Showing posts with label terrorism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label terrorism. Show all posts

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Image problems

Because of yesterday's fatal shooting of a security guard at the Holocaust Museum, some white supremacists are concerned about what people might think of them:

(John) De Nugent called von Brunn a genius but described the shooting as the act of “a loner and a hothead.”

“The responsible white separatist community condemns this,” he said. “It makes us look bad.”

This is true. Up until yesterday, I was sort of conflicted about my feelings toward the "white separatist community." It never occurred to me that some of them might be dangerous. I, too, figured we could all agree to disagree without getting fussy about it. Even some of my close friends call me "nigger," right?

Maybe people should give them the benefit of the doubt. Because certainly, guys like De Nugent mean no real harm to - oh my God. You've got to be kidding me:

The Southern Poverty Law Center describes de Nugent as “a frequent contributor to virulently anti-Semitic and racist online forums,” who was banned from the racist online forum Stormfront after he apparently threatened a moderator who requested that he “tone down the implied threats of violence in his posts.”
For real, though. There's no such a thing as a "responsible white separatist community." Megan McArdle nails it here:

Are their swastika armbands all made from 100% biodegradeable materials? Do they take care that the leather in their jackboots comes from humanely raised cows?Do they carefully follow the Forest Service's wildfire prevention guidelines when burning crosses? Are their(sic) white separatist brownie points for attending school board meetings or chairing the Community Chest drive?

... But did yesterday's horror make you think any less of W.A.R.? You couldn't actually think any less of them, could you?

Post-script: Media Matters was created to cover events like this. Please, do check out their coverage of the shooting and the reaction from conservative media outlets. Continue Reading »

What's inevitable

Pam at Pandagon connects the dots:
After a presidential campaign filled with this…
* The parade of racist images continues: Obama ribs ‘n chicken
* California: Sacramento GOP web site calls for the torture of Barack Obama
* Mike Signorile listens to The Hate Out There
* Here we go again: another Palin groupie shouts ‘kill him’ at PA rally
* Own it, bigot
* Missouri: More of the McCain/Palin/GOP Base
* Frank Rich on the fires stoked by McCain/Palin
* The GOP ticket draws, and apparently embraces, the bigot eruption crowd
* More fun in post-racial America
* John McCain forced to denounce racist, homophobic member of Virginia leadership team
* Kentucky, I know you can do better than this
* FL: middle school teacher uses ‘nigger’ to describe Barack Obama
* Palin praised racist writer who called for RFK’s assassination
* Values at the Values Voter Summit - Obama as a Muslim Aunt Jemima
* Westmoreland stands by ‘uppity’ remark about Obama
* White supremacists: Obama’s boosting our movement
* John McLaughlin: Obama fits the ‘Oreo’ stereotype
* Georgia: publication features Obama in crosshairs on cover for article on white supremacist threat
* Bigot eruption: GOP House member refers to Obama as ‘boy’
* South Carolina: black reporter attacked by white family (on camera!)

Why should we be shocked that it leads to this…
* Abortion doctor George Tiller murdered at Kansas church
* Pelosi’s ‘Right America Feeling Wronged’ captures the McCain/Palin mobs
* Fans of Fox’s tin-foil hatter Glenn Beck discuss the Pittsburgh shooter
* Wingnut ‘resistance movement’ calls for million recruits by inauguration day
And of course, this:
WASHINGTON - An 88-year-old gunman with a virulently anti-Semitic past fatally shot a security guard inside the crowded U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum on Wednesday before being shot himself by other officers, authorities said.
Also, now is as good a time as any to discuss increased efforts at gun control. Why not?

UPDATE: Digby has an alternative suggestion to more gun control: "we should have made sure that all the tourists were well armed before they went into the museum." Ah. Good point. Continue Reading »