Avlon: ‘Wingnuts’ spread hate of Obama, Jews

This is an excellent feature, keep it up!

Wiley Drake by no means speaks for the rest of the Southern Baptist Convention. Also, your oral report on the broadcast was wrong because you said that he was the Senior Vice President. Your blog says it correctly by stating that he was the SECOND Vice President. Just wanted to make sure the viewers understood this fact.

Thanks John for holding our religious leaders accountable. The media needs to do this more often, or else our church going poeple will continue to be brainwashed to hate in the name of God. I grew up in the Baptist church and left it for these reasons (i.e. women didn't have equal rights in the family or church). Although I am still a believer of faith, I am really disappointed in many of our religious leaders who continue to advocate their PERSONLIZED AND POLITICAL interpretations of the Bible, Koran or Torah in a manner that polorizes its congretations from the society they live in. That is not love, but hate. It is about time that this be a focus of our American discourse if we want peace among ourselves and world-wide.

[...] the way, Avlon also selects Wingnuts of the Week from both the left and the right. This week he selected two who speak from the pulpit. These comments from these two are [...]

I`m disgusted about the vidoe I saw about the Texas Cop Tasering a 72 year old woman! This man should be ashamed of himself! Then he should be fired! Cops dont want to get their hands dirty anymore they want to stand back and fry someone to death! While this lady did not die many others in this country have! I say if one person has died as a result of being tazed then the practice needs to stop! This country is becoming a police state similiar to Nazi Germany!

I watched your program on wingnut of the week and was surprised on how off base it was. The wingnut of the week was Von Bronn, remember him? He went to the DC Holocaust museum to kill Jews but was able to kill a black security guard instead. Von Braun is a well known Neo-Nazi and right wing extremist. The right wingnut of the week was the killer Von Bronn, not an unknown preacher.

By CNN bringing Drakely into the national spotlight you are laying the groundwork for more hate and deadly violence. Your network has a responsibility to the American public to stop sowing the seeds of hatred in this country.

This type of irresponsible, attention getting journalism is just that, irresponsible. I recommend you dump this segment completely or suffer the consequences of the next lone wolf shooting.

Greg, extremists are cockroaches who operate like cowards in the shadows. By shining a light on them we as a society publicly shame them and show them for the fools they are.

John Avalon you are correct when you said that these comments should absolutely make every American furious. First I would like to say that I do not agree with alot of things that Obama is doing, however these so called preachers need to actually open the Bible and read it.....! The Word tells us that we are to pray for our leaders, and that doesnt mean for their death it means for wisdom from God to lead the country. Next the simplest of all the Ten Commandments: Love thy neighbor as thyself....HELLO!!!!!Pray for your enemies, LOVE your enemies. You know preachers (if that is what you want to call them) like these are the ones that turn people away from church. As a man of God these preachers should be getting together and praying for this country and letting the love of Jesus be shown. They should be ashamed of themselves. I pray every day for God to help Obama do the right thing. I pray everyday for the economy of WV and the miners, that God will provide good paying jobs in these mines for the good ole country boys, and I pray for Cecil Roberts God give him some common sense and start actually trying to get these mines opened up even it if means a march to Washington......God Bless America Again-a song sung by the Ayers Family maybe these preachers and Obama need to listen........!!!!!!!

A. Nonymous, I repectfully disagree with your comment although I understand the intent. The media, in this case CNN, is providing a national spotlight for unkowns like Drake to stoke the hair trigger maniacs like Von Brunn to carry out their fantasy aggressions. It is very similar to having Bill O'Reilly of Fox News declare over and over that Dr. George Tiller is a baby killer until the wish to have Tiller assassinated becomes reality. Again I urge CNN to stop placing obscure extremists on the national stage, they are dying for it.

Why don't you people grow up and keep your religion to yourselves? Any "organized" religion is only out to get your money, they have no interest in anything else. Like the great prophet Carlin once said, "Religion is in your heart and god is in the bushes."

good article but a bit too late now. The MSM is and has been tagged as a liberal leftwing nut organization that failed to fairly report the campaign. That will be forever remembered by REAL Americans who dispise unfair treatement by all.

Now the MSM gets morals? Too late, you failed to properly report this stuff so in my mind you condoned it.

Time for a religion free revolution. One based on peace and science. Eliminate blame and guilt. Speak freely. Let's face it – too many religions spread violent venom. By spreading a religion free message of peace, and by outing the wingnuts, we will have a better chance of a good life.

This is why we can't tolerate any forms of religion within the government, moderate or otherwise. By accepting those who are not as extreme (yet still believe in mythology) it keeps the door open for the crazy people to sneak in. Religion is the worst thing humans have invented.

I'm a conservative christian but I agree that Drake was completely out of line. Even Jesus said that if you wish a brother dead in your heart you are still committing murder. Doesn't matter if you agree with Obama or not the bible teaches that you should never wish anything like that upon them.

Great article. I am not worried about CNN bringing this to light because the crazies are already listening to these guys while polishing their guns. What this reporting will do is alert us all about exactly what is going on – I did not know just how many crazy racists were out there. It is sad that some of these people are allowed to pervert the bible and use religion to further their sick agendas.

Both of these people are crazy, but you have to love a country where they have the right to speak their minds.

I wonder where all the outrage from the hardcore fanatics from the republican party? Oh yeah, they probably agree with him.

The extreme wingnuts have got to be stopped. This behavior is not acceptable.

Greg, you are typical of the problem, not the solution. People need to understand it it not the right wing or the left wing that is the problem, it is both and you standing there pointing the finger at the right wing just causes them to point the finger right back at us.

Now – let's not call them wingnuts – that name is reserved for Red Wings hockey fans. Call them LOSERS!

Mr. Avlon – great piece (and I agree with your views on both of these guys)!!!!

My only suspicion, is that you used to be a speech-writer for Rudy Giuliani – the man who seems to lack "family values" (cheated on his 2nd wife and then married his mistress)!! Hopefully you didn't write his speech that went "9/11, 9/11,9/11, 9/11, 9/11, 9/11, 9/11, 9/11).

Giuliani is not quite as repulsive as Spitzer, but he comes close.

Well said Mr. Avlon. There are nuts on both sides of the left/right
coin. Let's not judge left or right, or liberal or conservative by
these crazy people.

To assert that antisemitism is a thing of the Left is disingenuous. There are many many skinheads, neo-nazis and general anti-semites who would never consider themselves liberal. And, as a general rule, the people on the left side of the political spectrum do not kill their ideological adversaries.

Greg, take a chill pill dude – shining a light on crazies is a good thing. Von Brunn is already in the news enough for us to know he is truly the biggest wingnut for today, surely to be replaced by a bigger wingnut next week.

I can't understand how talking about Drakely lays the groundwork for another lone wolf shooting? in addition to your lack or reasoning, it's just plain speaks to perhaps you have a soft spot for people like Drakely? Or maybe you just agree with him regarding Tiller and Obama?

Either way...it's not attention getting journalism, it's good ol fashion SPEAKING THE TRUTH. If the crazies can't handle it (and i'm not call you a crazy, but if the shoe fits be my guest)...then they best stop acting crazy!

The pulpit as a fountain of prejudice and extremism flourished under the Bush Administration. So did the secular pulpit, the broadcast talk show. There have been a string of atrocitities committed at the urging of such people. While freedom of speech protects their right to make such declamations, it does not protect the preachers' tax-exempt status. These kinds of statements and many others should be grounds for iRS reviews and revocation of tax exemptions and reductions.

The biggest wingnuts are Gingrich, Rush, and Palin. They have gone so far overboard with their communist and racist statements that they have inspired deep hatred of Obama and Sotomeyer. I think they are a danger to society and I implore everyone to boycott any sponsor of these three.

Greg-
Are you for real?
I though folks with your thinking go to prison before age 18-

"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." (Mohandas Gandhi )

Wing-nuts such as Sarah Palin

Sarah Palin, who (supported by McCain) painted exactly this dangerous picture of the man who is now our President during the disgusting campaign instead of HAMMERING on those in crowds and media 'calling out'

Grteg (posted at 8:16):

I think you are way offbase.
The idots, wingnuts, and assorted misfits are all out there.
Do you want them and their ilk to just fester under cover of the internet?

Thank God for the press.
The more they shine the light on these losers, the better.

"Them Jews" is not an anti-semitic phrase, and I have yet to hear anyone argue against his actual point. Same with the comment about the US supporting state terrorism elsewhere. Can anyone deny with a straight face that this has happened, is happening, and will continue to happen? I don't think so. Meanwhile, our "journalists" wwould rather hold these comments up as examples of extremism.?.? That's facism in action, when the popular culture (usually with state support), tries to dismiss such criticism as extremism. A very sad day for journalism in my view.

What scares me now is that gradually it will become not only politically incorrect but illegal to disagree with a politician's policies and views because it will be seen as racist and ethically divisive. We are already on that road to censorship and will likely continue along it, muc hto the detriment of free speech and democracy.

