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June 11, 2009 at 10:43:44

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Wingnut Murder Spree or Are WE Part of the Problem?

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By Rob Kall (about the author) Page 1 of 3 page(s)

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For OpEdNews: Rob Kall - Writer

Last week, a right wing extremist known to be mentally ill murdered an abortion doctor, who Bill O'Reilly repeatedly called "Tiller the baby killer."

Yesterday an imbalanced right wing extremist killed a guard at the Jewish Holocaust Museum.

What's next? A gay couple shot in a gay marriage state as they are wed? A cop shot because he finds an unregistered weapon? African Americans at church? Muslims at mid-day prayer at a mosque? Jews in a synagogue? Latino workers waiting at a bus stop? Protesters run over and killed while peacefully protesting the war?

The extremist right wing echo chamber has decided to sow unrest by characterizing left wingers and their positions as anti-american, murderous, traitorous, thieving, criminal, family-threatening, communist, socialist, perverted, deranged... and it is working. This is more than sowing unrest. It is sowing ideation-- ideas of killing.

The extremist left wing blogosphere (they don't have an effective mainstream media echo chamber presence,) composed of anarchists, extremist libertarians and conspiracy theorists rails about Zionist plots, about a New World Order that aims to imprison Americans in concentration camps, about government as Mordor (the evil entity in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.) And these people are also interested in their gun rights and fighting. There are less of these, and sometimes it's hard to tell if they are right or left wing. But it's clear they are extremists.

Hate is rising. Unfortunately, more than 5% of the population has emotional or mental illness. Some stats suggest the rate could be as high as 26%. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) reports,

An estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older - about one in four adults - suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. When applied to the 2004 U.S. Census residential population estimate for ages 18 and older, this figure translates to 57.7 million people.

Even though mental disorders are widespread in the population, the main burden of illness is concentrated in a much smaller proportion - about 6 percent, or 1 in 17 - who suffer from a serious mental illness. In addition, mental disorders are the leading cause of disability in the U.S. and Canada for ages 15-44.

Many people suffer from more than one mental disorder at a given time. Nearly half (45 percent) of those with any mental disorder meet criteria for 2 or more disorders, with severity strongly related to comorbidity.

This means that when O'Reilly or Hannity or Beck or Savage or even some of the left-appearing conspiracy sites invoke hate imagery, or when neo-nazi, aryan, white power websites characterize minorities hatefully, there are millions of highly imbalanced, severely mentally disordered Americans-- easily exceeding 10 million-- who can be easily influenced. It is amazing that more have not already been "stirred" by extremist media and website evocations to take violent action. But that is changing. We've seen, in recent months, huge increases in violent acts by individuals. Some have been revenge killings. These two recent murders have been clearly associated with hate.

In early April this year, Homeland Security and the FBI issued a joint intelligence assessment: Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization & Recruitment It reports;

This product is one of a series of intelligence assessments published by the Extremism and Radicalization Branch to facilitate a greater understanding of the phenomenon of violent radicalization in the United States. The information is provided to federal, state, local, and tribal counterterrorism and law enforcement officials so they may effectively deter, prevent, preempt, or respond to terrorist attacks against the United States. Federal efforts to influence domestic public opinion must be conducted in an overt and transparent manner, clearly identifying United States Government sponsorship.

Threats from white supremacist and violent antigovernment groups during 2009 have been largely rhetorical and have not indicated plans to carry out violent acts. Nevertheless, the consequences of a prolonged economic downturn-including real estate foreclosures, unemployment, and an inability to obtain credit-could create a fertile recruiting environment for rightwing extremists and even result in confrontations between such groups and government authorities similar to those in the past.

Rightwing extremists have capitalized on the election of the first African American president, and are focusing their efforts to recruit new members, mobilize existing supporters, and broaden their scope and appeal through propaganda, but they have not yet turned to attack planning.

The current economic and political climate has some similarities to the 1990s when rightwing extremism experienced a resurgence fueled largely by an economic recession, criticism about the outsourcing of jobs, and the perceived threat to U.S. power and sovereignty by other foreign powers.

During the 1990s, these issues contributed to the growth in the number of domestic rightwing terrorist and extremist groups and an increase in violent acts targeting government facilities, law enforcement officers, banks, and infrastructure sectors.

Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson Amy Kudwa, when asked to comment on the tie between yesterday's Holocaust museum killing and the April Intelligence Estimate on Rightwing Extremism referred me to yesterday's FBI report and confirmed that DHS is involved in investigations. The report isn't really worth clicking through to read, it's so skimpy.

Hate begets more hate. Violence begets more violence. Combine hate and fear radio, hate, fear and intolerance websites, hate podcasts and a crisis economy where people feel they are losing all they have and we see the beginning of a perfect storm of hate crimes and murders committed by a tiny percentage of the millions of unstable, severely mentally ill who have been primed to move from sullen bigotry and anger to violent criminal action.

