George Tiller Murder Prompts Second Look At Scandalized DHS Report

In the wake of the murder of Dr. George Tiller, The Plum Line's Greg Sargent is making a lot of sense:

You may recall the enormous controversy that erupted in April over a Department of Homeland Security report that assessed the threat of "right wing extremists." The story provoked days of nonstop cable chatter, and DHS chief Janet Napolitano ultimately apologized.

Fast forward to the huge and horrible news yesterday that late-term abortion doctor George Tiller was shot dead by a man who reportedly posted on the blog of the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue. Maybe we should take another look at all that criticism?

One passage from the DHS report that provoked nonstop outrage said that right wing extremists "may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration."

I recall that at the time, I found it a bit bizarre that many conservatives seemed to want to go out of their way to identify and equate themselves with domestic neo-Nazi organizations and violent religious fundamentalists. As has been often pointed out, the word "conservative" did not appear in the report, so the race to stand up for and embrace a violent political fringe seemed unnecessary and contrary to logic.

That said, one can't ignore the recent uptick in the mainstreaming of this sort of fringe whackery. Back in April, Dave Weigel noted that Republican consultant Matt Mackowiak was likening the "tea party" movement to the "Project Mayhem" domestic terrorists depicted in the movie Fight Club. (Which I thought we agreed we weren't supposed to talk about?) And, via Matt Yglesias, here's Representative Michael McCaul urging a crowd to bloodshed for the sake of the "tree of liberty":

The Bush administration, which put in motion the research that led to the aforementioned DHS report, and Janet Napolitano, who shepherded it to its public release, seem to have been on to something. Looking back, I think it's just swell how everyone dug down really deep into the politics of it, instead of the substance.

MORE:
Time To Revisit Criticism Of DHS Report On "Right Wing Extremists"? [The Plum Line]

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Comments

[LizzieTish]

I think Janet Napolitano was doing what she thought was best for the country. I'd never considered that returning Iraqi vets would be potential terrorists until I read that report. Now you can be sure that I'll avoid them and try to keep my kids away from them too. Today's incident at the Holocaust museum drives this point home - that guy was a WWII Vet! So you never know about those guys. And if the Iraqi vets were involved in enhanced interrogations, then lord knows what they'll do when they come home. Keep up the great work Janet - you're a real patriot! (By the way, I'd never let my son go into the military - look what happens to them - just ask the DHS!)

[ThomasMc]

Right Wing Christian terrorists are a bigger threat to this country than Muslim terrorists.

[lthuedk 1]

Napolitano, like any patriot, was warning us and prepping us for the fascist response to the election. Of course, it probably wasn't aimed at the informed, but at the apathetic, the unjustifiably angry, the not-too-particular, and the hopelessly polarized and propaganda soaked she had hoped to reach. Good luck, Secretary.

Many thanks to FOXBaugh Sheep Control Inc. for their fine, patriotic work keeping the Republic safe from fascism, Leninist Communism, and their progeny, the Neo Cons. We simply do not know what we'd do without ... being told.

http://www.light-to-dark.com/ruperts_brains.html

Tomorrow's children will be as thankful as I.

[AProudLiberalDem]

Let's be careful about what we think is right and wrong. It may seem correct for the Homeland Security to pay attention to Right Wing extremists, but what happens in the next administration that may target Left Wing extremists. What is the difference between us and them? We are both passionate about what we believe is right. Just because a psychopath tragically kills an abortion doctor does not make the right a terror group. I can envision a future where we on the will be considered the terrorist group by a Republican administration and any crazy that performs a heinous crime will be blamed on us. So let's look at the whole political picture before we throw stones.

[DisgustedbyHypocrisy]

Sometimes, not very often, the government actually gets it "spot on." That report was right. But then again, who can really deny the fact that extreme right-wing radicalism exists on an every day basis. So it wasn't too hard to figure that one out! Especially since a democrat won the White House.

[henrypapillon]

The report told the truth. When the radical right doesn't get their way, they turn to Taliban style activity.The right wing politicians and talk radio hosts didn't like that forecast, but it was dead-on.

[tomasedison]

The greatest threat most Americans have to fear are our rightwing homegrown American terrorists.

[lincheryl]

For people who think they know some of the issues in late term abortion, please read some of the stories on this site: http://www.aheartbreakingchoice.com/

There were definitely things there that I never thought of and the stories are heart wrenching tales of people who want their babies but are faced with horrific circumstances.

[CoachJ]

by most progressives logic Detroit is the biggest terrorist state in the US.

Murder capital of the world.

[ZenCrusader]

These people are really really stupid. Who could listen to that ridiculous self-serving politician and cheer ? ? ? All he said was that he voted NO every chance he got. He works the crowd with totally ridiculous comments like the government wants to take ALL your money, control peoples lives.
Don’t any of these people realize the Boston Tea Party was to protest taxation by England. Jefferson spoke of the blood of patriots when referring to fighting England – not our own country. God help us when we have to live among such dangerously stupid stupid people.
I’m starting to with there was an IQ test for voting.

[Maezeppa]

It's time for Democracts to grow a set and stand by their positions. I feel like such a fool defending them (Napolitano, Sotomayor) only to have them withdraw their comments and apologize for them.

[Shaq83]

Dr. Tiller's murderer and Operation Rescue are domestic terrorists supported by Fox News. Contact your representatives in Congress and demand that Operation Rescue be added to the list of domestic terrorist organizations.

[Zhonni]

This guy is a Conservative Terrorist.

A terrorist from the right-wing fringe of the Republican Party.

Has anybody noticed how the Republicans are screaming let GM "DIE(yes, those words)"? If it were Democrats saying this, we would have been called Traitors, Sellouts, Unpatriotic and their other jargones.

[Middleclassvotingbloc]

DHS has put our country at risk by backing down on this report. Janet Napolitano should NEVER have apologized.

[donbrown]

This murder, as terrible as it was, will squelch the protests against investigating the hate groups out in the country that proclaim to be "Christian". They are truly Godless people

The investigations should go full steam ahead, and this horrendous act will help.