Tonight, the 15th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow will air, for the first time ever, audiotapes of Timothy McVeigh giving his own account of why he detonated a truck filled with explosives in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. It was our country’s most destructive and deadly act of terrorism on U.S. soil prior to September 11. The bombing murdered 168 people, including more than two dozen children under the age of 6. More than 800 people were injured; damage was estimated at $652 million. Yet, McVeigh’s recorded voice, as if speaking from the grave almost nine years after his execution, says, “I feel no shame for it.”
Maddow has said the program is designed to put antigovernment extremism in perspective. “It doesn’t have to lead to violence, but it can and it has,” says Maddow in promotional spots. “We ignore this, our own very recent history of antigovernment violence and the dangers of domestic terrorism, at our peril.” According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the number of antigovernment extremist groups spiked from 149 in 2008 to 512 (127 of them militias) in 2009…
Attorney Beth Wilkinson was the prosecutor who argued for the death penalty for McVeigh. “Obviously I am gratified to know he’ll be admitting to what he was convicted of,” says Wilkinson. “That said,” she adds, “I find it disturbing that these tapes will be played at such length, giving him—once again—a platform.” She hopes that the two-hour segment will provide a perspective on extremism, not just McVeigh’s…
“Hearing from the losers who still back the policies of Bush and Cheney, I see no rhyme or reason to separate them from the violence that – for some – flows easily from their politics.”
I’ll hold them the same place as the losers when Bush, Cheney and the Republicans were in power. They all bitched and moaned. They even had violent protest. They called Bush, Cheney and Republicans “Nazis” and burned them in effigy.
I hope all 10 people who watch her left wing nutbag show enjoy her half assed attempt at a publicity stunt
We have nut balls on the Left and we have nut balls on the right. The biggest difference is the ones on the right are willing to use violence indiscriminately and have repeatedly done so. The left wing nut balls focus their violent acts against specific targets. Neither is should be accepted but Joe Blow on the street has more to fear from a right wing nut ball than a left wing nut ball.
Sure… dissent is now “scary”. I suppose that’s a downgrade from a few years ago when it was simply “unpatriotic”. (shrugs shoulders)
How many men, women, and children were murdered by the Feds at Waco? No matter what their religion, that was as despicable as OKC. Who was the terrorist in that scenario?
[edited for violations of posting guidelines]
Here is a reasoned and balanced view of the Tea Party goers, from the NYT.
“Tea Party supporters are wealthier and more well-educated than the general public, and are no more or less afraid of falling into a lower socioeconomic class, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll. … Their responses are like the general public’s in many ways. Most describe the amount they paid in taxes this year as “fair.” Most send their children to public schools. A plurality do not think Sarah Palin is qualified to be president, and, despite their push for smaller government, they think that Social Security and Medicare are worth the cost to taxpayers. … Asked what they are angry about, Tea Party supporters offered three main concerns: the recent health care overhaul, government spending and a feeling that their opinions are not represented in Washington.”
http://nytimes.com/2010/04/15/us/politics/15poll.html?ref=politics
#5 to insinuate that Waco, was in any way equivalent to the Oklahoma City bombing is ridiculous and insulting to the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing.
#6 – Did you read the post? Where were the Tea Party supporters mention? What was mentioned were anti-government extremists. Do you associates Tea Party supports with anti-government extremists? I do not and as far as I know most people do not. There may be a few anti-government extremists hiding in the Tea Party movement but they are a minority.
For the record believing in “small” or “limited” government is not anti-government.
@#3: “The biggest difference is the ones on the right are willing to use violence indiscriminately and have repeatedly done so….” – so it must have not been Left wingnuts who beat the poor black guy who dared to sell flags at Tea-Party related rally or who broke leg in many places of Republican fundraiser just a week ago (and jaw and nose of her friend),…
Look at the Left rallies and see destroyed property, people in masks with implements for fight.
Look at Tea-Party rallies and see ordinary people WITHOUT masks or sticks and no property damage…
That is data. At extreme sides for each Ayers you’ll indeed find a McVeigh – no more or less. But, at the massive levels, you’ll always find aggression on Left and peaceful protest on Right.
Happy to see Maddow bring attention as to how the Tea Party is fueling the “unhinged” (as Bill Clinton put it) towards committing atrocities under the banner of patriotism.
McVeigh is a perfect example of what the unhinged is led to do with sufficient encouraging. I can only imagine how many McVeigh’s are lurking around listing to the violence promoted by the Tea Party crazies.
Nice little snide comments at the end there, Libtard. You are such a good little useful idiot to The One. Stay on your knees in servitude, the Tea Partiers will succeed, non-violently, despite your ineffective attacks. We enjoy your pathetic attempts to slow the real hope and change that is coming.
…for each Ayers you’ll indeed find a McVeigh…
False equivalence in more ways than I care to count. Same with the rest of your nonsense.
Benjamin, exactly right. Bill Ayers and Timothy McVeigh were cut from the same cloth. If anything, McVeigh was a better Ayers than Ayers because he used a bigger bomb.
atmusky. Unbelievable. What part of “A National Holiday for the Tea Party?” slipped your all-seeing gaze?
Maddow is a media whore. She doesn’t care in the least if she speaks the truth as long as it gets ratings. Same with Ed and Keith.