What scares me now is that gradually it will become not only politically incorrect but illegal to disagree with a politician's policies and views because it will be seen as racist and ethically divisive. We are already on that road to censorship and will likely continue along it, much to the detriment of free speech and democracy.

It's funny how this article attempts to paint extremism as bipartisan, with those guilty on the left and right. Left-wing extremism does exist and Wright is a complete wingnut by any measure, but in comparison to what Iv'e seen on the right, left-nutties pale in comparison.

Wingnut of the Week is an excellent feature. Please keep up the good work. If religion wants to get involved in polictics, get the IRS on them to revoke their tax exceptions. Tax them to hell, where they belong.
It's religion that is ruining America!

This is the best segment I've seen on CNN in years. Keep 'em coming.

You write that these extreme individuals "... offer examples of why the separation of church and state is making a common sense comeback for this new generation...." But if that's the case, then they don't understand the concept. Can it then be "common sense"?

Separate of church and state does not require individuals to leave their religious beliefs (or absences thereof) out of their political considerations. To argue otherwise is juvenile and promotes an impossible position. If religious belief does not change the way one views the world, it's not much of a belief.

Of course, one could amend the Constitution to remove the prohibition against religious tests for those seeking public office. Then we could require all public office holders to be avowed and documented agnostics.

And we wonder why so many people do not want to go to church?! We see these idiots running around with doom and gloom on a constant bases. These so call christians are the biggest hypocrites ever!

If we've learned anything from 9/11 it's that religious zealotry in any form is dangerous. Wright & Drake present themselves as pastors & their "sheep" have clearly suspended any critical thought to think for a second that their diatribe is spiritual or Christian like in anyway. By Avlon exposing these reprobates for what they really are, perhaps it will enlighten some in their respective flock or at the very least embarass them. Although for those sitting in the pews listening to their crap it's probably too late.

I absolutely agree A. Nonymous, you could'nt have put it any better... These ignorant "cockroaches" are the new breed of hate mongers that hide behind their vails of religion!

Keep that sunshine coming! We may not be able to prevent hate speech, but we can respond to it.

Let us declare that the days are done when we simply sit aside and say "well, that's his opinion" as though such talk was as valid as any other. We need to respond calmly, but purposely, to condem the hatred, challenge the misstatements, and deride the attitudes that are so alien to our way of life.

Write to the churches of these men and tell them that we will not be attending their services until they remove their collar from people who practice hate speech. Repeat to them the Biblical admonition to resolve our conflicts with our bretheren BEFORE approaching the altar of God. Tell them that until they remove men such as these as officiants we cannot sit in a congregation and address God with a good conscience or straight face.

Stop listening to, and buying products from the sponsors of hate speech on the radio. Do not buy the books of haters. Turn off the channel when one of them gets air time. The sponsors of sensationalism will lose their taste for such "talent" if we refuse to provide an audience.

I will leave it to each of you to decide who does and does not speak hate. I feel no need to inflict my views on you. I know hate when I hear it and I have every confidence that you do too. If each of us will do our part for what we as individuals think is right, we will corral this undisciplined, unprincipled, undemocratic abuse of our fundamental freedom of speech. We are free to speak....just not free to speek irresponsibly.

This article is really off the mark. This is the same type of argument that comes from republicans when they are forced to take even the smallest bit of responsibility for their actions. They have to go to 'everybody' is just as wrong, before they can admit their own horrible wrong doing.

An article about two extremist preachers in the background, is nothing compared to the FOX News show's extremely offensive comments and false accusations about our president and our government 24 hours a day broadcast to millions of people. The 'murders' who killed an innocent doctor in CHURCH, along with an innocent security guard are a direct response to the Fox News/Sarah Palin war on America.

No matter how you try to spin the situation....sane Americans and the rest of the world, understand the danger that the GOP Right Wing Extremist Group poses for America and the world.

Many people can call themselves a "Pastor" or "Reverand" . But, there are many that truly live up to the name. There are many that will use the name of the Lord to grandstand for themselves. But, one thing for sure, Jesus called the Pharisees and the Suddesees by the right names, "vipers". There are many vipers still to this day. To be a true follower and teacher of Jesus Christ, you must love everyone and allow God to be their final judge. I see a bunch of hyprocrits calling themselves "Pastor" or Reverend". They stand in the pulpits on Sunday and talk about "loving even your enemies", yet they will rip you up one side and tear you down the next.
These aren't "Christians"! These are grandstanders and vipers. What ever happened to being meek and lowly? There aren't any signs of meekness in the character of these men. "Holiness" is a very strong word. It looks to me that they need to go back into the bible and find out what Jesus and Holiness really means.
"Love your neighbor as you love yourself". These are not neighbor loving men. These are self loving men.
I am sickened by the amount of evil and hatred that I see in our homeland. The lack of togetherness is what is breeding the hatred abroad.
If we stood together as "One nation, under God, indivisible (inseparable, indissoluble, undividable), with liberty and justice for all", we would be an awesome country.
Where is the unity? Stop fighting against one another and build this country into a mighty nation. Aren't we all "AMERICANS"?

Wingnuts are out in force because they feel threatened. Their ideology is falling apart in front of their eyes and they're enraged by it. I could care less what someone is, I'll either like them for who they are or not like them for who they are. Black, White, Muslim, Catholic, Jewish...who really even cares anymore? We should stop tossing labels around and treat everyone as people.

The thing is that extremists DO speak for the groups they represent. Rush Limbaugh does speak for the Republican Party because the party does not denounce him when he makes racist and anti-American statements. Indeed, they bend over backwards to suck up to even the most egregious purveyors of hate speech. Wiley Drake does speak for Baptists, becuase Baptists have traditionally been lukewarm, at best, in their criticism of hate and fanaticism. Why would a neutral observer conclude that ardent anti-abortionists aren't all cut from the same cloth as that nut who killed George Tiller, when a bunch of them were on TV immediately afterward saying stuff like "we repudiate this act, but we're all glad he's dead."?

No, it isn't fair, but if you don't want extremists to be seen as representative of your group, you need to be clear and vigorous in denouncing abhorrent acts committed and reprehensible words spoken by those extremists. Moderate Muslims have much the same issue.

Open letter to mister Drake.

Dear sir:
If I were you, I would pray real hard that nothing happens to anyone else as a result of your prayers. First, when you die, and you will, God does not judge you but simply lets you experience your life through the experience of all of the souls you impacted positively or negatively. Hitler got to experience the deaths of 20 million or so souls before he went to heaven, I hope you are wiser. Second, if you are a man of god then what in the world kind of example are you setting. I am ashamed to say that I once belonged to the Southern Baptist Church. You and the church will never get another dime or minute of my time. What a waste.

I agree with Avlon that sunlight is the best disinfectant. Hatemongers need to be exposed. Rev. Jeremiah Wright is just green with envy! Perhaps he would have liked to be President of the United States himself! As for those who invoke imprecatory prayers for the death of President Obama, they should know by now that God does not answer that kind of prayers. A certain senator from New York who made the same kind of prayer found out that for the sake of this country, it is better to work with the president than against him. We should follow the example.

B. E. Madilu

Hope his prayers are answered!!!!!!!!

Evidently we have a longgggggg way to go before these people just go away...

The scariest part is that there are people who listen and absorb these knids of comments, and if you haven't noticed, Obama obviously let it in one ear and out the other... Some people can't do that and often end up commiting acts based on thier "sacred beliefs"

... I never understood the whole love affair with religion on either side/ right or left.. Isn't it amazing that those who thump those bibles are the same people who adovcate this sort of talk and language as well as actions as seen in the past weeks.. talk about hypocrisy...Both shocking and disgusting really...

Bottom line, hopefully rationality and spirituality can come together without insanity in the mix...

RJ,

Non Sequitur....

The most telling comment from Rev White is the last quote from the CNN article. How does this register against Obama's lie about going to this church for 20 years and never hearing this kind of speech?

"Regret for what…that the media went back five, seven, 10 years and spent $4,000 buying 20 years worth of sermons to hear what I've been preaching for 20 years?" he said. "Regret for preaching like I've been preaching for 50 years? Absolutely none."

Frankly, I think a solution would be that if preachers want to speak obviously political opinions from their 'pulpits' then their churches should lose any tax-exempt status that they have.

Pretty quickly you'll see more preachers thinking twice before they open their mouths and say insanely stupid things.

Also, the Secret Service should start investigating Drake.

The term "wingnut" refers specifically to right wing extremist, not left wing.

