Joe Stack, the man who flew a private plane into an IRS office in Austin Texas in February, and John Patrick Bedell, the recent Pentagon shooter seem to have too much in common. No physical ties between the two or with the Tea Party Movement have been reported. However, the similarities between the two is notable and both adhered to ideologies that are a common thread running through the Tea party Movement.
Each man could be traced back to ideological postings on the internet, and each man believed in Anti-Government conspiracy theories. They shared an apparent paranoia reminiscing of rantings by people like Lou Dobbs and Glen Beck as well as a host of right wing celebrities found on the Fox News Channel.
I don't see any of this as a coincidence and neither do many others. Right wing conspiracy theories often draw people who are full of resentment and paranoia. These people are primarily white and often exhibit racism in the form of resentments to minorities.
The Tea Party Movement is driven by people like this. While there maybe some who have seemingly rational opinions over taxation and government interference in their lives, there usually is deep seated emotional problems or insecurities at the base of most persecution complexes that lead to such ideas.
What all this boils down to, is we may be seeing the advancement of a epidemic of social dysfunction stemming from the aggressive manipulation of the inner problems of a whole group of Americans by people with ulterior agendas. Organizations like Fox News use the worst part of people's emotions to generate profits through advertisement. Politicians on the right side of the political spectrum manipulate those emotions in order to gain power. By amplifying a certain demographics weaknesses, they are actually like dope dealers manipulating peoples internal sickness for their own gain.
These people often preach against things they are the most guilty of, like aversion to personal responsibility. What make them susceptible to such manipulation are their own issues with guilt and desire to escape their own responsibility for their own lives. If they didn't succumb to propaganda about conspiracies and the government being bad, they would have to reflect on their own short comings and how spent a portion of their lives ignoring moral principles in order to fulfill their own selfish desires.
It is almost like they are a bunch of spoiled, lazy children whining and throwing as tantrum to keep from facing the fact they are not entitled to take and take from society without giving back. And like children, they feed on each others problems.
This situation would be just a sad situation if it weren't getting dangerous. These ideologies also draw people who are on the edge mentally and they further aggression while drawing many that already promote an aggressive culture.
It's high time we take notice and become active in no longer treating these people as having legitimate concerns. This IS domestic terrorism. They are no less crazy than the 19 Islamic extremist that caused the tragedies of 911.
The Internal Revenue Service has offices in the building, including its civil enforcement and criminal investigations divisions, said Special Agent Michael Lemoine, a spokesman for the criminal investigations division.
He said that some IRS offices are on the first floor, which Lemoine said was hit by the plane.
He said that the criminal investigations division personnel are safe and accounted for. He did not have information on the civil division workers, who conduct audits and other activity at the offices
web0219crash.jpg
According to an FBI agent who asked not to be identified because he isn't authorized to release information, the incident is being investigated as an accident, although eyewitnesses said the plane seemed to come in at full throttle. He said the plane was out of Waco and that Federal Aviation Administration officials are en route to the scene.
I used to live and work not a half mile from this site. Keep a good thought and if you can spare a prayer, that won't go amiss either.
Well if we've met you know I have 2 big passions besides electing more & better Democrats - AIDS Walk Austin (for which I was the biggest fundraiser last October) and the Hill Country Ride for AIDS, which I'll be participating in for the 11th time in April. I've been the top fundraiser for the Ride before & both the Ride and I have big fundraising goals this year. I want to raise $10,000 which is a crazy big goal for an individual and the Ride has a goal of $700,000.
Hi. I happen to share a birthday with Jim Hightower, who is a great rabble-rouser and role model (a much, much older role model). I have received lots of birthday wishes from folks here - beautiful pictures, lots of balloons & flowers (poli even used my favorite Hubble shot)
(The AIDS walk is today and showing our support is a vital part of being a community!!! Thanks to Becky and all the hundreds of people who are such a strong part of the community and care so much. - promoted by refinish69)
cross-posted at DK & BOR
The 22nd annual AIDS Walk Austin is this Sunday, October 18. If you are in the Austin area, you really should ome down to City Hall. Registration opens at 12:30, step-off is at 2. As I write this, I am the top second-highest fundraiser for the Walk, and they've raised 68% of their goal amount.
On September 14 & 15, reataurants all across Austin will be doing something very generous, donating a portion of their proceeds to AIDS Services of Austin. You can find a full list of participating restaurants here but follow me below the fold and I'll tell you more.
(Thanks for this report. If any of y'all have rpts on rallies in neck of the woods, I'd love to see them on TK. - promoted by boadicea)
Crossposted at Dailykos
Yesterday in Austin, Texas, under the hot, blazing sun, I was certainly proud to stand with like-minded citizens in favor of health care for all.
As you might expect, there was a counter rally of people who do not wish to show compassion on their fellow human beings. According to some on that side, somehow people who insurance companies REFUSE to cover are to blame for the fact that they do not have health insurance.
So much ignorance and hate, so little time. More below.
I am not nearly as active on Texas Kaos as I should be. I get busy talking to a group of friends over at Daily Kos & that takes all my computer time. But here I am with my annual post about AIDS Walk Austin. This is the 22nd year, I have been there every time and I writing this to seek both donations and walkers.