There were, in 2004, according to NIMH, 5.7 million American adults with bipolar disorder, 2.4 million with schizophrenia, 7.7 with Post traumatic stress disorder. These people are at risk every day. The hate mongers, like O'Reilly, Savage, Beck, Aryan Nation, Fox News... the list is a long one... are priming these tens of millions of people.

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Rob Kall is executive editor, publisher and site architect of OpEdNews.com, Host of the Rob Kall Bottom Up Radio Show (WNJC 1360 AM), President of Futurehealth, Inc, (more...)

The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author
and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.

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121 comments

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Absolutely by Jennifer Hathaway on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 11:46:20 AM

PS by Jennifer Hathaway on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 11:52:58 AM

Obama is talking about health care as I read your comments by Rob Kall on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 12:33:19 PM

And Social Security too by Scott Baker on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 6:03:25 PM

Thanks by sacredearth on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 7:58:43 PM

Well, that all sounds good on paper by John Lorenz on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 3:08:47 PM

Causes? No. by Jennifer Hathaway on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 3:18:38 PM

Call a spade a spade, but rise about hate by Don Smith on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 12:41:13 PM

Not easy by Jennifer Hathaway on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 1:19:13 PM

Discourse doesn't work by John Lorenz on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 2:23:06 AM

Not necessarily nice, but tough, and NOT nasty. by Rob Kall on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 10:17:19 AM

FBI WATCH MAKING CRUELTY VISIBLE by mssarnhatt on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 1:28:22 PM

Right vs. Left Extremists by Maxwell on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 1:39:44 PM

PS by Maxwell on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 1:44:30 PM

Stop the love of violent death by Mark Sashine on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 1:51:32 PM

Rob, Thanks for Putting Part of It Together for Me by Jason Paz on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 1:53:53 PM

Damn Jason... Thank YOU !!!!! by bucketslogg on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 2:46:08 PM

That "Aha Moment" by Bia Winter on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 11:05:17 AM

Israel gives Palistinian Health Care... by bucketslogg on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 1:25:04 PM

What about the endless droning by john riggs on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 1:54:23 PM

Domestic by Jennifer Hathaway on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 2:13:19 PM

Michael Chertoff by john riggs on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 2:45:32 PM

Foreigners by David McIntosh on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 8:42:58 AM

No, he means FOREIGN OWNERSHIP AND INFLUENCES by Bia Winter on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 11:12:17 AM

He who smelt it DEALT IT. by bucketslogg on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 2:20:37 PM

Life is beautiful by john riggs on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 2:50:49 PM

Extremism is a problem no matter which way it points. by Jim Finley on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 2:37:34 PM

It's not so simple as profit and goodwill by wagelaborer on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 7:40:21 PM

Thanks, Jim, I so agree! by Bia Winter on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 11:20:07 AM

Hitler rides again! by Eugene Elander on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 2:41:11 PM

We Are Part of the Problem by Diane Cadonau on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 2:42:35 PM

We are a part of the problem... we are too obedient... BUT by bucketslogg on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 10:14:28 PM

left-wing extremist websites? by B. Ross Ashley on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 2:52:19 PM

BLAME THE VICTIM... by bucketslogg on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 3:03:57 PM

Hi I am one of those conspiracy theorists! by arlen custer on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 3:07:37 PM

Grocery List by joe r on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 3:35:10 PM

Clearly a list by john riggs on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 7:06:34 PM

Well said, Rob by Nick van Nes on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 4:04:25 PM

Going Postal by Bia Winter on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 11:31:02 AM

"talking about the problem" is dangerous? by Laudyms on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 4:06:31 PM

see it differently by Cheryl Biren on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 5:21:22 PM

Suppose for just one moment... by Richard Volaar on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 10:49:40 PM

Actually Richard by Cheryl Biren on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 12:54:49 AM

Nah...It Was More Like... by Richard Volaar on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 4:33:31 PM

Suggested actions by David McIntosh on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 9:08:40 AM

Getting the message out by Bia Winter on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 11:44:29 AM

One local "leader" at a time by David McIntosh on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 at 4:45:33 PM

Exceptional by Teresa Pasch on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 4:45:57 PM

Comment by Jason Racette on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 4:50:39 PM

Jason by Cheryl Biren on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 6:16:43 PM

yes but by Don Smith on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 9:33:45 PM

The Mind can't have an illness by Dan Burdick on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 5:15:26 PM

AN INTERESTING COMMENT DAN by WML on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 3:08:10 AM

moral equivalency by robert braunstein on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 5:18:00 PM

Thanks by Jason Racette on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 5:40:29 PM

prejudices by robert braunstein on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 7:02:39 PM

I spent some time the other day by Laudyms on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 7:26:30 PM

examples? by Rob Kall on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 9:22:32 PM

