Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search
 

Fire Walk With Me

(38,893 posts)
Sat Jan 19, 2013, 11:14 PM Jan 2013

New West Point Study Highlights Threat Posed by Far Right-Wing Groups In U.S.

Stop The Wars ‏@sickjew

New West Point Study Highlights Threat Posed by Far Right-Wing Groups In U.S.
http://www.alternet.org/tea-party-and-right/new-west-point-study-highlights-threat-posed-far-right-wing-groups-us

A new study from a think tank connected to the West Point Military Academy highlights the threat of violent far-right movements in the United States, leading to the conclusion that, while diverse in in their causes, they are similar in their use of violence to achieve their aims.

West Point’s Combatting Terrorism Center was founded in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, and has primarily focused its research on international terrorist threats. Titled “ Challengers from the Sidelines: Understanding America’s Violent Far-Right,” this new report instead looks as the risk that domestic groups pose to the U.S. Breaking down these groups into three categories — the Racist/White Supremacy Movement, the Anti-Federalist Movement, and the Christian Fundamentalist Movement — allows the study to examine the background ideologies and methods of each subset thoroughly, opposed to lumping them all together as most studies have.

Each of the groupings in the study represent competing ideological views, with none of them likely to cooperate in achieving their aims. The chances that each of these groups will use violence also varies. What they share, however, is a use of violence against their chosen targets — be it minority races or abortion clinics — to draw attention to and emphasize their given ideology. After charting out the various instances of violence carried out by each of the categories, the paper offers up several policy recommendations on responding to their actions:

From a theoretical perspective, this constitutes a further indication of the perception among some parts of the academic community that terrorism is an instrument of symbolic discourse which is shared by violent groups and their adversaries. Target selection is thus not based just on operational considerations, but is one component, among others, which allows violent groups to shape their message using violent practices—timing, weapons used and target locations, are only a small measure of the other components which contribute to the shape of the symbolic message conveyed via the attack.

(More at the link.)

9 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
New West Point Study Highlights Threat Posed by Far Right-Wing Groups In U.S. (Original Post) Fire Walk With Me Jan 2013 OP
Pukes are already attacking it....truth hurts. Historic NY Jan 2013 #1
It's a difficult definition. OswegoAtheist Jan 2013 #5
Once the Republican/Tea Party finds out about this report atreides1 Jan 2013 #2
kick samsingh Jan 2013 #3
Uh oh. Can't have the military, whom the gun nutters kestrel91316 Jan 2013 #4
Kicking! patrice Jan 2013 #6
Always made sense to me. calimary Jan 2013 #7
The FBI classify terrorism as violence or threats of violence done in order to get people Fire Walk With Me Jan 2013 #8
Well, that IS what a terrorist is. calimary Jan 2013 #9

Historic NY

(37,863 posts)
1. Pukes are already attacking it....truth hurts.
Sat Jan 19, 2013, 11:19 PM
Jan 2013

The study is already coming under attack by Republicans for not properly defining what constitutes a member of the “far right.”

this old list needs updating

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/04/08/717716/-Compendium-of-Right-Wing-Websites

OswegoAtheist

(609 posts)
5. It's a difficult definition.
Sun Jan 20, 2013, 12:07 AM
Jan 2013

When virtually every right-of-center politician in the nation made a dash for extremism, there's no real "far" right anymore, per se. To have a "far" right implies the existence of a moderate right.

Oswego "there exists a moderate right in America. His name is Frank, and he's very lonely." Atheist

atreides1

(16,386 posts)
2. Once the Republican/Tea Party finds out about this report
Sat Jan 19, 2013, 11:23 PM
Jan 2013

They're going to threaten to stop funding the USMA...

 

kestrel91316

(51,666 posts)
4. Uh oh. Can't have the military, whom the gun nutters
Sun Jan 20, 2013, 12:00 AM
Jan 2013

theoretically worship, saying this sort of thing.

This won't end well.

calimary

(84,363 posts)
7. Always made sense to me.
Sun Jan 20, 2013, 03:40 AM
Jan 2013

Militant extremism. Well-armed militant extremism. Whether they carry a cross or a swastika or that stupid "Don't tread on me" flag, they seem to be of the same general mindset.

For a long time, these people have struck me as little more than domestic terrorists. Attempting to manipulate people by fear, with attacks on random general civilian groups rather than engage in more formalized traditional war-making. Combatants targeting NON-combatants. In order to bully and intimidate larger populations. We've watched this from the targeting of abortion clinics and gynecologists offering full services - for YEARS. We've seen this way back in the days of the KKK and cross-burnings. We've seen it from higher levels of the establishment, with the witch hunts leveled against accused Communist sympathizers during the McCarthy hearings. We've seen this for quite awhile.

Always seems to be leveled against the left by the so-called "right." Who are ANYTHING but.

 

Fire Walk With Me

(38,893 posts)
8. The FBI classify terrorism as violence or threats of violence done in order to get people
Sun Jan 20, 2013, 01:38 PM
Jan 2013

to change their behavior, especially political behavior.

The FBI are themselves terrorists.

Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Occupy Underground»New West Point Study High...