Fears for Obama's safety as healthcare debate fuels extremism

[Political Junky]

Fears for Barack Obama's safety as healthcare debate fuels extremism | World news | The Observer

Fears for Barack Obama's safety as healthcare debate fuels extremism
As storm over Barack Obama's healthcare reforms rages, surge in rightwing extremism is fanned by opponents

Paul Harris in New York
The Observer, Sunday 16 August 2009
The message was clear. The sign carried by a 51-year-old man last week outside a raucous town hall meeting on healthcare in Hagerstown, Maryland, read "Death to Obama". Just to emphasise his point, a second message was also scrawled on the cardboard placard. "Death to Obama, Michelle and 2 stupid kids," it stated.

Welcome to the disturbing new face of the radical right in America. Across the country, extremism is surging, inflamed by conservative talkshow hosts, encouraged by Republican leaders and propagating a series of wild conspiracy theories. Many fear it might end in tragedy.

Obama has been labelled as a threat to democracy and an anti-white racist by senior presenters on the TV channel Fox News. Republicans, seizing on the fierce debate over Obama's plans to reform healthcare, have called him a socialist who plans "death panels" for the elderly. Rumours have circulated that Obama was not born in America and that he plans to ban firearms. Despite having no basis in fact, they have become widely believed. A recent poll in Virginia showed only 53% of voters believed Obama was born in the US. In neighbouring North Carolina, 54% of voters shared that opinion.

Such extremism is becoming a major security issue, prompting fears of an attack on Obama's life or some other incident of domestic terrorism. "This is a very dangerous situation that can spin off 'lone wolf' individuals who decide now is the time to act against people they see as an enemy," said Chip Berlet, author of a book on rightwing extremists.

Federal authorities have launched a programme to try to detect any individuals who might be planning rightwing attacks similar to those that in recent months have killed a Kansas abortion doctor and a black security guard at Washington DC's Holocaust Museum.

...

Some were more worried, however, by the sign that Kostric carried which referred to a Thomas Jefferson quote about refreshing the "tree of liberty" with the blood of patriots. That was the same quote on a T-shirt McVeigh was wearing when he was arrested.

Edited for Copyright policy - KK

 

[veritas]

The message was clear. The sign carried by a 51-year-old man last week outside a raucous town hall meeting on healthcare in Hagerstown, Maryland, read "Death to Obama". Just to emphasise his point, a second message was also scrawled on the cardboard placard. "Death to Obama, Michelle and 2 stupid kids," it stated.

That assclown hillbilly deliverance fuck is in my congressional district. Camp David is also in this county. His ass should have been hauled out in cuffs. Disgusting. Good thing I didn't go. Might have been trouble.

 

[Diuretic]

Not a good look is it?

 

[Avatar4321]

So you guys on the left talk about Killing Bush for 8 years. You write books about assasinating him. You make movies about it. and its perfectly alright.

But one person holds a sign suggesting it with Obama, and the whole right of the country is evil.

Got ya.

 

[Luissa]

if people don't think something is going to happen they are living in fantasy land. No president has had has many death threats as he has and that was before health care reform.
Someone is going to either attempt to kill Obama or they are going to bomb something and instead of writing their congressman or discussing things rationally some these wackos are going to far. It is fine not to agree with Obama and I think most be on the right are being mature about this but it is another to make threats.
The Aryan Nation here is started to get organized again electing a new leader and passing out flyers. If I was Obama I would not step foot in Northern Idaho or Eastern Washington.

 

[Luissa]

So you guys on the left talk about Killing Bush for 8 years. You write books about assasinating him. You make movies about it. and its perfectly alright.

But one person holds a sign suggesting it with Obama, and the whole right of the country is evil.

Got ya.

I don't remember the left making a movie about assasinating Bush.
And there are crazies about both side usually the people who do these things do not classify themselves as democrat or republican, they hate the government as a hole.
And most of us realize that these people don't represent the majority of the right. So why don't you be mature about this and realize no matter who they are threatening these people are wrong in doing so.
And there is been more then just one sign.

 

[KittenKoder]

if people don't think something is going to happen they are living in fantasy land. No president has had has many death threats as he has and that was before health care reform.
Someone is going to either attempt to kill Obama or they are going to bomb something and instead of writing their congressman or discussing things rationally some these wackos are going to far. It is fine not to agree with Obama and I think most be on the right are being mature about this but it is another to make threats.
The Aryan Nation here is started to get organized again electing a new leader and passing out flyers. If I was Obama I would not step foot in Northern Idaho or Eastern Washington.

I bolded the part that's wrong. The correct way to say it is "no president has sensationalized the death threats as much" ...

 

[Luissa]

and no matter if you agree with Obama people should not go along with this crap. He is still our President and by threatening him or agreeing with the people who threaten him you are disgracing our country and democracy.

 

[veritas]

So you guys on the left talk about Killing Bush for 8 years. You write books about assasinating him. You make movies about it. and its perfectly alright.