This all is so disturbing. The right wing has gone crazy. aside from false tails of Obama and his agenda that are fiction. we have people like rush the GOP leader saying Obama is worse than al queda? That he isn't a citizen, come on now!! There is proof and those that deny it aren't looking at the truth! It is hate speak that is provoking this extremist behavior. I said months ago that the right wing is just one suicide attack away from being just like Osama. Now they are just like him. I have know idea what can be done, but i am scared. Enough people. Does our country consist of a bunch of fifth graders now. Where are the adults in the right wing?
I get these surveys from Steele that are leading and hate provoking. I throw them right in the trash!

Funny how the rhetoric of both Wright and Drake, niether of which deserve the right to be called a "Reverend" or a "Pastor", sounds a little like BinLaden & the other Queda & Taliban nuts. They spread dislike and hate, and then hide behind God and say they are just the catalyst of the Lord's Word.
May they, and all like them, burn in hell for the torment they are causing the human race.
Love your brother, no matter what his religion, skin color or nationality.

Didn't Billy Graham say the same things about Jews controlling the country that the Holocaust Museum killer say? How quickly we conveniently forget.

I someone prays for the death of the President and truly believes that prayer will be answered, does that constitute making a threat against the President? George Orwell would be proud of these people who wish harm on America while holding themselves to be more patriotic than the rest of us.

Ardwulf: If Rush speaks for all Republicans because no one repudiates them, then am I to believe that all the liberal POS's out there like, David Letterman, who thinks it would be funny if A-rod committed statutory rape against Sarah Palins 14 year old daughter, speak for you? Sounds fair.

These people are not just wingnuts. These are dangerous charasmatic people who influence loose cannons who carry out violent acts. In other more civilized, and less violent countries, such as Canada, and parts of Europe, people who speak hate that encourages violence, are arrested and charged with promoting hate and violence. Please let us move in this direction.

As the number of moderates increases, the extremists are becoming more disenfranchised. Thus, they are also becoming more violent. In a way, this sad sequence of events marks something good, the end of extremist influences on American politics. Thank goodness!

Years ago I stopped going to any church and cut any affiliation to any organized religion. There is way too much hypocrisy in the organized religions. People who will go to church on Sunday to ask for forgiveness for their sins, then once they walk out of the church, start to once again lead lives that Jesus, or Mohammed, or whomever else, would cringe at being witness to. These two individuals are just the current examples of religious behavior gone wild.

This is just another example of how extremely religious people, of any religion, are the very first to resort to violence, or hope and pray for people’s death. Religion, by its very nature provides ‘final’, ‘undisputable’ answers, totally discrediting adversarial views.

I'm not sure I would call Rev. Wright part of the "left." (because he's black?) However, the point is well taken. The more we expose and understand this kind of hate, the less power people like Wright and Drake have.

Now we know why Obama kept Wright shut up along with Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton during that campaign. The new America can not stand the old hate preachers. Obama should put a muzzle on Leonard Pitts too before he turns the world againest this President and screws up this power grab that is in progress.

Yeah, I remember all the CNN stories titled:
"Moonbats" spread the hate of G W Bush and Jews."

By the way, in case you haven't realized it, conservatives are among Israel's strongest supporters, and I have frankly never seen an anti-semitic remark on a conservative blog.

But I've seen PLENTY anti-semitic remarks on liberal blogs.

I think this is a classic example of CNN seeing what they want to see, and reporting what they want to report. It fits the narrative they want to create and pound into the national consciousness.

You're seriously comparing Jeremiah Wright's comments to expressing pleasure at the murder of George Tiller and the hope for Obama's death?

Search KOSHER TAX to see how you are being ripped off by militant Rabbis when you buy products. Millions of your dollars are being taken by Zionists without your knowledge.

And where's the story of AIPAC (the largest "wingnut" of them all) skewing America's foreign policy and stealing our military secrets.

WAKE UP AMERICA.

Bob: "Let’s face it – too many religions spread violent venom. By spreading a religion free message of peace, and by outing the wingnuts, we will have a better chance of a good life"

You miss the point entirely. Religion isn't the problem, it's the people running the religion, who claim to be all-knowing, all-seeing, and all-holy, that are the problem. People need to quit condemning religion. We need it now more than ever.

Excuse me. Exactly whom was Reverend Wright threatening to kill or wishing would be killed?

Typical pandering to the right-wingnuts going on here. Drake is wishing our POTUS dead and celebrating murder. Wright is being his ignorant, racist old self.

How are the Wright and Drake remarks equivalent? What? Can't criticize the right without bringing down the left, however flimsy the comparison?

CNN suffers from FAUX News envy.

HAY, DONT CALL THEM WING NUTS ,REDWINGS HOCKEY OWN THAT .

President Obama was schooled in the Unitarian Universalist Tradition at the church in Hawaii where his Grandmother attended. In Unitarian Universalism, we welcome voices seeking truth from all faith traditions. We honor our Christian and Jewish heritage. What we don't accept is a failure to honor the inherent dignity and worth in all – which is our 1st of 7 principles. The religious leaders cited have turned their back on their Christian teachings which call on them to love their neighbor. Unitarian Universalism, the faith of our President's youth, is a loving and intellectual alternative to religious fanatacism.

As a born again Christian, i am in glad the SBC denonuced this Wiley fellow. The bible is clear that we are to pray for those in authority over us, not their demise. God is in charge and BO couldn't be in that position unless He allowed it. Please don't take that to mean BO is doing God's work. I don't believe that BO is a true believer in the biblical sense because of his policies and stands on certain issues. But, God is the judge and not me.
We will see what becomes of America under this man (not god as some treat him). I fear it's the beginning of the end of a great nation that did immensely more good in this world than bad.

Yes, unfortunately we ARE a religious nation...this is also a fundamental cause of our intentional ignorance and backward-thinking which leads us away from the path of pragmatism and progress and towards the impending hell that is unreason and doctrinal adherence. The sooner we back away from our bronze-age past and start using our BRAINS the better off we shall be.

And this isn't merely theoretical–the most atheistic countries in the world right now also have the highest standards of living: Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany, Norway, Iceland and Finland are good examples. Meanwhile, the Middle East is the MOST religious place of anywhere and look what's happening. Think it's a coincidence? I think you'd have to be a casuist to believe that; but statistically speaking, you probably are...

The angry left must stop. 1st killing army recruits and now shooting in the Holocaust museum, this nut was going out for a conservative magazine next, crazy stuff...

This week’s wingnuts on the left and right offer examples of why the separation of church and state is making a common sense comeback for this new generation.

How do the young (and you) feel about any ordained minister running for office, i.e., Huckabee and Romney?

There is no sense in claiming that religion should be separate from politics, unless you believe that Christians should not participate in politics. Anyone who takes their faith seriously must consider it when voting or holding office.

Besides, Wright and Wiley are correct in regards to what the Bible says. The Bible offers specific warnings against many (if not most) foreign and domestic policies that have been in practice in the US since it's inception. It hardly seems fair to call someone a "wingnut" when they are merely stating facts and expressing personal views in light of the presented facts. People say we are not supposed to hate, but the Bible says we should hate Evil. People who claim to hate nothing are liars in any case.

This series is comprised of superficial platitudes, which fall apart under deeper reflection and introspection. It also promotes hate, which I am told is a bad thing (though I doubt that's true).

On the other hand, we should not promote ignorance. As far as I can tell, that is the primary function of the news media. Most religious leaders and leaders of every kind do it as well.

Hey Allison thanks for straightening the rest of us out on his title. Now lets touch on what the wackjob was spewing. Let try to keep our fingers on the pulse. Religion is slowly tearing into the fabric of our society. Pray on Sunday, Sin on Monday.

Where in the bible does it say abortion is tantamount to murder? These people are the ones trying to break down society and tear down America. Why do we give these jerks a voice anyway? Who cares what 2 schmucks say? I wonder, If Drake is fervently praying for Obama's death, what else would he do to ensure it happens? Its funny, if right wing radicals were in the white house this simpleton would be brought up on charges.

I love this segment. Lets shine a bright light on them and let everyone see just how crazy they sound. Its so sad that these are two supposed memebers of the church yet they are preaching hate. I as a black woman, am soooo ashamed of Rev. Wright. He should just keep his biggoted mouth shut for nobody cares what he has to say. I wish they would just go away and stay away.

Ardwulf: "The thing is that extremists DO speak for the groups they represent. Rush Limbaugh does speak for the Republican Party because the party does not denounce him when he makes racist and anti-American statements"

Wrong, wrong, wrong. For you to compare Rush Limbaugh to these other idiots shows your idiocy.

Funny you freely offer comment about this obvious hate crime that was directed at the Jews, but you say nothing about the Army Private who was killed by a fricking US born Muslim terrorist. Even that moron we have for a President commented about the Museum killing, but has not said a damn word about his "brother" that killed the Private, why do ya think that is!!

I would hope that since we have come so far with our technology that some of you would just open your eyes. RELIGION is killing our world. KILLING OUR WORLD!!!!!!!! We would have no wars right now if it wasn't for religion. It doesn't matter if you are in a peaceful religion or an activist religion, in the end the same results. DEATH

Hey S. Williams!! So in your universe, Adolph Hitler is in Heaven with G*d??? Count me out....as Mr. Lennon once said...Imagine!!

hate to break it to some of you conservatives, but Rev Wright is not a left winger.

