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What's behind the anti-Tea Party hate narrative?
Washington Examiner ^ | April 20, 2010 | Byron York

Posted on 04/20/2010 11:17:22 AM PDT by neverdem

(AP File)

There's a new narrative taking hold in the wake of the recent Tea Party protests and the 15th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing: The Tea Partiers' intense opposition to the Obama administration has led to overheated political rhetoric, which could in turn lead to violence, perhaps as devastating as Oklahoma City.

Former President Clinton is the leading voice of this new narrative. In newspaper interviews, television appearances and a widely discussed speech Friday, Clinton said it's "legitimate" to draw "parallels to the time running up to Oklahoma City and a lot of the political discord that exists in our country today."

"Watch your words," warned ABC News, reporting that Clinton "weighed in on the angry anti-government rhetoric, ringing out from talk radio to Tea Party rallies."

The reports dovetailed with earlier media stories depicting Tea Party gatherings as angry mobs, accusing protesters of throwing racial epithets at black lawmakers and of making threats of violence. The implication was that all this could be part of a nationwide trend. "Just this month, the Southern Poverty Law Center reported that it had tracked an explosion in extremist anti-government patriot groups fueled, in large part, by anger over the economy and Barack Obama's presidency," NBC's David Gregory said on "Meet the Press" in early April. "In this highly charged political atmosphere, where you've got so much passion, so much disagreement, this takes it, of course, to a different level."

How did this story line grow? Many of the claims that extremism is on the rise in America originate in research done by the Southern Poverty Law Center, an Alabama-based group that for nearly 40 years has tracked what it says is the growing threat of intolerance in the United States. These days the SPLC is issuing new warnings of new threats. But today's warnings sound an awful lot like those of the past.

In 1989, the SPLC warned of the growing threat of skinheads, saying, "Not since the height of Klan activity during the civil rights era has there been a white supremacist group so obsessed with violence. ..."

In 1992, the SPLC warned of the growing threat of other white supremacist groups, which it claimed had grown by 27 percent from the year before.

In 1995, the SPLC warned of the growing threat of right-wing militias.

In 1998, the SPLC warned of the growing threat of Internet-based hate groups, which according to one press account had "created the biggest surge in hate in America in years."

In 1999, the SPLC warned that the growing threat of Web-based hate groups was growing even more, with a 60 percent increase from the year before.

In 2002, the SPLC warned of the growing threat of post-Sept. 11 hate groups, which it said had grown 12 percent between 2000 and 2001.

In 2004, the SPLC warned (again) of the growing threat of skinhead groups, whose numbers it said had doubled in the previous year.

In 2008, the SPLC warned of the growing threat of hate groups overall, whose number it said increased 48 percent since 2000.

And in 2010, just a few weeks ago, the SPLC warned of the growing threat of "patriot" groups, which it said increased by 244 percent in 2009.

In the world of the Southern Poverty Law Center, the threat is always growing. Ronald Reagan's policies led to a growing threat. The first Gulf War led to a growing threat. The election of Bill Clinton led to a growing threat. The Internet led to a growing threat. Sept. 11 led to a growing threat. The war in Iraq led to a growing threat. Is it any wonder that Obama's presidency has, in the SPLC's estimation, led to a growing threat?

Hate groups do exist across the political spectrum, and have for a long time. But they have nothing to do with the expressions of frustration over deficits, taxes and Obamacare that we have heard at so many Tea Party gatherings. That frustration, felt by Republicans, independents and even some Democrats, is an entirely mainstream reaction to the sharply activist course the president and congressional leadership have taken. While the level of frustration is indeed a threat, it is a political threat. Ask Democrats running in this November's elections.

It's important to distinguish between a political threat and a physical one. As Clinton might say, the hate accusers should watch their words.

Byron York, the Examiner's chief political correspondent, can be contacted at byork@washingtonexaminer.com.



TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; Politics/Elections; US: Alabama
KEYWORDS: alinsky; alinskyparty; brownshirts; clinton; clintontruthfile; democratcorruption; democrats; fascism; liberalfascism; liberalhate; liberalprogressivism; reichstaggers; splc; splcbrownshirts; teaparty; teapartyexpress; teapartymovement; teapartyrebellion
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To: 1000 silverlings

I figured I would figure out who was after me,
and invite them for a double grande mocha at starbucks...


61 posted on 04/20/2010 12:35:46 PM PDT by MrB (The difference between a humanist and a Satanist is that the latter knows who he's working for.)
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To: neverdem

A liberal Democrat will say OR DO anything he or she can get away with. That’s their standard of morality.


62 posted on 04/20/2010 12:55:44 PM PDT by RoadTest (Religion is a substitute for the relationship God wants with you.)
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To: neverdem

“What’s behind the anti-Tea Party hate narrative?”

Ephesians 6:
10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.


63 posted on 04/20/2010 12:57:13 PM PDT by keats5 (Not all of us are hypnotized.)
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To: neverdem

Bill, please spare us! You were directly responsible for those folks burning to death at the Waco Texas Compound! As Rush so aptly pointed out, it was YOUR actions that incited the violence of Timothy McVeigh…not Talk Radio or those on the right! And it’s this fact that really scares you, isn’t it? The fact that Americans are finally waking up to what YOU DID! I guess I can see why you’re so desperate to find a scapegoat.

Poor Bill, the walls are starting to close in!


64 posted on 04/20/2010 1:01:57 PM PDT by Artcore
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To: neverdem

The “repeated growing threats” from the SPLC would suggest that they had only 1 press release that they just kept on editing and recirculating. I wonder how they came up with their estimate that “the patriots group grew by 244% in 2009”.