But one person holds a sign suggesting it with Obama, and the whole right of the country is evil.

Got ya.

You're a nitwit.

 

[Diuretic]

So you guys on the left talk about Killing Bush for 8 years. You write books about assasinating him. You make movies about it. and its perfectly alright.

But one person holds a sign suggesting it with Obama, and the whole right of the country is evil.

Got ya.

Very general assertions as opposed to specific examples of right wing nutbar behaviour.

The film - Death of a President (2006)

 

[Luissa]

if people don't think something is going to happen they are living in fantasy land. No president has had has many death threats as he has and that was before health care reform.
Someone is going to either attempt to kill Obama or they are going to bomb something and instead of writing their congressman or discussing things rationally some these wackos are going to far. It is fine not to agree with Obama and I think most be on the right are being mature about this but it is another to make threats.
The Aryan Nation here is started to get organized again electing a new leader and passing out flyers. If I was Obama I would not step foot in Northern Idaho or Eastern Washington.

I bolded the part that's wrong. The correct way to say it is "no president has sensationalized the death threats as much" ...

because I have heard him personally talk about it> yeah right!
And your idiot if you don't think he has recieved more death threat then any other President.

 

[KittenKoder]

and no matter if you agree with Obama people should not go along with this crap. He is still our President and by threatening him or agreeing with the people who threaten him you are disgracing our country and democracy.

Here's the thing, he is milking it, what he is "going through" is no worse or different than any of the others, he just airs it for more attention. This is why I didn't like him in the first place, he's a publicity junky and is more interested in getting attention from people than doing a good job. He won the election because of cornering the advertising online and being a pretty face, nothing more. As I have stated since I knew he was running, he's a failed American Idol star and fan ... nothing more.

 

[KittenKoder]

if people don't think something is going to happen they are living in fantasy land. No president has had has many death threats as he has and that was before health care reform.
Someone is going to either attempt to kill Obama or they are going to bomb something and instead of writing their congressman or discussing things rationally some these wackos are going to far. It is fine not to agree with Obama and I think most be on the right are being mature about this but it is another to make threats.
The Aryan Nation here is started to get organized again electing a new leader and passing out flyers. If I was Obama I would not step foot in Northern Idaho or Eastern Washington.

I bolded the part that's wrong. The correct way to say it is "no president has sensationalized the death threats as much" ...

because I have heard him personally talk about it> yeah right!
And your idiot if you don't think he has recieved more death threat then any other President.

Seriously? No he hasn't, he just airs them more than any other president, he's a media monger.

 

[Luissa]

google Aryan Nation and check out their websites and what they have to say about Obama and then shut your mouth.

 

[KittenKoder]

google Aryan Nation and check out their websites and what they have to say about Obama and then shut your mouth.

Look at what the Black Panthers have said about other presidents ... it is you who is being naive.

 

[Luissa]

I bolded the part that's wrong. The correct way to say it is "no president has sensationalized the death threats as much" ...

because I have heard him personally talk about it> yeah right!
And your idiot if you don't think he has recieved more death threat then any other President.

Seriously? No he hasn't, he just airs them more than any other president, he's a media monger.

why would we have the largest security detail of any President?
Wake up, he is black and there are alot of people in this country who are still biggots and complete nutjobs.

 

[KittenKoder]

because I have heard him personally talk about it> yeah right!
And your idiot if you don't think he has recieved more death threat then any other President.

Seriously? No he hasn't, he just airs them more than any other president, he's a media monger.

why would we have the largest security detail of any President?
Wake up, he is black and there are alot of people in this country who are still biggots and complete nutjobs.

No, it's because he's feeding off the media attention, trying to make all his opponents look bad, it's an old tactic, I need not say who used it the most. Also, of course it would be larger than previous ones, each president gets more security every new term, it's been a progression since even before JFK.

 

[Diuretic]

Check out Stormfront if you want to see some real nutters.

 

[Amanda]

if people don't think something is going to happen they are living in fantasy land. No president has had has many death threats as he has and that was before health care reform.
Someone is going to either attempt to kill Obama or they are going to bomb something and instead of writing their congressman or discussing things rationally some these wackos are going to far. It is fine not to agree with Obama and I think most be on the right are being mature about this but it is another to make threats.
The Aryan Nation here is started to get organized again electing a new leader and passing out flyers. If I was Obama I would not step foot in Northern Idaho or Eastern Washington.

I bolded the part that's wrong. The correct way to say it is "no president has sensationalized the death threats as much" ...

because I have heard him personally talk about it> yeah right!
And your idiot if you don't think he has recieved more death threat then any other President.

Not that I'd be surprised if it were true, but do you have a source for this assertion?

 

[KittenKoder]

Check out Stormfront if you want to see some real nutters.

Nutters have been around a looooong time ... and they really are no more of a danger than when they first appeared. They're just idiots.