SEIU receives phone call threatening gun violence over its health care reform advocacy.
By on Aug 7th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
SEIU receives phone call threatening gun violence over its health care reform advocacy.
The Service Employees International Union, which supports health care reform, received a call today falsely accusing it of engaging in “thuggish violent tactics” and claiming that if the union does not stop disagreeing with reform’s opponents, “y’all are gonna come up against the Second Amendment.” Listen here:
Amazingly, after threatening to shoot SEIU’s members, the caller concludes by saying “stop the violence.”
View Most Popular
Advertisement
What We're About
What We're Fighting For
What We're Fighting Against
Featured
Subscribe to the Progress Report
Topic CloudView topics sorted by popularity
Afghanistan
Bachmann
Beck
Boehner
Bush
Business
Cheney
Civil Rights
Congress
Corporate Ethics
Dobbs
Education
Election
Energy
Environment
Ethics
Fox News
Gingrich
Glenn Beck
Global Warming
Guantanamo
Health Care
Immigration
International Relations
Justice
LGBT
Lieberman
Limbaugh
Media
Military
O'Reilly
Obama
Palin
Pelosi
Politics
Race
Radical Right
Religion
Steele
Stimulus
Tea Parties
Technology
Terrorism
Veterans
Women's Rights
Visit Our Affiliated Sites
Reports
In-depth studies on select topics
Got a hot tip?
Have a hot news tip? We'd love to hear from you. Use the form below to send us the latest.
ArchivesBlog Roll
Stupid is as stupid does, but of course Glen, Rush and all the other hacks have nothing to do with this?
August 7th, 2009 at 5:09 pmIt’s so cute when people think death threats and disorderly conduct is a First Amendment right.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:09 pm***
“War is Peace; Freedom is Slavery; Ignorance is Strength.”
– g. orwell, 1984
*
Amazingly, after threatening to shoot SEIU’s members, the caller concludes by saying “stop the violence.”
***
the crazy world
of conservatism.
:\
August 7th, 2009 at 5:10 pm***
#2
or the second amendment guarantees
the right to kill those who disagree with you.
:|
August 7th, 2009 at 5:11 pm.
Why of course it’s not (R)adicalized G(no)P hate when they use the Second Amendment to justify their hate, YES?
.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:13 pmShorter Diana: Go ahead. Make my day.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:16 pmThe SEIU should release Diana from Oregon’s phone number. I’m sure she’d love to hear that America is listening to her as well, and doesn’t appreciate her hypocritical threats of violence.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:17 pmYou gotta blame Limbaugh, and all of Fox for advocating these kinds of tactics – the operatives are out in force, exacerbating cultural divisions that still permeate our society.
When people shout to keep government out of health care and they are on Medicare, it shows that they are either too stupid to know what they’re talking about, or they have been brainwashed, or they are paid recruits.
This actually smells more to me of racism than anything else.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:18 pmIt is encouraging the “fears” that racists have about a black president.
30 death threats a day rolling into the White House.
sore loser-ism is one thing, but this is something else.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:18 pmI feel like we have been thrown back into the 1950’s and the civil rights movement with all of its violence and hatreds and fears. That era went right into the Medicare era when the racists became the Dixiecrats, and the confederacy, with all of its demagogeury, and reinforcement of the unfounded, ignorant bigotry of the low-information voter/citizen, continues.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:21 pmMarie,
You mean FEAR?
Fear the Marxist/Fascist/Socialist/Commie/Pinko Black Man?
.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:21 pmShe didn’t end the call with “God Bless!”?
color me surprised….
These people are NUTS. Now all the ugly behavior is being blamed on union members who just happen to be…working folks?
August 7th, 2009 at 5:21 pmThis is a direct result of todays Rush Limpballs show, bloviating about the “unprecedented interference of O’Bamas union thugs against grassroots free speech” at the townhall meetings
Stomach turning…
August 7th, 2009 at 5:21 pmYes stop the violence or we will shoot you. WTF?
August 7th, 2009 at 5:22 pm***
tombaker,
up 400%.
* * *
the republican party –
do as we say and nobody gets hurt.
:|
August 7th, 2009 at 5:22 pmcaller to randi earlier asserted that there were “union thugs” pushing around seniors at the fla town hall yesterday…
the new(er)(est) bad guys… again with the unions…
August 7th, 2009 at 5:23 pmAmazingly, after threatening to shoot SEIU’s members, the caller concludes by saying “stop the violence.”
