Friday, March 26, 2010

The Window War: "For better or worse, this is clearly protected speech" -- Well, nice to have that on the record.



"If this is the way Mike Vanderboegh believes democracy should work, then God help us all." -- Mark "The Montgomery Castrato" Potok of the Southern Preposterous Lie Center


Folks,

Well Potok is right about that. I do believe that this is what should happen to "democracy" unrestrained by constitutional limits and he's going to need God helping him and all his collectivist friends if they push this any further toward our doorsteps.

The article below appeared in the Birmingham News this morning. Strangely, there is no link for it on the Birmingham News or AL.com websites. Thus I am having to transcribe it. Appearing on Page 1B, it is headlined:

Pinson Man says his blog inspired political vandals.

by Kent Faulk
News staff writer

A Birmingham-area man believes his call for breaking the windows of Democratic offices in response to the party's push for health care overhaul led to at least three readers doing just that around the nation.

Mike Vanderboegh of Pinson posted the call on his blog March 19. Sons of Liberty, this is your time. Break their windows. Break them NOW," he wrote.

Vanderboegh said he believes windows broken in Democratic offices in Monroe County, N.Y., Wichita, Kan., and Hamilton County, Ohio, were in response to his blog remarks.

"I think it was the politest way I could find to send the message," Vanderboegh said.

The broken windows are part of a rash of nationwide incidents and threats leveled against Democrats before and since Sunday's congressional vote to approve health care legislation.

Sean Hart, director of communications for the Monroe County Democratic Committee, said local authorities, the FBI and the District of Columbia Capitol police are looking into the brick-throwing incident there. A window was also broken in the office of U.S. Rep. Louise Slaughter, at the Monroe County committee office.

"This action was done in anger, whether related to health care or another issue," Hart said.

Everyone has the fundamental right to free speech, Hart said, "But that right does not extend to criminal activity or vandalism . . . We just don't believe this is the proper way to voice your disagreement."

The committee has not yet pressed charges against anyone with the broken windows, Hart said.

Vanderboegh said Thursday he had not been contacted by law enforcement about the incidents or about his blog.

It may be tough to press charges against Vanderboegh, said an official with one group that monitors extremist groups.

"For better or worse, this is clearly protected speech," said Mark Potok, of the Montgomery-based Southern Poverty Law Center.

While he doesn't believe Vanderboegh could be arrested for his blog comments, Potok said it is important to put a spotlight on him.

"Mike Vanderboegh is already encouraging others to commit criminal acts, and he also suggests a civil war is around the corner if these acts don't work. That's enough to merit attention," Potok said.

Vanderboegh is among the people the Southern Poverty Law Center has monitored for extremist activities, Potok said. Vanderboegh has been involved in militia activity and with the Minutemen who try to prevent people from illegally crossing U.S. borders.

"If this is the way Mike Vanderboegh believes democracy should work, then God help us all," Potok said of the call to break windows.

Vanderboegh said he made it clear he was only talking about Democratic offices and did not advocate attacks on congressmen and their families. Vanderboegh said he has received death threats. "You want to talk about irony," he said.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Quote from article: "We just don't believe this is the proper way to voice your disagreement."

Reply: And we don't believe passing this partisan health care reform bill with purchased votes and going entirely against public opinion is the proper way to do it.

They claim they have been monitoring Mike for years and he has spoken plainly about these things on this blog since 2008.
Some of us also sent letters of warning as well. They can't say they weren't forewarned and they shouldn't be acting surprised now.

Taylor H said...

Maybe they will get the message and all possibility of civil war will be gone in a week.

Snaggle-Tooth Jones said...

"Vanderboegh said Thursday he had not been contacted by law enforcement about the incidents or about his blog."

That's likely because they're still too busy applauding.

Anonymous said...

What do they say about throwing Tea into the Bay?

SM said...

I was going through the latest posts on this blog, when I popped into my regular haunt, and what did I find.

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2010/mar/27/press-release/#comments

This seems to be having some of an impact.

I first read "The Window War" a few years ago. Loved it.

Thank you, MV, for giving voice to our feelings.

Peil said...

