Peril From 'Patriots'

There are, in increasingly frightening numbers, cells of angry men in the United States preparing for combat with the U.S. government. They are usually heavily armed, blinded by an intractable hatred, often motivated by religious zeal.

They're not jihadists. They are white, right-wing Americans, nearly all with an obsessive attachment to guns, who may represent a greater danger to the lives of American civilians than international terrorists.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, which has been tracking hate groups for 30 years, released its latest report on the growth of these organizations this week. Its findings were, to say the least, alarming. The center divides its subjects into militias, which are mostly groups of weekend warriors who train for combat against imaginary foes; hate groups, which target minorities; and "patriot" groups, whose beef is with the U.S. government. Patriot groups first began surfacing after the massacre of a bizarre sect by federal agents in Waco, Texas, in the early 1990s. They showed their teeth in 1995, when a patriot adherent blew up the federal building in Oklahoma City.

Since then, the patriot movement has been growing at a blistering pace, especially following the election of President Obama in 2008, according to the report. From just 149 groups in 2008, the number jumped to 512 in 2009 and has been rising sharply since. In 2012, it hit 1,360. Now that Obama is seriously pushing for tougher gun laws, further growth is a near certainty. The result? There's no knowing, but some kind of serious attack is increasingly possible.

Patriot groups are motivated by a host of anti-government attitudes, but their primary focus is guns. They are convinced that the government is out to seize their weapons, even though most legislation is focused on keeping guns out of the hands of criminals or restricting the types of weapons that can be sold. Many are also united by belief in an outlandish one-world government conspiracy theory positing that the United Nations is poised to strip away American property rights and impose socialism on us all.

What can be done to reverse this tide of belligerent ignorance? Not much. The typical patriot acts within his free-speech and 2nd Amendment rights, and in fact most patriot activity consists of venting steam by meeting with like-minded Neanderthals and firing off blog posts threatening civil war. Yet such blather tends to get under the skin of the Timothy McVeighs of the world. These groups should be closely monitored, with resources adequate to the task, even if it means shifting some homeland security money from the hunt for foreign terrorists.

Source: LA Times

I thought you were being serious until you gave credit to the Southern Poverty Law Center. Okay, jokes over. Who is your real source? I think you had better do some research on that group. Like asking religious advice from Fred Phelps.

It's an LA Times editorial, what do you expect?

This is the type of clap-trap you get when the left tries to play the victim.

Wow, internet blogs are exploding. That MUST mean trouble.

I like the way the LA Times warns us that those right-wingers are acting within their 1st and 2nd Amendment right - SO FAR.

Well, we do need to cull the heard of the single digit IQs. But, if they want a fight, maybe they should invest in a cruise to sunny North Korea - perhaps Rodman can help them get a nice, flat beach on which to land. They would find a docile populace where the women wouldn't mind vaginal probes - much - plus, they'd blend right in since most of the N Koreans don't have all of their teeth, either. They would even have a chance, IF they could get their licks in before the N Korean army quit laughing.

Corneyhole, why don't you, gritsboy, IBSyndrome, IFFY, joe bloeme, Trendaway and a few other of you geniuses put this little excursion together? Oh, that's right, you can't find enough ammunition to buy.

Well, we do need to cull the heard of the single digit IQs. But, if they want a fight, maybe they should invest in a cruise to sunny North Korea - perhaps Rodman can help them get a nice, flat beach on which to land. They would find a docile populace where the women wouldn't mind vaginal probes - much - plus, they'd blend right in since most of the N Koreans don't have all of their teeth, either. They would even have a chance, IF they could get their licks in before the N Korean army quit laughing.

Corneyhole, why don't you, gritsboy, IBSyndrome, IFFY, joe bloeme, Trendaway and a few other of you geniuses put this little excursion together? Oh, that's right, you can't find enough ammunition to buy. Originally Posted by Randy4Candy

If you are going to advocate culling the "herd" of single digit IQs, try to get the spelling right. Or you might find yourself culled

I thought you were being serious until you gave credit to the Southern Poverty Law Center. Okay, jokes over. Who is your real source? I think you had better do some research on that group. Like asking religious advice from Fred Phelps. Originally Posted by JD Barleycorn

He wasn't being anything.
He posted an op-ed column. An op-ed column that has subject matter found in a multitude of places. The Southern Poverty Law Center merely collected data that any one of us (except you) could have put together.

