Posted on 04/20/2010 11:17:22 AM PDT by neverdem
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There's a new narrative taking hold in the wake of the recent Tea Party protests and the 15th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing: The Tea Partiers' intense opposition to the Obama administration has led to overheated political rhetoric, which could in turn lead to violence, perhaps as devastating as Oklahoma City.
Former President Clinton is the leading voice of this new narrative. In newspaper interviews, television appearances and a widely discussed speech Friday, Clinton said it's "legitimate" to draw "parallels to the time running up to Oklahoma City and a lot of the political discord that exists in our country today."
"Watch your words," warned ABC News, reporting that Clinton "weighed in on the angry anti-government rhetoric, ringing out from talk radio to Tea Party rallies."
The reports dovetailed with earlier media stories depicting Tea Party gatherings as angry mobs, accusing protesters of throwing racial epithets at black lawmakers and of making threats of violence. The implication was that all this could be part of a nationwide trend. "Just this month, the Southern Poverty Law Center reported that it had tracked an explosion in extremist anti-government patriot groups fueled, in large part, by anger over the economy and Barack Obama's presidency," NBC's David Gregory said on "Meet the Press" in early April. "In this highly charged political atmosphere, where you've got so much passion, so much disagreement, this takes it, of course, to a different level."
How did this story line grow? Many of the claims that extremism is on the rise in America originate in research done by the Southern Poverty Law Center, an Alabama-based group that for nearly 40 years has tracked what it says is the growing threat of intolerance in the United States. These days the SPLC is issuing new warnings of new threats. But today's warnings sound an awful lot like those of the past.
In 1989, the SPLC warned of the growing threat of skinheads, saying, "Not since the height of Klan activity during the civil rights era has there been a white supremacist group so obsessed with violence. ..."
In 1992, the SPLC warned of the growing threat of other white supremacist groups, which it claimed had grown by 27 percent from the year before.
In 1995, the SPLC warned of the growing threat of right-wing militias.
In 1998, the SPLC warned of the growing threat of Internet-based hate groups, which according to one press account had "created the biggest surge in hate in America in years."
In 1999, the SPLC warned that the growing threat of Web-based hate groups was growing even more, with a 60 percent increase from the year before.
In 2002, the SPLC warned of the growing threat of post-Sept. 11 hate groups, which it said had grown 12 percent between 2000 and 2001.
In 2004, the SPLC warned (again) of the growing threat of skinhead groups, whose numbers it said had doubled in the previous year.
In 2008, the SPLC warned of the growing threat of hate groups overall, whose number it said increased 48 percent since 2000.
And in 2010, just a few weeks ago, the SPLC warned of the growing threat of "patriot" groups, which it said increased by 244 percent in 2009.
In the world of the Southern Poverty Law Center, the threat is always growing. Ronald Reagan's policies led to a growing threat. The first Gulf War led to a growing threat. The election of Bill Clinton led to a growing threat. The Internet led to a growing threat. Sept. 11 led to a growing threat. The war in Iraq led to a growing threat. Is it any wonder that Obama's presidency has, in the SPLC's estimation, led to a growing threat?
Hate groups do exist across the political spectrum, and have for a long time. But they have nothing to do with the expressions of frustration over deficits, taxes and Obamacare that we have heard at so many Tea Party gatherings. That frustration, felt by Republicans, independents and even some Democrats, is an entirely mainstream reaction to the sharply activist course the president and congressional leadership have taken. While the level of frustration is indeed a threat, it is a political threat. Ask Democrats running in this November's elections.
It's important to distinguish between a political threat and a physical one. As Clinton might say, the hate accusers should watch their words.
Byron York, the Examiner's chief political correspondent, can be contacted at byork@washingtonexaminer.com.
You may be right, but then, we have a ace in the hole.
As long as Americans have the 2nd Amendment, the left knows that it cannot have what it wants without a fight.
They are perfectly capable of engineering a false flag op to get the ball rolling. Peoples lives mean nothing to these monsters. Those of us who survive the initial onslaught are going to have our work cut out for us.
Pray for military intervention - on the right side.
The holstered photo is indeed from Portsmouth.
And the Phoenix photo (with MSNBC picture) is here:
"This guy is a supporter of 0bama. The woman behind him in the purple shirt is from SEUI."