I’m sure our numbers have grown over the years, but I would also suggest that we are simply the Great Silent Majority from the late 1960’s and early 1970’s who have finally found our voice. The MSM is quaking in its boots at the prospect that this force will remain unified in the upcoming elections. The Leftists/Socialists/Progressives don’t have an answer for this.


65 posted on 04/20/2010 1:09:56 PM PDT by ReleaseTheHounds ("The problem with Socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." M. Thatcher)
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To: a fool in paradise

Excellent post. These points need making again and again. Nicely put.


66 posted on 04/20/2010 1:13:56 PM PDT by 2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten
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To: Adder
when Palin was being hung in effigy ETC.

Or when that bozo on Saturday Night Live was wishing that her homies in NYC would physically assault (did she use the word "rape"?) Palin. These people have no shame.

67 posted on 04/20/2010 1:15:22 PM PDT by ReleaseTheHounds ("The problem with Socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." M. Thatcher)
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To: neverdem

Simple. They have trouble refuting the arguments of Tea Party folk therefore they resort to attacking the messenger.


68 posted on 04/20/2010 1:17:01 PM PDT by DemonDeac
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To: Artcore

and don’t forget all the deals old Bill made with China, selling them our secrets and selling us out


69 posted on 04/20/2010 1:17:43 PM PDT by 1000 silverlings (everything that deceives, also enchants: Plato)
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To: alarm rider

Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. Given the nature of our opponents, you’re likely to see the latter before you see the former.

Remember who these people are - the ones orchestrating this ‘fundamental transformation of America’: they are monsters, monsters who hold in high esteem history’s worst mass murderers. It is beyond a doubt that the same ideas that have animated the likes of Mao, Pol pot, Cahvez, Castro and Stalin now have a happy home in the White House.

For them, prosperity, human freedom and dignity are things to be stamped out - in order to secure their hold on power. Your vote, your preferences and the rule of law mean nothing to them. That’s reality.


70 posted on 04/20/2010 1:18:17 PM PDT by Noumenon ("Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed, that he has grown so great?" - Julius Caesar)
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To: WOBBLY BOB

The poor of third world countries consider US poor on a level with millionaires. No poor person uin the US would switch places with a third world poor person. Any third world poor person would joyously trade places with a S poor person.
This, of course, is due to change. Our current administration is hell bent on reducing middle class Americans to the level of third world poor people. They are in large measure succeeding.
One more comment while I am here. The notion that a smaller percentage of tea partiers are black than is true for the general population only demonstrates that the Obama presidency is wholeheartedly endorsed by black Americans.
The fact that Obama’s father was from a tribe that has historically enslaved blacks and that he supports the policies of slavery practiced by his Kenyan family makes his identity a criminal deceit.
If the black community were indeed free and not living in a government imposed condition of slavery they would be outraged by this pretender and would demand his immediate impeachment as unfit for the presidency.


71 posted on 04/20/2010 1:20:16 PM PDT by Louis Foxwell (He is the son of soulless slavers, not the son of soulful slaves.)
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To: Noumenon

Reichstag Fire?


72 posted on 04/20/2010 1:23:43 PM PDT by CPT Clay (Pick up your weapon and follow me.)
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To: neverdem

Liberals project their own hatreds on us - not much more complicated than that...


73 posted on 04/20/2010 1:35:33 PM PDT by GOPJ (http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/index2.php?lang //hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/index2.php?area=dam&lang=eng)
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To: neverdem

One word.....fear. They are scared to death that the American people are finally waking up to the socialist threat, and will take any measures to discredit any such movement.


74 posted on 04/20/2010 1:41:19 PM PDT by Wonder Warthog
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To: CPT Clay

Yep - but worse. They need a big event.


75 posted on 04/20/2010 1:41:42 PM PDT by Noumenon ("Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed, that he has grown so great?" - Julius Caesar)
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To: neverdem

76 posted on 04/20/2010 1:56:51 PM PDT by backhoe (Just an Old Keyboard Cowboy, ridin' the trakball into America's Twilight...)
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To: neverdem; All

Please forward these links to anyone who has been lied to by the media and politicians about the Tea Party Movement.

(Which of course is everybody),

“The True Face of the Tea Partiers”

Part One:
http://www.youtube.com/user/tarzantripes2#p/a/u/1/_Pm1k7MK850

Part Two:
http://www.youtube.com/user/tarzantripes2#p/a/u/0/NDQWkBcq3qw


77 posted on 04/20/2010 2:00:58 PM PDT by Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears (Pray for our leaders: Rush Limbaugh and Mark Levin.)
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To: neverdem

That SPL spokesguy is the weirdest looking thing out there. But I congratulate the group on getting a second member.


78 posted on 04/20/2010 2:01:52 PM PDT by Deb (Beat him, strip him and bring him to my tent!)
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To: neverdem

Thanks for the ping!


79 posted on 04/20/2010 2:31:14 PM PDT by Alamo-Girl
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To: AdmSmith; Berosus; bigheadfred; Convert from ECUSA; dervish; Ernest_at_the_Beach; Fred Nerks; ...
"Watch your words," warned ABC News, reporting that Clinton "weighed in on the angry anti-government rhetoric, ringing out from talk radio to Tea Party rallies." The reports dovetailed with earlier media stories depicting Tea Party gatherings as angry mobs, accusing protesters of throwing racial epithets at black lawmakers and of making threats of violence. The implication was that all this could be part of a nationwide trend.
It is part of a nationwide trend -- and it's not at all surprising that it is being fomented by the Demwits' partisan media shills.
80 posted on 04/20/2010 3:18:40 PM PDT by SunkenCiv ("Fools learn from experience. I prefer to learn from the experience of others." -- Otto von Bismarck)
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