Will Oregon Republicans denounce those who call for violent overthrow of the United States?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Late last week, I came across this nutty site called "The Patriotic Resistance", a right-wing revolutionary social networking site that claims 261 members here in Oregon.

And then, this weekend, a lunatic in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania killed three police officers. Among his reasons? He had bought in to the silly rhetoric on the right that President Obama wants to take away people's guns. And he'd been egged on by hanging around these sorts of right-wing resistance websites. From the Pittsburgh-Post-Gazette:

Richard Andrew Poplawski was a young man convinced the nation was secretly controlled by a cabal that would eradicate freedom of speech, take away his guns and use the military to enslave the citizenry. ... Believing most media were covering up important events, Mr. Poplawski turned to a far-right conspiracy Web site run by Alex Jones, a self-described documentarian with roots going back to the extremist militia movement of the early 1990s. ...

"For some time now there has been a pretty good connection between being sucked into this conspiracy world and propagating violence," said Heidi Beirich, director of research at the Southern Poverty Law Center and an expert on political extremists. She called Mr. Poplawski's act, "a classic example of what happens when you start buying all this conspiracy stuff."

Now, let's be fair. Plenty of people are reading these websites and aren't shooting up cops.

But the people who create these websites and push the violent rhetoric about overthrowing the government by force - well, they deserve some responsibility for what happens when some of their already-unbalanced readers get destabilized and start shooting.

The Oregon chapter of that silly Patriotic Resistance group appears to be led by Joan Calhoun of Langlois, Oregon. At least, she calls herself the "Oregon State Director".

On her profile, she says her biggest concern about the Obama presidency is "onset of totalitarianism".

And last week, she cross-posted a column by J.B. Williams that reads in part:

65 million Americans were smart enough to vote against the people now dismantling America, individual right by individual right. What if all 65 million were also courageous enough to take a serious (but peaceful) stand against the current march into unbridled Marxism, by standing together, refusing to fund one more minute of the evil in Washington DC? ...

If the people fail to take peaceful action by defunding the evil befalling our nation, only violent options will remain.

If they wait until they are broke, living a soup line existence, stripped of their Second Amendment rights, then they will have waited too long and they will no longer have the power to reverse any of it.

These sorts of comments appear all over the site. On the one hand, noting that they are an "idea-based" resistance, arguing for peaceful action - but on the other, using revolutionary language and warning of impending violence.

You know, as a Democrat, the last eight years were pretty tough. We were cheated out of a presidential election. We watched the president manufacture a false case for a unnecessary war. We learned of torture committed in our name. We watched a major American city drown before our eyes. And we saw the power of federal prosecutors used to exact retribution on political opponents.

Through all of that, did we progressives ever call for the violent overthrow of the United States? No.

Instead, we organized. We created a new kind of political media. We created a national progressive radio network. We created new national and grassroots organizations. We invested in our state and local parties.

And we committed ourselves to one simple idea: If we work hard, organize the grassroots, find great candidates, make millions of small donations, and communicate our ideas clearly, the American people will come around; we'll win elections; and we'll get another chance to govern.

I have no doubt that there are plenty of Oregon Republicans that are similarly working hard and getting organized. But my question is this: Will the responsible Oregon Republicans denounce these dark demons that stoke the fires of revolution? Will they work to calm the fears of grassroots conservatives and pull them back from the lunacy of the violent fringe?

http://www.blueoregon.com/2009/04/will-ore...ted-states.html

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Looking for more boogy men Steve? Still equating Islamic terrorists with gun toting consevatives? There is a whole history of radical violent organizations on the left that you would not associate with the mainstream progressive movement, would you? This is a silly, and non-productive track you have taken.

[DeadPoolX 9]

Ignore Steven. He's cherry-picking articles that fit his agenda. It's sad, but not surprising.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I think this talk of "revolution" is a tad exaggerated tbh.

This is probably one of those issues that appears to be more of a problem the more articles about it are posted.

[DeadPoolX 9]

I think this talk of "revolution" is a tad exaggerated tbh.

This is probably one of those issues that appears to be more of a problem the more articles about it are posted.

Revolution won't happen and everyone knows it. Those who're calling for it are merely blowing off steam, but won't follow through. A lot like many Liberals who threatened to run away to Canada if Bush got elected. It's nothing but hot air, but it makes for good news bytes.

[mawilson 2,133]

I think this talk of "revolution" is a tad exaggerated tbh.

This is probably one of those issues that appears to be more of a problem the more articles about it are posted.

Revolution won't happen and everyone knows it.

Don't be so sure. People might not like the idea of having to work the first six months of every year (as I do)

just to pay their tax bill. Right now they are sticking it to the rich, but the top 5% don't have enough money

to pay for all their entitlement programs, even if they were taxed at 100%. At some point, the government

will have to revise their definition of "the rich" downwards and start looking for new methods of revenue

enhancement, because income taxes aren't going to bring in enough revenue.

"Cap and Trade" is just one example of a hidden tax on the middle class. Cap-and-trade will cost you between

$0.20 to $1.00 per gallon at the pump, depending on how they will price carbon credits.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I think this talk of "revolution" is a tad exaggerated tbh.