Man carrying assault weapon attends Obama protest (AP ^ | 08/17/2009 | AMANDA LEE MYERS and TERRY TANG)
(see post 48)
MSNBC Not On Board with the 'Post-Racial' Presidency (Pajamas Media ^ | August 20 | Roger Kimball)
MSNBC vid: Gun-Toting Protesters are 'White' Racists... Black Guy with AR-15 Edited to Conceal Race (youtube ^ | 8-18-09)
DOWNSIDE LEGACY AT TWO DEGREES OF PRESIDENT CLINTON
-Hillary Clinton- archives, comments, and opposition research --
Liars-- and Sleaze, Incorporated... ( my files on the clintons and friends )
The idea would be to NOT get caught in your “compound”,
but to escape, find out who was after you,
and engage them on your own terms at a time of your choosing.
This is my hope. History also teaches us that one determined individual can alter the course of human events. I don't believe that I am that man, but I do have my own plan of action when that fateful Day arrives. Then we'll see...
Government Unions
I increasingly fear you're right. The drumbeat of propaganda is leading toward a natural denouement -- the equivalent of a Reichstag fire. Or, perhaps, the "assassination" of a minor Democrat functionary.
Clearly, there are people of the left who would be quite willing to execute either. And there are people in the White House quite capable of giving the order.
The fact that the Obama administration and the Democrat party leaders seem to have no apparent fear of electoral consequences makes me extremely suspicious.
The growing indications that the mortgage meltdown was manipulated for political gain heightens my suspicion. Any group which would intentionally destroy the nation's economy is fully capably of taking drastic steps to retain their power.
It’s worth noting that, given the nature of the those behind 0bama (Soros, et al), they won’t hesitate to sacrifice him and his family the red-hot minute his utility as a martyr exceeds his value as their Sock Puppet-in-Chief. As I’ve said, these people are monsters with absolutely no regard for human life, freedom and dignity. Monsters, all of them.
I agree with much of what you wrote with one exception. They are not “irrational.”
They are behaving quite logically. They want power and will resort to any means to get it.
Jihadism's War on Democracies Long but very interesting
Michael Barone: Thanks, Ill Do It Myself - Tea partiers fight Obamas culture of dependence.
Will Culver pocket veto concealed-weapon bill?
Some noteworthy articles about politics, foreign or military affairs, IMHO, FReepmail me if you want on or off my list.
If i’m not hated by at least half the people I take a good look around and see what i’m doing wrong!
They should also ask Bill Clinton where his words of caution were when Bush was being excoriated and when Palin was being hung in effigy ETC.
Understanding Poverty in America: What the Census Bureau Doesn’t CountPublished on September 11, 2009 by Robert Rector
The average person identified as “poor” by the government has a living standard far higher than the public imagines. According to the government’s own surveys, the typical “poor” American has cable or satellite TV, two color TVs, and a DVD player or VCR. He has air conditioning, a car, a microwave, a refrigerator, a stove, and a clothes washer and dryer. He is able to obtain medical care when needed. His home is in good repair and is not overcrowded. By his own report, his family is not hungry, and he had sufficient funds in the past year to meet his family’s essential needs. While this individual’s life is not affluent, it is far from the images of dire poverty conveyed by liberal activists and politicians.
Various government reports contain the following facts about persons defined as “poor” by the Census Bureau:
Nearly 40 percent of all poor households actually own their own homes. On average, this is a three-bedroom house with one-and-a-half baths, a garage, and a porch or patio.
Eighty-four percent of poor households have air conditioning. By contrast, in 1970, only 36 percent of the entire U.S. population enjoyed air conditioning.
Nearly two-thirds of the poor have cable or satellite TV.
Only 6 percent of poor households are overcrowded; two-thirds have more than two rooms per person.
The typical poor American has as much or more living space than the average individual living in most European countries. (These comparisons are to the average citizens in foreign countries, not to those classified as poor.)
Nearly three-quarters of poor households own a car; 31 percent own two or more cars.
Ninety-eight percent of poor households have a color television; two-thirds own two or more color televisions.
Eighty-two percent own microwave ovens; 67 percent have a DVD player; 73 percent have a VCR; 47 percent have a computer.
The average intake of protein, vitamins, and minerals by poor children is indistinguishable from that of children in the upper middle class. Poor boys today at ages 18 and 19 are actually taller and heavier than middle-class boys of similar age were in the late 1950s. They are a full inch taller and ten pounds heavier than the GIs who stormed the beaches of Normandy during World War II.
Thanks for the links.
In my heart, I do not believe that it will ever come to that in my country. I will continue to believe that we will speak from the ballot box, first.
Half the world lives on less than $2/day.
If you’re making more than $2/day, you’re not poor.
The US “poverty line” is 20x that.
yes, forget about reasoning with them
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