Far-Right John Birch Society 2010
EmailABC's Jonathan Karl reports: This week’s Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington has a co-sponsor from the far-right fringe of American politics: The John Birch Society. According to Ian Walters, a spokesman for CPAC, it’s the first time the John Birch Society has sponsored the conference. That’s not surprising, considering that the Birch Society has long been considered wacky and extreme by conservative leaders. William F. Buckley famously denounced the John Birch Society and its founder Robert Welch in the early 1960s as “idiotic” and “paranoid. “ Buckley’s condemnation effectively banishing the group from the mainstream conservative movement. Welch had called President Dwight D. Eisenhower a “conscious, dedicated agent of the communist conspiracy” and that the U.S. government was “under operational control of the Communist party.” Buckley argued that such paranoid rantings had no place in the conservative movement or the Republican party. Two years after Buckley’s death, the John Birch Society is no longer banished; it is listed as one of about 100 co-sponsors of the 2010 CPAC. Why is the Birch Society a co-sponsor? “They’re a conservative organization,” said Lisa Depasquale, the CPAC Director for the American Conservative Union, which runs CPAC. ” Beyond that I have no comment.” On its website, the Birch Society describes it mission as to “to warn against and expose the forces that seek to abolish U.S. independence, build a world government, or otherwise undermine our personal liberties and national independence. The John Birch Society endorses the U.S. Constitution as the foundation of our national government, and works toward educating and activating Americans to abide by the original intent of the Founding Fathers. We seek to awaken a sleeping and apathetic people concerning the designs of those who are working to destroy our constitutional Republic.”
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In the interest of fairness please note that the inclusion of the JBS created a lot of controversy and many were vehemently against it.
You did mention that it was one of over 100 co-sponsors – how about writing about another co-sponsor: GOProud, a gay conservative group? And about how when a speaker on a panel started an antigay diatribe he was booed off the stage?
Posted by: Yehudit | February 19, 2010, 7:32 pm 7:32 pm
The John Birch Society goes mainstream, into the Republican Party? God save us all from the right wing nut jobs who throw themselves into our hourly news cycle.
Posted by: Steve from Danville | February 19, 2010, 7:42 pm 7:42 pm
They may boo anti-gay remarks.
But they also booed a remark that waterboarding is torture.
So they may like the gay but they love their torture.
Posted by: Doug | February 19, 2010, 9:26 pm 9:26 pm
John Birch Society nothing compared to the Amy Bishop fare at a Daily Kos Convention. Context my man!
Posted by: Jack Moss | February 19, 2010, 10:39 pm 10:39 pm
Good Lord, they’re mainstreaming the JBS? *shudder*
Posted by: Mark | February 20, 2010, 1:19 am 1:19 am
Welch had called President Dwight D. Eisenhower a “conscious, dedicated agent of the communist conspiracy” and that the U.S. government was “under operational control of the Communist party.”
WOW!! Eisenhower? Hmmmmmmm….. What have they said lately? Did they slander Bush, too? One guy says something in the 50′s and they’re banned for life? Is Welch even still alive? Can we update information on the JBS?
Posted by: Jeff | February 20, 2010, 4:07 am 4:07 am
Actually, I suggest folks take a closer look at JBS. They are not fringe, but one of the few principled groups left. No apologies necessary for not compromising.
This coming from a recent graduate from a liberal arts school who regrettedly voted for Obama. If anything, we need more groups like JBS to start advocating our Constitution. I may not agree with 100% of their traditional platform, but I’ve read their magazine “The New American” a few times, and they have way more hits than misses.
Think critically my friends.
Posted by: OneLove | February 20, 2010, 7:13 am 7:13 am
Not surprising since the media is only too happy to legitimize hate-fests like the tea parties. Seems like the perfect organization for all these right-wing nuts who still seem to be unable to accept the fact that we have a black president. Onelove: we are thinking critically. I don’t think you even know what that means. The JBS being a principled group is an oxymoron. With you, we could skip the “oxy.”
Posted by: leogorky | February 20, 2010, 7:36 am 7:36 am
OneLove must also think that Glen Beck is principled, and rational too! LOL
Posted by: zazu | February 20, 2010, 12:38 pm 12:38 pm
Just another paranoid voice in our politics… they see Socialists!
Posted by: DewyB | February 20, 2010, 12:42 pm 12:42 pm
It was bad enough to live through the destructive hate mongering of the JBS once. And now they’re back because too many people forgot what destructive wackadoodles can do to the REAL American values and beliefs. The charges of “socialist, communist, Marxist” being screamed at anyone who’s to the left of Glenn Beck is classic 50s paranoid politics and we’re gagging on it ever since we had the audacity to elect a mixed race President.
Like the Tea Party Movement, JBS is overwhelmingly white and male and full of rage. And heavily armed. If anyone is a threat to America, it’s these right wing renegades preaching sedition and making heroes out of terrorists like Joe Stamp.
