A newspaper opinion writer received a series of death threats for a commentary on church involvement in her local school district and was told to make her peace with god and write a retraction or she would be abducted outside of the newspaper where her truck was parked and taken to a field and set on fire.
A male journalist received a phone call from an irate conservative who informed him that unless he stopped criticizing the tea party, the true patriots of America would invade his home at night, tie him up and make him witness his wife and two daughters being raped and then dismembered before his eyes.
In California, a reporter awoke to the sound of breaking glass and shouts of, “USA, USA” and “fucking traitor” for writing a column criticizing the city for spending tax dollars on firework displays instead of assistance for homeless veterans. The same young man wrote an opinion piece criticizing local churches for campaigning against same-sex marriage, and within a week of the commentary returned home from work to find signs on his yard ordering him to “obey your god” and “pray or die.” The writer has since moved to a different neighborhood where last month a letter arrived telling him there was nowhere he could hide that “god’s soldiers won’t find you.”
The FBI says most threats journalists receive are from cowards emboldened by the anonymity the Internet provides and disposable cell phones, but at the same time, they give a warning that all journalists should heed. They said a person who takes the time to call, email, or write a letter is just one small outrage away from acting on a threat of violence.
I have certainly had my share of threats and crazed e-mails as well.
I just send them to the FBI and let them put them in the file.
Somehow I have to believe that many of us who are bloggers, journalists, or television reporters, get FAR more death threats than Sarah Palin has ever seen. Just to keep things in perspective.
Typo in your head on this piece.
ReplyDeleteThe way the Christians pray for and act toward destruction of their critics is reprehensible.
ReplyDeleteSo much for forgiveness.
They are the FFC brigade (fascists for Christ).
ReplyDeleteIf she reads this blog, she may have her minions write threatening letters her just to prove you wrong.
ReplyDeleteHowever, everyone will know the letters would have come from her bots, ya' know with all those misspelled words and grammatically incorrect sentences.
LOL
Gryphen,
ReplyDeleteCan you please correct the headline? It looks like a combination of two intended sentences, and as a result is gibberish.
While I know Sarah receives letters and gifts of praise daily, I also fairly assume she receives a great deal of threats. There are STILL kill/die sarah palin facebook pages.
ReplyDeleteYOU receive mean emails because you own a trashy blog consisting of catty gossip and lies. YOU deserve EVERYTHING you receive and I hope it's intense. People who assume they know a person from talking to "sources" are delusional and need to be locked up.
Just reflect on what your like IS for the moment. Are you proud? Do you consider yourself to be moral? Do you write with integrity?
If you even think about answering yes, you need a reality adjustment. It is common knowledge that one grows stronger when faced with hatred and criticism. God Bless the Palins.
You kinda expect this as a journalist correspondent in a third world/war-torn country. -- People like the Palins feed this stuff to the unstable among us. The Palins prance around so innocently; do they know that they have gone to the dark side? Along with Murdoch and team. Repent Sarah before it is too late.
ReplyDeleteAnd what is the FBI doing about it?
ReplyDeleteNothing until someone dies.
What is the media doing?
Nothing. Because they are the ones inciting the violence by giving Rush, Beck, Palin and their kind a podium from which to spew their hate.
I'd like to see SP's evidence of said death threats.
ReplyDeleteBut I guess that file is somewhere in a box underneath Trig's birth certificate.
Thank you again, Gryphen, for keeping up this blog right in the middle of Palinland.
ReplyDeleteI include your name in the list of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert - people whose humor and wit helps keep me sane as the most deceitful, greedy lot of vermin to stand on two legs try to grift money and power from the fearful and ignorant.
May truth prevail!
While I would like to think that these types of violent christians are just extremists and few and far between, I cannot. If they were a minority in the religion, then wouldn't the religious leaders in these communities step up and condemn these acts of hate?
ReplyDeleteI will ask individuals of ANY religion to look around yourself during worship, if these are the types surrounding you in the pews and the views given from the pulpit...maybe, just maybe it's time for you to re-evaluate where you worship and just what your belief system really is..
