Whether the comparison is valid or not, I have been thinking that there is a similarity between Islamic radicals and some of the birthers. In both cases a seemingly normal person gets his or her perception of reality, truth, and “right and wrong” twisted into some other mode of thinking. The tool is grievances and outrage.
However, while there are countless real grievances that can be found in the world related to Islamic populations in several countries, the grievances against President Obama are imaginary (since he is legitimately eligible to be President, according to all competent authorities).
Birthers today are trying to pressure the federal court in DC to hear the imaginary list of grievances from the self-appointed American Grand Jury. I received a plea from former birther plaintiff Cort Wrotnowski to “Pressure … these folks, big time.” Here’s an excerpt from the AGJ web site:
Barack Obama has committed serious crimes against our Nation. The evidence is well documented and published. Barack Obama has admitted in public and his writings that his father was not a US citizen….
Your Honor, we would imagine these statements are not what you wanted to hear. Matter of fact, we understand that our statements probably make you angry or make you want to reprimand those that challenge your Court or authority. Well, your Honor, get in line. Many are now challenging your intentions. It is now estimated that 60% of Americans want to know the truth about Barack Obama. He has spent close to 2.0 million dollars fighting something like 15 civil lawsuits to hide the truth about his citizenship….
Judge Lamberth, we fight evil by exposing it. Once the truth is known, evil has no power over you or your Court. The People of this country are a lot stronger than the government would lead us to believe. The talk that our Country could never survive an election scandal is simply an excuse. The truth of the matter is this Country cannot survive an attack on the Constitution by a public criminal when the Judiciary fails to do anything about it.
Whether it is real grievances or imagined one, the hand of the propagandist is behind both radical Islam and the birthers.
It’s not just the birthers.
If you don’t mind my saying so, with apologies beforehand as I don’t mean to offend anyone here, but America has increasingly turned into an exporter of radical ideologies.
There was a time when junk food was a fair trade for the peace corps, rock music, the hippie movement, blue jeans and the best movies in the world. Good times!
Nowadays, America exports creationists, global warming deniers, antiabortion terrorists, economic crackpots, neocons, neofascists, crooks and THE PHANTOM MENACE.
For example, did you know that the Heritage Foundation has been funneling money into an extreme outfit that advocates dismantling the NHS and replacing it with private insurance, meeting with David Cameron and funneling money into his campaign?
(If you’re curious that last bit of news is reported here:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/12/27/43540/400 )
The birthers are a purely American microphenomenon, but their extreme viewpoints that run contrary to facts and well-established practices is just one manifestation of an America that is increasingly at odds with reality, progress, science, and dare I say, civilization.
The world welcomed President Obama because we thought he could restore some sanity to your country — hopefully, he will.
Hopefully he will help to restore some sanity. But every action usually has a counter-reaction and a rise of extremism in opposition to sanity is unfortunately a predictable act of desperation by those that oppose him or anything he symbolizes or stands for.
I too am disheartened by the ideological extremism in America but remain hopeful that eventually the forces of reason will win the battle over time.
That is why it is so important for strong monitoring vigilance against extremism and sites like this to bring bogus claims to the light of day and challenge irrationality.
Unfortunately, as extremist viewpoints become more “threatened” and as their twisted hopes become more and more obvious as a dying cause, they will likely just lash out with more and more extreme measures as their movements hurtle into a “death spiral”.
Therefore, I remain very worried that it is only a matter of time before more of them attempt to move from rhetoric to actual violence in their last gasp attempts at hateful desperation.
I don’t think birthers will turn to violence. Some of them come from different groups, though, such as white supremacists, or right wing militias, and THOSE groups are becoming a danger to civil society.
In the end the country is about as violent and radical now as it was in the 1960s and early 1970s.
I think we’ll be fine.
The birther cases are about over, and the “Grand Jury” cases have never gotten beyond square one…
To Lupin and others:
http://skepticblog.org/2009/04/01/texas-science-standards-wrapup-yup-doomed/
The troglodytes are still at it. Chuck Norris, a B list actor, and his wife are constantly campaigning against the 1st Amendment. They are spearheading an effort to have the Christian bible as part of the curriculum, in public schools. Google it.
I wrote before, in Anchorage, evangelicals were influential, and uniformly bigots. See Palin. Those I met told me their goal was overturning of the 1st.
“I don’t think birthers will turn to violence.”
I disagree. Pittsburgh, Oklahoma City…I’m afraid of worse.
I wonder if the Post and Fail is going under or if it is another scam by Charlton to milk the gullible birther nation…
http://www.thepostemail.com/2009/12/31/urgent-appeal-to-readers-of-the-post-email/
“My mistake was that I assumed the United States of America is still a free country. I have learned it is not.
The reason I say that is this: the news that The Post & Email was about to start this Petition Campaign has gotten all the companies providing The Post & Email Internet services, scared silly, and no American company wants to work with us.
Thus in response to the text, The Post & Email was Alinskied. Whether these companies were threatened or not, by some actual intervention, or whether their reaction is merely a response to their perceptions of the current political environment, under the Obamacare bill, is immaterial. The result is the same.
Basically, for The Post & Email to continue to exist, the site must be moved to a high-end professional, internet security environment, outside of the United States, where our opposition to Obama will not be a cause for harassment.
Failing that, The Post & Email will have to cease publication in about 1 week. Two of the largest Internet hosting companies in the USA have basically shown us that they are willing to shut us down on notice; I am only able to write this appeal, after 5 hours of pleading with one of them to allow me access to The Post & Email again (after 27 hours of being shut out of the site).”
I agree. There are plenty of other examples that could be listed if needed.
I wish I could believe you, but when you have birthers like Walter Fitzpatrick calling for the public execution of Barack Obama, I fear it’s only a matter of time before one of them goes off the deep end.
I”m betting “scam” personally
Sounds like the site was about to violate the TOS of its host related to spam or overall email volume. The “outside of the US” thing is favored by spammers. The need to move from shared hosting to a dedicated host is also indicative of a problem related to volume or bandwidth.
I liked this part: “My initial estimate of $10,000 was based on bad advice, from a pro-Obama salesman. ”
Presently the Post & Email is a WordPress blog hosted by JustHost.com. Here are their terms of service, which prohibits:
What I find ironic, is that their present hosting company is not an “American company” at all (Just Host, Ltd, is a UK company). The libel laws are different in the UK are tougher than the ones in the US.
If they want a web site to advocate the violent overthrow of the American government, they might try hosting out of Iran, North Korea, or Nicaragua.
But of course it was an Obama related company that used Alinsky tatics to silence the truth about the conspiracy regarding the usurper…I think that is how they spin it so that the silly birthers fall for it and send in money….However I am sure that Charlton is milking this for donations…Of course by PayPal…