These types of "preachers" are the # 1 reason my adult son and others like him will not attend church. These radical individuals are paraded in the media (although I did appreciate your article) and this is what young people see, instead of the true Christians who go about their daily lives serving God by serving others, and believing that their lives should reflect Jesus' teachings to Love One Another. It's a shame that so many are turned away by the rantings of a few. I continue to talk with my son about religion and pray that he will eventually see past the squawking, look at his mother's example, and seek out a church that welcomes all without this type of "preaching."

I hope the secret service is opening files and keeping tabs on anyone who threatens the president with these "wishes of death". All of these nut jubs need to be rounded up and put in detension camps as enemies of the state. I know that I will forward the names of anyone who says they want the president dead, and I would have done the same for Bush or any president. The government knows who these groups and people are on the fringes of society who contribute nothing to our society they all have criminal backgrounds and obvious mental health issues, all patriotic american citizens should be aware of these groups and report any suspious activity to local law enforcement, FBI and secret service. These people are inbred terrorists and should be treated as such. Remember Oklahoma City and blood of those innocent americans killed by the hands of white trash terrorist Tim McVay and Terry Nichols. Both white and both members of this extremist underworld that is much larger threat to our country then any middle eastern wack job.

For those that say the shooter at the Holocaust is a "right-wing extremist"... You do realize that he spent a lot of his time ranting about "neocons" and Bill O'Reilly, right? Seems like if anything, he'd be a left-wing extremist. (Although, in my opinion, he is just a complete nutcase, no wings required.)

Not censorship but common sense. Rush & Newt could have chosen to discuss their differences with Judge Sotomayor: they didn't. They just called her "racist" and their blind followers repeated the word and worked themselves into a hate-filled lather.

Debate is good for democracy: Spewing hate-filled rhetoric based on nothing is not. You can disagree without being disagreeable – unless your position is so feeble that all you have is radical rhetoric.

"Greg, extremists are cockroaches who operate like cowards in the shadows. By shining a light on them we as a society publicly shame them and show them for the fools they are."

Beautifully put, and worth re-posting.

Great article. The faster and more vehemently we shine the light, the quicker we disinfect. And find peace. Keep it up.

Funny how extremists who pray for harm/death to come to President Obama (or anyone else they don't like) think they are "in" exclusively with God and that God will answer their misguided "prayers;" are they so narrow minded that it does not occur to them that there are thousands of others "out there" who pray on a daily basis for the President's saftey and ask God to watch over and guide him and keep him safe from all harm! We've got to balance their hatred with an outpouring of love and compassion, and build up enough of a critical mass, so that good will triumph over evil!

Mmm...wingnuts...

A great example to show the difference between the far left and the far right. The far left says stupid things. The far right are more prone to violence. We had this shooting, the 3 policemen in Pittsburgh, and the abortion doctor in the last few months. (The guy in Pittsburg was mad because Obama was going to take away his guns) I hope Rush, Anne, Hannity, etc. are beginning to understand that people like von Brunn are a large portion of their base. That is why their party is going down the tubes.

Please do your research before using nicknames in an attempt to disparage people. The term "Wingnut" comes from the USAF, referring to those career USAFers who were dedicated to their organization. The term not only associates wings with aircraft, but an upper echelon of group within a Command, such as a Tactical Fighter Wing or Bombardment Wing. These folks should not be viewed in the light as you shine on the nickname "Wingnuts".

Anyone in here can google the evil history of the U.S. but if anyone speaks of this history out loud they are considered "haters" and unpatriotic.. meanwhile history is being rewritten everyday.
I really dont understand.
All this is b.s anyway. . its a distraction from whats really important.
Americans have no clue where America is headed. Our forefathers we speak of had a different agenda. The revolution will not be televised. We are frogs in a big pot.

>>>And we wonder why so many people do not want to go to church?! We see these idiots running around with doom and gloom on a constant bases. These so call christians are the biggest hypocrites ever!<<<

Those folks are not representative of Christianity.

Of course the "Freedom From Religion" hate group said that all religious people are hard hearted and mentally enslaved. Should I paint you with that same anti-theist attitude?

The fact is the Bible says that any person who hates is not a Christian.

1Jn 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

All racist are not white but if you ask CNN they are. A good example of it is the coverage, or lack of coverage, of the Army recruter ,who was killed and another wounded by a Black man who claims to be a new Muslim convert. We have had non stop coverage of the white lunatic who shot the guard at the Holocaust museum in the national media and local papers and only a drive by mention for the recruter killing. What is the difference CNN except color of the offenders? We are not all your deciples and plead ignorance.

But we not merely support, but actually sponsor, externally applied state terrorism against the Palestinans in their own country.

At US$11B a year "aid" plus all the replacement F15's , cluster bombs and phosphorus incendiaries needed for controlling the starving inmates of the Gaza Ghetto and the refugees in Lebanon.

Just because the truth is spoken by unlikable people, doesn't make it a lie. It's the Victors who get to rewrite History, not the victims.

I caught some of Rev Wrights speech and it seems to me that if Christ were alive today it would be another crucifixion. Has anyone delved into the hell that is called Palestine. After 61 years life has only gotten worse at the hands of such heroes as Ariel Sharon and Benjamin Netanyahu refuse to treat these people as human beings. Shame on them for doling out living conditions similar to what the Jews experienced under Hitler and his assault on Warsaw.

I worked with a person from Palestine around the time that Ariel decided to enter the temple on the mount accompanied by armed guards. What we do if Putin sent Russian troops to the Vatican to intimidate Christians or Al-Queda open shop in Jerusalem.

I have no love lost for the parties that currently control the West Bank or Gaza and directly blame Arafat for that fiasco however who was to blame in 1982 when over 700 refugees were murdered as Sharon watched.

I doubt this will be posted because it is not the view supported by AIPACS but I am really tired of them running foreign policy for our country and the wining when they are questioned. I believe in a love relationship and will always love the Israelis for the fortitude and persistence surviving over 5000 years. I do believe they are chosen and they have earned a place by God. But on the same note I can love a person, race or culture and still not approve of their actions. I would not be a real friend if I did other. People stop eating the chum we are being fed and look at the facts.

There can be no peace without truth as we are experiencing after our follies in the Middle East. Take time today and pray for peace, tolerance and understanding because this is the only answer to salvation for the whole human race. Peace .

I think Obama has the potential to be one of our best presidents. After all, we've had 8 years of one of the worst in the history of our country. He has a lot of things to fix and correct. Let's all hope and pray he does. After all, we used to be far more prosperous, liked and respected in the world, and I hope we get there in the next 4 years. Another reason I hope he/we achieve that goal is that it would be a huge slap in the face to such wingnuts like Rush Limbaugh who want Obama to fail, and religious wackos and white supremacists who want a black man to fail. These people claim to be patriotic. What they are is pathetic.

the wingnuts have taken over DC.... BHO, pelosi, and reid are the biggest danger to America.

They continually get passes from the left wing media as they kick the bricks out of the foundation of America. liberal whine about bush, but the damage bho is doing will far surpass anything bush did.

I'd like to quickly say that as a Christian, I pray FOR THE SUCCESS of Barack Obama everyday. I don't agree with all his stances, but the Bible says to pray for our leaders.

Write and Wiley represent perversions of Christianity, and it's offensive that they retain the titles of "reverend" and "pastor".

The people are hateful and disgusting. Must be related to this scum that keeps showing up in the news.

Is it any of this a surprise when that obscene book, The Hebrew Bible, still is the most quoted source? All the "divine revelation" religions spun off that matrix are full of hate, sectarian, racist and narrow-minded.

To Cobra and other hate mongers: Read Steve Williams open letter. You too will experience what he describes. To wish our President dead is patently UN-American! I would guess you also call yourself a Christian, and if so, Jesus would be ashamed to have you claim that.

I whole-heartedly agree with David that the extreme right wing conservative media (Limbaugh & Faux News especially) are enormously dangerous and evil. They are brainwashing (or trying to) the weak minded and infecting this nation. They are just as evil as these so-called reverends with their hatred. So ironic that those who hold themselves out as righteously religious are destroying instead of creating, hating instead of loving, hurting instead of helping and go against every precept of their religious philosophies.

I did not agree with nor like Bush, but I never wished him dead. For one thing, that would have only meant Cheney would be president, but his death would not solve anything nor eradicate faulty thinking and hatred. There's always going to be someone else to take his place, just like there would be if, God FORBID, Obama should die. This country is on the brink of ruin because of the Bush Administration and the right-wing religious extremists, and their mantra is HATE HATE HATE. If they win at anything they promote, we are all doomed.

If Wright doesn't like it then maybe he should get out of our Great country.

