For those who are old enough to remember the 60's the violent reaction of those opposed to health care reform to the recent passage of such legislation is like deja vu all over again.

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Reaction to Health Care Reform is Looking a Lot Like the Reaction to Civil Rights Reform 45 Years Ago

For those who are old enough to remember the 60's the violent reaction of those opposed to health care reform to the passage of such legislation is like deja vu all over again. While we haven't seen riots in the streets, the reaction coming from the new radical right has gone beyond threatening violence with incendiary rhetoric and open displays of guns to actually carrying out acts of violence.

The increasing tendency towards violence has been brewing since Obama became a serious candidate for the presidency in 2007. "The recent rise of domestic terrorism and extremist violence has been well documented by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), and in an interview yesterday on National Public Radio, the connection between GOP lawmakers and the extremist right came into even greater focus. According to Mark Potok, editor of the investigative journal Intelligence Report mainstream GOP leaders are creating a very scary situation (by not condemning threats and outrageous claims coming from the far right). A new poll from Harris interactive shows that 14% of Americans believe President Obama may be the Antichrist." (click here)

While Republican leadership has done nothing to discourage this and other seemingly absurd claims, talk show hosts on conservative TV and radio have fanned the flames of hatred. Before President Obama was even elected there was a concerted effort to figure out how they could remove him from office. Conspiracy theories are running rampant depicting Obama as a committed socialist not born in the U.S. who is intent upon imposing martial law, revoking the second amendment to the Constitution (the right to bear arms), and converting the country to socialism.

They also claim the government has plans to round up resisters into internment camps. Such theories have been endorsed by the likes of Glenn Beck on Fox News. He later recanted, but the harm had already been done. While such conspiracy theories have been around for years they gained little traction until Obama was elected President.

This is the environment in which the SPLC has seen a dramatic rise in the number of anti-government "Patriot" groups from 149 in 2008 to 512 in 2009. Their opponents refer to them as "hatriot" groups. The last time there was such a rise in activity of hate, militia, and patriot groups was during the 1990's, during the Clinton administration, when the movement " produced an enormous amount of violence-most dramatically the Oklahoma City bombing (in 1995) that left 168 people dead." (SPLC Report, "Fighting Hate", Spring 2010)

Now, with Obama's victory in enacting significant changes in health care such groups are using any and all weapons, including the Constitution itself, to mobilize their forces against what they see as an illegal and anti-American president. Claiming that the tenth amendment makes federal health care reform illegal and that the Declaration of Independence endorses revolution (""whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it"") groups such as the "Tea Party" have insomuch as endorsed the use of violence if that is what it will take to reverse what they see as tyranny of the minority over the majority.

Supporters of Obama and his reforms, many of whom see health care as a right, can't seem to understand why anyone would be upset over what they see as much needed reforms that will benefit all Americans and feel that the rule of law, common sense, and majority rule are on their side. The reality is that they face an opposition that is determined to throw Obama and his supporters out of office using any means necessary and then repeal any health care legislation that is passed.

"More than 10 lawmakers have complained they've received threats since the run-up to Sunday's House vote on a health insurance overhaul, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said Wednesday, and law enforcement officials are taking the allegations seriously. Plus the office of Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich. -- who initially opposed the Senate's health bill over concerns about abortion funding but switched to support the plan following assurance from the White House (that federal funds would not be used to support abortions)-- has received several threatening messages, recordings of which have been obtained by Fox News.

"According to a report in the Buffalo News, a brick was thrown through a window in Rep. Louise Slaughter's office, causing about $350 worth of damage. The report said another window was broken at the Monroe County Democratic headquarters in Rochester, and cited similar incidents elsewhere in the country." (FOXNews.com)

"A brick with the words, "No to Obama," "No to Obamacare" was thrown through the window of the Sedgwick County Democratic Party headquarters in Wichita, Kan., late Friday or early Saturday." (click here)

The FBI is also investigating a separate incident at the home of Virginia Rep. Tom Perriello's brother. Perriello's office confirmed that a line to a propane tank on a gas grill was cut at Bo Periello's Charlottesville home on Tuesday. 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.

Mike Troxel, the blogger who posted the address online, told Fox News' Alan Colmes that he was encouraging voters to go to Perriello's house. When asked if the children of public officials should be harassed at their house just because they're related, Troxel said, "You know, I think that's a burden that comes with being an elected official."