So it's come to death threats, eh? Perhaps the people most noisily opposing thoughtful critics of certain conditions in America are the least likely to understand the fundamental (D'oh!) importance of debate and peaceful conflict to our system. I don't imagine they really understand much of anything in an objective sense. It's all belief and fear and hatred and suspicion with that crowd. Not much room left for knowledge and empathy and quiet reflection. Doesn't augur well, does it...
ReplyDeleteStay safe, Gryphen.
Gotta love these "family values" religious nuts, eh? They were unbalanced before, but now with Palin and Bachmann making insane profitable, they are really running loose. Palin says people want to kill her and her children, where is the proof? It is people on HER side of the political aisle that make threats. By the way, Bristol might be in danger if she accuses the wrong guy of rape. She is lucky Levi hasn't had enough yet. Once she tries to make it in Hollywood, with her Mamma out of the limelight, reality will really hit her.
ReplyDeleteSeveral years ago, I wrote a letter to the editor of our local big city paper wondering how paranoid someone has to be who thinks he needs to carry a gun on his person at all times. I said that I realize there are people who DO need to have this privilege because of their jobs or certain personal circumstances but that it baffled me that so many adults were so clearly frightened to carry on day after day without this needed hardware. I also explained that at one time in my life I had a very short nasty temper and I was one of those, along with many others, who shouldn't have access to weaponry in that state. Shortly after that, a friend did a search on my name and showed me that there was a whole "patriotic" website's letter section containing hundreds of comments dedicated to me and what nasty things they would do to me. I had written that I wasn't afraid of walking around unarmed in my letter, so many of the "patriots" felt the need to explain how frightened they would like to make me and all the horrible things they would do to my family. It was all quite hilarious because every single one of these people were exactly the kinds of people who shouldn't have access to any kind of weaponry.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of nuts out there Mr. G. I often worry about you in light of some of the bad things that have happened to folks up there. Take care.
The fact that well known "christian" leaders don't publicaly condemn and disavow these heinous acts of terror speak volumes.
ReplyDeleteThere is a large segment of the ultra right evangelicals who would have no problem terrorizing or hurting non believers.
It's no secret that christian supremacists like Sharron Angle and $arah Palin want to subvert or even amend the constitution
to reflect theocratic doctrines.
Many so called "red" states are doing whatever they can to make abortions impossible to obtain.
Some states have even made it a crime to have a miscarriage under "unusual" circumstances.
Before long, you'll see movements
to even defund, or outlaw birth control pills and devices.
One recent very egregious example is Mike Huckabee saying ON VIDEO that he would favor forcing people at GUN POINT to watch the misleading and error filled teachings of David Barton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1O1dvN8lag
Yeah, that's right Mike, the TRUE FEELINGS of christian supremacists
are crystallized in that one revealing statements.
Much more information on this general topic is available at
http://godsownparty.com/blog/
so, if murdoch got PM Browns medical and finance records surely he got palins...um...records....
ReplyDeleteThe people that send these threats are NOT Christians in any way. They're simply haters. PERIOD.
ReplyDeleteSince Barack Obama was elected we've had a church shooting, Dr. Tiller murdered, and a loon in PA kill some cops plus other incidents. All committed by people that listen to Rush, Beck and some most likely believe in Palin. There's nothing "common sense" conservative about murder.
I don't include Giffords' shooter because IMHO that guy has had serious psychiatric problems for years. Sadly once you're an adult there's really no help if you don't have scads of excellent insurance. I also have an issue with AZ allowing this guy to have a gun and carry it. I believe his parents had made it known he was unstable. I'm not sure how that kind of situation gets fixed.
However, I take every threat seriously. Why? Because it never fails that the one one decides to dismiss becomes the one that causes grief.
I guess these so called "Christians" have forgotten about that pesky commandment...."Though shalt not kill."
ReplyDeleteI tell you what - someone threatens me like that- and I'd spend every moment and every dime I had on private investigators to find that person and make him squirm.