I don't think either of these men speak for the majority of Americans but they do show a lot of our underlying discontent with whats going on. Truth is, a lot of people want our president dead, and a lot of people do feel like the system is meant to keep us down instead of bring us up

Listen up all you knuckleheads. GOD does not like ugly and that means, your evil thoughts and ways. You're all nothing but a bunch of hypocrites. I pray every day for God to help Barack Obama do the right thing and to keep his family safe from all the hatemongers.

The real question is not that these lunatics exist.... How do they have so much power? They are incompetent on one hand but ingenious in their ability to attain power... That's a scary concept and always will be as long as religion exists....

Just a note from a cnn story from Feb 2009:

Remember the whole world is watching, The greatest Democracy even know to Mankind.

MOSCOW - For a decade, Russian academic Igor Panarin has been predicting the U.S. will fall apart in 2010. For most of that time, he admits, few took his argument - that an economic and moral collapse will trigger a civil war and the eventual breakup of the U.S.

He based the forecast on classified data supplied to him by FAPSI analysts, he says. He predicts that economic, financial and demographic trends will provoke a political and social crisis in the U.S. When the going gets tough, he says, wealthier states will withhold funds from the federal government and effectively secede from the union. Social unrest

Larry,

you are an idiot! Of course the two words 'Them Jews' are not anti-semitic in and of themselves, it's the context in which they are used, the implication that Jews somehow secretly control the president and make him do their bidding. That thought is what is Anti-Semitic.

Also, on the 'sponsorring terrorism' thing... again, you are completely wrong. Terrorism has a well-known definition, and it simply doesn't fit with Rev. Wright's statement. The US is not giving money to any non-government organizations that are carrying out the anonymous murder of civilians. The US is giving money to the Israeli government, which in turn carries out a well-publicized policy of combatting attacks from what they consider their enemies. If a bomb goes off in Palestinian territory, and no one knows how it got there, or if someone anonymously poisons the water supply in a Muslim country, THOSE are acts of terrorism. The Israeli army shooting at or dropping bombs on what they consider to be enemy strongholds is not terrorism. You can disagree with their policy as much as you'd like, call the Israeli government murderers, but one thing they are not is terrorists.

For anyone to be in the news, ALL they need do is insult the person of
the President. Now I know Pastor Drake, then I knew Pastor Wright. Now I also know Rush & co, who else?

"THEM Jews...." Jeremiah Wright is not only crazy. He is ungrammatrical to boot.

So if you diagree with the current administration, your are a "wingnut"..whats next? If you disagree with the administration your are a terrorist??

Wright does not represent the "left" even though he votes with the Dems. Most religious leaders are conservative and are anti-choice, gay marriage,etc. But I get your point. I'm glad Americans are enjoying their religious leaders in their own churches instead of on the campaign trail. Religion and politics should not mix.

More blood has been spilled by people who claim to be acting in the name of their God, than for any other reason. The hate that comes out of these two is not much different than what comes out of the middle east.

Where is your coverage on lesser left threaded wing nuts like Reverend Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson. They collectively preach hate and reparations although on a less grandiose scale that Reverend Wright got exposed with. Fundamentally they fall in the same class. The US has spent decades moderating both the left and the right, however the continuous upsurge in left leaning (as in socialist) programs, and doctrine has let to what should be an expected countering with a corresponding upswing in libertarian and conservative movement. No socialist program has ever been "free" and the conservative and libertarians understand this. Likewise they resent having to fund "free" things for an ungrateful, and non-contributory left.

The wingnuts really shouldn't be given the day of light to speak on the media, and as for the media to constantly be covering them (both left and right) it's their own fault for spreading the word of the extremists.

I think though, extremism is doing one good thing, it's pushing people away from the religious groups. I'm agnostic, I've been since a Manson concert I wanted to attend was shut down by "concerned catholic parents of the community" . . . yet Snoop Dogg played at the same venue a few weeks later without protest (back in 1997).

More and more of my friends have been declaring themselves agnostic or athiest, some as secular humanists. I think people are educated enough to make these choices now a days, and they are. The hell with the church and other religious organizations, they all only bring hatred, prejudices, and wars. We should treat them the same way we treat the guy running across the football field naked . . . they cut to another area of the field, a commercial, etc, so the person doesn't recieve the attention they are craving for, but instead for the religious organizations we should just cut them from the media, so the public attention that they crave is not fulfilled.

PS. Let's stop treating all religious organizations as non-profits and treat them like regular businesses, and tax them!

Excellent terminology: "Wingnut"! It sums these guys up in one word!

Hey Wingnuttia-Free Zone,
how many rational, intellectual left leaning people were loudly calling for the death of George Bush? I doubt you complained about that. Even a movie about killing the president was acclaimed but the Media didn't say boo about it. It's art.
Hypocrites lie on both sides of the spectrum, but Leftists aided by the media in general are on a mission to dupe the American people and can only proclaim hypocrisy on the right. Shame on you all.

Kinda like Letterman, CNN and NBC sponsor and encourage hatred of conservatives isn't it. I saw a poll in USA Today that said 38% of the respondents thought Palin overeacted to Lettermans jokes. Was that the case with Imus? Was that the case when Trent Lott made his stupid joke? I think not, It is defininitely the dope heads controlling the media. What about the crap ACORN, Moveon.org and unions spread? Any investigations there? Take a look at Senator Barbara Boxers idiotic remarks.

Is there a settlement on Mars in the works that we can ship these people to?

To reply to Larry above

"Them Jews” is not an anti-semitic phrase," Perhaps true, but not a phrase any person respectful and tolerant of people different from himself ever uses.

"and I have yet to hear anyone argue against his actual point." Obama has selected people around him who are people of talent and insight who share his beliefs as to the directions we ought to be taking to solve our problems. Some are black, some are white; some are Christians and some are Jews. Your willingness to support Wright's assertions marks you as either a person of no perception or a hater yourself. You as Wright have fallen for the age old BS and baseless claim of a Jewish conspiracy to control things, a claim which has been around before the US began to offer to haven to many European immigrants of whom Jewsih immigrants were certainly as powerless as anyone, coming from a Europe which had anti Jewish legislation on its books until the late 20th century, when the Spanish Inquisition, dating from the 1400's was finally cancelled. And this is the group Wricht (and you?) claim for hundreds of years has schemed to control the world? Does that make sense to you? That the powerless are really powerful but take on the lifestyle of disadvantaged as a ruse so no one knows how powerful they are? Then what is the use of the power? Jewish people as well as Poles, Irish, Italians Russians came here for a promise of hope in a better life; some of all groups have failed, some of all groups have prospered.

The extreme Christian nutjobs are the same as the extreme Muslim nutjobs. They all hide behind religion to justify their actions. There the worst of the bunch. They are using Gods name to justify their hate.

One guy had it right. The most aetheistic countries seem to have the most peaceful and highest standards of living. The highly, highly religious places like the Middle East are forever at war, and even praying to some god 7 times a day won't help them much. We are in between those two extremes, but surely the United States is still a backward thinking and internationally ignorant country. We are just too full of ourselves to see the reality of things.

If your reporters would go back to May 15 1948 you will find that a Democrat president by the name of Harry Truman started the war we are in now with the Muslims when he was the first to sign the recognition of Israel as a state ,againest all advice of his cabinet. History will have to see how it plays out but young people who don't remember history ,refuse to learn it and don't want to learn by it ,will continue paying the price of war with Islam. Go back to 1946 and punch in King David Hotel and you will find the start of modern terrorism and it was not Muslims who set off the bomb. You decide who was right. I am too old to give a damned now. If go so far as to read about the Crusades you will find that most of our wars were caused by religion in one way or another. it is all about racism lik eit or not.

Some comments on here just don't get it. Extremists from the Left and RIght have killed and maimed countless americans over the years. That is a fact.

Furthermore, secularism is as likely to breed extremism as religion. Anytime you believe fervently in something you have taken the first step on the road to extremism.

This isn't about the right or the religious. The vast majority who belong to these groups are neither extreme or violent. Yet, some left wingers want to portray them as such because they want to marginalize them. That is why the Left does that.

And the assertion that Rush and other right wingers provoke this is laughable. They no more provoke these acts than left wing professors provoke acts of violence by protesting college students.

I live in a liberal community. I see extremist thoyght each and every day. No one can seriously argue that the Left does not have its fair share of lunatics.

Loved the two-sided article. There is no ONE polictical group who has cornered the market on hate or religous zealots. Thanks from an indpendent who does not let religion come into play when making decisions about policitics, or at least tries to minimize the impact.

CNN should of published all the Jeremiah Wright stuff before the election.....not 6 months later....many people might not have voted for Obama knowing he followed this reverend for 20 years. You dont continue to listen and take gudance from someone unless you have the same ideas as them and respect and idolize them, like Obama did with Wright.
CNN has become so wrong lately that I hate the fact that I can no longer respect it as unbiased. I have more respect for FOX news who actually report everything, good or bad, no matter what.

