Shots fired, bricks through windows, death threats to congress members - are the teapartiers terrorists?

cnn

Shots fired at a congressman's campaign headquarters. Windows smashed at Democratic offices across the country. A coffin placed on a lawmaker's lawn. Hate-filled voice mail messages left on members of Congress' phone lines.

 

US Law:

(more complete information in the link)

(2) the term “terrorism” means premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents;

 

So far they haven't killed anyone - but do you have to kill people to be a terrorst?  Are threats against families, and death threats to polititians in the interest of influencing legistation, or to punish legislation, or vandalism, a form of terrorism?


Back to the CNN  link - are some Republican politicians supportive of domestic terrorism?  "Republican House members encouraged protesters outside and inside the House gallery, some of whom carried messages like "Vote no or else" or "If Brown won't stop it, a Browning will"

 

USA Today:

FBI investigating threats against Democrats after health care vote: 

The FBI and local police are investigating threats directed at House Democrats following passage of the health care bill, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told reporters earlier today. At least two acts of vandalism are being examined.  Hoyer said that he did not know the exact number but estimated "more than 10" Democrats had received some kind of threat or harassment. He added that some posters depict a lawmaker's face in the crosshairs of a target....

"The incidents of threats whether in person or through telephones or through other communication devices have given great concern to members, for the safety of themselves and their families,"

 

...

 

In Virginia, the FBI and local law enforcement are looking into who cut a propane line to a gas grill at the Charlottesville home of the brother of Rep. Tom Perriello. Lynchburg "Tea Party" member Mike Troxel claimed responsibility for posting the address, which he thought was the congressman's. He urged voters to drop by for "a good face-to-face chat" to "express their thanks" for his vote for the overhaul.

Tags: Tea party, terrorism

Views: 1

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jim DePaulo on March 25, 2010 at 9:07pm
no shortage of imbecile "patriots"

Far from patriots - more accurate would be hatriots.
Permalink Reply by mojo5501 on March 25, 2010 at 8:53pm
"Republican leaders continue to embrace the tea parties, though, and aren't publicly condemning the hate and violence--instead treating these events as "isolated incidents."" (MoveOn.org newsletter)


I am seeing a disturbing pattern and Republican Congressmen had better start denouncing this sort of "civil disobedience" by the tea partiers and Palin supporters. If protesters want to criticize the health care reform law they'd better find less violent ways to express themselves. What they're doing is NOT patriotic and anybody that says so is a fool. I'm ashamed that other countries are seeing our citizens acting so irresponsibly.

It should be interesting to watch the Sunday morning talkshows to see how this all plays out in the media.
Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on March 25, 2010 at 9:31pm
Huffington Post: "Will the next act of terrorism be domestic?"

The Tea Party... has entered into a series of loose alliances (of convenience or common purpose) with fringe groups like The Oath Keepers, the Committees of Safety, and the Three Percenter Movement (to name a few) While the rhetoric from Tea Party groups is vitriolic, its protests (to date) have been predominantly non-violent -- but while many Tea Party protesters may be peaceful, their rhetoric, and the rhetoric of fellow traveler politicians like Rep. Bachmann and former Gov. Sarah Palin, is echoing through the Tea Party to its fringe elements -- and the threat of domestic terror from these groups, or individuals who belong to them, has risen exponentially.



One thing I don't want to do is become paranoid or frantic myself. That is what the rightwingers do to themselves all the time. Having a flock of chickens in my yard, I have a full understanding of how the teabaggers behave. It's one thing to call them on their excessive rhetoric, the manipulative demigogues like Palin and Bachman, and take note of their chickenshit acts of vandalism, bricks thrown in the night. It's another to start living in fear.
Permalink Reply by Фелч Гроган on March 25, 2010 at 9:38pm
1, 2, 3
Permalink Reply by Marshall on March 25, 2010 at 9:46pm
Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on March 25, 2010 at 10:23pm
All points well taken.

Excuse me now, I need to go to Home Depot for some cement blocks. Anybody know where I can get a steel door for the new panic room?
Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on March 25, 2010 at 11:02pm
CNN

Condom sent to congressional representative. "the congresswoman's district office in St. Paul received the condom in an envelope dated March 23, along with an anonymous typed letter reading: "Betty McCollum you've been dry f***** by the liberal party." "

Her office also reported receiving part of a shredded American flag doused in gasoline and a typed letter addressed to McCollum, Rep. Keith Ellison, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Sen. Al Franken - all Democrats from Minnesota.

"Each of you receives part of a shredded American flag," the letter read. "It represents Obama and your liberal filth. Open the bag, it's covered in the stench you've brought to our government ... Because of you, we are now a country of dirt, shame, corruption and slime."

I guess this means they've moved on from teabags?
Permalink Reply by Jim DePaulo on April 21, 2010 at 6:33pm
Because of you, we are now a country of dirt, shame, corruption and slime."
Are they speaking of Wall Street? Or, more likely, speaking out of their asses.

RSS

© 2013   Atheist Nexus. All rights reserved. Admin: Richard Haynes.

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service