...

Blue Heron,

Since your commentary is imagination based, let's continue in that vein with the following role reversal:

1. DHS sends out a letter alerting all law enforcement agencies, including local agencies, to be on the watch for any and all liberals! This is due to the fact that some liberals have protested the war in Irag, as well as other wars, some liberals are in favor of legalizing the use of marijuana (including medicinal use), and a small number of liberals, ELF and other eco-terrorists have broken the law in the past.

Based upon the letter, law enforcement agencies then attend all planned & permitted liberal gatherings to protest laws limiting abortion in the last trimester of pregnancy.

Because of the love and kindness which is regularly emitted by liberals in general, they do not even utter a single complaint about the DHS letter. Instead, all but one of the liberals, hold hands and sing the national anthem, (omitting any refernce to Diety).

When that one crazed liberal, who has a criminal record for child abuse, rapes and kills another child, the entire liberal community is labeled as pedophiles and sodomites by the national press.

On blogs across the nation, conservatives rant about the liberals and their behavior, based upon the actions of the one crazed liberal, who is also a member of NAMBLA.

The end.

MMWB

Blue Heron said...

You are good, masked man - guilty as charged.

Blue Heron said...

MMWB, I always enjoy your posts because they are very rational and always well written and they provide a good counterpoint to my own thinking.

I know the danger of painting whole groups of people with a broad brush. I know how pointless and stupid the endless name calling gets. And it is true that in our recent history, most acts of domestic terrorism have been promulgated by individuals or loose networks rather than large groups of fanatics.

But let's be honest. In the last twenty years, name me one act of domestic terrorism by a liberal or leftist slant. Now you might say Peta or Earthfirst but I don't know that those groups necessarily have a political slant. But look at the Army of God, the group that advocates killing abortion doctors. McVeigh, Rudolph, Posse Comitatis, Hayden Lake, White Aryan Resistance, these groups all stream from the most right wing, xenophobic, anti black, anti jewish mindset and they tend to act on those beliefs.

You may not agree with me, but most people are simply stupid. (sorry, Carrie) It doesn't take much to incite the american population. So when Bill O'Reilly pours gasoline on the flames and excoriates the killing of innocent babies isn't it only a matter of time before a mentally challenged sycophant picks up a gun?

If you look at the Townhall blog or countless other conservative mouthpieces, you will see a lot of people condemning the recent violent acts, but... The other side of their mouths seem to justify the actions. Regina Dinwiddie, who protested the Tiller clinic with Roeder says that Tiller's murder was justifiable. She says that he forfeited his life by killing innocent children. There are many similar sentiments being expressed by these people. Acts of anti-semitism are increasing as well.

I guess what I want to see as a liberal is for conservatives like yourselves to take a real stand and say - this behavior is shameful and wrong. No backpedalling, no justification, no moral equivalence. I will tell you that Bill Ayres was wrong, that Jane Fonda shouldn't have posed sitting on a tank in Hanoi. I got no problems fessing up. When will responsible conservatives draw a line?

MMWB said...

Blue Heron,

The behavior of anyone who commits any murder, attack, act of terrorism, etc. is shameful and wrong. No political view point, belief or idea can justify these acts.

We are fortunate to live in a land that has laws, where corruption is limited, and where criminals are often caught, tried and convicted. If you or I do not care for a certain law, then we may work to change the law through the officials who are in place now, or we may elect people who will pass laws that fit with our respective visions for our nation. Until that time, we need to obey the laws of the land and allow others the freedoms that are provided by those laws.

As for the O'Reilly's, Maddow's, Hannity's and Olberman's of the world, they are first and foremost entertainers who are playing to their audiences.

Although ELF and PETA and the Army of God think that their motives are pure, they are criminals as soon as they break the law, just like the rapist or gang banger.

Unfortunately, our society's moral fabric has been eroding for many years. The more it erodes, the more people feel justified in doing what they want regardless of the laws. Ultimately, we all suffer and end up paying the price for our collective behavior.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and viewpoints.

MMWB

Blue Heron said...

Got no problems with any of that. Thanks.