This is why humanism is the best religious alternative. All religious zealots need to be converted for the sake of the country. To all those who ascribe to the bible's teachings: please stop considering a collection of 2000-year-old mistranslated diaries as the word of some supreme deity. They are the works of simple men, like you and me, and nothing more. Great storytellers of their time, for sure, but the word of god? No.

People are actually missing the point or do not accept reality. These religions are cults! They no longer represent God's word and use the Bible as a shield, distorting it's true meaning to benefit there extreme beliefs. The right wing has more than enough of these "so-called" faults prophets and the left, including the Catholic church is as hypocritical and guilty. Our fore fathers excluded religion because we escaped from the strangle that religion in Europe place on it's people. The biggest problem Americans face is there willingness to cling to stupidity. Obama is only a man which the majority of Americans elected. The minority of America that did not elect him has enough hatred they want to see something bad happen to him which tells me that the education level is so low that they are easily swayed by these faults prophets. Does anyone remember David Koresh of the church (cult) Branch Davidian? DHS is correct and the right wing is turning into terrorist only because of stupidity.

I think 'wingnuts' are characterized more by their approach than by the content of their message. For example, many of Rev Wright's points echo points made by the eminent linguist, Noam Chomsky. The difference is that Chomsky is very well spoken, dispassionate, calm, and methodical in delivering his arguments. He supports them with deep research and provides scores of references, inviting the reader to draw his/her own conclusions based on the evidence. Due to this very scientific and civilized approach to persuasive argument, Chomsky can not, I believe, be called a 'wingnut'. This despite the fact that many believe his views to be strongly left-leaning. Wright, on the other hand, seems to prefer sound bites to carefully constructed arguments, demagoguery to debate, and publicity to public awareness. This, I believe, is what makes him a 'wingnut'.

Big D and Shelly, you prove my theory correct once again. No matter which blog is posted, no matter the content, former President Bush, former VP candidate Palin and Rush Limbaugh will be blamed for it. The hate that is spewed on these posts is amazing. Ever think that YOU might be the problem? Ever imagine in your sad little lives that maybe, just maybe, someone may have NOT consulted with the aforementioned people before acting? Of course not. According to YOUR line of thinking EVERY issue ANYONE has is to be blamed on them.

Grow up and please, for all of us, DON'T BREED!

Good piece. People like these two, as well as von Brunn need to be completely shunned from society. It's not necessarily the religious leaders that fuel this kind of behavior, but the internet has absolutely made it easier to harbor these kinds of crazies and other deviants and make them feel like they have a community like those on Stormfront and others– people who share their absolutely crazy views.

Their web sites need to be taken down, they need to not be able to rally hatred in such ways. Removing their communicative link would break them apart. The only solution is removal from acceptance. If they stop feeling accepted, they'll either change their ways or end their lives. To be honest? Either is fine.

Let's see: Leftist radicals are bad (International Socialists), and Rightist "wingnuts" are bad (National Socialists).

Therefore Socialism is bad and should be rejected in favor of limited government.

A Socialist is only a Communist who doesn't know enough to load a gun.

To Bob: I am very confused by the glaring dichotomy within your blog. You announce a call to stop "promoting ignorance," after posting perhaps the MOST ignorant blog on this page. I seperate my religion and my politics every single day of my life. If YOU truly knew anything about the Bible, you would remember that the kingdom of God is WITHIN you. It is NOT represented within your vote. Placing your religion and your politics on the same field, makes you no better than the Jihadists. You and your ilk use religion to fill people with the fear of what you believe will be God's retribution. Based upon your ignorant, fear-mongering statements, I would wager that, in fact, you know NOTHING about God.

Religion is everything that is wrong in the world. It would be a peaceful place without it. So much controversy is brought on because of these myths that people believe in. The rate of education and religion are inversely related. The higher the education, the lower the religion. I think that says something. If I had an imaginary friend, I'd be deemed crazy but religious people talk (pray) to something that does not exist so I think its time to do what Fidal did and give religion the boot. And extremists like these are just prime cases of the hypocrisy that goes hand in hand with religion.

97% of the US population are Christians.

The remaining 3% run everything – from our foreign policy to our schools, media and – most importantly – where we fight wars and have our Christian boys die.

What happened to democracy ?
Majority rule?

Not anymore – we was robbed!

You're ducking the REAL wingnut of the week: the neo-Nazi who tried to shoot up the Holocaust museum. That was nothing short of a right-wing terrorist, and making Jeremiah Wright - a small-time nobody idiot who nobody would be paying any attention to at all if not for last year's controversy - the symbol of anti-Semitism when you have a neo-Nazi murderer attacking Holocaust museums is so dishonest as to rob you of all credibility. I know you like to balance things out with a "left-wing extremist" - and they are out there, and Jeremiah Wright is one of them - but to make him the poster-child for anti-Semitism when a right-winger is actually killing people... that's disingenous.

WSS says

"And, as a general rule, the people on the left side of the political spectrum do not kill their ideological adversaries."

Wow, that's an ignorant statement. Millions have died worldwide at the hands of leftwing regimes or extremists.

"...based on peace and science?" Would that be the "peace" of the science that gave us the atom bomb and Mutual Assured Destruction? Would that be the "peace" of the science that gave us eugenics? Would that be the "peace" of the science that "proved" that blacks were genetically inferior to whites, and women geneticially inferior to men? I'm not claiming that religion has a perfect track record in the peace department, not by any means, but believing that science can bring perfect peace is just as much a question of faith as believing that religion can - either way, it's believing in something that can't be proven one way or the other. And, on this particular subject, believing that either is going to solve our problems all by itself is wrong.

A man of the cloth is praying for OUR President's demise? Wow. I hate to think what the rest of his congregation is like. Domestic Terrorists in training.....

Thank you for printing this.
Religion kills... faith is peace.

"Cobra Montana June 12th, 2009 1:35 pm ET

Hope his prayers are answered!!!!!!!! "

You are one sick person.

I really don't think anyone writing to this opinion sight think they are
a -nanny -.mouse. If the goon squad knocks on your door just go peacefully. Hell you might wind up in Bermuda on a beautiful island paradise if your government is willing to put up enough money to get rid of you. I have lived 72 years in paradise .You who voted for Obama might get lucky too and may not even have to work for it as we did.

I personally believe that most people, right or left, are half-decent, honorable people who take advantage of the First Amendment and complain about – or support – the government of the day, and then go on to their daily lives. Unfortunately all it takes is one guy with a gun or a bomb who is just a nut and you have grief. Like what just happened at the museum in Washington. He may be the only person in the whole world that holds his particular beliefs, but it still has had a hell of an impact on Officer Johns and his family.

It scares me so much that leaders of the church will preach things such as, 'I pray that our president gets killed'. There are so many lunatic religious nuts out there that will continue to believe and live by everything that comes out of their preachers mouth. Someone will take this literally and we will have an enormous tragedy on our hands once again.
I am by no means a religious man, and believe that no God is responsible for the well-being of our nation, our jobs, our health, our successes and failures. It is our own determination and drive and 'common sense', people, that will propel us to an Nation that can live amongst one-another. Please put your bibles down and act like a respectable, educated, human being. It is your honus, not some imaginary figure in the sky, to get out there and find a job, or get yourself educated, or help that person in need... God isn't going to do this for you. No matter how much you continue to pray, it's all going to come down to you. The sooner you all get this, the sooner we will get back to normal.

The kingdom of heaven lies within. Extremist religions will never acknowledge this because then they lose all reason for existence. Hate has no place in true faith.

People should read the bible. As Christians we are allowed to and encouraged to read the bible for ourselves. This is how we can see when the nut jobs are trying to lead us down some political trail instead of teaching what God “said”.

THE TWO BIGGEST "mainstream" hate groups in the Unites States are the Southern Baptists and the Catholic Church. They have done more to damage organized religion and the Republican Party than can be put into words. Until the Republicans distance themselves from these 2 "clans" and move to the center, they are doomed.

CNN forgot Glen Beck who used to work for them. Imagine that! How about the big sigh of relief after Beck claimed FEMA was setting up concentration camps to house right wing decenter. Is he a wingnut????

There is more hate and reacism now that Obama is president.

Why no news on the army recruiter killed by the muslim?

Why is CNN hiding the tons of negative news against this administration but pound any semblance of good news into Americans heads?

CNN has really become a joke...and for years and years I defended you against people who had these same thoughts. Now I truly see it for what it is.

Signed: another person leaving CNN for FOX...who tells the truth, and reports everything...negative or positive.
Its almost as if Hussein Obama Dictates to CNN on what to publish and report....you have become nothing but a lackey for this false admin and are losing many viewers by the minute......your creditbility is going down the drain.

