Surprise! Another right wing terrorist!

[Fairweather Pure]

(07-20) 16:12 PDT Oakland, Calif. (AP) --

A California man arrested after a freeway shootout with authorities was planning to attack people at the American Civil Liberties Union and another nonprofit group, authorities said Tuesday.

Byron Williams, 45, was upset with the ACLU and Tides Foundation for their political views, Oakland police Officer Jeff Thomason said.

Williams told investigators he was on his way to San Francisco late Saturday when California Highway Patrol officers pulled him over on Interstate 580.

Authorities say Williams, wearing a bulletproof vest and armed with three guns, opened fire.

He was arrested after sustaining gunshot wounds to his arms and legs after a 15-minute gun battle with CHP officers.

Williams said during police interviews at the hospital that he wanted to "start a revolution by traveling to San Francisco and killing people of importance at the Tides Foundation and the ACLU," according to a probable cause statement filed with the court.

Authorities said Williams has shown a deep-rooted anger for left-leaning politics.

He was arraigned Tuesday but did not enter a plea to four counts of attempted murder, plus weapons enhancements. He was released from the hospital earlier in the day after being treated for his injuries.

No CHP officers were seriously injured.

So we got that church shooting, that IRS plane suicide attack, the Pittsburgh shootings and the Holocaust Museum killer. Timothy McVeigh as well, but that was pre 9/11. Also, I know 2-3 attacks have been stopped, right?

Fear + Ignorance = Violence

Since the Republican base is a breeding ground for the first 2 parts of the equation, the violence is going to keep coming.

[Aabidano]

Fear + Ignorance = Violence

Since the Republican base is a breeding ground for the first 2 parts of the equation, the violence is going to keep coming.

Faux news & the tea party are doing their share to fan the flames.

Neither extreme has a monopoly on stupid. You just see a different kind from the left.

[Fairweather Pure]

Oh, I agree. It's just that crazy lefties don't grab their guns and explosives and go on killing sprees. At least, I can't think of any. The far right is much more dangerous to themselves and others than their equivalent on the left.

[Boogahz]

Right and Left have just as many loonies. What about the story quoted tells you that he was "on the Right?" Is it just because of his dislike for the ACLU? Ever heard of The Weathermen? "Left-wing" bombers and riot starters in the US. Ever look at the numbers for "terrorist" acts in Europe? Left-wing terrorist acts greatly outnumber acts from the Right in recent years.

[Fairweather Pure]

What about the story quoted tells you that he was "on the Right?"

Authorities said Williams has shown a deep-rooted anger for left-leaning politics

Ever heard of The Weathermen? "Left-wing" bombers and riot starters in the US.

They were around for what, 20 years or so and killed 3 people in a bank robbery. I think they broke up about 30 years ago. I don't really understand how you can compare that to the Oklahoma City bombing which was the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil until the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center attack.

Ever look at the numbers for "terrorist" acts in Europe? Left-wing terrorist acts greatly outnumber acts from the Right in recent years.

I don't really care what lefties do in other countries. Here in America, our left wingers are pretty docile compared to what the right wing loonies do. They have no where near the same level of violence and sheer body count. That was my point and I think it's a pretty good one.

[Boogahz]

So, he was automatically "Right" because he didn't like a "Left" group?

Most of the US "Leftist" groups fell apart after the fall of Communism. Loss of funding from those nations was supposedly a major reason why.

None of this makes the currently "Right-wing" terrorists dominating the media any more loonie than people on the "Left."

The fact that you seem so stuck on labeling the people on either "side" is foolish.

[Fairweather Pure]

Geez, are you his lawyer or something?!?

I'm just calling a duck a duck! His political leanings were the source of his violence, just like all the others I've mentioned. It's not as though these are violent and messed up people who happen to have right leaning political views. That political view is the trigger that sets these people off and gives them the excuse/justification they use to kill.

I think the next terrorist attack on America will be caused by a heterosexual, white, male American (or group of Americans) with strong right leaning, christian views.

[Kilmoll the Sexy]

You do realize that those right wing loonies rebelling against an oppressive government is why this country is in existence right?

Nothing excuses either side of the political spectrum killing innocent people, but do you really think that people who vote GOP kill more people than those who vote Democrat?

[Fairweather Pure]

Just give me an example of a leftie going nuts and killing people using his political beliefs as a reason. I'm open to information. Like I said, I personally cannot recall any such instance.

Also, you should really pick better people to marytar than crazy would be killers. I'm just sayin'.