(Welcome news, indeed. Thanks for bringing it to our attn. - promoted by boadicea)
Austin, Texas City Council Members Laura Morrison and Bill Spelman have submitted a resolution to the city council to beef up the city's non-discrimination policy as it applies to companies bidding on city contracts. Under a 1992 ordinance, companies that submit bids for city contracts must sign a form that the company does not discriminate against current or prospective employees on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity among other factors, but the policy provided no assurance that the company was actually complying with those non-discrimination tenets. Under the Morrison-Spelman proposal, the ordinance would be amended and companies would now be required to show proof of their non-discrimination policy and authorize the termination of contractors that do not comply with the policy and prevents them from being awarded future contracts until they are within compliance.
More info and a copy of the draft resolution are below the fold.
(TK supports the Iranian people. - promoted by boadicea)
In light of the tragic and blatantly fraudulent presidential election in Iran, a group of both Iranian and non-Iranian students and concerned citizens of Austin and San Antonio are coming together to hold a demonstration and march at the Texas Capitol today (Wednesday) at 5:00pm in solidarity with the people of Iran and to show our disappointment with and disapproval of the election results.
NARAL Pro-Choice Texas, Whole Woman's Health, Jane's Due Process, Planned Parenthood of the Texas Capitol Region, The Lilith Fund, Texas Association of Planned Parenthood Affiliates, Austin Women's Health Center, and the Women's Health and Family Planning Association of Texas invite you to join us for a:
CANDLELIGHT VIGIL TO HONOR DR. GEORGE TILLER
Thursday, June 4th at 8:00 p.m.
The Hill at Butler Park
903 W Riverside Dr, Austin, TX
Located between Riverside Drive and Barton Springs. Immediately west of Palmer Events Center.
Whether you're able to attend in person or not, please include Dr. Tiller, his family, friends, and patients in your prayers.
Then, let's redetermine to carry on the compassionate work he devoted his life to. Keep reproductive health choices safe and available to women all over this nation.
Mayoral candidate Lee Leffingwell was in a planned runoff with Brewster McCraken for Mayor of Austin, but yesterday, McCraken conceded because a runoff would have been costly for Austin.
(Just a small example of what is right with Texas. - promoted by boadicea)
The Democratic youth vote in Texas went up over 300% in 2008. Want to know what this surging demographic is up to next? Catch the movers and shakers of the Texas youth movement at the Texas Young Democrats Convention in Austin this weekend.
So, I know I haven't been around TK much lately - sorry about that. But I popped in to tell you that the Hill Country Ride is in a little over 3 weeks, on Apr. 25. I've raised $2091, which is quite good, and includes donations from folks who have donated more than once, and one really gigantic donation (thank you, Karen, you are the best!!). And sfbob & I had quite a nice response to the WGLB diary on DK a couple of weeks ago - that was really a lot of fun. But I really want to do better. (Ideally, I'd love a repeat of last year's "top fundraiser" performance, it was fun & I'd be really proud to do that again) If you have already donated - and many of you have - please pass this message on to any friends you think might be able to donate. The agencies benefiting from the Ride have had their budgets slashed to the bone.
Even though the Texas Republican primary is still about a year away, the race for Governor is already well underway.
Last week former Vice Presidential candidate and current Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin endorsed Governor Rick Perry; this rings as strangely ironic since only a few months ago during the Presidential campaign Palin misquote former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to suggest why women should support her candidacy for Vice President.
"There's a place in Hell reserved for women who don't support other women."
Whether or not Palin's endorsement of Governor Perry will help his campaign remains to be seen, although primary voters in Texas Republican primaries tend to be dominated by the conservative base of the Republican Party.
Hutchison's only chance to win the GOP Primary-typically dominated by Christian conservatives-is to attract new voters to the primary. That means she'll be doing her best to get Democrats, liberal Republicans who don't vote in the GOP Primary, and independents into the primary. For Democrats who may cross over, Palin is poison, and it will turn both Democrats and independents away from Perry. It will, however, probably a wash for liberal Republicans who aren't typical GOP Primary voters.
Being homeless in Austin has taken on a new dimension as I try and deal with my mystery disease. The numbness I described in my last diary has now spread to almost 60% of my body. I was taken by ambulance to the emergency room at Brackenridge Hospital on the 11th of January at 12:30 and was admitted to the hospital at 9pm. I have now had so many blood samples drawn that I feel like a pin cushion. LOL
Being homeless in Austin is proving to be more than a full time job. There are so many appointments to make and buses to catch that there doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day sometimes. I am not complaining about all I have to get done but the hurry up and wait system seems to wear on me more and more each day. It has not helped that I had acute bronchitis and now have some weird neurological disorder that they cannot diagnose.
Christmas can be a trying time for anyone but even more so for a homeless person. There are so many things you wish you were doing besides standing in line or running around for meetings or appointments but life does not take a holiday. It didn't help that the public library and Work Source were both closed for 3 days this week and will be closed for those same days next week. You do what you have to do and keep going.
Voices call out:
Hey, you got a smoke
Some weed
A dollar
A blanket
The crowd shuffles as lines form for
Food, beds, blankets, showers, toilets
Feet stomping, shuffling, slipping and sliding
While more lines form and hoops appear to jump through
Voices call out:
Food Truck coming
There's the law
Someone died last night
Who lost their bunk
New lines form
Same old faces
Strange ones mixed in
As the Homeless Shuffle continues
Find a bed
A job
A fix
Themselves
Voices call out:
F YOU!!!
Baby, you okay
Get Lost!!!
You can do it
The crowd shuffles
As some escape
Some Out
Some Down
Some just gone
Replaced by new faces & New Stories
As the Homeless Shuffle moves on
