Right-Wing Extremists Eye Leaked Abortion Ruling as Opportunity for Violence

[Nevilledog]

https://www.adl.org/resources/blog/right-wing-extremists-eye-leaked-abortion-ruling-opportunity-violence

The May 2, 2022, leak of the draft opinion overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling has animated people on both sides of the abortion debate. And as pro-choice advocates are vowing to protest the potential loss of reproductive freedom, right-wing extremists advocating for — and in some cases threatening — violence against them.

These threats of violence are largely happening in online spaces, where rhetoric and incitement gain oxygen in a dangerous echo chamber. The deadly, May 14, 2022, white supremacist massacre at a Buffalo supermarket powerfully underscores the potential for this online violent rhetoric to become action and may be an indicator of how far some extremists are willing to go to advance their cause. Crucially, it also makes clear that online platforms must take these threats of violence seriously.

As far as these extremists are concerned, the personhood and worthiness of women is only secure when they are fulfilling “appropriate” roles. A common thread among extremist anti-choice rhetoric: dehumanizing women who believe in the right to abortion. This is a strategy recognized by experts, including those at the Dangerous Speech Project, as having the potential to lead to “increased support for violence against another group.”

History of anti-choice extremism

Violent anti-choice extremism has been an issue in the U.S. since the 1980s, and escalated in the early 1990s. What has changed is the public’s easy access to violent online rhetoric around these issues. Publicly accessible Telegram channels suggest to their followers that violence against pro-choice activists and institutions is not only acceptable, but necessary, and Telegram leaves it to the platform’s subscribers to decide for themselves whether they agree -- or are motivated to further action.

*snip*

[Novara]

1. I wouldn't be a bit surprised ...

... if the "pro-life" fascists kill a bunch of people marching in the streets to protest women losing rights. It would be perfectly in line with the complete and utter farce of the right wing.

[musette_sf]

6. Handmaid's Tale, Season 1, Episode 3

[Freddie]

3. I make the mistake of the occasional FB "discussion" on the topic

Men can get ugly fast. “Keep your legs closed”, accusations of sleeping around, etc. all because I dared to say that we should have the right to not endure forced childbearing. One obvious incel I just told him “think of all the babies you kill when you’re on PornHub.”

[Initech]

4. Of course they do.

All they do is want violence and cause chaos. They have no other solutions or ideas of their own.

[2naSalit]

7. If you don't already...

Carry pepper spray.

[usonian]

8. Right-Wing Extremists Eye ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING as Opportunity for Violence

The narrative above echoes "The Psychology of Genocide: Perpetrators, Bystanders, and Rescuers" by Steven K, Baum.

In chapter 3, "Perpetrators", the author goes through psychological traits common among extremists.

Genocide scholar Israel Charny correctly identifies the mindset as fascistic and goes on to describe it as a mindset:

based on earlier or more childish forms of thinking where right and wrong and truth and falsehood are neatly divided from each other. It is based on the mind’s need for logic and consistency. It is also based on people’s weakness in needing so much to be part of a confirmed social consensus or ‘‘to be in the right’’ even when one has to decide in favor of a position that runs contrary to one’s own senses and logic

Of course, there's lots more.

In this case, anti-choice is the target, always a weaker person or group. Cowards and creeps projecting their own weakness.

[Baitball Blogger]

9. Like they need a reason.

[UTUSN]

10. K&R