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Related: About this forumNew 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 Points 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 Americas 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 practicestiming, 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.)
Historic NY
(37,810 posts)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)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
(16,348 posts)They're going to threaten to stop funding the USMA...
samsingh
(17,900 posts)kestrel91316
(51,666 posts)theoretically worship, saying this sort of thing.
This won't end well.
patrice
(47,992 posts)calimary
(84,186 posts)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)to change their behavior, especially political behavior.
The FBI are themselves terrorists.