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babylonsister

(171,075 posts)
Mon Mar 12, 2018, 06:33 PM Mar 2018

Pierce: There's a Lot of News Right Now. Don't Ignore What's Happening in Texas.

https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a19411206/austin-bombing/

There's a Lot of News Right Now. Don't Ignore What's Happening in Texas.
There's a wildness out in the country.
By Charles P. Pierce
Mar 12, 2018


There’s some bad, bad whiskey going down in Austin. Somebody’s mailing bombs to African-American homes there, and they’re killing people. From The Austin American-Statesman:

The woman was taken to Dell Seton Medical Center with serious and potentially life-threatening injuries. Another woman in her 80s was being treated for an unrelated medical issue but was not being hospitalized, EMS said. The incident marks the second reported explosion in the city on Monday and the third in two weeks. An explosion earlier in the day in the 4800 block of Oldfort Hill Drive in East Austin killed a 17-year-old and injured a woman described as in her 40s. Hours after that incident, interim Austin Police Chief Brian Manley said that explosion appeared similar and likely related to another explosion in Northeast Austin on March 2. Authorities on Monday also warned residents against taking suspicious packages inside their homes. The incidents are being investigated by police and federal authorities, as a homicide, the chief said. He also said that investigators were not ruling out the possibility of the explosions being a hate crime because the victims in those cases are African-American.


Three in two weeks. Two in one day. This appears to be a campaign of some kind or another. This is somebody—or somebodies—interested in making a point. One hesitates to ascribe a motive, but the choice of targets does raise some dreadful possibilities. There is enough of a similarity between the events—and, apparently, between at least two of the devices—to conclude that the wildness abroad in the land has claimed more victims.

I know it’s not as big a story as the president* and the porn star, or as big a national event as the hurt feelings of New York Times op-ed writers, but somebody should pay attention to this. It could be another Ted Kaczynski, or it could be something even darker. There’s death in the air and murder is too close to the surface.

Also, hey, Greg Abbott? 15 Gs for a reward? You’ve got donors who can come up with that from the cushions of their sofas. Do better, man.
31 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Pierce: There's a Lot of News Right Now. Don't Ignore What's Happening in Texas. (Original Post) babylonsister Mar 2018 OP
KnR Hekate Mar 2018 #1
The elderly woman who was hospitalized today reportedly was Hispanic. Chemisse Mar 2018 #2
I read somewhere that the first two families were not just African-American, but tblue37 Mar 2018 #26
If these bombs had been targeted to white suburbanites, Volaris Mar 2018 #28
Austin has a history of segregation Boomer Mar 2018 #29
So the location alone assured the killer that his victims will be POC. Chemisse Mar 2018 #30
You can get lost............. MyOwnPeace Mar 2018 #3
I get lost in Charlie Pierce's articles on a daily basis yellowdogintexas Mar 2018 #7
They're not mailing them. Liberal In Texas Mar 2018 #4
I switched from CNN to CBS to get more info on this mcar Mar 2018 #5
K & R malaise Mar 2018 #6
I saw this on the news. Horrible. I'm guessing it's the Nazis that have come out of the woodwork. Honeycombe8 Mar 2018 #8
White Supremacism at work. IluvPitties Mar 2018 #9
According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, Texas has 66 known hate groups; includes RestoreAmerica2020 Mar 2018 #22
This is some scary shit going on in this country. spanone Mar 2018 #10
+1000 smirkymonkey Mar 2018 #11
+++ trump is all about the racist hate frenzy . You won't see him fire Miller soon imo lunasun Mar 2018 #31
K&R bdamomma Mar 2018 #12
The asshole is clearly targeting random innocent minorities in working-class neighborhoods dalton99a Mar 2018 #13
K & R jalan48 Mar 2018 #14
MSM is holding off on the 'T' word Scalded Nun Mar 2018 #15
Non-white and/or non-Christian. nt. Mariana Mar 2018 #18
None of these were delivered by USPS, UPS, or Fed EX. Historic NY Mar 2018 #16
The 18 year old was a musician: fierywoman Mar 2018 #20
It is really scary Dem_4_Life Mar 2018 #17
Red state preservation playbook: pick liberal/diverse sites, hit minorities there, blame libs there ancianita Mar 2018 #19
Another link with information: radical noodle Mar 2018 #21
Trump has let the demons in this country (and the world, really)... Dave Starsky Mar 2018 #23
This is absolutely, 100% terrorism. Initech Mar 2018 #24
The packages were not mailed, that has been made very clear. They are placed on the porch by the Nitram Mar 2018 #25
K & R Duppers Mar 2018 #27

Chemisse

(30,813 posts)
2. The elderly woman who was hospitalized today reportedly was Hispanic.
Mon Mar 12, 2018, 06:55 PM
Mar 2018

Although the radio report I heard made no mention of whether she was at her own home or not, or what the area's demographics are.

If it continues the pattern will be clear enough.

tblue37

(65,432 posts)
26. I read somewhere that the first two families were not just African-American, but
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 04:26 PM
Mar 2018

prominent in the community, which makes me even more convinced some white supremacist wanted to bring them down.