I find it interesting Ardwulf emphasizes the lack of repudiation of Limbaugh by the Republicans, Drake by the Baptists, or radical muslims by the moderate muslim community. He implies he is a neutral observer when discussing the anti-abortion issue and the murder of Dr. Tiller.
Yet, his comment is noticably lacking in repudiation of Wright's comments or Obama's extended and extensive relationship with his pastor.
Ardwulf condemns Republicans for not calling Limbaugh out on his "racist and anti-american statements". Yet the article clearly outlines Wright's position, "God damn America". Has Limbaugh ever made such an anti-american statement? Yet, this drew no criticism from Ardwulf at all.
Ardwulf is far from neutral on this subject. His comments are every bit as partisan as those praying for the death of Obama.

Everyone that did not vote Democrat in this election is a wing nut now.Before the end of Democracy on Jan 20th 2009 we could have opinions even In REV Wrights church. Our government did not own any banks and they did not own any car companies. We did not have any Czars that no one knows where the hell they are or who they are. They were all in Russia dead and underground until this last election.

The most telling comment from Rev White is the last quote from the CNN article. How does this register against Obama’s lie about going to this church for 20 years and never hearing this kind of speech?

“Regret for what…that the media went back five, seven, 10 years and spent $4,000 buying 20 years worth of sermons to hear what I’ve been preaching for 20 years?” he said. “Regret for preaching like I’ve been preaching for 50 years? Absolutely none.”

Bob...'There is no sense in claiming that religion should be separate from politics, unless you believe that Christians should not participate in politics. Anyone who takes their faith seriously must consider it when voting or holding office. '

I have no problem with those of faith holding office. My problem is when they interject THEIR beliefs into the laws of the realm. The laws that govern many that DON'T believe in the particulars of said politician's religious doctrine. That's where they need to keep their religion out of OUR government.

The moment someone in public office determines the outcome of a situation (judge over a case, polititian creating law) by declaring it's what god would want, then they should be shown the door. Keep your religion at home and all will be right with the world.

I would also include in the "wingnut" category folks like Rush Limbaugh and the other denizens of hate radio. Day after day of hate mongering -while protected by the first amendant- does have consequences. I am not sure what we can do about it, but we should not hesitate to point out that these "mainstream" hate-mongers can cause as much damage as the lone wolf types like von Brunn.

I would love to see the day when religion no longer has any roll in the US government. Humanity has been and continues to be torn apart by religion, a concept that has never produced a shred of evidence that it is based on fact.

Being a centerist, both the far right and far left scared the bejeez outta me.

Worst part...they're both armed to the teeth.

Since, at 7, when a priest put a knife to my throat, Ive found that those at the pulpit are there only to serve themselves.

Follow me for a second folks...These guys and people like them are good to have around because they are shining examples of what NOT to be. They provide the perfect counter balance to rationality, thereby validating what we believe is right. Kind of like saying you need the "bad" to have the "good." Plus, they are SO extreme that they aren't menacing hatemongers; they are caricatures. So I say spout your vitriol, you fools, you make us cling to what is right and true even more genuinely. However, it is very bothersome that they are both supposedly men of faith. Not a very good representation of that.

They need to add Mr. Hannity Limbaugh into the mix here. They also preach the panic and terror to skew to reality of what is the truth. Like the birth cerificate joke.. whats the difference of what these nutballs are doing from the new Radical Republican Wingnuts. Birds of a feather...

Sad but it seems these two men have brought more reproach on churches than they have on themselves. We all know that religion has caused more wars thru out history and is still causing wars and killing of innocent people. I thank my God that I have no religion but Salvation and Grace. These two men need to repent and their church leaders need to reevaluate if they really want them in there pulpits. John Avalon keep up the good work!!!!

Many of you individuals falsely place the blame on religion. Yes, there has been much evil done in the name of religion, but religion hardly holds a monopoly on the worlds evils. More often than not a few evil people harness the religious fervor of a group of people to commit atrocities. Having said that, some of the worlds worst evil doers were not religious, and include the likes of Hitler, Stalin, Lenin, Pol Pot, Kim Jong Il, Kim Il Sung, Mao, and the Castro Brothers. It has not been reported much at all, but the supposed "right wing nutjob" James von Brunn was not religious either. He was in fact an anti-christian, socialist, which of course would make him a "left wing nutjob", wouldn't it. Your anti-religion sentiments are no better than those of the afore mentioned evil doers.

Why on earth would a responsible Christian denomination have someone like Drake in a leadership position, let alone 2nd vice president !?! It sounds like some of the leadership of the Southern Baptist Convention has a lot of work to do on this front, but they seems to be more happy to demonize anyone who disagrees with them.

Thank you. This was timely and appropriately balanced. I, too, want to emphasize the separation of church and state. I believe it is extremely important for all citizens' civil rights to keep religion out of politics.

And specifically to Greg, Von Bronn shouldn't get any more media time at all. He's a murderer and not deserving of any more press coverage lest he get his "hate message" out. The victim deserves the coverage.

these ignorant, uneducated, extremists are no better than the Taliban and should be dealt with the same way!

Once again, issues like this just go to show how religion is really at the root of the world's problems. We'd all be better off if we left religion behind.

These men are just like the losers (aka terrorists) spouting hate and HIDING behind religion to do it. What is up with these so-called Christians? Sure you have some ignorant people in the world but what does religion have to do with it. Alot of these types of losers think that because you use religion with the rhetoric that they are spewing, it makes it sound okay......IT'S NOT. It's still hate and there is NO religion that teaches hate. Remember, we are all born with the capacity to love and be loved, but we must be TAUGHT to hate.

This is so typical of religious zealots. They have the attitude that they are closer to God than us heathens and that they know what God wants and is thinking. That is one reason why this country is becoming more secular. People don't have problems with God or the Scriptures; it's these fanatics and fear-mongers that turn people off. Ministers are supposed to help people spiritually, not try to control public opinion and perception in the political world. The combination of religion and politics is a deadly mixture. How many millions of people have died "in the name of God"? Religion is to be discussed and reveled in within the Church, not to be used as a hammer to force compliance on election days.

"...he has also been offering “imprecatory prayers” against “the usurper that is in the White House…B. Hussein Obama.”

And just how different is “imprecatory prayers” from a fatwa? Isn't what Wright said (Jews control Obama) just what the Holocaust museum murderer wrote? We in this country need to understand fully that Islam does not hold the market on extremism. We have a goodly supply of Christian fundamentalists here who are just as dangerous as any Islamic terrorist. These wingnuts twist their respective religions to satisfy their own beliefs. Bush/Cheney and their comrades in crime and deceit are out of power, and the frightened righters are crawling out of the woodwork now. The faltering economy doesn't help any either. Shades of 1930s Germany? You betchya. Don't think history can't repeat itself here. We must be on guard. The wingnuts are being nurtured by Faux News, Rush Limburger, et al. If you disagree with the wingnuts, say so and publicly. Those of us who believe in the Constitution (time to ring out the establishment clause, folks) and in freedom for ALL must speak out. Dick Cheney came as close to Hitler as I ever want to see in this nation. Let's be the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave again. Stand up to this ugliness.
Oh, BTW, Obama was duly and solidly elected, unlike Bush/Cheney. Talk about usurpers.

Wingnuts is the name given to fans of the Detroit Red Wings Hockey team. It's a shame you have put them in the same league with these hardliners. I really resent it, especially today on the eve of the 7th game of the Stanley Cup series. May you feel "The Fear of the Joe".

You need to add Keith Olbermann , Chris Matthews, Maddow and Shultz to this list also...oh what the heck...just add the entire MSNBC channel....they are all left-wingnuts who constantly preach hatred at anyone who defends traditional American values!!!!!

CNN, Communist News Network...

Extremist left, extremist right... both crazy, both dangerous. Have you ever heard of a moderate that went nuts and and started advocating violence against those that disagree with him?

I am a moderate. So I appear "liberal" to the far right crowd and "neocon" to the far left crowd. But by definition, I am normal, extremists are not. And extremists are nearly always wrong, regardless of which way they lean.

