Which way is it? Highlighting three murders this year, ABC's Pierre Thomas on Thursday night delivered an ominous and speculative story on how “radicals of the ultra-fringe, filled with rage about illegal immigration, fear of losing their guns, abortion and race making law enforcement increasingly nervous about a potential wave of domestic terror.” In contrast, on the NBC Nightly News, Pete Williams noted that “Barack Obama's election has stirred the passions of some white separatists,” but he stuck with the facts of what has occurred: “A former FBI official, who tracked hate groups, said overall there's been no spike in activity.”
Thomas began his World News story: “A cold-blooded murder at the Holocaust Museum by a white supremacist. An abortion doctor gunned down in a church two weeks ago. January 21st, Brockton Massachusetts, a day after inauguration, a man who police say had a plan to kill as many blacks, Hispanics and Jews as he could, rapes a minority woman and kills two.” He proceeded to cite the April Homeland Security bulletin, which “warned, quote: 'The economic downturn and the election of the first African-American President present unique drivers for right wing radicalization and recruitment.'”
From the NBC Nightly News:
PETE WILLIAMS: While Barack Obama's election has stirred the passions of some white separatists, a former FBI official, who tracked hate groups, said overall there's been no spike in activity.MIKE ROLINCE, FORMER FBI COUNTER-TERROR OFFICIAL: Reluctant to call it either a resurgence or a spike based on what is now an incident that clearly deserves the attention of law enforcement and of the public.
The story on the Thursday, June 11 World News on ABC:
PIERRE THOMAS: A cold-blooded murder at the Holocaust Museum by a white supremacist. An abortion doctor gunned down in a church two weeks ago. January 21st, Brockton Massachusetts, a day after inauguration, a man who police say had a plan to kill as many blacks, Hispanics and Jews as he could, rapes a minority woman and kills two. Radicals of the ultra-fringe, filled with rage about illegal immigration, fear of losing their guns, abortion and race making law enforcement increasingly nervous about a potential wave of domestic terror.
BRAD GARRETT, FORMER SPECIAL AGENT, FBI: These people are acting because they really believe there's a big conspiracy going on. That people are going to take their guns away. Or African-Americans are going to take over and run the country.
THOMAS: An April 2009 Homeland Security bulletin warned, quote: "The economic downturn and the election of the first African-American President present unique drivers for right wing radicalization and recruitment.”
MARK POTAK, SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER: We are seeing a convergence of things that make these people angry, an almost perfect storm of factors
THOMAS: Last year the Southern Poverty Law Center identified 926 active hate groups. That number is up 54 percent compared to 2000. That growth, police say, has been fueled by an explosion of racial and homophobic venom posted on the Internet. And police say there's evidence leaders of these groups are trying to instigate violence while hiding behind free speech.
POTAK: What we're seeing is rhetoric on the Internet accompanied, in many cases, by hard facts -- things like addresses and telephone numbers that would help people go out and actually assassinate or murder their enemies.
THOMAS: The FBI says it's a game of cat and mouse.
JOSEPH PERSICHINI JR., ASST DIRECTOR, FBI WASHINGTON FIELD OFFICE: Many of these individuals are totally aware of what you can and cannot say in crossing the line.
THOMAS: Police are looking at hundreds of radical Web sites, trying to determine when rhetoric transitions into specific calls for murder.
—Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
He can't back up a shred of that.
June 11, 2009 - 20:16 ET by superconTHOMAS: Last year the Southern Poverty Law Center identified 926 active
hate groups. That number is up 54 percent compared to 2000. That
growth, police say, has been fueled by an explosion of racial and
homophobic venom posted on the Internet. And police say there's
evidence leaders of these groups are trying to instigate violence while
hiding behind free speech.
He's just repeating rhetoric that he read. He knows no one will ask him to qualify that statement. If someone did he would just claim he is only repeating what "experts" have claimed. It is nothing more than a coorcinated smear campaign coming from the White House to marginalize Republicans. They love it when they can get on their high horse and tar the right.
Hey Janet Napolitano...I'm proud to be a Right-winger.
Where the flock
June 11, 2009 - 20:18 ET by well99Is the story on William Long you flocking communist whores.Why arent you reporting that Brunn is a Truther and hated Bush and all neo cons.The KKK is Dems strong arm force.Ask Byrd.This is BS.Brunn is a left winger and you afraid the truth will come out.
Seconded
June 11, 2009 - 20:25 ET by spmcintyresomebody is going to have to shout a dem down on national tv about this crap one day, how in the hell do they keep getting away with equating nazis and other hate groups to the right? This lie must be put to rest... and the sooner the better
spmc
June 11, 2009 - 22:14 ET by well99Someone needs to stand up on the msm and put the record straight.