This is probably one of those issues that appears to be more of a problem the more articles about it are posted.

Revolution won't happen and everyone knows it.

Don't be so sure. People might not like the idea of having to work the first six months of every year (as I do)

just to pay their tax bill. Right now they are sticking it to the rich, but the top 5% don't have enough money

to pay for all their entitlement programs, even if they were taxed at 100%. At some point, the government

will have to revise their definition of "the rich" downwards and start looking for new methods of revenue

enhancement, because income taxes aren't going to bring in enough revenue.

"Cap and Trade" is just one example of a hidden tax on the middle class. Cap-and-trade will cost you between

$0.20 to $1.00 per gallon at the pump, depending on how they will price carbon credits.

So, you think Steve is right? You are saying that the only way that they can enforce their agenda is by disarming the political class? Sounds pretty serious, don't you think? I think the public is much smarter than that. Eighteen months from now, the people will elect a new government. I think we can hold out until then.

[mawilson 2,133]

So, you think Steve is right? You are saying that the only way that they can enforce their agenda is by disarming the political class? Sounds pretty serious, don't you think? I think the public is much smarter than that. Eighteen months from now, the people will elect a new government. I think we can hold out until then.

Who? It's the same fascist regime - Republicans *and* Democrats. They all need to go.

[NickD 203]

My wife had to take an oath that she wouldn't overthrow the government, not exactly sure how she would go about that even if she wanted to.

But that got me to wondering, if you vote for anyone except the incumbents, isn't that an act of overthrowing the government? Could it be that these republicans have already been overthrowed?

Ironically, in my states' elections, I do vote republican, they seem to have a lot more common sense than the democrats and are more conservative as to how they spend my money. That is some republicans, others got us deep in debt. Would be nice if we had a party that represented the people, but if we voted for them, someone will be yelling, we are trying to overthrow the government.

[mawilson 2,133]

My wife had to take an oath that she wouldn't overthrow the government, not exactly sure how she would go about that even if she wanted to.

Vote them out.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

So, you think Steve is right? You are saying that the only way that they can enforce their agenda is by disarming the political class? Sounds pretty serious, don't you think? I think the public is much smarter than that. Eighteen months from now, the people will elect a new government. I think we can hold out until then.

Who? It's the same fascist regime - Republicans *and* Democrats. They all need to go.

There are Libetarians of both stipes scattered in amongst the Bible thumpers and the previated deverts. All we have to do is hold the center, and neither extreme can do anything without us. We used to be called Reagan Democrats, Yellow Dogs, and Blue Dogs. We are still there.

Edited April 20, 2009 by Mister_Bill

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I think this talk of "revolution" is a tad exaggerated tbh.

This is probably one of those issues that appears to be more of a problem the more articles about it are posted.

Revolution won't happen and everyone knows it.

Don't be so sure. People might not like the idea of having to work the first six months of every year (as I do)

just to pay their tax bill. Right now they are sticking it to the rich, but the top 5% don't have enough money

to pay for all their entitlement programs, even if they were taxed at 100%. At some point, the government

will have to revise their definition of "the rich" downwards and start looking for new methods of revenue

enhancement, because income taxes aren't going to bring in enough revenue.

"Cap and Trade" is just one example of a hidden tax on the middle class. Cap-and-trade will cost you between

$0.20 to $1.00 per gallon at the pump, depending on how they will price carbon credits.

Look at the historical tax rates for the top 2 percent income earners over the last century. If you don't like our tax rates, perhaps try going back to the UK.

[almaty 19]

revolution talk and action..was rampant in the 60s and early 70s....it did not happen, but changed the face of america to this day

[fozzie 41]

I think this talk of "revolution" is a tad exaggerated tbh.

This is probably one of those issues that appears to be more of a problem the more articles about it are posted.

Revolution won't happen and everyone knows it.

Don't be so sure. People might not like the idea of having to work the first six months of every year (as I do)

just to pay their tax bill. Right now they are sticking it to the rich, but the top 5% don't have enough money

to pay for all their entitlement programs, even if they were taxed at 100%. At some point, the government

will have to revise their definition of "the rich" downwards and start looking for new methods of revenue

enhancement, because income taxes aren't going to bring in enough revenue.

"Cap and Trade" is just one example of a hidden tax on the middle class. Cap-and-trade will cost you between

$0.20 to $1.00 per gallon at the pump, depending on how they will price carbon credits.

Look at the historical tax rates for the top 2 percent income earners over the last century. If you don't like our tax rates, perhaps try going back to the UK.

I was thinking along these lines. Everyone is making out that Obama is the Tax King and he wants all your money, no more than any other president. People in many other countries pay much more in taxes. The price of petrol in England is ludacrous because of the taxes!!

[mawilson 2,133]

Look at the historical tax rates for the top 2 percent income earners over the last century. If you don't like our tax rates, perhaps try going back to the UK.

Perhaps, if the UK tax rates are any better at this point.

Though I'm not sure I like your tone of voice. "Your tax rates?" How about "my tax rates"? I live here too, you know.