Christopher Hitchen in VF: Predicting gun violence from followers of Beck and his ilk

[cybildisobedience]

Just saw the latest column from Christopher Hitchens on the Tea Party and irresponsible Republican leadership in Vanity Fair, apparently written before this tragedy:

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2011/01/hitchens-201101

Interesting prediction in second graph:

"It may be true that the Tea Party’s role in November’s vote was less than some people feared, and it’s certainly true that several of the movement’s elected representatives will very soon learn the arts of compromise and the pork barrel. But then what happens at the next downturn? A large, volatile constituency has been created that believes darkly in betrayal and conspiracy. A mass “literature” has been disseminated, to push the mad ideas of exploded crackpots and bigots. It would be no surprise if those who now adore Beck and his acolytes were to call them sellouts and traitors a few years from now. But, alas, they would not be the only victims of the poisonous propaganda that’s been uncorked.

Some of the gun brandishing next time might be for real.

There was no need for this offense to come, but woe all the same to those by whom it came, and woe above all to those who whitewashed and rationalized it."