MSNBC has as much credibility as the National Enquirer, and their ratings reflect this.
#11. The Tea Party anarchists are well known to promote violence – albeit veiled in softer language. Their hidden messages to the unhinged are being closely watched.
I predict the Tea Party will follow earlier parades like Ross Perot into oblivion. If their crazies step over the line in their desire for violence I’ll be demanding swifter action.
I know “uncensored” is part of the blogs name but it would be nice if those who wrote the post headlines and posts would censor themselves a little. How do we follow your headline Tea Party reference when it isn’t even mentioned in the post body? No one really cares about your garbage dump stream of uncorrelated thoughts. Find another hobby. Dvorak – you got anybody that can blog general interest stories? I’m about done sorting though this half-baked political crud on your blog.
Here’s a good fair read, by a liberal columnist, to put it in perspective:
http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/17/AR2010041702652.html
Robart…if all the tea party gatherings were like the one that writer attended, there would be no discussion here. Take a look at the speeches at that “national tea party” convention and then the “tea party express” featuring Palin….the racism and hate is right there on their sleeves. The venom and anger is unequivocal. They are riling up the masses, those words are affecting the real wingnuts. It only takes a few….McVeigh was an army of two, recall.
??
Racism is now a meaningless word. Since merely disagreeing with Obama is considered racist. The only people that differentiate on race is the Left. They call white conservatives racists and Klan members and they call black conservatives Uncle Toms and House N—-s.
Conservatives are not racist just because we disagree with Obama. Many conservatives supported Alan Keyes for President when he ran.
Comparing the Tea party to the people who bombed Federal buildings like Tim McVeigh and William Ayers is incorrect. Half of those people (who bombed Federal buildings) raised funds for the Obama campaign.
Nice, the main article does not mention Tea Party but it does mention political extremist. It seems that some people who do not like leftist don’t believe in political extremist. Plus these same people can not help themselves for falling into a trap by the headline that Eideard put up. Well done, Eideard.
The Tea party is not extreme yet. There were a few people holding their guns at events but mostly the people are harmless. Palin likes to hype up things by stating the people should ‘Reload’, Beck talks about taking back the government from Nazis and Rush says anything crazy that gains himself more attention. These popular characters are harmless attention whores but their talk can fuel the truly extreme people into doing some harm.
It is similar to the nuts that blow up abortion clinics in the name of religion. There is probably some nut planning to blow up a government building in order to conquering the Nazis that have taken over the government.
Does the right really want to defend these crazy extremist?
The Tea Party members are merely voicing a grassroots dissenting opinion.
The double standard here was when Bush was President a dissenting opinion by the liberals was considered “patriotic”.
Now a dissenting opinion is considered sedition under a Liberal President.
This is just a hit job against the Tea Party by liberals applying a double standard.
Hey JD, how come Eideard still is allowed to moderate, in light of the vitriol he seems to spew forth with his comments on each story he posts.
[He’s irked about something. I have no idea. It adds spice nonetheless. –jcd]
http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/tom-tancredo-tea-partiers-lack-civic
If not racism, you tell me what that’s all about.
#24
Not really sure where the racism is in that link. I suppose you might be referring to the civics/literacy test thing and drawing a conclusion of your own fabrication from that to the old practice of using such tests to disqualify blacks. Oh wait, that guy didn’t bring up race. YOU DID.
Lets have some more fun with fabricating conclusions!
I’m going to assume that you support having a national interstate highway system. The nazis supported a similar highway system. You support gassing Jews.
Isn’t it fun when we shit all over our intellectual integrity?
24, Bobbo, If you’re implying that the link you provide proves some sort of “racism” then I don’t see it.
It seems to me that Tancredo is talking about having a civics literacy test to ensure those people who do vote know what they’re voting for rather than having someone tell them who to vote for.
The United States is about one of the few countries in this world who tries to foster a culture of pluralism. Many people who come here refuse to assimilate into this culture and its language. They have no interest in the welfare of this country and only seek to benefit from it while being as non-American as they can be. Should they have a right to vote? Perhaps. But they should at least know what it is they’re voting on.
No other country in this world that I know of tolerates immigrants making demands to accommodate them. Any other government would laugh at you for making such demands. You either assimilate or you suck it up. In America we try to bend backwards to a flaw.
#25….literacy tests were the foundation of Jim Crow laws. Please try to keep up.
#-Guyver — “when Bush was President a dissenting opinion by the liberals was considered “patriotic”.” It was considered patriotic by the liberals but the people on the right called those liberals traitors.
So you are stating that during a republican administration, it is good to call liberal rebels names but during a democratic administration, the liberals need to keep their mouths shut about the right wing rebels.
No other country in this world that I know of tolerates immigrants making demands to accommodate them.
This blog has covered numerous examples. Tancredo’s point was clear…if you don’t look like me, get the hell out. That’s his schtick.
Please, don’t pretend to be blind to the obvious.
It’s pretty well established that there is more to the OKC bombing than just two guys in a Ryder truck packed with ANFO and diesel.
I draw remarkable similarities between the new right wing fundamentalist Christian extremists and the new jihad fundamentalist Muslim extremists. Both derive popular support from a besieged extremist and often violent religious philosophy, both identify statehood and the exercise of civilised governance as the incarnation of evil, both advocate violence as a pathway to salvation. They should get a hotel room.