She wasn’t pleading. It was a dare.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:24 pmi meant to add, he kept saying “it’s in the video! it’s in the video”…
these 6′4″ union thugs…
randi said, after a break, that she looked at the video and the only big guys she could see were holding doors open for people…
August 7th, 2009 at 5:26 pmLibs, how can we bust the unions if we have gun control?
August 7th, 2009 at 5:27 pmAmazingly, after threatening to shoot SEIU’s members, the caller concludes by saying “stop the violence.”
– - Not so amazing when you consider the synapses you’re dealing with in these people.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:28 pmThis is a glimpse of what a return to repiggie rule would entail.
Please don’t vote for any of these repiggies, even for local office. They all tacitly go along with the thugs, no matter what they might say to the contrary. That’s why they are repiggies. They support this stuff.
By the way, Lou Dobbs is a moron.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:29 pmInteresting article.
I’ll be more interested in the article showing this scumbag dragged away in handcuffs and charged with making death threats.
:|
That’ll be a page turner.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:30 pmMurder and violence are exactly what the Republican’s, and their Corporate Masters, intend to bring about.
Enough violence by the Public (such as will lead to Governmental ‘clamping down’ and from there to even more violence a’la T. McVeigh.
The shooting “sprees” are becoming a weekly pattern. Strange, not one has been done by, let alone incited by a “Liberal”.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:30 pmkaty says:
caller to randi earlier asserted that there were “union thugs” pushing around seniors at the fla town hall yesterday…
the new(er)(est) bad guys… again with the unions…
A ‘two-fer’ for them! Talk about a rightie wet dream. They get to justify their own violent ways AND hurt the unions at the same time! Brilliant! Brilliantly evil. The sort of thing that Rove would come up with.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:30 pmTop it off with insurance denying any claim because they don’t cover acts of terrorism.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:31 pmThe caller was from Oregon?????
well I am here in Oregon myself and if they like i could track this coward down.
Nothing like a brave strong coward to place calls.
Shaking my head these people are getting stranger by the day.
ground control to any normal person on the right side>>>>> please call home Et`s looking for intelligent life there.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:33 pmHas any MSM outlet given any coverage to “thuggish violent tactics” by the SEIU? The only mention of this going on has been on wingnut blogs, accompanied by some video of an alleged incident where it’s difficult to see what’s going on.
I’d think that if this was widespread (or even happening at all), wouldn’t some legitimate news medium be reporting it?
August 7th, 2009 at 5:34 pmFunny thing, but I doubt Diana would stand a chance against a union member who has walked a picket line…
August 7th, 2009 at 5:35 pm“y’all are gonna come up against the Second Amendment.”
____________________________________________________________
Don’t these retards know that the Second Amendment gives citizens the right to bear arms, and not the right to shoot whomever they want, whenever they feel like it?
August 7th, 2009 at 5:41 pmthe only “thugs” i’ve seen at these events are the red-faced, spittle-flinging rightards that glenn beck sent to prevent anyone from freely and peacefully assembling to discuss an important issue.
the only thing scary about them is the likelihood their halitosis, moving at the speed of ape-howling might make everyone in the hall nauseous.
like every other ignorant barroom blowhard, they’d run and pee their pants the moment someone invited them to throw down outside.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:42 pm:|
uhh, I don’t think they’re talking about gun control for the police there genius.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:42 pm“Now let’s go murder our enemies. Peace.”
August 7th, 2009 at 5:43 pm- The Simpsons, Pranksta Rap
There really should be something that puts an end to the concept of corporations making record profits when they are causing harm to innocent people and the environment.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:45 pm***
the republicans ramp it up.
twittering to bring guns.
* *
August 7th, 2009 at 5:46 pmStupid is as stupid says
when you get echoed through millions of TVs into empty heads.
Words have consequences, but when amplified by national broadcast, words are action! Words are action. Now that’s new… Beck is blaring out his words with light dimming wattage.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:48 pmThe ‘argument’ about the great benefits of torture was such a low point that this should really come as no surprise. It’s a lateral move to ‘agree with me or get shot’.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:48 pmTypical redneck idiot threating violence, then demanding a stop to the violence.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:49 pmLordy, they know not what the hell they’re doing.
