Certainly this teachable moment will put an end to all the heated, class-warfare rhetoric we’ve been hearing lately:
The FBI arrested five men Monday evening, saying they had planted what were believed to be explosive devices under the Ohio 82 bridge over Cuyahoga Valley National Park as part of a May Day protest today.
The five men were “self-proclaimed anarchists,” who intended to detonate two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) under the bridge in Sagamore Hills, but had purchased the inert devices from undercover FBI agents, officials said.
The FBI press release identifies the five men arrested – according to Breitbart.com two of them may be Occupy organizers – and provides more details on the plot hatched by the anarchist group:
According to that complaint, [Douglas] Wright,[Brandon] Baxter, and [Anthony] Hayne are self-proclaimed anarchists who formed into a small group and considered a series of evolving plots over several months.
The initial plot involved the use of smoke grenades to distract law enforcement in order for the co-conspirators to topple financial institution signs atop high rise buildings in downtown Cleveland, according to the complaint.
The plot later developed to the utilization of explosive materials. The defendants conspired to obtain C-4 explosives contained in two improvised explosive devices to be placed and remotely detonated, according to the complaint.
How intent were these anarchists on actually carrying out the attack? According to the FBI, the suspects had actually planted the explosive devices (inert ones purchased from undercover agents) and attempted to detonate them before they were arrested.
The left wonders why Moveon.org has been trying so desperately to co-opt the Occupy movement before it fully emerges for the spring. This is why. Moveon.org realizes that the Occupy movement could be highly useful for energizing progressive voters to vote Democrat. But for that to happen, Occupy leadership can’t be cooking up bomb plots, ignoring widespread rape on campsites, and destroying public property.
It’s been said a million times in a million different stories, but imagine if this had been related to the Tea Party. The plot would be pinned on the entire conservative movement, Republican lawmakers would be asked by the media to publicly condemn the Tea Party, and President Obama would suddenly find time in his schedule for one of his rare press conferences. That’s not to say that Democrats, or the progressive movement as a whole, should be blamed for this incident. But an acknowledgement of the double standard from the media would be nice.
The Occupy Movement has chosen May Day as its holiday, following Marxist tradition. It talks of the 99% vs. the 1%, following the Marxist view that there are no differences among humans except those caused by the economy. And it has no demands, meaning that its demands can never be met. nThe Tea Party is linked to the pro-gun movement. Retired Representative Jay Dickey, Republican of Arkansas, has said, “We have the right to bear arms because of the threat of government taking over the freedoms that we have” (cited in The New York Times, January 25, 2011). Representative Dickey is in favor of overthrowing the government of the United States by force and violence. nThe Tea Party is opposed to any increase in taxes for any reason whatsoever. Since taxes are necessary to support the functioning of the government, the Tea Party is in effect opposing the ability of the United States to exist. nThe leftists in Cleveland attempted to set off a bomb. Rightists successfully blew up a building in Oklahoma City in 1995. nThe Left is the Right. Extremes meet.
George: n nYou raise a good point about the extreme rhetoric used on both sides of the political spectrum, Left and Right, whether informed by Marxism or Christianity. Both have persons who hijacked the debate, fuelled by anger, resentment and vengeance. The partisan media, simple in its analysis and looking to make a buck, needs to re-examine its policies in light of its greater responsibility. Where are the more moderate centrists these days?
"The Tea Party is linked to the pro-gun movement … Representative Dickey is in favor of overthrowing the government of the United States by force and violence … The Tea Party is opposed to any increase in taxes for any reason whatsoever." – g_jochnowitz n nWhat's your proof of these extravagent claims? Be specific.
I'm sure it will come out — I think — but I'm from northern Ohio and the first local TV reports didn't mention OWS at all, only anarchists. Admittedly I haven't seen long, detailed reports yet.