No doubt everyone reading this is familiar with documents targeting “rightwing extremists” put out by MIAC and more recently by DHS. The allegation is that “rightwing extremists”—including opponents of abortion and gay rights; supporters of Second Amendment rights, states’ rights and sovereignty (Tenth Amendment); those who supported Ron Paul or backed a “third party” candidate or who have been organizing and attending “tea parties” addressing federal spending; critics of the Federal Reserve and of international bankers generally; and many others now including veterans groups critical of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East—are all potential domestic terrorists and need to be closely watched.

David Kupelian, an editor at WND, argues powerfully that the worst thing any conservative individual or group can do right now is give government watchdogs ammunition, so to speak, by doing anything violent. The danger is real, as recent events prove.

On May 31, late-term abortion provider George Tiller was shot to death in the lobby of a Wichita church by a suspect who fled in a blue Ford Taurus and was later captured. The alleged shooter was identified as Scott Roeder, 51. Roeder had anti-abortion views and had been tied to anti-government groups back in the 1990s when he was convicted of explosives charges that were later overturned (he had convictions of driving with a suspended license and driving without insurance). Roeder has been charged with murder and two counts of aggravated assault for having threatened churchgoers who tried to prevent him from leaving the scene.

Obviously this is not the first such case. The two most famous cases of anti-abortion violence are probably that of Dr. David Gunn, shot to death in Pensacola, Florida., by Michael F. Griffin who received a life sentence; and Eric Rudolph, known to have committed a series of bombings directed at abortion clinics which killed two people and injured 150. 

President Barack Obama stated for the record, “I am shocked and outraged by the murder of Dr George Tiller as he attended church services this morning. However profound our differences as Americans over difficult issues such as abortion, they cannot be resolved by heinous acts of violence.”

Kupelian agrees with the president here even if he doesn’t agree with Obama’s philosophy of government. Whatever one believes about the expansion of government that has already occurred under Obama’s watch, the real danger is that individuals or groups on the Right will decide that dialogue is impossible and turn to violence.

“Such a turn of events,” writes Kupelian, “would do much more than validate all the government’s warnings about ‘rightwing extremists.’ It would signal an immediate change of law, culture and public policy that would result in vastly increased government control over our lives and vastly diminished constitutional rights for citizens.” He adds that members of leftist groups “would relish an eruption of violence on the Right” (orig. it.).

Such incidents have long been used—sometimes manufactured—by those who want power, as do the leftists. Consider the Reichstag fire, crucial in Hitler’s rise. Such incidents scare citizens into relinquishing their rights to an authority that promises to restore order. They are illustrative of Hegelian dialectic in action: crisis-reaction-response (foment a crisis; the crisis provokes a predictable reaction from the public; government moves in with the response that was wanted all along). 

Kupelian thus recommends for all of us: (1) recognizing that we are all Americans, even if some of us view others as misguided; (2) realizing that the government is serious in seeing “rightwing extremism” as a threat; and that therefore (3) outbursts of violence by individuals or groups would backfire and have exactly the opposite effect: if the outburst was large enough, the federal government has both the will and the means to crack down and end the violence. 

The onus is on pro-life groups to condemn Roeder’s actions in no uncertain terms, reiterating that no responsible citizens or groups either advocate or condone violence. An upshot of this event is to pursue frank but civil dialogue, recognizing that while we condemn violence, some citizens do have legitimate grievances against their government and other dominant institutions. But if those labeled “rightwing extremists” have reason to believe they are being listened to, the risk that some might turn to violence is lessened.

Steven Yates earned his Ph.D. in philosophy in 1987. He is the author of one book, Civil Wrongs: What Went Wrong With Affirmative Action (San Francisco: ICS Press, 1994) and numerous articles both in academic journals and elsewhere. He has taught philosophy at Clemson University, Auburn University, Wofford College, the University of South Carolina, Southern Wesleyan University--Columbia, and Midlands Technical College, and has held fellowships with or worked on projects with the Institute for Humane Studies, the Heritage Foundation, the Heartland Institute, and the Acton Institute for Religion and Liberty.
 

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JDB said:

I agree I agree wholeheartedly.......No sense in poking the angry beast. I personally condemn the murder of this abortion doctor, not out of agreement with what believes, but because I personally believe that as my parents use to tell, to wrong do not make a right. Those of us who are working to see our liberties restored need to remember to keep a level head, and that anything we do that can be perceived as violent can and most likely will give the government reason to go after us. That being said we mustn't lay down and be walked over. Strong peaceful protest in all there various formers are what we must employ...........Remember an irate minority, not a violent one. JDB

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June 04, 2009 | url
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Pat Henry said:

Onus Pro-life groups did immediately condemn violence. Here is what I wrote to the White House, turning the Press Release around: "THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary ___________________________________________________ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [pick any date since Jan. 22, 1973] STATEMENT FROM THE PRESIDENT ON THE MURDER OF [American children] I am shocked and outraged by the murder of [insert name of a preborn baby here] as he [was being formed by his Creator in the sanctity of his/her mother's womb] this morning. However profound our differences as Americans over difficult issues such as abortion, they cannot be resolved by heinous acts of violence. ##" Thank you for listening. God is watching my heart closely, too. "The one who loves violence His soul hates."

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June 05, 2009
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Beacon said:

... I abhor violence and murder against any individual, so protest this act against an abortion provider. However, life begins at conception; taking that life at any stage is murder; protesting to a "government" that refuses to accept those facts, and enacts and upholds a "law" enabling these murders to continue, appears to fall on many deaf ears. Murder is not a federal crime, but a state crime, and states should punish the criminals - even to the point of ignoring that illegal, federal "law"!

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June 06, 2009
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MarkGlen said:

	Big Brother is watching u The get-your-guns-and-head-for-the-hills-boys need to realize they are heavily infiltrated with government spies, I'm sure. Remember Colonel Grites? Or was it Grittes?
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June 07, 2009 | url
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Peter Steele said:

Blood on your hands Justice Harry Blackmun As a strong Right ro Life proponent and my late parents had been I say blood on your hands to Justice Blackmun for his infamous decision in Roe vs Wade case. He unleashed a painful war between pro-abortionists and pro-life people and had done America no good. Abortion is wrong because it violates Jeremiah 1:8 aand our Bible Based Constitution! Balckmun should have though the better of We The People in his role as an activist judge. I am a friend of Wanda Franz of the Right To Life Committee.

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June 07, 2009
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MarkGlen said:

	A major task We are confronted with a major task, to say the least: The federal government ia almost totally leftist and so is the media, universities and Hollywood. This is the last ditch stand, I think, that Mr. Welch said we would be facing here in America if we didn't stop the forces of the world conspiracy. We didn't stop them back then so we must do it now.
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June 07, 2009 | url
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Thomas Paine said:

	Fascism is moving in The article is on the money. The Reichtag fire by Hitler can be compared to 911 by the current Neo-cons. The NWO is moving quickly to take total control. We must show the Government that they are the criminals, not us. We must not be subordinated to the Government. They are to serve us, not the other way around.
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June 07, 2009
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Stophel said:

	... I will disagree with one major point in this article "we are all Americans". No, I'm afraid we are not. Just because you happen to live in America, does not make you an American. When there are people who are viscerally opposed to all that America is supposed to be, they are not Americans. They are not "just misguided". It has gotten way beyond "just misguided".
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June 08, 2009
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