Propaganda 101
June 11, 2009 - 20:54 ET by ParagrouperTake even the slightest association between the wrong act and your target, twist and distort it with lies and maligned statistics and deliver using a “credible” expert.
Viola! You've taken a Neo-Nazi, white supremacist--an atheist and socialist, whose only real "association" with most conservatives is the color of his skin--and turned him into a "right wing extremist” that clings to his guns and religion. Himmler would be so proud.
"If everyone is thinking alike, someone isn't thinking." - General George Patton Jr
What a bunch of BS...this
June 11, 2009 - 20:23 ET by bigtimerWhat a bunch of BS...this is the agenda by the far left to silence people and instill fear.
Simple as that.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
PIERRE THOMAS: A
June 11, 2009 - 20:26 ET by GregEPIERRE THOMAS: A cold-blooded murder at the Holocaust Museum by a white
supremacist. An abortion doctor gunned down in a church two weeks ago.
January 21st, Brockton Massachusetts, a day after inauguration, a man
who police say had a plan to kill as many blacks, Hispanics and Jews as
he could, rapes a minority woman and kills two. Radicals of the
ultra-fringe, filled with rage about illegal immigration, fear of
losing their guns, abortion and race making law enforcement
increasingly nervous about a potential wave of domestic terror.
I'm just glad Thomas mentioned the Muslim convert who gunned down the Army private last week because, as the lunatic matter-of-factly stated himself that it was simply what he's supposed to do for the cause he believes in. That was very substantial, so it was good that Thomas mentioned it....
.....oh, wait a minute...
GregE
June 11, 2009 - 20:29 ET by well99The same as yesterday.Shep Smith was talking to Heidi whatever from SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER and not one mention of William Long.Shep didnt ask her about him either.SPLC is a joke.If you aginst illegal immigration you are a racist.
Radicals of the
June 11, 2009 - 20:55 ET by motherbeltRadicals of the ultra-fringe, filled with rage about illegal immigration, fear of losing their guns, abortion and race making law enforcement increasingly nervous about a potential wave of domestic terror.
Exactly what evidence does this jerk have that anyone is filled with rage about anything? What evidence does he have that police are "increasingly nervous"?
Would he report that police were "increasingly nervous" about a "potential looting problem" in the 'hoods of Chicago and Detroit, or the barrios of South Central, because of increasing unemployment rates and escalating gas prices?
I simply can NOT believe they get away with this crap.
I didn't think it was physically possible, but this both sucks and blows. -Bart Simpson
What is it the lefties
June 11, 2009 - 20:25 ET by MidAmericaWhat is it the lefties likes to say? One mans terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.
or... these are not domestic terrorists, they are domestic 'man caused disasters'.
Actually I'm amazed they
June 11, 2009 - 20:29 ET by MidAmericaActually I'm amazed they won't report the most obvious reason for these recent incidents.....Global Warming.
LOL. True, I mean after
June 11, 2009 - 20:30 ET by GregELOL. True, I mean after all, we've all been uncomfortably hot at times, and it makes us irritable. I expect that your idea will come up in the not to distant future with some media boob.
A couple of days ago AP
June 11, 2009 - 20:43 ET by MidAmericaA couple of days ago AP put out a story how wind speeds in the US are on the decline and guess why? Yep global warming! So the conundrum they noted is that we need windmills to combat global waming but global warming is causing the wind speeds to decrease.
Of course, and just maybe, their conclusion is wrong and the real reason winds and storms have decreased is because of global cooling which results in fewer air mass clashes!
He proceeded to cite the
June 11, 2009 - 20:47 ET by motherbeltHe proceeded to cite the April Homeland Security bulletin, which
“warned, quote: 'The economic downturn and the election of the first
African-American President present unique drivers for right wing
radicalization and recruitment.'”
Let's hear it for stereotyping: people on the right hate blacks, and are now ripe to be "radicalized."
But don't dare stereotype Muslims as violent......
Besides, if people on the right already hate blacks, who would those right-wingers be recruiting....liberals?
It's getting so that anyone who doesn't agree with whatever the liberals are trying to do gets labelled as a "right-winger."
Right-winger is the new pejorative that needs no explanation. To liberals it just means "not like us." You know....different.