Just remember, Southern Baptist Churches have very deep roots of preaching segregationist theology from its pulpits in the deep South up until the early to mid-1960's. It has now become more subtle, of course. This denomination was very heavily infiltrated and its ministers influenced by the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920's. The influence by the KKK on this Christian Protestant sect fostered the idea by using the Bible to promote the idea that one of Noah's son's – Ham – was turned black as a curse from God because of some nebulous slight of God' sacrement- and that being a negro, along with their enslavement, was God demonstrating eternal hatred of evil (does this sound familiar from some of the other posting here). Mixed race marriage was, and still is, considered an abomination against God by this religious cult. That explains their contempt for President Obama. I know what I'm talking about. I was born and reared in Northwest Florida (site of the murder of two abortion doctors) and, as a child, had to sit Sunday after Sunday listening to this racist tripe. I was a young teenager during the height of the Civil Rights movement in the deep South. I personally witnessed the March on Selma, the lunch counter sit-ins, and for years thought Dr. Martin Luther King was a communist agent forcing vile socialism and mixed race marriages on us pure little Southern white girls. Why did I believe this? Because my Southern Baptist preacher and my Daddy told me so. Fortunately, I outgrew this crap. But, most of my family remains entrenched is this mindset, which is continuing to be fostered by the modern Sourthern Baptist Church. Further, it is also being deliberately and maliciously perpetuated by Fox News, Glen Beck and Rush Limbaugh. Their smouldering, hateful rhetoric is no different than anyone of the segregationist, hell-fire and brimstone Southern Baptist preachers I heard growing up. If you don't believe me, just listen to Limbaugh or Beck's rhetorical cadence, then watch the movie, Elmer Gantry. Perpetuation of this ideology, by deliberately preying on the ignorance of the poor and uneducated white southerner, is also known as the Republican Southern Strategy, started by Richard Nixon and raised to an art form by Lee Atwater (Ronald Reagan's political strategist) and Karl Rove (George Bush's political strategist). That's also why Fox News, Beck and Limbaugh are so pro-Republican. They're paid very well by the Republican elitists to continue to stoke the fires of hatred and intolerance.

WSS said, "And, as a general rule, the people on the left side of the political spectrum do not kill their ideological adversaries."

Have you ever heard of Stalin, Lenin, Mao, Che, or Castro?

"If the love within your mind is lost and you see other beings as enemies, then no matter how much knowledge, education or material comfort you have, only suffering and confusion will ensue."

Sounds like something from the 'good' book? Its from Buddha actually. I am not a Buddhist, but in light of the recent shootings it seemed appropriate.

Great article. Its about time someone pointed out that extremist views are not owned by the right.

For those who would condemn all religion for inciting hatred, let me remind you: The Nazis and Adolf Hitler used SCIENCE, not religion to justify their atrocities. Aryan race was (supposedly) genetically superior, Jews, a genetic regression, etc. All pseudoscientific, no religion involved. You may say that science was used inappropriately, and you would be right. But in the case of these crazy preachers, I would say religion is being used inappropriately. Religion can and does provide good works such as religious charity groups that were far more effective than the government during hurricane Katrina. Thus, I take the advice of the Bible and judge a tree by it's fruits. Good organizations do good things, bad organizations do bad things. Religion or science has nothing to do with good or bad.

As I sat on the subway in Philly today, running late for work, so it wasn't as crowded at 9am as it is at 8, a man with white extremist tattoos all over his neck and hands sat across the aisle, and behind him a latino man. And they sat, and talked amiably about their neighborhood, and their kids and the parking issues they'd been having, and discussed some barbecue someone was having tomorrow.
Then about 10 stops later, the latino man exited, saying he'd see the other man and his family at the party, and another man who had been standing not too far away sat in the empty seat and the man with the tats started chatting with him – about the latino man. He said to him, "Oh, he's one of the good ones," and the other man shook his head and said, "you shouldn't encourage him like that."
My stop was immediately after that. I was... appalled. It's not even so much the racism and extremism as – just the sheer hypocrisy!

My God is a God of Love from Genesis to Revelation. Jesus, God's Son, was the perfect example of Love for his people. Those who teach any other thing are in great error - preacher or not. We are urged to watch for those wolves who come disguised as sheep- and I think you have probably put the spotlight on a couple of long-fanged ones. You have a few more for next week???? I am shocked!!

In Stan Romanek's book, Messages, The World's Most Documented Extraterrestrial Contact Story, p. 220, he says, "However, unlike what we hear in our religions – that seem to have God pretty well figured out – [the entity] told us that God is beyond human understanding. In fact, [the entities] are still trying to understand the concept of the divine themselves, making me wonder about humans who can put on a robe and claim to be an authority in this area.

As soon as I read someone saying "Religion is the cause of all violence" I know what their religion is: Atheism. This is one of their common doctrines.

Two comments:

1) The statement "The pulpit as a fountain of prejudice and extremism flourished under the Bush Administration" is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. You can't blame everything on Bush.

2) None of the examples given are what I would consider Christian fundamentalist. Fundamentalist (of which I am one) simply have a more literal interpretation of the Bible. Fundamentalist are not Christian Jihadist. Also, the notion that the world would be better without religion is lunacy. There are a few places that run on similar notions (I.e. China). If you want to be rid of religion, feel free to move there.

Von Bronn is a LEFT Wing Extremist. The media is trying to spin him as Right Wing, but the sum of his beliefs (and hates) make him Far Left (just like Hitler).

He hates the military, businesses, the oil companies, conservatives, etc.

Research and see for your self.

The neo nazi hated president reagan, both bushes, neocons, and blamed the iraq and afghan wars on israel. He was also planning to shoot up the weekly standard magazine staff, and claimed that socialism was the way of the future. ...He was hardly right wing. Sounds way more like a left wing loon to me.

Anyone who says the president should be dead is a seriously ill individual and should be taken off the streets in a straight jacket.

How can the President be owned/run by the Jews when malicious rumors are being spread about him being a Muslim?

Has anyone noticed that Hannity and O'Reilly both mentioned and aired Rev. Wrights' rant but noticeably made NO mention of the shooting of a Black Officer at the Holocaust Museum? I would think they would at least come out and say that the officer was a "True Patriot."

Ignorance, stupidity, and un-Christlike behavior have no religion or race. The very idea of "men of God" having these views should be scary and possibly a wakeup call to those who subscribe to a religion.

I'm trying to find what is racist about rev wright's comments. Calling Jews Jews isn't anymore racist than calling British British or Black Black.

Chris, its the tone that he used is what makes it racist/prejudiced. Respectfully, he could have addressed them by name. ie. "Rahm Emmanuel & David Axelrod won't let me speak with him.

The Reverand reduced the President's Chief Advisors to a label, and that label was not meant to be a compliment. Them Jews or Those Blacks or Those Whites...all have racist/stereotypical/prejudicial tones to it.

Reverand White has a million dollar home based in Tinley Park, Ill which is 90% White and 1.5% Black-go figure. He doesn't want to live around the Blacks he preaches to, but feels quite comfortable in a White community & neighbors he's racist towards. He also had an affair with a White woman.

I just don't get it. Either he is preaching a lie to profit off of Blacks to get tithes and really doesn't harbor ill feelings towards Whites or he's lying to Blacks and wants to rub his wealth in the faces of Whites by living where they live.

Robert W wrote: 'As soon as I read someone saying “Religion is the cause of all violence” I know what their religion is: Atheism.'
Well, Bob, I don't believe in the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus. What would you call my religion? Aeasterbunnieism? Oh no, am I and anti-santite?

Lars Rosen and Checkin Facts:
The neo-nazi also hated government and all brownish people (i.e., most people on the planet). That, my friends, is solid right-wing territory. I doubt that he has much interest in reducing health care costs for people who can't afford it.

Thank you floyd for the anti-santite remark. I needed a smile today.

Drake has long gone off the deep end. He uses his pulpit for his own personal agendas. Such as "boycotting Disneyland" for employing gays.....and his latest escapade, trying to prove that the President is an "illegal alien". Drake seems to suffer from a mental illness named "narcissistic personality disorder". People who suffer from this illness have symptoms such as delusions of grandeur. He seems to believe that acting like an insane person will get him fame. But he is only making a spectacle of himself. I feel sorry for his family. He has become an embarrassment to the FSBC. Maybe at one time his ideas about helping the homeless were positive and helpful. But he has turned his pulpit into a circus. His church services are no longer religious, but more political. And some people have been thrown out of the church physically for dissenting out loud. If he'd use his position for the good of mankind, instead of for how own personal agendas, he night be doing a service to Orange County. But he isn't. He should go back to Arkansas where his racism and hick ways are accepted. Because most of the citizens in O.C. think he is crazy and needs to be institutionalized.

Drake has long gone off the deep end. He uses his pulpit for his own personal agendas. Such as "boycotting Disneyland" for employing gays.....and his latest escapade, trying to prove that the President is an "illegal alien". Drake seems to suffer from a mental illness named "narcissistic personality disorder". People who suffer from this illness have symptoms such as delusions of grandeur. He seems to believe that acting like an insane person will get him fame. But he is only making a spectacle of himself. I feel sorry for his family. He has become an embarrassment to the FSBC. Maybe at one time his ideas about helping the homeless were positive and helpful. But he has turned his pulpit into a circus. His church services are no longer religious, but more political. And some people have been thrown out of the church physically for dissenting out loud. And there are a lot of O.C. citizens who dissent over his insane beliefs. If he'd use his position for the good of mankind, instead of for his own personal agendas, he night be doing a service to Orange County. But he isn't. He should go back to Arkansas where his racism and hick ways are accepted. Because most of the citizens in O.C. think he is crazy and needs to be institutionalized.