You wear your ignorance like a badge of honor.

You still know nothing about research.

You have to be shitting us when you say you're a teacher.

You have to be.

Fucking douche-bag.

Say, do you guys remember back in the Clinton era 90s when all of those right-wing, gun-toting "militia" groups took over all those Western states, like Colorado and Idaho and Wyoming?

Yeah, me neither.

If I recall correctly, the Southern Poverty Law Center was one of the left-wing groups that hit the panic button over the militias and warned the sky was falling back then, too.

Yeah, I do remember. And, the hate level, and acceptance of the hate level, was much lower back then. As evidenced by your "Well, so what" post. Those crazies need to be watched.

Say, do you guys remember back in the Clinton era 90s when all of those right-wing, gun-toting "militia" groups took over all those Western states, like Colorado and Idaho and Wyoming?

Yeah, me neither.

If I recall correctly, the Southern Poverty Law Center was one of the left-wing groups that hit the panic button over the militias and warned the sky was falling back then, too. Originally Posted by ExNYer

Yeah, I do remember.
You remember militias taking over states?

And, the hate level, and acceptance of the hate level, was much lower back then.
No, it wasn't, you just think it was. The past always look better in memory. The current dilemma always seems new and totally unlike anything that went before. That's human nature. On the left and the right. Originally Posted by timpage

It is an hysterical op-ed. They even admit that the lunatic fringe has stayed within its first amendment rights.

But they are having a hissy fit over all those nasty blogs. Selective outrage.

Well, we do need to cull the heard of the single digit IQs. But, if they want a fight, maybe they should invest in a cruise to sunny North Korea - perhaps Rodman can help them get a nice, flat beach on which to land. They would find a docile populace where the women wouldn't mind vaginal probes - much - plus, they'd blend right in since most of the N Koreans don't have all of their teeth, either. They would even have a chance, IF they could get their licks in before the N Korean army quit laughing.

Corneyhole, why don't you, gritsboy, IBSyndrome, IFFY, joe bloeme, Trendaway and a few other of you geniuses put this little excursion together? Oh, that's right, you can't find enough ammunition to buy. Originally Posted by Randy4Candy

What quarrel do they have with the N. Koreans?

Violence is not the answer. We need a non-violent, peaceful revolution, based on CIVIL disobedience. Thinking that you can take up arms against the government and be successful is ridiculous. It will only give them the excuse they need to shoot back. And they have a hell of a lot more firepower.

Peaceful, non-violent resistance is the only way to secure real change.

Fuck you. I tire of your know it all attitude. You totally miss the point about half the time because you're so busy trying to show everybody how smart you think you are. Back up and think every once in awhile.

It is an hysterical op-ed. They even admit that the lunatic fringe has stayed within its first amendment rights.

But they are having a hissy fit over all those nasty blogs. Selective outrage. Originally Posted by ExNYer

I recall a paper published a couple of years ago when the Tea party took over a town in North Carolina. That teacher has regretted using the Tea party as an example when Occupy is available.

The LA Times may have printed it but it was the radical left wing SPLC that collected the data.

If you are going to advocate culling the "herd" of single digit IQs, try to get the spelling right. Or you might find yourself culled Originally Posted by ExNYer

Hell, xnyr, no extra charge for the "a." I still like my chances at missing the "bonus round" - A LOT.

Wow. SEE I usually really like your posts but this is a topic I know a hellofa lot about. You've got one tiny piece of truth that a huge distortion is wrapped around. Knowing what's actually going on makes this news media look really bad. Really really bad.

What you ACTUALLY have is a bunch of folks that will defend what's theirs. Truthfully, i camt imagine what's wrong with an American that wouldn't. The government SHOULD be afraid of the people. The people don't want to START bloodshed. That's a propaganda scare tactic that you guys are obviously falling for. I'm sure there's an element of racist fuckers in the tea party movement (and all 10 of them) have been solely photographed instead of the thousands of regular Americans that just ARE NOT going to comply with the multiple illegal standings this gov has taken.

When the shit hits the fan (and it will) you're going to be surprised how quickly you make friends with one of those evil tea party preppers because they're the only ones with a stash of food and ammo.

Hey If we turn out to be wrong, the party will be at my house. When we turn out to be right, you'll hear me in the back of your head whispering, "I told you so sheep."