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A new West Point study on “a dramatic rise in the number of attacks and violent plots originating from individuals and groups who self-identify with the far-right of American politics” is evoking the usual denials and howls of political oppression, despite right-wing calls for armed resistance, GOP calls for “Second Amendment remedies” to lost elections, and the fact that most political violence in the U.S. since 1997 has come from the political right. Does pretending each right-wing terrorist is a “lone nut” make it harder to “insure domestic tranquility?”
January 18, 2013 at 6:01 pm
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January 18, 2013 at 6:16 pm
The West Point study refers only to individuals or groups who committed or conspired to commit of violence, and only to individuals or groups who said they were motivated by right-wing politics. These are not speculative cases. These were acts of political terrorism, committed or planned by people who made their motives clear.
And, predictably, the right-wing outrage machine immediately leaped into the fray, saying studies of terrorism should focus solely on Islamic extremism, or that studies of domestic terrorism should be ‘balanced’ with equal mentions of anarchists and environmental groups …
… despite the fact that 56% of terrorist acts in the U.S. since 1997 have been committed by right-wing individuals or groups.
But those shouldn’t be lumped together, howls John Fund. Each incident should be viewed individually as the act of a “lone nut” … because that’s a whole lot more convenient than admitting that right-wing narratives about “Second Amendment remedies” and “stock up on guns to defend against tyranny” have real – and deadly – consequences.
January 18, 2013 at 6:20 pm
I think so. There’s been a lot of that in the background since President Obama was first elected, and it’s only gotten worse recently. While most of these people are just “armchair warriors,” proud members of the 82′nd Chairborne, there’s going to be a number who are going to take it seriously.
Other news: A federal judge gets …irritated … about Medicare fraud:
January 18, 2013 at 6:20 pm
I was saying just today that I feared increasing levels of violence from the gun nuts as they begin to feel more isolated by public polling which shows them to be in minority. West Point’s study would seem to bear this out.
I hope I am wrong.
January 18, 2013 at 6:21 pm
i thought we resolved the 2nd amendment issue with the Whiskey Rebellion.
Time for the executive branch to take the lead on domestic security.
January 18, 2013 at 6:27 pm
Domestic tranquility seems to be a casualty of the right wing rhetoric. Some of the comments like those of Alex Jones, Jack Yeager and Rush Limbaugh seem awfully close to yelling fire in a theater. The not-lone nuts are really quite numerous.
All the talk of violence and shooting people scares me. I see real violence as more and more likely the more publicity these whacko’s get. Too much air time is being given to crazy people.
January 18, 2013 at 7:18 pm
Right wing violence correlates to the number of Republicans in the House.
This point is in the West Point Study on page 89.
January 18, 2013 at 7:59 pm
We need more left wing nuts. The only thing that’ll stop a right wing nut is a left wing nut, eh?
January 18, 2013 at 9:30 pm
I use a lock washer to stop a nut.