June 11, 2009
NOTHING TO BE 'PROUD' OF.... In April, when conservatives first manufactured a controversy surrounding the Department of Homeland Security's reports on potentially violent radicals, a number of far-right groups tried to exploit the "story" for fundraising and activism. Among them was the Liberty Counsel, a right-wing group created by the late Jerry Falwell.
The group created a number of satirical ID cards, available for a modest donation to the group. This one allows the carrier to boast, "I'm proud to be a Right-Wing Extremist." The idea, obviously, was to suggest the federal government was persecuting conservative activists for supporting "the right to bear arms," "lower taxes," "interpreting the Bible literally," and opposing abortion rights.
Of course, in our reality, anyone who's half-way literate could read the DHS report and see that it had nothing to do with the conservative mainstream. But the truth didn't help fill the coffers of far-right activist groups, so ID cards like these were made.
Kyle at Right Wing Watch, who posted larger, easier-to-read versions of the Liberty Counsel's ID cards, notes that the group continues to sell these deceptive cards even now. In light of the slayings in Kansas and D.C. from the kind of actual right-wing extremists described in the DHS report, Kyle adds that the fundraising gimmick "seems to be in pretty poor taste."
Agreed. Now doesn't seem like an especially good time to boast about one's "pride" in being a "right-wing extremist."
What's more, Greg Sargent reminds us that the Liberty Counsel remains a well-connected outfit in Republican circles: "It allies with GOP politicians in legislative fights such as the one against hate-crimes legislation, and no less a mainstream Republican than John McCain courted its support during last year's presidential race."
Greg added that these satirical ID cards, under the circumstances, should be "enough to make the group radioactive with mainstream Republicans going forward, but it won't."
No, it won't. As Limbaugh, Beck, Coulter, and others have proven time and again, there's practically nothing a conservative can do to be "radioactive with mainstream Republicans."
—Steve Benen 1:40 PM
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You know,it may be time for the president to order some wiretaps on the leaders of domestic terrorist movement. And I don't see how you leave out Limbaugh, Malkin and Beck.
Posted by: jayackroyd on June 11, 2009 at 1:38 PM | PERMALINK
Then you have Glen Beck blaming President Obama and the Left for the recent violence.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joseph-a-palermo/glenn-beck-spins-the-holo_b_214118.html
I saw this coming too. Whip up the Right Wing Extremists until the unhinged fringe acts on their impulses, and then blame the sane, mature, and responsible leaders on the Left for the violence. Furthermore, blackmail said responsible leaders with threats or hints of more violence to come.
Posted by: JWK on June 11, 2009 at 1:47 PM | PERMALINK
A list of things that are radioactive with mainstream Republicans:
- being gay (Rush is not gay - he just likes having sex with young boys in Haiti - that does not count - it is out of the U.S. and they are foreigners & not real people)
- saying anything that is positive about Obama with it being marginally radioactive if you say something not completely negative
- saying the name Pelosi without crossing yourself & spitting on the ground
- saying the name Kennedy without it being perceived as a perjoritive
Posted by: AmusedOldVet on June 11, 2009 at 1:47 PM | PERMALINK
That ID card is creepy as all hell. And I will add that while interpreting the Bible literally is not a crime, many of the kinds of "literal" interpretations these assholes come up--posting the Ten Commandments in government buildings, government-mandated school prayer--with are most definitely violations of the First Amendment.
Posted by: Stephen Stralka on June 11, 2009 at 1:49 PM | PERMALINK
I'm waiting for a victim of one of these attacks to sue the shit out Glenn Beck and Faux News for incitement.
Posted by: jvoe on June 11, 2009 at 1:49 PM | PERMALINK
there's practically nothing a conservative can do to be "radioactive with mainstream Republicans
Hmmm. Am I the only one thinking about marketing glow in the dark Limbaughs, three-eyed Boehners and mushroom cloud Cheneys?
Posted by: Danp on June 11, 2009 at 1:54 PM | PERMALINK
The clowns have ruined my party.
Posted by: Chopin on June 11, 2009 at 1:55 PM | PERMALINK
No, it won't. As Limbaugh, Beck, Coulter, and others have proven time and again, there's practically nothing a conservative can do to be "radioactive with mainstream Republicans."
WRONG!!!! WRONG!!!!!
All you have to do to become radioactive with mainstream Republicans is say something complimentary about a Democrat, any Democrat -- with the possible exception of Joe Lieberman (who doesn't even qualify as a DINO anymore, but what the heck...).
