A Wave of Blood Washes Over America

by Cliopatria

(because of some crank calls)

In my last post here, I discussed a Newsweek story about a great "Surge of Hate" related to right-wing protest -- just like southern nightriders! -- in the United States. Among the claims in that story was this one:

"Senate Sergeant at Arms Terrance W. Gainer said last week that serious threats to members of Congress had nearly tripled, from 15 in the last three months of 2009 to 42 in the first quarter of 2010, with most of them coming in March during the height of the health-care debate."

But the story didn't describe specific threats made against specific members, and I've been looking for information that would bring some substance to the claim of tripled threats. So here, at last, is an AP story on the threats. Four paragraphs describe specific"threats." Try not to laugh out loud:

"The most notable police action was the arrest this week of Gregory Giusti, 48, of San Francisco, who police said was so angry over the health care act that he made at least 48 calls to Pelosi's homes and offices. Pelosi told the FBI the caller had used 'extremely vulgar and crude language' on two occasions when she answered the phone at her Washington home."

I challenge any taker to find a threat described in that paragraph. Deeply rude and obnoxious behavior, yes. Where's the threat? (Somebody used" crude language" a lot on the phone -- that's like murdering black men! The nightriders are back!)

Next:

"Also this week, authorities in Yakima, Wash., arrested Charles Alan Wilson, 63, on a charge of threatening Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. In a phone conversation with an FBI agent posing as a member of a group opposing health care legislation, Wilson confirmed that he had made repeated calls to Murray and Washington's other Democratic senator, Maria Cantwell, and said, 'I do pack, and I will not blink when I'm confronted. ... It's not a threat; it's a guarantee.'"

I challenge any taker to find a threat described in that paragraph. And no,"I will not blink when I'm confronted" is not a threat -- it means precisely that he'll defend himself if he's confronted, if someone comes at him. Where's the language that says this guy will go to someone's house or office and attack them?

Somebody called Patty Murray and yelled naughty words at her -- it's just like what Ben Tillman did! They're brownshirts!

Chickenshit won't pass for a firestorm, no matter how much a gang of news media idiots pumps the bellows. If you're one of the reporters involved in spreading this absurd propaganda, go crawl into a hole and wallow in your shame -- you're a fool.

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More Comments:

Chris Bray - 4/12/2010

Withdraw if you prefer to, but I'd welcome you to take a shot at reframing the discussion in a way that you think would generate more of what you consider to be "light."

Personally, I don't think heat and light are mutually exclusive. This is my understanding of what historians do: a vigorous and spirited debate over evidence. I've enjoyed it and appreciated it.

Alan Allport - 4/12/2010

I'm not sure if this question is specifically directed at me or not, but if it is, then I reject its zero-sum premise - that if I deplore one kind of crime then I need to see others in a correspondingly less serious light. I am appalled when the state abuses its powers and I am appalled when private citizens use violence to pursue what should be peaceful political goals.

Please note that I am going to respectfully withdraw from the conversation at this point. I think the recent comment threads on this topic have generated more heat than light.

Chris Bray - 4/12/2010

Let me put the point this way:

How would you compare the recent allegation that someone threatened to burn down Nancy Pelosi's home with the recent allegation that agents of the American state shot a house full of unarmed women and dug the bullets out of their bodies in an attempt to cover it up? Or the recent allegation that agents of the American state shot up a bus full of civilians?

Simply: Which is more violent, government or critics of government?

Chris Bray - 4/12/2010

I don't disagree.

Alan Allport - 4/12/2010

I decline to be terribly menaced by this dude.

That's your prerogative. But I would remind you that American history is full of men whose fanaticism and persistence made up for any deficit in competence. If someone repeatedly called me at work and home and threatened to destroy my house then I'd take it seriously, and I think most reasonable people would do the same.

Chris Bray - 4/12/2010

Just read the TPM report. This guy doesn't strike me as the vanguard of the rising storm of right-wing terror -- he strikes me as the vanguard of the rising storm of dudes who live in mom's basement. He's an asshole, and he apparently made a real threat, but I decline to be terribly menaced by this dude.

Chris Bray - 4/12/2010

"when you go back to California you won't have a home to go back to."

You got me -- that's a threat.

Alan Allport - 4/12/2010

Try not to laugh out loud:
"The most notable police action was the arrest this week of Gregory Giusti, 48, of San Francisco, who police said was so angry over the health care act that he made at least 48 calls to Pelosi's homes and offices. Pelosi told the FBI the caller had used 'extremely vulgar and crude language' on two occasions when she answered the phone at her Washington home."

I challenge any taker to find a threat described in that paragraph.

c/o TPM:

"There is probable cause to believe that between February 6, 2010, and March 25, 2010, Congresswoman N.P. (N .P.) received numerous (at least forty-eight) telephone calls to her Washington, D.C. residence, one of her residences in Northern California, her district office in San Francisco, and her husband's office in San Francisco, all from the same phone number, (757) ***-****. At least thirty of those calls were made to N.P.'s Washington, D.C. residence during the period February 6, 2010, and March 25, 2010, and the unidentified caller left nine voice messages. In two of the recorded messages, the caller made threats to one of N.P.'s residences in Northern California.

Additionally, Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) Bryan S. Smith and Special Agent (SA) Andrew Pecher interviewed N.P. regarding the abusive, harassing, threatening, and obscene telephone calls she had received from the caller. N.P. told the interviewing Agents that on one occasion, she answered the Washington D.C. residence telephone and the caller used extremely vulgar and crude language and threatened her, stating "when you go back to California you won't have a home to go back to." Many of the other messages that were recorded included abusive, harassing, and obscene language."

Hilarious.