From Rand Paul Stomper To Allen West's Bikers: Rise In Far-Right Violence During 2010 Elections

[sufrommich]

WASHINGTON -- This election season, a man was arrested for hitting a protester at a rally for Washington GOP Senate candidate Dino Rossi, a man stomped on the head of a woman at a campaign event for Kentucky GOP Senate candidate Rand Paul, local police wrestled to the ground a Democratic man at an event for Rep. Eric Cantor (R), Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) received suspicious powder to his office, biker supporters of Florida GOP congressional candidate Allen West harassed a Democratic tracker and Alaska GOP Senate candidate Joe Miller's private security force handcuffed and detained a reporter.

And all that was in just the past two weeks.

"It's been quite amazing over the last couple months, but really over the last two years," said Mark Potok of the Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors hate groups and extremism. "I'd date this, in many ways, to the rise to power of Obama. Many people we saw coming with AR-15s to town halls and so on, and all of that. But I do think that it's gotten even hotter out there. I think the reaction to the stomping of that woman's head has been quite amazing. The idea that the guy could say that he needed an apology and that he's not being condemned by the political class from sea to shining sea is astounding."

While there has been an increased number of highly publicized incidents in recent weeks, there was also a spike in violence or threatened violence during the health care debate toward lawmakers who supported the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. People vandalized congressional offices and threatened to assassinate officials and their families. Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) had a picture of a noose faxed to his office after he voted for health care reform. A former militia member named Mike Vanderboegh even proudly took credit for encouraging people around the country to break the windows of lawmakers' offices.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/28/rise-far-right-violence-elections_n_775326.html

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Some folks round these parts tell me to

Go back to sleep, nothing to see here.

[arbusto_baboso]

2. Intimidation is part of their game plan.

If voter turnout is high, Dems win EVERY TIME.

Ergo, they must suppress voter turnout by any means.

Time to turn it back on them. Dems should go to the polls in groups and counter protest in LARGE numbers.

[HereSince1628]

3. It's given rise to a new flag to carry to teabag protests...

[DCKit]

4. W* set a very bad example for the other bullies.

They're just as bad when they win as when they lose, so I'm glad I'm not going to be around people next Wednesday.

[Kurovski]

5. Kick. (nt)