ReplyDeleteI had a stalker ex boyfriend who tried to threaten me. Called me at work and made statements to me so I'd know he had been following me. Well, I told him that I was now registered to carry and that I had requested the police do drive-by's of my residence,that I had told my military friends all about him and that if I ever saw his face near me or my family I'd blow him away and ask questions later. I never heard from him again.
Remember, Jesus said that you are to love your neighbor, unless he disagrees with your politics. THEN you should threaten to rape his wife and children just prior to dismembering them before his eyes. Then you should beat the living shit out of him, then kill him.
ReplyDeleteTHAT'S what Jesus would do.
I'm sure a troll will show up and "explain" to us how these are not death threats. After all, everybody knows that only libruls make death threats, and they do it all the time. There are dozens of examples of blatant lefty death threats every week. Oh, wait...that's the Christians and the Tea Party. I coulda sworn there were some lefty death threats laying around here somewhere.
ReplyDeleteOMG...Palin trying really hard to be sexy..
ReplyDeletehttp://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/sarah-palin-trying-really-hard-to-be-sexy
The school in Wisconsin that allededly would not let the children sing Silent Night? Well that was of course a huge lie with a tiny kernel of truth which O'reilly used as the centerpiece for his 'war on xmas' none sense.
ReplyDeleteThe school had to issue teachers cell phones because their switchboard was rendered useless by the stream of Christian death threats. Then the school spent almost $20,000 on security for the xmas show itself, including metal detectors, surveillance cameras, armed guards and guest passes, because they had received so many threats of violence from all those poor poor persecuted Christians.
Also isn't it ironic that this story, certainly more newsworthy than O'reilly's original lie, was never reported by any major media? I had to read about it from the local newspaper's website.
The irony is of course that it is O'reilly and his ilk who disrespect Christianity by using it as a political wedge. Religious scholars will tell you that this is the true meaning of 'taking the Lord's name in vane' -- using your God as a tool to get what you want, i.e. what the GOP does every god damned day. If there was a God, which there's not, these people would be first in line for eternal damnation in hellfire.
The fact that these people are too freaking stupid to understand Christ's message makes me sad.
These people are mostly scared of the own shadows and the threats are sent so they don't have to confront their fears, To wit: I Moderated the cooking section of an outdoors website for 10 years over the years as the administrations changed it became a hard right site that concluded anyone except the likeminded wasn't worthy of enjoying hunting and fishing I quickly became a target of many threats as we held many events, On a hog hunt I was informed that if I showed up there was a better than good chance that I wouldn't be returning ! That morning as I announced my presence you could see jaws visably dropping, The day went off uneventful and I was given private kudos for facing the threats head on, I retorted I was there for a good time or a shoot out it really didn't matter to me !!
ReplyDeleteWe saw this at Granny's hate rallies. They cling to their bible while they threaten death.
ReplyDeleteGryphen have a great time. But you're missing all the awesome UK dirt, it's fantastic!
If "eternal hell" is only in the mind of man, I hope God or an equivalent supernatural being soon creates a hell for these murderous self-described "christians" -- even if it's hell on Earth. Yeah, their karma should strike them back sooner than later.
ReplyDelete@7:23 - you are an example of the problem we have right now in America. Are you the aging, racist troll who lives in "Brooklyn," and goes on and on with your fantasies of the Palins? You have the audacity to comment on this blog daily, telling us the happy Palins eat at Applebees. And that the Palins "are stronger" every day. GO SUCK EGGS. You support secessionists! Why are you so anti-American? You write threats all the time against progressives in search of truth at other blogs, saying "this will not be forgotten." Oh, yeah. They all have your IP, hon.
ReplyDeleteGood one Anon 8:49
ReplyDeleteJust imagine the "knowledge is power" saying Murdoch can apply to what he has on Sarah & Todd. Perhaps Sarah feels she has all her information under wraps somewhere.