I would also like to point out that you likened fringe right wing murders to our founding fathers. I think most rational people will get a kick out of that, lol.

[Aabidano]

Assuming they vote I'd guess their score is a lot higher at present. The worst I can recall the loony left doing offhand is "liberating" chicken farms and camping out in trees annoying the crap out of people.

Nothing compared to the Aryan Nation folks, the Oklahoma City bombing, etc...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_t ... ted_States

Of course calling people at the far extremes "left" or "right" is misleading at best. Even for mainstream politicians the tags aren't what they were except as a tool to get people excited.

*Edit - Comparing the current group(s) and situation to that which existed in the mid 1700s is plain silly.

[Sylvus]

You do realize that those right wing loonies rebelling against an oppressive government is why this country is in existence right?

Er, wasn't it left-wing loonies rebelling against an oppressive government that brought our country into existence?



Sorry, just catching up on threads I've missed lately...

[miir]

Hell, even I knew that Patriots were liberals and Loyalists were conservatives...

That's pretty embarrassing for someone (Kilmoll) who has repeatedly made the point that because I'm not American I can't have opinions on anything related to the US. I guess you better take some remedial history lessons.. maybe in a Canadian school.

[Kilmoll the Sexy]

That would make both of you wrong then. Just because some buffoon found some similarities in things like age and wealth would not make them conservatives. The only thing conservative about the Loyalists is that they just wanted status quo. The Patriots formed militias, rebelled against being taxed, and preached republicanism. I will cut and paste from wiki on that because it is just easier....

Republicanism is the political value system that has been a major part of American civic thought since the American Revolution[1]It stresses liberty and inalienable rights as central values, makes the people as a whole sovereign, rejects inherited political power, expects citizens to be independent in their performance of civic duties, and vilifies corruption. American republicanism was founded and first practiced by the Founding Fathers in the 18th century. This system was based on early Roman, Renaissance and English models and ideas. It formed the basis for the American Revolution and the consequential Declaration of Independence (1776) and the Constitution (1787), as well as the Gettysburg Address.

Republicanism is not the same as democracy, for republicanism asserts that people have unalienable rights that cannot be voted away by a majority of voters, whereas in a democracy the voters can terminate the rights of an unpopular minority.[2]. "Republicanism" is derived from the term "republic", but the two words have different meanings, therefore people sometimes confuse them. "Republic" is a form of government and "republicanism" is a political ideology.

Two major parties were explicitly named after the idea—the Republican party of Thomas Jefferson (founded in 1793, and often called the "Democratic-Republican party" by political scientists), and the current Republican party (founded in 1854).

[miir]

Go read a history book or something.

[Zaelath]

That would make both of you wrong then. Just because some buffoon found some similarities in things like age and wealth would not make them conservatives. The only thing conservative about the Loyalists is that they just wanted status quo. The Patriots formed militias, rebelled against being taxed, and preached republicanism. I will cut and paste from wiki on that because it is just easier....

Republicanism is the political value system that has been a major part of American civic thought since the American Revolution[1]It stresses liberty and inalienable rights as central values, makes the people as a whole sovereign, rejects inherited political power, expects citizens to be independent in their performance of civic duties, and vilifies corruption. American republicanism was founded and first practiced by the Founding Fathers in the 18th century. This system was based on early Roman, Renaissance and English models and ideas. It formed the basis for the American Revolution and the consequential Declaration of Independence (1776) and the Constitution (1787), as well as the Gettysburg Address.

Republicanism is not the same as democracy, for republicanism asserts that people have unalienable rights that cannot be voted away by a majority of voters, whereas in a democracy the voters can terminate the rights of an unpopular minority.[2]. "Republicanism" is derived from the term "republic", but the two words have different meanings, therefore people sometimes confuse them. "Republic" is a form of government and "republicanism" is a political ideology.

Two major parties were explicitly named after the idea—the Republican party of Thomas Jefferson (founded in 1793, and often called the "Democratic-Republican party" by political scientists), and the current Republican party (founded in 1854).

Here's something they left out too, the Republican party has become something entirely different over 150+ years. Most of the right-wing pundits would think even presidents as recent as Reagan were socialist soft cocks.

[Kilmoll the Sexy]

I agree. Republicans 150 years ago would have revolted and thrown our current government to the curb via violent military action. I think Miir needs to read some history about our forefathers.....except that they don't learn that shit when you live in a different country.

[Aabidano]

I agree. Republicans 150 years ago would have revolted and thrown our current government to the curb via violent military action.

Again, I don't think today's situation equates to that ~220 years ago.