Obama target as extremism risks spawning violence

The message was clear. The sign carried by a 51-year-old man last week outside a town hall meeting on healthcare in Hagerstown, Maryland, read "Death to Obama".

Just to emphasise his point, a second message was also scrawled on the cardboard placard. "Death to Obama, Michelle and 2 stupid kids," it stated.

Welcome to the disturbing new face of the radical right in America.

Across the country, extremism is surging, inflamed by conservative talkshow hosts, encouraged by Republican leaders and propagating a series of wild conspiracy theories. Many fear it might end in tragedy.

President Barack Obama has been labelled as a threat to democracy and an anti-white racist by senior presenters on the TV channel Fox News.

Republicans, seizing on the fierce debate over Obama's plans to reform healthcare, have called him a socialist who plans "death panels" for the elderly.

Rumours have circulated that Obama was not born in America and that he plans to ban firearms. Despite having no basis in fact, they have become widely believed.

A recent poll in Virginia showed only 53 per cent of voters believed Obama was born in the US. In neighbouring North Carolina, 54 per cent of voters shared that opinion.

Such extremism is becoming a major security issue, prompting fears of an attack on Obama's life or some other incident of domestic terrorism.

"This is a very dangerous situation that can spin off 'lone wolf' individuals who decide now is the time to act against people they see as an enemy," said Chip Berlet, senior analyst at Political Research Associates and author of a book on rightwing extremists.

Federal authorities have launched a programme to try to detect any individuals who might be planning rightwing attacks similar to those that have killed a Kansas abortion doctor and a black security guard at Washington DC's Holocaust Museum.

The watchdog group the Southern Poverty Law Centre has issued a report that warns of rising numbers of potentially violent rightwing militia groups.

The number of hate groups has grown from 602 in 2000 to 926, the organisation found. Its report quoted one senior federal law enforcement official, Bart McEntire, as saying: "This is the most significant growth we've seen in 10 to 12 years. All it's lacking is a spark."

Many experts believe that spark is no longer missing. Critics say Republican politicians have let loose a wave of anger tied to the healthcare debate. Fuelled by racial issues and the economic crisis, it may be impossible to control. "The idea that they are going to be able to control what they have unleashed is plain wrong," said Professor James Corcoran of Simmons College, the author of two books on US domestic terrorism.

Republican leaders are trying to scupper Obama's healthcare plans by inflaming myths and lies about the system. Sarah Palin has refused to back away from her comments over "death panels" despite the fact that the part of the healthcare bill she is referring to does not set up such things and was drawn up by a fellow Republican. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley warned his constituents that Obama's plan could "pull the plug on grandma". Former senator Rick Santorum sent out an email warning that Obama was "determined to remake America as a socialist utopia". Oklahoma congressman John Sullivan told supporters that Obama was creating an "enemies list" of those opposed to healthcare.

Fox News presenter Glenn Beck has claimed Obama dislikes white people. "This guy is, I believe, a racist," Beck said. Beck has also discussed allegations that Obama is setting up a network of secret internment camps and joked about poisoning Democratic congresswoman Nancy Pelosi. Rush Limbaugh, whose weekly radio show is listened to by millions of Americans, has compared the Democrats to the Nazi party.

Some healthcare protesters have carried signs featuring swastikas and Obama with a "Hitler" moustache.

Experts say such rhetoric inflames individuals who might already be planning acts of violence and gives them a sense of legitimacy. "It is a climate where extremists in society will start to believe their views are mainstream," said Corcoran.

Last week, William Kostric, a gun-rights advocate, turned up at an Obama town hall meeting in New Hampshire with a loaded handgun strapped to his leg.

Some were more worried by the sign he carried which referred to a Thomas Jefferson quote about refreshing the "tree of liberty" with the blood of patriots. That was the same quote on a T-shirt Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh was wearing when he was arrested.

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