Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Kuros]

DHS Report Warns of Rising Right-Wing Extremism

[Ya-ta Boy]

Is it really all that surprising that paranoia is contagious, especially in a department founded on the idea that Arab terrorists are infiltrating Mexican peon families sneaking across the border? I don't think so. Anyway, a little paranoia can be a healthy thing in a department meant to ferret out threats to the country. It means they're on the job. With three policemen dead because the killer believed in a phony plot to take away guns, I'm not convinced a watchful eye on that crowd is unwarranted.

And that's if it is just paranoia gone wild. Do you really expect the DHS to publish their reports from the field and blow their agents' cover? There are a lot of flakes in any group of 300 million people and lately the right-wing media has been beating the drums and deliberately stirring the pot. Potentially dangerous people are potentially dangerous. (I particularly like that observation.)

Skepticism of authority can be healthy any time a gov't official issues a report, but it isn't healthy when the skepticism becomes knee-jerk rejection of all things official. Sometimes you just have to take their word for it. This may be one of those times. Things seem to be moving fast--I'll give it another couple of months before I reject the report out of hand.

[Ya-ta Boy]

Here's an essay that might underlie the thinking that may be going on inside the DHS:

Conspiracy Theory Conservatism

"Unfortunately for the Republican Party, conspiracy theories started to grow apace amongst the Right Wing faithful during the 2008 Presidential election. From 2007 to 2008, the Right Wing media pressed the following theories relentlessly:

Barack Obama says he is a Christian, but he is really a Muslim working with a secret group to fool the public and take over the American government.

Barack Obama says he is a capitalist, but he is really a socialist working with a secret group to fool the public and take over the American government.

Barack Obama says he is American, but he is really a foreigner working with a secret group to fool the public and take over the American government.

These accusations--repeated endlessly on cable TV and radio-- gave rise to conspiracy theory conservatism in the election aimed less at rallying voters to support the Republican ticket and more at shining a light on these supposed secret plots by Muslim, socialist, and foreign cabals. Whether or not politicians and media figures exploited Right-Wing conspiracy theory conservatism during the election for votes or profit, when the election was over these theories survived unchecked in the minds of millions of Americans."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeffrey-feldman/conspiracy-theory-conserv_b_186798.html

The tin foil hat crowd is not only alive and well here at Dave's; their ideas are increasingly part of 'normal' political discourse. Some of those people are armed and they are dangerous even in the best of times. As someone wrote the other day somewhere, Charles Dickens did not write: It is the best of times, it is the best of times.

[Kuros]

[Ya-ta Boy]

I know bad news and bad luck come in 3's, but I don't think it's a law of nature. There can be four.

[harlowethrombey]

[Fox]

Conservatives comparatively recently went from having substantial power in our government to being the minority, it's hardly surprising that in response some of them would make a point of becoming more vocal. That isn't a crime, though, and there's no reason to believe it will drive them to violence.

This report seems to contain about as much conjecture as that article posted the other day about the Amero. Saying:

[mises]

I'm quite concerned about right-wing extremism. These people are dangerous:

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42093000/jpg/_42093952_kashmir-ap416.jpg

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/08/06/world/06hizb.600.jpg

Though, sometimes they're solid:

http://en.ce.cn/entertainment/fashion/pageant/200704/23/W020070423571913167365.jpg
http://tiny.cc/YGFzA
http://tiny.cc/nrRC2

[Kuros]

Ambinder also skewers the report.

[Hater Depot]

I think DHS is looking at stuff like these articles treat.

http://washingtonindependent.com/37511/at-gun-show-conservatives-panic-about-obama

http://washingtonindependent.com/37468/how-to-start-and-train-a-militia-unit


Before 9/11 the worst terrorist attack on American soil was from these militia nutjobs.

[mises]

[Kuros]

[Ya-ta Boy]

This report that isn't really a report was released one day before the Tea Party rallies or whatever they are supposed to be. It's possible this report is simply a warning shot to let the fringe elements know they are being watched.

By the way, Lexington & Concord happened on April 19, David Koresh/Waco happened on April 19, Lincoln was shot April 14 and died the next morning. Ft. Sumter was on April 12. Who knows what other dates the fevered consider symbolic?

[canuckistan]

The RW nutjobs and the NRA have successfully scared those with RW tendencies to believe Obama is coming for their guns. As a result there is very little popular caliber ammunition for sale in stores--EMPTY shelves everywhere, internet or other, these days. Ditto on many types of guns. I'm very impressed with how easy it's been to manipulate the gun-toting population into a near frenzy of buying these last months.
The manufacturers are loving it.

[RJjr]

A lot of the buying has been related to rumors of the ammo tax going from 11% to 55%. I've even overheard some people say they're buying it now as an investment to sell for a hefty profit at a later date, since they can't make any money on stocks.

I bought some more buckshot the other day after my parents' home was burglarized.