Morning Briefing: Far Right Violent Threats Against the LGBTIQ Community 'Rising and Intensifying'
Morning Briefing: Far Right Violent Threats Against the LGBTIQ Community 'Rising and Intensifying'
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report concluded that 'violent threats against the LGBTQ community are rising and intensifying.'
Morning Briefing: The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) earlier this month shared a report with local law enforcement agencies that found that “violent threats against the LGBTQ community are rising and intensifying,” and that there is the “potential that these threats may lead to a rise in attacks against LGBTQ public spaces and healthcare sites.”
Activists from the Asian, Asian American, or Pacific Islander (AAPI) community demanded that “authorities thoroughly investigate the possibility that the May 6 mass shooting in Allen was a racially motivated hate crime.”
Roger Morningstar, chief of police in Morton, Washington, has been placed on administrative leave and is under internal investigation, however, Mayor Dan Mortensen said in a statement the administrative leave was “not related to investigations into his alleged affiliations with far-right groups.”
In 2020, Robert Burwell, vice president of the Washington chapter of the far right militia group the Three Percenters, claimed that the group was “working under the police chief.” Morton denied this claim, however, also reportedly said that he “supports what they stand for.”
Two men with connections to White Supremacist group were charged “with using pipe bombs on cars in Fresno by federal prosecutors,” and evidence seized by law enforcement “includes Nazi paraphernalia.”
In German, prosecutors have filed charges “against four alleged members of a far-right group that aimed to kill left-wing extremists, following an investigation targeting several organizations.”
Must Reads
Frederick Clarkson and André Gagné write that the “End Times movement is well underway and is being felt throughout society. At least since the January 6th insurrection, there’s wide recognition that the stability of constitutional democracy is at stake. Less well recognized (although reported here at RD) is the role of NAR in the events leading up to January 6th. Even less well known is how NAR theology makes it politically tick. But sound knowledge of these formidable opponents of democracy is simply not optional in this volatile time. Briefly, increasing numbers of Pentecostals and charismatics since World War II believe that a global End Times army is gathering and building strength. In fact, it’s this feature of the Dominionism of the NAR that animates much of the politics of the Christian Right. It is said that this global legion will first take dominion over the earth and establish the Kingdom of God. It features the rise of what are called the ‘Manifest Sons of God’—an elite mobilization of Christians who will have supernatural powers and will ultimately defeat Satanic forces.” [Religion Dispatches]
Nina Burleigh writes that “the gift from nonagenarian electronics magnate Barre Seid (pronounced Barry Side) is effective altruism in reverse: a fire hose of cash aimed at destroying American liberal culture through lawsuits and support for politicians challenging gay rights, unions, environmental protection, voting rights, and public education. The money will last a good long while. Philanthropic recipients usually follow a 5 percent rule: They try not to spend more than 5 percent of the endowment per year. Seid’s pile is so large that it could return an average $136 million a year, or north of $230 million on a good year, to influence U.S. law and policy. Without ever having to touch the nut. For a sense of how enormous that is, consider this. The Heritage Foundation and its affiliates spent about $86 million in 2021. Heritage is a huge, and hugely influential, conservative think tank. Leo could create two Heritage Foundations and one more sizable organization on the side—all, again, without having to dip into the principal at all.” [The New Republic]
Candice Bernd reports that “more than 1,700 DHS and industry officials pushed for the deployment of more militarized technology at the border during the two-day Security Expo, the nation’s premier event for border security contracting. Talks focused on how best to procure new technologies and accelerate the bipartisan buildout of a digital ‘smart’ wall powered by biometric data, artificial intelligence, facial recognition, aerial drones, infrared cameras, motion sensors, license plate-readers, radar, vehicle-mounted mobile surveillance — and now, the CBP One app. The Biden administration’s strategy of an AI-powered smart wall and efforts to fill in gaps left in Trump’s physical border wall in places like Arizona, compounds Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s state-funded effort to finish the wall, as South Texas residents in Webb and Zapata Counties face new contracts for border barriers they say will destroy their riverfront communities.” [TruthOut]
What to expect from Radical Reports: Morning Briefing provides a daily round-up of reporting on the Radical Right; Extremist Links offers a weekly round-up of extremists activities including the white supremacist and militia movements; Narratives of the Right delivers weekly analysis of the current narratives in far right online spaces and promoted by right-wing media; and Research Desk provides monthly highlights research and analysis from academia on the Radical Right.
