I was selling flags at a gun show all weekend and had to spend yesterday evening catching up with a news cycle that’s finally catching up with me. Frank Rich recognized the teabag terror and its enablers:
Are these politicians so frightened of offending anyone in the Tea Party-Glenn Beck base that they would rather fall silent than call out its extremist elements and their enablers? Seemingly so, and if G.O.P. leaders of all stripes, from Romney to Mitch McConnell to Olympia Snowe to Lindsey Graham, are afraid of these forces, that’s the strongest possible indicator that the rest of us have reason to fear them too.
The FBI also raided a “Christian” militia group. From the Hutaree website:
We believe that one day, as prophecy says, there will be an Anti-Christ. All christians must know this and prepare, just as Christ commanded. Luke 22:35-37, And He said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?” So they said, “Nothing.” 36, Then he said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. 37, “For I say to you that this which is written must be accomplished in me: ‘And He was numbered with transgressors,’ For the things concerning Me have an end.” This clearly states the reason for the training and preparation of the Hutaree.
Conveniently not included is Luke 22:38: “The disciples said, ‘See, Lord, here are two swords.’ ‘That is enough,’ he replied.”
Rich is essentially recognizing what I warned about one year ago. Now, I’ll make a second prediction: the mutterings among the tea party demographic will commence. My next gun show will feature at least one addled personality telling me the Hutaree, who were apparently planning to attack Muslims, were no danger to anyone. Right-wing radio will catch fire; denunciations of Teh Obamanon™ will use the same language aimed at Clinton from 1993-1995. We may even hear the term “jackbooted government thugs” used again.
And someone, somewhere will take it as a sign to begin the apocalypse.
Of course, inevitably there will be claims of an “inside job” and a “false flag” operation. There always are. The Samsara of Wacky does not permit any sort of introspection that might tear a hole in the paranoid universe.
Two swords are never enough. A dozen swords are not enough. There is no limit to the rationalizations of an apocalyptic mind.