I sure hope to see that pic of Sarah & Bristol that has been mentioned...in previous posts.
anon at 7:23
ReplyDeletesaid
YOU receive mean emails because you own a trashy blog consisting of catty gossip and lies. YOU deserve EVERYTHING you receive and I hope it's intense. People who assume they know a person from talking to "sources" are delusional and need to be locked up.
----------------------------------
I bet this anon poster considers themselves a good christian. This poster just proved Gryphen's point about this whole post.
Little Rabbit
7:23 AM - keep it up, 7:23 - each post brings you closer to the FBI. You do realize they have the capability to trace comments, right?
ReplyDeleteGryphen is a courageous man whose blog has been responsible for raising questions about the scurrilous activities of Sarah Palin and her followers. They spout patriotism and religion, but don't know or understand the essence of either.
Shame on you for trading on hate. As horrid as your comments are, you will not find progressives wishing you harm. We believe in evolution - even of your sort.
Try reading more widely and thinking more deeply, 7:23. There's a world of hope and tolerance out there if you can just let go of your rigidity.
We are all Americans and should learn to work together, not tear each other apart. Our country needs healing, but until you embrace that concept, there will be none. Let go of your hate and start learning how to love.
In dominionist school, we were taught that it's biblical to pray for the destruction of "evil people." I think the examples were from the book of Psalms. I don't remember ever hearing how this squared with Jesus' emphasis on "love your enemies." But then, the incident in Jesus' life we heard about most was when he drove the money-changers from the temple. The moral of that story: See, Jesus got angry, so it's okay to get angry at "evildoers."
ReplyDeleteI believe that in mixing politics and religion, they're becoming the exact type of people Jesus drove from the temple.
Despite the emphasis on "imprecatory prayer" (please strike these evil people dead, God), we were never taught that it was acceptable to make threats of murder or rape. But for unbalanced people--of which we all know there are many in the extreme right--it isn't much of a stretch from praying for vengeance to becoming the hand of vengeance.
This kind of hypocrisy amazes me. How can you call yourself a "Christian" when you ignore Christ's message?
ReplyDelete@anony-mouse 7:23
ReplyDeleteHey there, Sunshine, you won't understand this but I'm confident that very, very few people who oppose the Screechy Wretch wish her physical harm. Many despise the woman and everything she stands for and yet, the vast majority wish her (and her traylor trash family, friends and misguided supporters) no misfortune. They just wish she'd go away and let people of sincere differing opinions debate the issues and find solutions without her ugly religulous beliefs and cynical profit-motive.
For you to express a hope for Gryphen to suffer misfortune is your right, I suppose, but it is creepy and reflects poorly on your character. That intense level of personal animosity for someone who's done you no harm is more damaging to you than it is to him. Have a happy!
How on earth can people like this profess to be "Christians," yet act in such an appalling manner? They attempt to "use God" and put themselves out there as the chosen ones who will act "in His name." Sadly, it seems like they might be able to continue on like this for right now, I cannot comprehend how they will actually be able to eventually succeed with their agenda.
ReplyDeleteHey, Sarah at 7:23 a.m., if you read that Bible you're so fond of thumping or went to your witch-casting-out church on occasion, you'd know that "gifts of praise" is a phrase associated with people bringing offerings to God in the temple.
ReplyDeleteOr maybe you do know that, and your delusions are even grander and more ludicrous than I realized.
Either way, equating yourself to God is, I'm pretty sure (again, check that Bible thingy), blasphemous. And while you might think "blasphemy" is a good thing because it sounds like a conflation of "bless," "fame," and "me," it's actually considered a serious sin. FYI.
anon@7:23 you just proved the premise of the article. Have a nice day, fascist Asshole.
ReplyDeleteI have watched the tudors over and over. I always think about the religous right. Just like those in those days. If you didn't go along with whatever was the religon of the day or it changed mass deaths burning at the stalke or beheading. Ppl started coming over here abt that time, and by the time of our forfathers they wanted government to be free of religious influence, after all that bloodshed. Free not to have any religon if one wanted none. Now again they are getting a strangle hold on ppl. That's why they want dummies, no free thinking. Going to throw away all those years and years of progress in rights for ppl and workers for what a bunch of rich ppl and thugs.