Courage in the face of the Corporate State by Laudyms on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 3:35:51 PM

and another by Laudyms on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 5:02:18 PM

Blame by Jennifer Hathaway on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 6:30:39 PM

mongering tumbleweeds by robert braunstein on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 7:12:06 PM

No absolution by Jason Racette on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 7:27:18 PM

bush administration by robert braunstein on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 10:03:49 PM

Oy. by Jennifer Hathaway on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 11:13:10 PM

discourse by robert braunstein on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 11:26:31 AM

Forgiveness by Bia Winter on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 11:59:40 AM

I can't always be "civil" either by Rob Kall on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 6:31:18 PM

There are more than 16,000 murders by Laudyms on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 9:22:08 PM

How about going to the truthful place? by bucketslogg on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 10:39:49 PM

Rob: WHO IS HATE MONGERING HERE? by bucketslogg on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 6:19:59 PM

Napoleon made violence and guns romantic. by John Hanks on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 6:31:57 PM

Re: the way to transform hatred is . . . by Cathy Lynn Pagano on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 7:09:31 PM

condescension by robert braunstein on Saturday, Jun 13, 2009 at 7:25:02 AM

part of the problem? by APE131313 on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 7:36:28 PM

The American Gun Culture by John Little on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 7:40:13 PM

Guns in the '30s by Darren Wolfe on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 8:44:11 PM

Darren by John Little on Saturday, Jun 13, 2009 at 2:58:57 PM

John, I agree whole heartedly. by Bryan Emmel on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 1:26:28 AM

Brian by John Little on Saturday, Jun 13, 2009 at 3:24:09 PM

I Try My by shadow dancer on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 7:59:52 PM

I am accused. by richard on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 7:59:58 PM

Just curious. by Allan Wayne on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 11:46:57 PM

Right ON, Richard! by Bia Winter on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 12:08:09 PM

Well planned Intelligence operation? by Patrick on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 8:19:24 PM

watch out Patrick by richard on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 8:42:39 PM

Precisely, Richard. Precisely. by Richard Volaar on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 4:44:17 PM

Patrick by Teresa Pasch on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 1:27:58 AM

Why are we all Crazy? by Starla Immak on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 8:39:38 PM

Rational Discourse - Are We There, Yet? by Paul Rye on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 8:56:54 PM

Actually We Don't Know if by Starla Immak on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 9:16:19 PM

If We Don't Know by Paul Rye on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 12:59:30 PM

Clarification by Jim Finley on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 9:02:02 PM

Your comments about the "mentally ill" of those who speak... by pepper on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 10:29:52 PM

Thank you for mentioning by richard on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 11:50:09 PM

Outside of the box thinking by John Kusumi on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 10:49:33 AM

Republicans' fault, as usual by Allan Wayne on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 12:23:16 AM

In a world full of insanity... by Jennifer Hathaway on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 1:01:53 AM

Fool of what? by Allan Wayne on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 1:56:43 AM

extreme hypocritical? by mary sunshine on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 2:37:36 AM

I would like to see a study......... by Ernest on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 4:09:47 AM

On the moral equivalency of the left and right by Perry Logan on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 7:42:27 AM

Instead we marched on DC by Bia Winter on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 12:22:09 PM

Manipulation maybe involved in some of these murders. by arthur adze on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 9:31:08 AM

Manipulation by Bia Winter on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 12:29:54 PM

yes, by richard on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 4:49:36 PM

Playing the hand you are dealt by Bernard on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 10:55:02 AM

crazy ? define and conquer by robert braunstein on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 11:52:35 AM

You got it part right by Paula Sayles on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 12:14:08 PM

Sympathy for the Devil by Richard Volaar on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 5:02:34 PM

How absolutely true.... by richard on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 6:58:43 PM

Pregnancy is an illness by Dan Burdick on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 7:26:50 PM

I Know Nothing About Flouride Being A Contaminant by Richard Volaar on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 9:19:26 PM

I Know Nothing - Flouride Contaminant by Dan Burdick on Saturday, Jun 13, 2009 at 11:21:51 PM

Bia Winter - "Aha Moment" by Jane Schiff on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 9:21:41 PM

No responsibility? No problem! by J. Edward Tremlett on Saturday, Jun 13, 2009 at 7:38:12 PM

A Minefield Full of Daisies by Eric Pottenger on Saturday, Jun 13, 2009 at 7:45:57 PM

Good Article Rob by Michael Shaw on Saturday, Jun 13, 2009 at 9:06:41 PM

I'd like to make one more comment by Michael Shaw on Saturday, Jun 13, 2009 at 10:22:30 PM

Van Braun is Irrelevant. by Patrick Henningsen on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 at 8:26:12 AM

This is no way to fight "intolerance" by Ingrid on Saturday, Jun 20, 2009 at 10:40:25 PM

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