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These are the threats made against Democrat Bart Stupak after Sunday's health care reform vote. They are chilling on their own but the fact that they emanate from folks who claim to be "pro-life" gives an extra batch of ice to the chill.
And of course some on the right have trivialized incidents like these, which is the opposite of the reaction to the 2008 Proposition 8 vote when gays and lesbians protested in anger.
Remember how Michelle Malkin wept and cried with pseudo disgust over us "gay bullies" who supposedly attacked people via protests and boycotts?
Nowadays she is taking to personally attacking a Congressman who dare call attention to the excesses of the anti-healthcare protests. Quite a hypocritical switch -- but business as usual for Malkin.
Remember how Mike Huckabee told only one side to the Phyllis Burgess incident (i.e. the anti-gay protester who was pushed and her styrofoam cross taken from her after she elbowed her way through crowd of anti-Proposition 8 protesters so that she could get on camera). Remember how the religious right portrayed the gay community on the whole as thugs who were allegedly threatening people, vandalizing churches, and shouting people down?
We were inundated with story after story of how gays and lesbians were "beating up" on "innocent" Christians and those stories were connected with earlier phony stories about gays and lesbians supposedly assaulting people. It got so bad that I wrote a post calling for us to get a handle on the lies.
And remember this comment:
Of course, activists say they are merely utilizing their political freedoms and rights, but, the fact is, I see a lot of sore losers who are intolerant of any outcome but the one they desire. Some are acting like toddlers who throw a temper tantrum until they get their way. Are they fighting for their rights or at last showing true colors of intolerance against anyone who believes contrary to them?
That was actor Chuck Norris speaking about the Proposition 8 protesters. As far as I know, he has been silent about the threats against Congressmen coming from various tea partiers.
Meanwhile the publication in which he ran that piece of vile, World Net Daily, is now in a surfeit of stories about "socialism," how Obama is trying to destroy the United States, how he is not a United States citizen etc. etc.
And on other right-wing blogs and such comes even more shallow defenses of the threats and violence we are seeing.
Apparently to some on the right it doesn't matter whether the protests are truly violent or not. It's all about whether the supposedly "true Americans" are protesting rather than the "undesirables."
That conundrum is as annoying as Republicans seeking court aid in overturning health care reform after years of accusing judges of being "unelected" and "activists."
But that is another column for another time.
Mark Udall Receives Death Threat At Denver Office
First Posted: 03-25-10 04:46 PM | Updated: 03-25-10 05:14 PM
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Read More: Betsy Markey, Congressional Death Threats, Death Threat, Death Threats, Health Care Reform, Health Care Vote Backlash, Mark Udall, Mark Udall Threatened Huffington Post, Threats,Threats Democratic Offices, Denver News
Colorado Senator Mark Udall on Thursday became the latest member of the Colorado Congressional delegation to receive a threat of violence this week for supporting health care reform.
Udall received a threatening voicemail at his Denver office on Wednesday, the same day he voted tom approve the health care reform bill that passed the house on Monday.
Udall spokeswoman Tara Trujillo says authorities have tracked down the man responsible for the message, who later apologized.
Earlier this week, Democratic Congresswoman Betsy Markey also received threats after she voted for the bill. The threats prompted Markey, who opposed the initial bill before the House last year and made headlines by supporting the compromised reconciliation bill, to put in a request to Fort Collins police extra security around her house. A representative of the Fort Collins Police Department told Westword on Thursday, that the department has been aware of any additional threats since they began the heightened security procedures.
"Snipers" Threat Left On Rep. Louise Slaughter's Voicemail In Wake Of Health Care Vote
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Read More: Congress Threats, Health Care Reform Threats, Louise Slaughter, Louise Slaughter New York, Sniper Threat, Snipers, New York News
WASHINGTON — The Democratic chairwoman of an influential House committee says someone left her a voice mail threat that used the word "snipers."
The lawmaker, Rep. Louise Slaughter, also says she had a brick thrown through her district office in Niagara Falls, N.Y.
Slaughter said Wednesday the snipers message was left on an answering machine at her campaign office. She said the U.S. Capitol Police, the FBI and local police departments were investigating.
As leader of the House Rules Committee, Slaughter had a major role in bringing the nation's new health care law to the House floor for a vote.
She accused the Republican leadership of failing to condemn attacks against lawmakers who supported health care overhaul.
Tom Perriello Tea Party Vandalism? FBI Investigating Severed Gas Line At Brother's Home
First Posted: 03-24-10 02:36 PM | Updated: 03-24-10 03:15 PM
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Read More: Gas Line Tea Party, Perriello Gas Line, Tea Party, Tom Periello, Tom Perriello, Tom Perriello Brother, Politics News
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Authorities are investigating the severing of a gas line at the home of U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello's brother following the posting of his address online by Tea Party activists.
The activists are upset with the Virginia congressman's vote in favor of the health care reform.
At a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said that at least 10 members of Congress have requested extra security due to recent threats.
Perriello's office confirmed that a line to a propane tank on a gas grill was cut at Bo Periello's Charlottesville home on Monday.
Tea Party activists had posted the address online thinking it was the congressman's home, telling opponents to drop by and "express their thanks" for his vote.
Albemarle County spokeswoman Lee Catlin said the county fire marshal's office was assisting the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
She said investigators did not believe there was an immediate threat to those in the home.