In the alternative, suggesting that Ronald Reagan was mistaken in anything that he ever said or did, or mentioning that he signed the largest peacetime tax increase in history will also get the geiger counter humming.
Posted by: majun on June 11, 2009 at 2:03 PM | PERMALINK
Ok, that's all I need to see. Round 'em up.
If these Republicans love Bush and Cheney's tactics so much, let Obama use them x10. Round up every wingnut who has a blog about "the revolution is coming", shut down FoxNews (just make sure Shep Smith gets picked up by MSNBC), etc.
That poor security guard who died yesterday is worth more than all these pathetic, hateful losers combined.
Posted by: rob! on June 11, 2009 at 2:04 PM | PERMALINK
Killing liberals is a moral right, according to these inhuman monsters.
Posted by: anonymous Guy on the Internet on June 11, 2009 at 2:23 PM | PERMALINK
Wait, can someone explain the, "Veterans deserve honor, not special monitoring by big brother" part of the card.
I don't think I've seen that in the batshitcrazy dialogue lately
Posted by: NB on June 11, 2009 at 2:29 PM | PERMALINK
" As Limbaugh, Beck, Coulter, and others have proven time and again, there's practically nothing a conservative can do to be "radioactive with mainstream Republicans."
This is because the Republican party is no longer "mainstream". They have reduced themselves down to the far right fringe, so these "extremists" don't seem very extreme to them.
Posted by: atlliberal on June 11, 2009 at 2:40 PM | PERMALINK
"As Limbaugh, Beck, Coulter, and others have proven time and again, there's practically nothing a conservative can do to be "radioactive with mainstream Republicans.""
Well, as Limbaugh pointed out today, the shooter was A LEFTIST and thus the right is completely exonerated. Now, it may be news to most of us that white supremacists are from the left. But I'm sure it's only a matter of minutes before Katie Couric and Brian Williams are parroting this bullshit while waving around copies of Jonah the Whale's wonder-work, Liberal Fascism.
Posted by: Domage on June 11, 2009 at 3:18 PM | PERMALINK
NB: "Wait, can someone explain the, "Veterans deserve honor, not special monitoring by big brother" part of the card."
I'm sure this is a reference to the part of the DHS report that said returning veterans were likely to be recruitment targets for right wing extremist groups who value their weapons training. This was then distorted by Beck et. al. to be an insult to veterans.
Posted by: sceptic on June 11, 2009 at 4:02 PM | PERMALINK
And Deborah Schlussel managed to blame Muslims for his antisemitism! The contortions these folks do...
Posted by: lou on June 11, 2009 at 4:05 PM | PERMALINK
Shouldn't that be "Liberty Council?" Wotta bunch of maroons!
Posted by: John B. on June 11, 2009 at 4:59 PM | PERMALINK
Interpreting the Bible is not a crime. It isn't anything. It's not logically possible. And I'm not even talking about how parts of the Bible, read literally, contradict each other. I mean, something literal needs no interpretation; interpretation, by defintion, adds to the text. Interpreting the Bible "literally" is self-defeating.
Posted by: Grumpy on June 11, 2009 at 8:53 PM | PERMALINK
Grumpy, that is quite brilliant. I have copied for future use. Someone recently told me about a movie line they had seen where one of the characters asks another "Have you found God yet?" The other replies "I didn't know he was missing".
This comment by Kyle struck me as a revealing truth.
"How completely unhinged has the Right become when they are now paraphrasing "small terrorist cells" to mean "law-abiding citizens" and then using that false characterization in order to play the victim?"
I am currently reading Jeff Sharlet's "The Family". Which can drive a forgiving, non- violent person to question those basic values. To wonder if maybe, just every few generations, removing certain elements of society by becoming judge, jury and executioner; is morally right because the alternative is to let them destroy humanity and the world.
These pseudo family folks, who use terrorist/communist type cells to foment hatred while turning Jesus' message into a dogma that defiles his vision and love for the human race; intentionally stand outside of the media's focus and are impervious to any reality but their own delusions.
Sharlet's abysmal chronical clearly reinforces conventional wisdom: There is NO God.
No omnipotent, loving being would have allowed that demented group to delude a nation and the world into wars, violence and brutality for a concept and goals they never disclosed for public consideration.
I'm going to keep reading in the hope that Sharlet has some feasible ideas for decimating the lot. I hope there is enough alcohol in the cupboard.
Posted by: Ginny in CO on June 11, 2009 at 11:18 PM | PERMALINK