"Alabama blogger Mike Vanderboegh published a post on Friday that railed against Congress for taking up the controversial health care bill and urged readers to "break their windows." (http://www.bnd.com/2010/03/24/1187980/threats-violence-against-democrats.html) This is reminiscent of Nazi Germany's Kristallnacht, in which the windows of Jewish owned businesses were systematically broken with no consequences for the perpetrators, and is no laughing matter.

The voice mails left for Stupak were particularly graphic. In one recording, a man swears at Stupak repeatedly while wishing for him to die.

Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., linked the threats to terrorism. "If we don't disown that and go get out people to move beyond that, if we participate in it, either from the balcony or on the floor of the House, you are aiding and abetting this kind of terrorism really," he told MSNBC host Chris Matthews.

A recent article in "Mother Jones" magazine quoted an "Oath Keeper" militia member as saying "They will call us terrorists".

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has now done her part to raise the rhetorical intensity, telling her Twitter followers, "Commonsense Conservatives & lovers of America: 'Don't Retreat, Instead - RELOAD!'" Palin then refers supporters to her Facebook page, where she once again employs gun imagery (crosshairs) in offering a list of 20 potentially vulnerable pro-reform Democrats in Congress. Palin has since insisted that no violent symbolism was intended and that the media "just can't get it right". However, Palin is one of the key leaders of the Tea Party movement which is being so closely identified with these very real acts of violence and destruction of property since the passing of the healthcare bill. It is incumbent upon Tea Party and Republican Party leaders to choose their words more carefully before someone gets hurt. Methaphors of gun usage could be all that it takes to cause one of the more radical members of these groups to act on one of the threats.

Then this week, Democrats who voted for reform began receiving death threats--one had a coffin left in front of his house and another was told snipers would kill the children of lawmakers who voted yes. (ocregister.com)

Rep. John Boehner last week referred to fellow representative Steve Driehaus as "a dead man" if he voted for health care reform. And while Boehner's office insisted his remark wasn't meant to be taken literally, as Rep. Driehaus pointed out, "It doesn't really matter the way you meant it, nor the way I accept it. It's how the least sane person in my district accepts it." (yahoo.com)

And there's more: During the debate on the floor of the House on Sunday, Rep. Randy Neugebauer shouted "baby-killer" at Rep. Bart Stupak even though he is staunchly anti-abortion.

While civil discourse is in short supply, there are some urging level heads to prevail. "Common Cause believes our political system is based on a belief in ballots, not bullets, in votes, not violence. To advocate violence -- even jokingly or metaphorically -- against your political opponents expresses contempt not just for them but for our democracy." (commoncause.org)

J. Richard Cohen wrote, "Earlier this month, my SPLC colleagues and I were privileged to stand with U.S. Rep. John Lewis at the Civil Rights Memorial as he led a bipartisan congressional delegation in laying a wreath in honor of those who lost their lives in our country's epic battle for equality. (The Civil Rights Act of 1964)

The ceremony was held on the eve of the 45th anniversary of "Bloody Sunday," that Sunday back in March of 1965 when Lewis and other civil rights advocates were beaten and tear-gassed by baton-wielding state troopers as they crossed the EdmundPettusBridge in Selma, Ala., on a march in support of voting rights.

This past Sunday, Lewis was involved in another march. Along with other members of Congress, he walked up to Capitol Hill to cast a vote for health-care reform, another important piece of legislation with the potential to transform our nation.

But once again, Lewis was confronted with the ugly stain of racism. Angry "tea party" protesters shouted racial slurs at him and Rep. Andre Carson of Indiana. Another black congressman, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri, was spit on. Rep. Barney Frank, an openly gay congressman, was the target of anti-gay epithets.

Lewis said that the protesters at the Capitol reminded him of the angry mobs that confronted him during the ugly days of civil rights movement in the 1960s.

The question now is whether America will respond as it did 45 years ago when it saw the pictures of the racism at the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

Will people of good faith -- of all races and faiths -- stand with Rep. Lewis and reject the politics of hate? Or will the angry mob, fueled by racism and demagoguery, continue to swell?" (J. Richard Cohen, President, Southern PovertyLawCenter)

Authors Bio:

A graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo with an MBA in 1980, John went into the banking business from 1981-1991. John went into the gymnastics business with his wife, with whom he has two children, in 1992 and grew it enough by 1995 that he could quit conventional employment. He became politically active after his divorce in 2004 becoming a news reporter and talk show host for KPFT, a Pacifica station, in Houston. He has since been involved with the peace movement in many ways and continues to promote progressive interests. John now volunteers in his neighborhood Civic Association and the local homeless center.