I didn't think it was physically possible, but this both sucks and blows. -Bart Simpson
swift
June 11, 2009 - 20:52 ET by vote24Notice how fast and furiously coordinated the reports were. The enemy has been found, and it is ....us, the evil ....Taxpayer. Only white people can be racist and now only white people can be terrorists. It is now clear , the media types have become "powerful" and they will weild that righteous power without regard to means. Patheticaly, they never even really seem to bother with facts, reality, actuality, or the grown up world. Most of what they are biased for is hurting us all. Did any of them think about the concept of completely shutting out the opposing side of any and all arguments, declaring themselves the winners of the debate that never happened, and then consider the consequences of such behavior. Talk about responsibility!
I think in a time of stress,
June 11, 2009 - 21:46 ET by balboaI think in a time of stress, there _seems_ to be more "craziness" out there, and there might be a slight increase, but it's not anymore than normal.
wow balboa
June 11, 2009 - 22:16 ET by well99We agree.Let me check to see if there is a full moon.
→ Let's see
June 12, 2009 - 00:50 ET by Cool ArrowA Black Muslim killing an American soldier for being an American soldier, a White Supremacist killing a Black Holocaust Museum Guard in an attempt to shoot up the place, and an Anti-Abortion Activist kills a prominent abortionist.
All in less than two weeks.
I'm about ready to call it a trend.
The only reason Clarence Thomas is on the Court is because he is black - Joe Biden
CA
June 12, 2009 - 01:46 ET by well99I dont see it that way yet because half the year is gone.Yes these three murders are within a short period of time but hopefully this will not be a trend.
A big increase in hate crimes in Los Angeles
June 11, 2009 - 22:22 ET by Gary HallLooks like we didn't get immigration reform. Brown on black hate crimes - murders, etc., are indeed on the rise in the US.
MSM want to talk about it?
→ Gary
June 12, 2009 - 00:44 ET by Cool ArrowLong as they keep it in the "hood" or the "barrio", the Liberals are more than happy to see it.
The Libs only need them at election time, and reward them with plenty of leeway to kill each other off.
It's because the Liberals feel guilty for allowing the browns and blacks to escape the birth canal.
Don't believe me? Hide and watch what happens when law enforcement tries to throw a drug crackdown. Check and see if the Tiller Memorial Slaughterhouse isn't located just outside the hood.
The only reason Clarence Thomas is on the Court is because he is black - Joe Biden
Let's see, for the past
June 12, 2009 - 00:37 ET by zfLet's see, for the past eight years the left has compared Bush and Cheney to Hitler, mocked conservatives as racists, equated Fox News and Talk Shows with facists and pretty much demonized anything and everyone considered conservative.
So, using the MSM's new logic, if someone kills Bush, Cheney, Rush or anyone at FOX, I'm going to blame the MSM for "goading" them into it.
And Olbemann has no right to criticize anyone for inciting hatred, as inciting hatred with the most vicious slurs has been his calling card for years. And didn't he demand that there be a violent revolution against Bush in his show? Talk about violent rhetoric. He's the master of it.
If a group of people went out and killed a bunch of conservatives because the media's reporting now has them convinced all conservatives are racist and part of some evil conspiracy, would the MSM feel any responsibility? Of course not. Hypocrisy, hypocrisy, hyprocrisy.
Are sports writers more sincere than political pundits?
June 12, 2009 - 08:16 ET by BKeyserOff the wall subject line, I know. But consider this:
If a light-hitting second baseman connects on a grooved fastball late in a blowout game and squeaks one over the left field fence, sports writers don't suddenly declare him a threat for the homerun title. But when some nutjob wacks an abortion doctor for the first time in a decade, suddenly political pundits see a notable rise in violence by right-wingers.
Maybe von Brunn and Roeder were on steroids...
BKeyser--
June 12, 2009 - 08:39 ET by misterbillYour question had me think that we have political "pundits" today who are sportswriters or celebrity reporters. I have never seen Olbermann on TV. I have read many of his rants as posted here and gone to youtube to watch a rip that he has done. Why did NBC give him a "political" show?? I don't give a hoot what he has to say.
For whatever it is worth, as an observer of the human scene for 76 years, a fan of Ernie Pyle, Krauthammer, Thomas, Buchanan, Coulter, Sowell, Williams, to name just a few--they, in my opinion are the journalists, the rest are just people whose powers of observations and opinions are more emotional than informative.
Ironically and in contradiction, it would be dangerous to completely ignore them though, since they have a number of people who tune in and listen to them.
Keep your enemies closer.....
Interesting
June 12, 2009 - 09:10 ET by grumpyoldbI find it interesting that the shots the media most often use are of Nazi skinheads and the Swastika. IF you can find an un-revised history book, you will note that the Nazi Party was actually called the National SOCIALIST Workers Party. A LEFT WING organization. But then again, the truth never was convenient for liberals....
MSM
June 12, 2009 - 10:49 ET by jessieH