Posted by: windrider | February 20, 2010, 2:05 pm 2:05 pm
Between the JBS and Ryan Sorba, it looks like CPAC is doing its level best to alienate virtually everybody………!
Posted by: SearamblerOne | February 20, 2010, 2:32 pm 2:32 pm
Birchers and Beckers – there’s no real difference.
Posted by: Steve J. | February 20, 2010, 3:31 pm 3:31 pm
Look at ACORN, look at JBS and tell me who stands by the law and the Constitution…
But that would involve critical thinking from people who favor identity politics over mere facts to confirm their relative schemas.
No entity can bridge such an overwhelming gap.
Posted by: jafo | February 20, 2010, 7:07 pm 7:07 pm
Good Lord! What IS it with the brainwashed liberals?! Anyone who doesn’t agree with the Dems is automatically attacked. I thought everyone had a right to an opinion.
The TEA Party has absolutely NOTHING to do with racism! It’s about average people who are fed up with government corruption and a double standard! It’s abouut wanted accountability and transparency! Remember transparency?? What Obama had promised but has yet to deliver? More and more people want to clean house, throw out the corrupt, self-serving bums and get back to what the Constitution had intended. ANYONE who thinks that is ‘anit-American’ needs to sit down, read that fine document and get a clue.
Posted by: AverageJoe | February 21, 2010, 2:11 am 2:11 am
If there had been more right wing nuts voting in the last presidential election, we wouldn’t have a left wing nut screwing us at every turn.
Hap Corbett, Staples, MN
Posted by: Hap Corbett | February 21, 2010, 8:00 am 8:00 am
Those posters supporting the JBS should really do some research on the group. Its not about something some guy said 50 years ago. They do not represent any reasonable interpretation of the USC.
Posted by: d | February 22, 2010, 4:41 pm 4:41 pm
I get quite a chuckle from these people invoking the “Constitution.” I guess they think since they watch Glenn Beck they are constitution scholars. I don’t they would like a government by the Constitution as envisioned by the founders. The founders were very afraid of the rabble being easily incited to riotous behavior by charletans in our midst.
Posted by: eastcoastelitist | February 25, 2010, 1:30 am 1:30 am
Whenever lefties lose on political points, they have many tools to attack with. One of those tools is to cry ‘racism’! Just like the teaparty comments above about the makeup being mostly white and male and ANGRY!
Well, let’s see, isn’t the NAACP mostly black people? Isn’t the Nation of Islam mostly muslim AND black AND male?
I don’t hear any cries of racism there?
No, the founders weren’t afraid of the people, but they certainly did not care for the tyranny of the King! Unlike the ‘progressives’ of today, our founders fully understood the difference between liberty and tyranny.
Posted by: Bentley | March 1, 2010, 8:57 pm 8:57 pm
I suggest those who support the JBS reasearch them.The NAACP doesn’t support racist policys.The Nation of Islam Research it.As for Mark:Hitler is dead and the Nazi’s haven’t perpetrated a genocide in 70 years HOWEVER THEY ARE STILL NAZI’s.No I am not even suggesting the JBS is like the Nazi’s ;I am suggesting the ROOTS of the JBS are still close to the heart and soul of Robert H. Welch the JBS founder.Those who say the Tea Party and their ilk(including the JBS are either lying to us or lying to themselves.)Thats right and more people need to call you out EVERY TIME YOU TELL THAT WE’RE NOT RACIST LIE!
Posted by: OMG | May 17, 2010, 4:23 am 4:23 am
Well…of course liberals…progressives…communists…and socialists would have bad things to say about JBS. After all, it represents a way of thinking that left-leaning minds can’t handle.
And, of course, when a left-leaning mind can’t handle something…it lashes out.
It’s just a reflex.
Posted by: jfh | May 17, 2010, 2:02 pm 2:02 pm
Who was responsible for the communist take over of Germany after WW2
Posted by: ralph cochran | September 25, 2010, 5:29 pm 5:29 pm
every where i go to seek truth i get bombarded with this false left right b.s.
seems people and i mean intellectuals love to read what they comment. blissfully ignoring the ones not so intellectually gifted as i. we are at a pivotal moment of our lives a crossroads where personal grievances are to be left at the corner, and cross the street to fight the enemy. at a time so deep in a war for our minds. a war going on for well over 60 years and i a victim to it as well as you. the UNITED NATIONS has to go! we need to pressure our elected officials to get us out. if we allow agenda 21 to continue erode our god given right’s unchallenged we will lose. the private banking mobsters known as the federal reserve would have to be abolished as well. the false flag events that has usurped so much of our freedoms need to be investigated and heads should come off. i could go on but my question is is jbs willing to see this thru?
Posted by: jose | November 17, 2010, 10:12 am 10:12 am