The article said "Everyone has the fundamental right to free speech, Hart said, "But that right does not extend to criminal activity or vandalism . . . We just don't believe this is the proper way to voice your disagreement"

They believe the proper way to voice your disagreement is yell outside their offices and hold signs...that way the politicians can close their windows and blinds to ignore you. It's no wonder bricks are going thru their windows...its the only way to make them listen because obviously a year of holding signs and protesting outside their offices didnt work.

I love how when it happens to them its vandalism...but when police go out and cut the tents of homeless people to get them to move, or only letting them take what they can carry in 1 trip, its called "giving them fair warning"

So if law enforcement can do these things legally, then constitution enforcers should also be able to do it legally. And thats all these 3%ers are...they are just constitution enforcers. Dont want any trouble from them? Dont break the constitution.

Justin said...

"While he doesn't believe Vanderboegh could be arrested for his blog comments, Potok said it is important to put a spotlight on him."

You know, Potok is absolutely right. The brighter the spotlight, the more fellow brothers are aware that they are not alone. Keep shining that light to light the way for future IIIpers.

Right on, Potok. Right on.

Justin
III

PKL said...

"Maybe they will get the message and all possibility of civil war will be gone in a week."

Not Likely. I'm making my plans on the assumption that civil war is inevitable. I hope I'm wrong.

GunRights4US said...

I don't accept the idea that MBV is encouraging violence. That's a load of dog squeeze.

It's Pelosi, Reid. and Obama who have been encouraging violence.

MBV didn't pass unconstitutional legislation! MBV hasn't enslaved my great grandchildren with debt! MBV hasn't attempted to control my life by controlling my health! And MBV isn't trampling all over the Republic that I swore to defend!

These crimes, any one of which is far worse than breaking a few windows, are all being committed by people who swore an oath themselves - and then by their actions disavowed it.

MamaLiberty said...

Kool... you can't buy publicity like that. :)

Anonymous said...

My personal line in the sand will be if the elections in November are not held for any reason. Your thoughts?

jon said...

unfortunately for mr. potok, God hates people who pretend they can make an idol be like him.

there are no rules but His.

Johnny said...

This quotation has been set into the Canongate Wall of the Scottish Parliament Building in Edinburgh:

"When we had a king, and a chancellor, and parliament-men o' our ain, we could aye peeble them wi' stanes when they werena gude bairns - But naebody's nails can reach the length o' Lunnon."
- Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832) Mrs Howden in "Heart of Midlothian"

Which, as I'm sure you can guess if you can't actually read it, is extolling the public virtue of tossing bricks at politicians.

Toastrider said...

While I'm not totally sold on the idea of brick tossing, it does strike me as hilariously hypocritical how these clods complain while they tried to brush many, many incidents of 'blue on red' violence under the carpet.

Michelle Malkin wrote a book called 'Unhinged' on the extraordinarily bad behavior of the left. Worth a read if you pick it up.

Speaking of newspapers, I see Eugene 'I can't really do research' Robinson mentioned MBV in his sniveling, er, column this Saturday. I found his indictment of MBV's 'Absolved' to be rather funny, talking about 'a man defending his gun collection from uniformed personnel -- police -- that he calls 'thugs'.' (paraphrased, I'm not picking up the paper to transcribe it).

Good grief, as Charlie Brown might say. The whole point of Absolved is following the shockwaves that expand outward from the use of NONuniformed, NONpolice forces to attempt an assault on an old man with nothing to lose from resisting. Some days I wonder if ol' Eugene can even read or write, and just dictates his screeds to an adoring assistant...

restoretheconstitution said...

Take heart, brothers, we are getting their attention, believe it or not. See the post @

http://restoretheconstitution.wordpress.com/about/#comment-137.

by Pat, and my reply. Pay careful attention to the end of my reply...he was posting from the Congressional building in D.C.

Looking forward to meeting you at the event, MV.

- A Patriot

Robert Fowler said...

It just gets better by the day. They keep pushing their UNCONSTITUTIONAL crap on us and what are the going to do when the bricks become bullets. I look for some kind of trickery between now and the November elections.I would put nothing past the left at this point. I would love to know how many of these so called threats are manufactured for their shock value to draw sympathy to the "victims".

Anonymous said...

One thing you know for sure is that "they" are definitely monitoring at least this site, now. It doesn't take much imagination to discern why, nor predict their additional actions both overt and clandestine.

As always, assume the worst and apply Murphy's law liberally. Only, almost none of this will be accidental.