Violent Words. Violent Acts. It's Not Rocket Science.

[paft.livejournal.com]

Mike Vanderboegh, of Pinson, Ala., former head of the Alabama Constitutional Militia, put out a call on Friday for modern "Sons of Liberty" to break the windows of Democratic Party offices nationwide in opposition to health care reform. Since then, vandals have struck several offices, including the Sedgwick County Democratic Party headquarters in Wichita. 13 Wham.com

The call from the right for liberals to “do what we say and you won’t get hurt” has been turned up just a notch. In reaction to the passage of health reform, a right wing blogger named Mike Vanderboegh called on his readers to break the windows of Democrats. Shortly afterwards, several Democratic Party offices in different cities were targeted with bricks flung through their windows. Mr. Vanderboegh seems positively exhilarated by the response to his message:

"Wake up and understand what is happening in this country. You need to start listening to people who you think you didn't have to pay any attention to, because sooner or later they will get your attention.”

Indeed. In fact, someone out there is so hungry for attention that someone phoned in to the office of Louise Slaughter threatening violence against the children of lawmakers who support healthcare reform.

Imagine that. A blogger posts a call to vandalism on his blog – and vandalism takes place! It’s as if words typed into the ether actually have some sort of meaning and lead to action in the offline world!

Vanderboegh, of course, insists that he’s not promoting “actual violence.” “How ambiguous is it if I say break windows? Am I saying kill people, absolutely not,” he insists.



But you see, here’s the thing about blogging -- readers are able to see, not just the message of the blogger but, through the comments section, how that message is processed and interpreted.

And looking through the comments posted on Mr. Vanderboegh’s blog does not indicate much reluctance about upping the ante if smashing windows doesn’t work. Here are a few of the comments posted by his fans in reaction to what he calls “the window war.” I should point out that the number of comments on his blog are not high, and these were not at all difficult to find:

“Hmmm, no demopub office here, far as I know. I'll think of something...”

“One article talks about a lack of notes, the other, a lack of injuries...hmmm”

“Today it was bricks, tomorrow it will be ???? The fuse has been lit.”

“We need to track these highly respectable representatives (cough) down to their residences.
Where we can then present them a Hallmark card (cough) kindly requesting they consider the Contitution when they vote..
Rocks and bricks are optional but torchs, pitch forks, tar and feathers are encouraged!!”

“As we know, our society has its roots in broken windows - not to mention tar-and-feathers (always horrible, often fatal) and bullets!”

“I wonder if the brain dead socialist in Washington would get the idea if it happened a lot more often. 
Would a wrist rocket and some ball bearings help get the idea across?”

“I bought a pistol belt and load bearing harness at the Army/Navy surplus store today. Haven't worn one since 1981. Fits real nice.”

“Good thing 223 ammo is still cheep and available. just bought another 1000 rds for 'target' pratice. these clowns are the best gun and ammo salesman in the world.”

“4" PVC Pipe
End Cap
Portable Compressed Air Tank
Hose
Pipe Fittings
Valve
Expanding Foam for Sabot 
Brick

Paint, Scope, Laser Rangefinder, and compensator optional.

Use of above parts left to the imagination of the reader.”

“They're all whining about bricks......

Just wait until it turns to bullets.”

But hey, this is all just a bunch of blog commenters right? It couldn’t possibly have an impact in the real world. It's all just posted to upset liberals.

Right?

Well, it has had an impact in the real world. Strange as it may seem to many people, those supposedly “meaningless” comments sections on a blog (and a small comments section at that) actually reflect the views of human beings who exist outside of the Internet and are capable of acting in the offline world.

Literal people, not virtual people, who are capable of reading Mr. Vanderboegh's blog, literally hefting a literal brick, and literally hurling it through a literal window.

Comments

[merig00.livejournal.com]

me neither but it is interesting to observe how each side easily brushes off their own crazies and becomes all hysterical when the other side crazies show up.

[geezer-also.livejournal.com]

You don't consider the greens and hard leftists?....just asking, not trying to equate their destroying of property or justifying bricks thru democrats windows (I know you know that, but it seems I can't be too careful in what I say tonight ;) )

[geezer-also.livejournal.com]

there is not supposed to be an *and* between green and hard...I better go to bed before I get too far behind.

[geezer-also.livejournal.com]

Ok, thanks, now I understand your point and agree :D Good night!

(really, they are #1, wow)

[anfalicious.livejournal.com]

I think the ELF are hard leftists, and dangerous, but I wouldn't equate them to the green movement. In the same way I wouldn't equate the tea party movement with the right, however, the tea party movement seems a lot larger than the black bloc or ELF, and also seems more intent on causing personal harm (left wing violence is often against property, to which there has been intellectual arguments made violence can't be done). It would be nice to see more condoning of this violence by the right wing commentariat and politicians.

[merig00.livejournal.com]

Tea Party is violent group?

[merig00.livejournal.com]

Maybe... I'm in North East so it's a bit different demographics here. On the other hand down in CA the woman who wanted to run for congress rapidly dropped in numbers after she told Glenn Beck she has some questions on 9/11 and doesn't denounce truthers.

I'm usually trying to stay neutral on generalizing nation wide movement because I've never left North East - and only encounters with southerners that I had were the stereotypical southern sunday-church-going african americans. The nicest people I've ever seen in my life. I so want to do a roadtrip diagonally across USA NJ-CA to see the rest of the country.

[geezer-also.livejournal.com]

While I don't see a lot of condemnation in the lame stream media, I know this stuff is almost universally condemned because I hear it on "right wing" radio...the point is I know conservative leaders are saying it, because I HEAR them. All I hear or read in the mainstream or liberal blogs is that no one is condemning it.

Someone mentioned on this thread that the left prly learned their lesson on personal harm in the 60s...the Weathermen, Black Panthers, SLA, etc were never big in public opinion polls.

The "green movement" was a bad term and I apologize. It was lazy shorthand and displayed my prejudice.

[rick-day.livejournal.com]

could it be one eagerly uses the media to establish some sense of credibility, while others prefer to allow their actions to speak their message instead?

[anfalicious.livejournal.com]

LONGEST TIME BETWEEN POSTS EVAR!

Good work, I don't even know what we're talking about :P

[rick-day.livejournal.com]

I had to think lonnnng and hard about my response *shrugs*

[fizzyland.livejournal.com]

I just notice a lack of actual violence - compared to the brick throwers, abortion doctor shooters. Where are these hard leftists committing violence?

[merig00.livejournal.com]

I mean I understand that you want to forget 8 years of Bush like it never happened... but common!

[fizzyland.livejournal.com]

Listen, I remember the 9/11 Truthers and people freaked out about the Patriot Act & Guantanamo & the NSA/AT&T wiretap thing. I don't remember much actual violence - not that I consider a few bricks in present tense to represent any sort of violent uprising.

And W has left us with all sorts of debt and a couple of unfinished wars so I won't be forgetting him anytime soon.

[geezer-also.livejournal.com]

There were a number of instances given in this thread I hope you found them :D

[merig00.livejournal.com]

Well how many right-wing protests or political actions you've seen over your life? I believe (and it's personal opinion I may be mistaken) the progressives have way more opportunities to went while right is keeping it boiling under the lid.

As for the last really-really a-la 60s violence - do you remember bombing of the Army/NAVY/USMC recruiting center at the Time Square, NYC several years ago?

[merig00.livejournal.com]

Yeah I'm aware of them.

Also don't forget about CLIT (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCatFyP9tKo) (can't be serious all the time)