Remember that DHS report about right wing extremists?

[Xatrei]

You know, the one that the right-wingers were so incensed over, and demanding the resignation of Secretary Napolitano for, even though the report was commissioned by the Bush-era DHS.

I wonder how the wing-nuts are feeling now in light of the two incidents of domestic terrorism committed in the last couple of weeks, including the latest incident of right-wingers going wild today. A bit over an hour ago, a white supremacist kook shot at least two people at the Holocaust Museum in the nation's capital in a shooting spree that was, thankfully, cut short by a slug from a security guard's pistol. (story here). This is, of course, following the assassination of Kansas Ob/Gyn Dr. George Tiller by a "pro-life" extremist.

[Spang]

That DHS report is becoming more and more accurate everyday.

[Xatrei]

A Google cached version of the first 6 chapters of a book written by today's alleged shooter:

http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:ndR ... =firefox-a

I've only skimmed through it, but wow... Scary stuff.

[Boogahz]

I caught a little bit of a CNN anchor reading some of his profile online while I was driving back into work. It didn't take long before she asked her producers whether or not she should continue based on some of the things he had posted.

[Dregor Thule]

That DHS report is becoming more and more accurate everyday.

And they said Bush accomplished nothing.

[Aabidano]

White supremacists are right wing? I won't use any analogies as people's brain will derail as usual, but....

[Spang]

White supremacists are right wing? I won't use any analogies as people's brain will derail as usual, but....

Is there such a thing as a liberal white supremacist?

[Xatrei]

White supremacists are right wing? I won't use any analogies as people's brain will derail as usual, but....

Neo-Nazis, Nazi sympathizers and white supremacist groups such as the KKK, Aryan Nations and the like actually ARE considered to be hard-right extremists. Educate yourself. These are exactly the type of people described in the DHS report if you'd bother to read it. This isn't new. These groups have been considered to be right-wing extremists for a long damned time.

I hate to use wikipedia as a source, but this article sums it up pretty well: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Far-right

[Spang]

I'm still trying to figure out how a white supremacist could possibly be left-wing. I'm befuddled. This is the second time I've used the word befuddled. Third.

[Aabidano]

Spang's response points out why I disagree with the label.

I did read the report, and didn't agree with categorizing them that way any more than I'd agree with categorization of other hate\terrorist groups at the other end of the spectrum "extreme left".

[Spang]

Spang's response points out why I disagree with the label.

I did read the report, and didn't agree with categorizing them that way any more than I'd agree with categorization of other hate\terrorist groups at the other end of the spectrum "extreme left".

Are you a right-wing extremist?

[Forthe]

Spang's response points out why I disagree with the label.

I did read the report, and didn't agree with categorizing them that way any more than I'd agree with categorization of other hate\terrorist groups at the other end of the spectrum "extreme left".

AFAIK there were 2 reports, so you had the "extreme left" represented as well. Nobody seemed to give a fsck about that report.

[Zaelath]

Spang's response points out why I disagree with the label.

I did read the report, and didn't agree with categorizing them that way any more than I'd agree with categorization of other hate\terrorist groups at the other end of the spectrum "extreme left".

Like who? The closest thing I can think of is the suffragette movement in the UK in the 20s, and their terrorism consisted of hunger strikes and in one case disrupting a horse racing event by throwing herself under a horse.

[Sueven]

Umm, there are absolutely far left terrorists and terrorist groups.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Liberation_Front
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shining_path
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CHE

Calling white supremacist groups "far right" is totally accurate and is not in any way a criticism of right politics generally, or an attempt to associate conservative politics with far right extremist terrorism.

[Spang]

The leftwing extremist report.

[Zaelath]

Ahh, fair enough. Thanks.

I've never heard of ELF, and possibly Shining Path, and was never particularly interested in Che as I don't live next to Cuba ^^

I'm not sure which side I find more irrational, and regardless I don't think people should be concerned about labels like "right wing extremist" because they themselves happen to be right of center, or vice versa.

[Aabidano]

Calling white supremacist groups "far right" is totally accurate and is not in any way a criticism of right politics generally, or an attempt to associate conservative politics with far right extremist terrorism.

As you've seen from Spang's responses some people are unable to make that distinction and do make that association.

You'll note they don't make the association of groups like the ELF or black supremacists as "liberal" however. That would be associating themselves with those groups.

As well as the issue that "conservative politics" means a much different thing today that it did previous to Bush II, episode 1. I'd have considered myself a conservative at one point, not so much anymore as the term is associated with the fringe now.

[miir]

Listening to the vitrol, hate and bile spewed by popular conservative pundits makes it seem like it's not a very wide gap that separates the moderate right wingers from the extremist right wing whack jobs.


There's very little common ground shared by moderate left wingers and left wing extremist nutbags, eventhough the talking heads on the right would have you believe that anyone with moderate left leanings wants to take away your guns and turn the USA into a communist/socialist state.

[Fenna]

I heard a journalist say this morning that the shooting took place at the entrance to the museum, "near the gift shop." Wait, what? The gift shop? At the Holocaust Museum?

Okay, what exactly do they sell at this gift shop, seriously? T-shirts? Hats? Post cards ("Hello from the Holocaust Museum!"). I really have no clue, outside of a very depressing coffee table book, maybe.

[Aabidano]

Listening to the vitrol, hate and bile spewed by popular conservative pundits makes it seem like it's not a very wide gap that separates the moderate right wingers from the extremist right wing whack jobs.

True. They need to (re)learn the lesson the Dems finally figured out. Telling the extreme elements to sit down and shut up is very large part of what put them in the White House in 2008.

As long as Cheney, Rush, & Co are representing them they'll continue to bleed moderate supporters.

[Jice Virago]

I heard a journalist say this morning that the shooting took place at the entrance to the museum, "near the gift shop." Wait, what? The gift shop? At the Holocaust Museum?

Okay, what exactly do they sell at this gift shop, seriously? T-shirts? Hats? Post cards ("Hello from the Holocaust Museum!"). I really have no clue, outside of a very depressing coffee table book, maybe.

My money is on soap.

But on topic.....

While the right wing extremists are not the same people as the bulk of the conservative right wingers, the gap between the two groups is a hell of a lot narrower than between even the more left mainstream democrats and those idiots at ELF. Compare to what you hear out of O'Riely, Hannity, or Beck to what comes from Air America, Olberman, or Maher and tell me who is inciting violence. As an advocate of free speech, I believe the right wing nutjobs can say whatever they want, but they should also be criticized for enabling the crazies in their flock, too.