ReplyDeleteMy wishes for Sarah? Death, rape, or dismemberment? That's just stupid and evil, and I would never wish that. I wish for her to feel embarrassment at her crassness. I wish for her to feel shame for her lies. I wish for her to feel regret that she wasted her motherhood grooming her children to be props. I wish for her to realize that those of us who think she is a nitwit may be smarter than she is. I wish for her to realize that the world is much larger and more interesting than her narrow version of it. Alas, none of my wishes will come true. If ANY Bot, Christian, or rightwing nutball wishes harm on journalists or my president, then I wish upon them the harshest penalties the law can deliver, as well as a truckload of karma for their evil ways.
ReplyDeleteThese "Christians" probably use Betty Bowers handy bible interpretation guide:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bettybowers.com/bibleinterpretation.html
(Make the bible say anything you want!)
(I recommend printing copies and handing them out to fundies)(And then run...)
RE:
ReplyDeleteI have to believe that many of us who are bloggers, journalists, or television reporters, get FAR more death threats than Sarah Palin has ever seen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
I would have to agree, because as many of us absolutely. DESPISE. Sarah Palin...
We would never, ever, ever, go so far as to suggest her harm...
She is a life.
The irony being, I assume the majority of your readers may be Pro-Choice (which is NOT Pro-Abortion...)
Anyway, as pathetic as she is as a person...
and as pathetic as her life is...
and as pathetic as her contribution to societiy is...
her life still holds value...
to her God, and mine.
I just want HER to stop CAUSING HARM to OTHERS, with her IGNORANT and UGLY words...
GO AWAY, GRANDMA!!
P.s. That cover is AWFUL!!! Your NECK makes you look SIXTY!!!!
Ewwww.
Ha Ha..They don't even care enough about you to Photoshop you...
HA!HA!
HA!HA!
HA!
HA!
Ewwwwwwwww.
Anonymous @7:23 STFU! You know nothing about Palin and the reality of her life. She does not grow stronger with each day, she whines more and more as she fades into irrelevance. That is why she pulled the pin-up poses out for the photo shoot. Any woman who was a serious professional would never allow pictures like that to be taken for a major publication or anywhere else for that matter.
ReplyDeleteGryphen tells the truth about Palin and that's what you can't handle. Afraid of reading the truth? Run back to the PeeZoo, they have their heads buried in the sand as you do. Bye!
Anonymous said...
ReplyDelete...YOU deserve EVERYTHING you receive and I hope it's intense. ...Are you proud? Do you consider yourself to be moral? Do you write with integrity?
If you even think about answering yes, you need a reality adjustment.
7:23 AM
-----------------
Congratulations, you horrible person, you just proved the point of the article. I'll bet you consider yourself a "Christian", also (tip, you're not).
Facebook pages? Please, if anyone on a facebook page ever seemed to actually threaten Palin, we know she would seek instant vengeance and prattle loudly about it far and wide, always the consummate victim. She is proven to be viciously vindictive.
@ WomanWithSardineCan at 11:34
ReplyDeleteWell said. My wishes for Sarah Palin are exposure, embarrassment and repentance. And a couple of verses for Bible buffs:
"Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord GOD, and not rather that they should turn from their ways and live?" Ezekiel 18:23
"For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord GOD. Turn, then, and live." Ezekiel 18:32
Yup.
ReplyDelete[Said with the same levity and brevity of Sarah Palin to Bill O'Reilly when asked if she would militarize the US/Mexican border to fight illegal immigration.]
The bratty side of me would be tempted to push her into a blackberry patch and run like hell. Mostly I'm more mature than that. Mostly.
ReplyDeleteTea baggers are nothing but the Ku Klux Klan without their hoods. However, I'm sure they have their hoods at home displayed on their walls.
ReplyDelete