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From: "Ladenheim, Sara"
To:
Subject: EXTREMIST 'CHATTER' PRAISES ERIC RUDOLPH
Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2003 16:37:01 -0400
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Myrna Shinbaum (212) 885-7747
Todd Gutnick (212) 885-7755
EXTREMIST CHATTER PRAISES ERIC RUDOLPH AS "A HERO"
SOME MESSAGES CALL FOR VIOLENCE IN HIS NAME
New York, NY, June 3, 2003 ... In the days since the arrest of domestic
terrorist Eric Robert Rudolph in connection with a series of deadly bombing
attacks, including the 1996 bombing at the Olympic Games, extremist chatter
on the Internet has praised Rudolph as "a hero" and some followers of hate
groups are calling for further acts of violence to be modeled after the
bombings he is accused of committing.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which monitors extremism and reports its
findings to law enforcement and the public, warned that the extremist
chatter on Rudolph's arrest is "a dangerous mix" of twisted conspiracy
theories about Jews and calls to violence.
"What some hatemongers and extremists are saying is, this person
is a hero whose crusade against abortion and the government is noble and
praiseworthy," said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director. "What is
even more troubling is that some of the chatter is calling for violence or
lone-wolf acts to be carried out in Rudolph's name. Others are using the
arrest as an excuse to spread twisted conspiracy theories about Jews. As
we have seen in the past, this can be a dangerous mix."
Rudolph had connections from childhood to a number of
anti-Semitic, racist and anti-government movements or groups, especially
Christian Identity such as the North Carolina-based Northpoint Tactical
Teams, founded by the now-deceased Nord Davis Jr., and the Missouri-based
Church of Israel headed by Dan Gayman.
Extremist Chatter
Following are some examples of extremist Internet chatter that has
been generated by the arrest of Eric Rudolph. These were reactions posted
on Internet bulletin boards, Web sites and e-mail lists from May 31 - June
3 (emphasis added):
· A posting on the Web site of the Pennsylvania faction of Aryan
Nations, the Christian Identity neo-Nazi group, lamented that Rudolph was
captured and called him a hero: "Let his enemies gloat, for their days are
numbered. There will always be another to fill the shoes of a fallen
hero. The enemy has not won and will NEVER win..."
· A skinhead from Atlantic City lamented on a neo-Nazi message board
that "another good solid white warrier becomes another prisoner of war! We
need more lone wolves ... WAY MORE!!!"
· On a White Revolution message board, "He rid this world of some
degenerate scum in a couple of his bombings and made the government spend
millions of dollars finding him. That is all that really matters to
me...One day all the lies, deceit and the purposeful destruction of the
White Race will come back at them ten fold." One Christian Identity
adherent, however, was more pessimistic, at least in the short term,
predicting Rudolph's capture signaled the beginning of a round of
government persecution. However, he said, "Fire tempers steel. The
rubber, as they say, is about to meet the road...Let the end games begin."
· A number of white supremacists were not so much concerned about
Rudolph as about the attention that Rudolph's arrest was bringing to
Christian Identity itself, especially by the "Jewish-controlled media." One
post to a Christian Identity e-mail list claimed that "what we are
currently witnessing in the controlled mass media is the demonization of
anyone who dares to tell the truth about the fifth column government, the
Zionist Lobby control of congress and the media, historical accuracy, the
major and crucial differences between the races, including the Cainites,
God's Law as contained in the Commandments, Statutes and Judgments, the
federal reserve, 9-11 and anything else that is wrong with our Edomite [an
Identity term for Jews] manipulated society...the message is clear. Shut
up, or else!"
· A post to the message forum for the white supremacist site
Stormfront had similar opinions: "Jews make sure that ONLY those who go
against THEIR interests are called Terrorists. Do you actually believe that
jews [sic] are fair and honest when they do this? Why could they not have
called Eric Rudolph a Freedom Fighter? That at least would not have been a
derogotary [sic] term and is closer to the truth, in my opinion, assuming
he has done any wrong at all."
· A few people posting to extremist Internet message boards after
news of Rudolph's arrest spread expressed hesitation at supporting him or
even condemned the actions attributed to him. "Terrorism is simply not
acceptable," said one poster to the Assault Web forum. However, others in
the forum were of a different opinion. Referring to abortions, one poster
wrote that "slaughter of the truly innocent demands a response" and if a
response "causes 'terror' in those considering this evil act, I have no
problem." The police officer killed in the Birmingham blast "earned his fate."
· Nonsupporters of Rudolph were quickly taken to task in other
forums. One doubter asked readers of Stormfront's message board how they
could claim "the jew media" was lying about white supremacists "when they
call us terrorists," when all one has to do "is come to this thread and see
how this man has somehow become worshipped?" Another reader immediately
disagreed. "Erich [sic] Rudolph is definitely a hero," he wrote. "There
is nothing wrong with violence." If there were "more Erich [sic] Rudolphs,
Timothy McVeighs, Benjamin Smiths and Buford Furrows in America, we'd have
a much nicer place to live." Smith and Buford are two white supremacists
who went on deadly shooting sprees in the Midwest and California in the
summer of 1999.
· The Web site of the Army of God, an extreme anti-abortion group,
displayed a picture of Emily Lyons, a nurse severely injured in the
Birmingham bombing, with the caption: "Babykilling Abortion Nurse Emily
Lyons got a taste of her own medicine." "I have had Eric on my daily
prayer list since that wondrous day in 1998 before a name was given to the
bomber," wrote one supporter to the Army of God. "He will continue to stay
there. I hope he escapes to defend children again." Another post said that
what mattered was that he had "the lives of the innocent in
mind." Referring to the nurse who was severely injured in the Birmingham
blast, the poster, identifying herself only as "Deborah," asked: "How can
she live with herself knowing that she helps to kill babies?...I am praying
for Eric. They can't seek the death penalty against him, can they? Oh God
in heaven, I hope not."
· Many of Rudolph's most devoted supporters have been extreme
anti-abortion activists; they portray him as someone with the courage to
stop what they consider to be mass murder. "Please pray for warrior Eric
Rudolph," wrote one poster to the Usenet news group
alt.religion.end-times.prophecies shortly after news of Rudolph's arrest
was announced, "that our Savior will protect him from this evil government."
EDITORS NOTE: ADL experts are available for comment on extremist groups and
reactions to the arrest of Eric Rudolph. For more information or to
arrange an interview, contact ADL Media Relations at (212)
885-7749. Further background on extremist and white supremacist groups is
available online at www.adl.org.
The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's leading
organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that
counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.
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