Earlier today stories emerged that, in addition to the possible unexploded bomb that was intercepted en-route to Democratic party donor George Soros, similar suspect packages were posted to Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton’s homes. It appears that similar devices were also sent to former Attorney General Eric Holder, possible presidential candidate Kamala Harris, and Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, former Chair of the Democratic National Convention. (Law enforcement briefly reported that a suspicious package had been sent to the White House, but this was an error resulting from the Obama package being handled at the same place that a package to the White House would have been.)
To me, the scariest part of this isn’t that a large number of high-profile left-wing/centrist figures were threatened so closely together shortly before a major election. To me the scariest part is the number of Trump supporters willing to immediately believe that these threats are a political ploy to make the Democrats look good before the upcoming elections. Rush Limbaugh, Mike Flynn Jr and James Woods are just a small sample of those who have taken the belief-before-evidence position that the bomb threats are a plot by the Democratic Party.
Before going further, it’s important to note that, in America, there is more extreme violence connected to the political right than political left. David Neiwert, a correspondent with the far-right monitoring Southern Poverty Law Center has listed sixteen separate instances in the last decade of right-wing inspired violent attacks by Americans (15 including deaths), but was only able to identify two by left-wingers (neither of which caused a fatality, other than to one of the shooters).
‘Balance’ and ‘fairness’ would be easier if both the left and right were equally dangerous and equally connected to violence, but facts indicate that this is not true. I believe that, in America, there are more violent people inspired by right-wing ideas than left-wing ideas, because this is what the evidence as I understand it shows. It’s not impossible that a future act of violence could be inspired by left-wing motives, and as a result I wouldn’t make assumptions – instead I will reserve judgment on the truth behind any particular act of violence. This sense of scepticism is not shared by many of the Trump-supporting early responders to the Soros-Clinton-Obama bomb threat story. Many have not seen and yet believe that ‘the left’ are both violent and make false accusations against their political opponents. Below are a series of responses to just three popular tweets on the story.
That’s what I was thinking. I know it’s a horrible thought, but I wouldn’t put it past them to have planted it themselves.
It’s leftists sending “suspicious packages” to make Trump look bad right before elections. Because the left is not above false-flagging themselves! Remember the folks who firebombed the R office, or the D who painted swastikas on his own church, or proven fake hate crimes
Victim Hood is yet another Liberal Tradition. Blame others for what you do to yourself.
It sounds like something the True Believers of the Democratic Left would do
#FakeNews So, my guess is there will be a “Fake” bomb report at every Democrat house thinking this will get the sympathy support. Impeachment -FAIL, Kavanaugh – FAIL, mass organized illegal boarder rushing – FAIL…. and now bombs… what next?
I highly doubt that it’s our side…they’re the kings and queens of deception and misdirection. Plus the fact that they’re desperate…
This week Donald Trump promised a “major tax cut” for American middle classes, less than a year after tax cuts which were supposedly for the benefit of middle classes but helped the super-rich. Calling Democrats or the left the “kings and queens of deception and misdirection” only makes sense if the writer means that Trump is terrible at it.
The republicans have suffered real attacks by the far left, these packages are street theaters made by Soros, Obama and Clinton!
Far left has been always related with terrorism! Don’t change the rhetoric!
Sorry Dems. Nobody buying either the “spontaneous” caravans or fake bombs magically just before election.
The timing is too suspect. And, have these been confirmed as explosives? If they’re fake, that tells you all you need to know: It’s a liberal #FalseFlag operation.
I will bet heavy $$$ that this is pure manufactured bullshit. It has all the earmarks of yet another Democrat Party dirty tricks campaign. Why would anyone bother to attack the old bag in Chappaqua? Liberals do this kind of thing, not conservatives. #FalseFlag
Bombs sent to people who don’t receive their own mail make me wonder who’s really behind this. If Liberals would finance a caravan of 10k to invade our country, how far would they go to try to reverse their mob reputation? Two weeks before the midterms.
This is such an obvious #FalseFlag. I would bet my life the #DeepState and/or CIA is behind it. Or possibly Soros himself.
Something about these “attacks” dont sit right with me.. they stick of a false flag.. all done very sloppily to prove a point. Of course no one knows for sure but who really benefits? This will allow them to clamp down on speech and to point fingers at conservatives..
Cardillo, a Trump-supporting radio host, didn’t go as far as saying that the bombs were fake. But he did everything short of that to blame the victims. Unsurprisingly, the replies were full of supporters taking the extra step.
There is currently a caravan of migrants and refugees moving across central America. The migration seems to have begun by those fleeing gang violence in Guatemala, with other groups joining in for other reasons. Donald Trump has seemed to imply that the caravan is motivated in some way by opposition to him – a belief which as far as I can see has no basis whatsoever in evidence.
First it was Bill and Hillary’s mailbox. Now it’s “near” their home. Don’t they have a ton of security and cameras? I’m not buying it.
Accuse others of what you are doing is a Saul Alinsky teaching. Again and again from Democrats!
It sure does make a person wonder! Seems like the Dems are pulling out all stops for the Midterm round. First the “oh poor immigrants” Caravan and now the “oh poor victimized Dems.” They are pathetic in the way the go from one ploy to the next to pander for votes and sympathy!
Exaclty! Who, except those close to Soros, would have his address (or Clinton’s, or Obama’s)? I am calling false flag.
President Trump calls the left an angry mob and then these packages suddenly appear. This is so liberals can scream and yell that Trump Supporters are violent and to deter people from voting Red in November. This will not work because we are strong in numbers and will prevail.
The logic on display here, again, is extremely flawed. A quick search reveals that earlier this year the Obamas moved into a house in the Kalorama area of Washington DC, which a magazine feature revealed to have 9 bedrooms and 8200 square feet. If details like that are so easily accessible, pinning down the address probably wouldn’t take too long. Finding George Soros’ address would presumably be harder, but I’m confident that it’d be achievable for a person of average IT literacy.
It’s also notable that “Accuse others of what you are doing” is not an idea associated with Saul Alinsky (who Hillary Clinton admired as a young activist) but Josef Goebbels – the tweeter is blaming the left and centre for the ideas of the right. I’d assume that the irony is lost on him.
At the moment the investigation into the bombs is still underway, so it’s difficult to give an evidence-based answer on the motivations of the attempted bomber or bombers. A lot of the recipients seem to be centrist Democrats – there’s no-one on the list of recipients from the Bernie Sanders/Elizabeth Warren wing of the Democratic Party, so it’s plausible that the attacker might come from this background. I’m not dismissing this possibility even though it goes against what I want to be true. The responses I chose above were indicative of the overwhelming majority of right-wing responses, in response to the three most popular tweets from pro-Trump pundits when the story was breaking.
Rationality means trying to root our beliefs in the available evidence. Trying doesn’t necessarily mean that we’ll succeed, but it’s terrifying that so many of the American president’s supporters seem totally indifferent to the process.
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Why do so many Trump supporters find it difficult to believe that a terrorist may have beliefs that overlap with theirs?
What does this say about the nature of Trumpism?
David Neiwert has identified 15+ right-wing attackers in America in the last decade, 14+ causing fatalities. Can you identify any left-wing inspired shooters beyond the 2 non-fatal attackers (Floyd Corkin and James Hodgkinson)?
Given that the evidence points in the opposite direction, why do so many Trump supporters believe left-wingers are more violent than right-wingers?
Happy Sisyphus 
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