From Truth Out: http://truth-out.org/news/item/14038-if-right-wing-violence-is-up-400-why-is-the-fbi-targeting-environmentalists
By Will Potter, Green Is the New Red
Monday, 21 January 2013
Violent attacks by right-wing groups and individuals have increased by 400% since 1990, and dramatically in the last five years, according to a new report by West Point’s Combating Terrorism Center.
When examined side-by-side with FBI reports on domestic terrorism, the data from this study shows that the FBI has been either grossly miscalculating, or intentionally downplaying, murders and violent attacks by right-wing extremists while exaggerating the threat posed by animal rights activists and environmentalists, who have only destroyed property.
SHARP INCREASE IN VIOLENCE AGAINST MINORITIES
Between 2007 and 2011, there was a sharp increase in the number of victims of right wing violence, according to the study, to the highest levels documented so far. On a broader timeline, the increase is even more dramatic.
There was a spike in both from injuries and fatalities in 2007, and those levels have remained constant through 2012. That’s approximately 190 injuries a year, and 30 deaths, due to right-wing violence.
The victims of this violence are not surprising. Approximately 65% of the attacks were directed against ethnic and religious minorities. And 14% of violent attacks were against people because of their sexual orientation.
As the author notes, this only includes crimes that were reported and could be directly tied to right-wing politics.
It’s possible that these numbers are actually much higher.
FBI DOWNPLAYS RIGHT-WING THREAT
Continue reading at: http://truth-out.org/news/item/14038-if-right-wing-violence-is-up-400-why-is-the-fbi-targeting-environmentalists