Volaris

(10,272 posts)
28. If these bombs had been targeted to white suburbanites,
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 04:45 PM
Mar 2018

The MisAdministration would label it an act of terrorism and a matter of national security, with all the appropriate action taken at the Federal level.
Since its not that, it's just probably just some left-wing lone wolf mad that Hillary lost so hugley.

If I need the sarcasm thingie here, you're reading the wrong damn website.
FIND these fuckers. Convict them of terrorism. Let the right and their FakeNews FakePresident bitch and scream about the unfairness of it all.
I'm tired of their bullshit. I want Justice restored to this Country. If that's too much to ask, I'll settle for Rule of Law.

Boomer

(4,168 posts)
29. Austin has a history of segregation
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 05:43 PM
Mar 2018

No matter what you may hear about what a lovely, progressive city Austin, Texas is, there's also a long history of de-facto segregation. "East Austin" is the side of town where blacks and Hispanics lived, and the rest of Austin was for whites.

So just about any news about things happening in East Austin will have a subtext of race.

Chemisse

(30,813 posts)
30. So the location alone assured the killer that his victims will be POC.
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 05:49 PM
Mar 2018

I hope they find him before anyone else gets hurt.

MyOwnPeace

(16,929 posts)
3. You can get lost.............
Mon Mar 12, 2018, 07:11 PM
Mar 2018

in an hour's worth of reading by linking onto any of Charlie's writings.

Well worth the trip - and SO wonderful to hear some brilliant thought about our current national disgrace..........................

yellowdogintexas

(22,267 posts)
7. I get lost in Charlie Pierce's articles on a daily basis
Mon Mar 12, 2018, 08:06 PM
Mar 2018

I get the Esquire email every day. They have some other spot on writers besides Charlie but he is the best. I also love his weekly call ins on the Stephanie Miller Show.

Liberal In Texas

(13,559 posts)
4. They're not mailing them.
Mon Mar 12, 2018, 07:15 PM
Mar 2018

Leaving boxes at the door. Reportedly no mailing labels on them. USPS, UPS and FedEx say they had no deliveries to the addresses.

This is a real sicko.

mcar

(42,337 posts)
5. I switched from CNN to CBS to get more info on this
Mon Mar 12, 2018, 07:16 PM
Mar 2018

CNN covered it, but went right back to Dotard. This is serious stuff.

Honeycombe8

(37,648 posts)
8. I saw this on the news. Horrible. I'm guessing it's the Nazis that have come out of the woodwork.
Mon Mar 12, 2018, 08:11 PM
Mar 2018

All the hostile, hate-filled rhetoric by Trump fuels these guys. But we don't know for certain. I hope they get the people or person and we find out. Could be another Kaczyinski, like the OP says.

RestoreAmerica2020

(3,435 posts)
22. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, Texas has 66 known hate groups; includes
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 02:03 PM
Mar 2018

KKK, Nazi, and white supremacists.

spanone

(135,851 posts)
10. This is some scary shit going on in this country.
Mon Mar 12, 2018, 08:14 PM
Mar 2018

every time trump speaks he lights another racist fire....

that screed in Pittsburgh was right out of the dicatator's handbook

Scalded Nun

(1,236 posts)
15. MSM is holding off on the 'T' word
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 10:57 AM
Mar 2018

They will continue using 'Hate' and 'Criminal'. If it turns out this person is non-white look for them to be branded as a Terrorist.

Historic NY

(37,451 posts)
16. None of these were delivered by USPS, UPS, or Fed EX.
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 11:29 AM
Mar 2018

The police chief refused to provide many details about the explosives, citing the ongoing investigation. But he said they were an "average size letter box" and "not particularly large." In all three cases, he said, the packages did not appear to have gone through the U.S. Postal Service or private carriers like UPS but were left on doorsteps without a knock or ringing of doorbells.


[link:https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/2-Deadly-Package-Bombs-Austin-476566033.html|]


There seems to be some link between victims.

Fredie Dixon’s stepson, Anthony Stephan House, 39, died after a package exploded at his house on March 2. Dixon told the Post he is good friends with Norman Mason, the grandfather of the teenager who was killed in a package explosion around 6:45 a.m. Monday in the 4800 block of Oldfort Hill Drive.

[link:https://www.statesman.com/news/breaking-news/breaking-second-explosion-reported-east-austin/2Fhi7i7aSmWoMBS5HHbfeO/|]

ancianita

(36,110 posts)
19. Red state preservation playbook: pick liberal/diverse sites, hit minorities there, blame libs there
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 12:41 PM
Mar 2018

to sow doubt, discouragement and disengagement from GOTV across the state.

Dave Starsky

(5,914 posts)
23. Trump has let the demons in this country (and the world, really)...
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 02:12 PM
Mar 2018

Know that their time in the shadows is over.

Initech

(100,087 posts)
24. This is absolutely, 100% terrorism.
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 02:16 PM
Mar 2018

Yet our idiot president won't condemn white supremacist terrorists because "some, I assume, are good people". And the FBI has actually laxed investigations on white supremacists. This is getting really scary.

Nitram

(22,825 posts)
25. The packages were not mailed, that has been made very clear. They are placed on the porch by the
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 04:20 PM
Mar 2018

person who made the bombs. I doubt they could have been delivered by a parcel service without detonation along the way. The public is being warned not to open packages they weren't expecting.

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