| In recent years some conspiracy theorists on the political right and left have spread similar money plot theories, although they deny any lineage back to historic antisemitic roots. Instead they point to the Populist Party battle over the coinage of silver and gold in the late 1800s, popularized in the book and movie, the Wizard of Oz. Some proponents of the idea of a currency plot in the late 1800s and early 1900s, however, routinely used antisemitic references to Jewish bankers. The obsession with manipulation of currency by secret Jewish plots traces back to the hoax document The Protocols of the Elders of Zion and antisemitic writings by Father Denis Fahey, an adviser to 1930s radio demagogue Father Coughlin, a fascist and an antisemite.
The writings of Jared Lee Loughner are an odd jumble of right-wing Patriot and anti-Federal Reserve themes mixed with rhetoric similar to that from people who are mentally unbalanced. It is too early to tell where this story will lead. It is clear, though, that aggressive right-wing rhetoric targeting Democrats as treasonous encourages some unstable people to act out in aggression or violence. This was the warning of my report Toxic to Democracy: Conspiracy Theories, Demonization, and Scapegoating, published in June 2009.
As I wrote in Toxic to Democracy:
Right-wing pundits demonize scapegoated groups and individuals in our society, implying that it is urgent to stop them from wrecking the nation. Some angry people in the audience already believe conspiracy theories in which the same scapegoats are portrayed as subversive, destructive, or evil. Add in aggressive apocalyptic ideas that suggest time is running out and quick action mandatory and you have a perfect storm of mobilized resentment threatening to rain bigotry and violence across the United States.".
The right-wing demagogues are not legally culpable for the violence and assassinations, but they must share some moral culpability.
In the six months following the inauguration of Barack Obama there were at least nine murders by men and women who intersected with ideologies of White Supremacy, xenophobia, and antisemitism. More here: http://www.publiceye.org/right_wing_populism/huffposts.html
Across America there is a rising crescendo of diverse voices clamoring for a public discussion of the connection between demonizing rhetoric by high profile pundits and politicians and the rash of violent attacks by individuals enmeshed in bigotry and conspiracy theories.
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More about right-wing conspiracy theories circulating in the Tea Party milieu targeting President Obama, liberals, leftists, and Democrats can be founf here:
Reframing Resentments in the Tea Party Movement: How Right-Wing Populists use Demonization, Scapegoating, & Conspiracy Theories to Justify Apocalyptic Aggression, UC Berkeley conference paper.
'The Manchurian President': Chicago's Commie Liberal Puppet: The paranoid style of American politics is alive and well. In These Times.
Right-Wing Populism & Conspiracism and the Tea Party movement.
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Excerpts from the posted writings by Jared Lee Loughner:
"If the property owners and government officials are no longer in ownership of their land and laws from a revolution then the revolutionary's from the revolution are in control of the land and laws.... The property owners and government officials are no longer in ownership of their land and laws from a revolution. Thus, the revolutionary's from the revolution are in control of the land and laws.
"The majority of citizens in the United States of America have never read the United States of America's Constitution.
"You don't have to accept the federalist laws. "Nonetheless, read the United States of America's Constitution to apprehend all of the current treasonous laws.
"...a terrorist is a person who employs terror or terrorism, especially as a political weapon.
"If you call me a terrorist then the argument to call me a terrorist is Ad hominem.
"You call me a terrorist.
"Thus the argument to call me a terrorist is Ad hominem
"In conclusion, reading the second United States Constitution, I can't trust the current government because of the ratifications: The government is implying mind control and brainwash on the people controlling grammar.
"No! I won't pay debt with a currency that's not backed by gold and silver!.
"No! I won't trust in God!" |