Sooner or later on of the teabaggers is going to pull a gun and start shooting. It looks to me like the 28% are really losing it totally.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:49 pmI wonder if Diana realizes there is a good possibilty she can be tracked down via her phone number? Can’t believe she would call and give her name and state (if she didn’t lie about it)
August 7th, 2009 at 5:49 pmLike the right is the only one who exercises their second amendment right. As if…
August 7th, 2009 at 5:50 pm.
Stop your thuggish violent tactics and stop the violence or else…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Gy-Cq75BWY
.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:50 pmUmmm, WayneBro @#31… McWars was spoofing…
August 7th, 2009 at 5:51 pmA former colleague’s husband of mine was an NRA kinda guy, and she said he was going to buy a shirt that said “My Second Amendment right defends your First.” I said, “Of course, because in America, if we think our rights are being infringed, we don’t sue or petition or peacefully protest, we shoot somebody.”
“The choice is not between order and liberty. It is between liberty with order and anarchy without either.” — Justice Robert Jackson
August 7th, 2009 at 5:51 pmStupid does as stupid says. Glenn Beck needs to get back to his family and being a DJ.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:51 pmLimpy Limbaugh, Fox Propaganda and all the other Reich-wing propagandists are an absolute threat to everyone else. They get these simple-minded morons that will believe anything they say all worked up and then sit back, laugh and watch the show. They’ve got the idiots protesting for them against taxing the ultra rich and now protesting on behalf of the health insurance lobby. Damn, there are a lot of stupid people out there. I am truly worried about our future with all this support the fascist right is receiving.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:52 pmThe right wingers acted this way during the repeal of prohibition.
The right wingers acted this way during the establishment of Social Security and Medicare.
The right wingers acted this way to outlaw hemp (ironically, by using taxes).
The right wingers acted this way during the civil rights movement.
The right wingers are acting this way over health care.
Right wingers just act this way.
Childish.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:52 pmJesus in a vinaigrette, that’s nasty. They just put themselves on a list—the kind of list someone else with a gun is going to follow up on. It’s just gobsmacking that people can be so stupid.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:53 pmThe ‘argument’ about the great benefits of torture was such a low point that this should really come as no surprise. It’s a lateral move to ‘agree with me or get shot’
People just can’t absorb it all i guess, because dangerous treacherous people are clear and free to spend their war profits, at our expense.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:55 pmhttp://stlouisteaparty.com/
August 7th, 2009 at 5:57 pmThere is not shame…TPM reported a threat to Representative Brad Miller’s life over healthcare reform…can you f’en believe that?
August 7th, 2009 at 5:58 pmThe WingNuts are trying to spread what appears to be a lie about SEIU members assaulting them at Town Hall Meetings…
…no where to be found in the MSM…
….funny though, this is ONLY ON REICHWINGNUT BLOGS….
…which more than likely means that it is a lie to stir up the crazies even more.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:58 pmSEUI members are mostly black and hispanic.
Sounds like a minority threatening bias crime.
The right wingers are surely bring out their inner feelings on race.
So who are the racists and “Nazis?” What’s next for them cross burnings and book burnings and chants of Gott Mit Uns????
August 7th, 2009 at 5:58 pmThe Right is armed to the teeth–the Left better start!
August 7th, 2009 at 5:59 pmThe thing is these union “thugs” are union members who at a town hall meetings organized by, gasp, the unions.
August 7th, 2009 at 6:00 pm(The one in Tampa was)
I’m shocked, shocked I say to find out there are union members there.
weekendclimber says:
as if is simple re-direction – mis-direction. sorry, minus points for weekendclimber.
August 7th, 2009 at 6:00 pmCorporations seem like they’re getting ready to rumble.
August 7th, 2009 at 6:08 pmNailed it.
August 7th, 2009 at 6:08 pmGood commercial here from the DNC…I like the line at the end:
“call the republican party & tell them you’ve had enough of the mob…(202) 863-8500″
put the pressure back on them…
August 7th, 2009 at 6:10 pmI hope the SEIU was able to trace the call and that they made a copy of this voicemail and forwarded it to the FBI.
These loons are out of control. Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity, CPR, Freedomworks and the GOP had better reign these crazies in. It might be too late but they’d better start making an effort.
August 7th, 2009 at 6:14 pmWell I didn’t know that.
Thanks for voting it down (or whoever did) rather than simply explaining it.
August 7th, 2009 at 6:14 pmCorporate fat cats are going to use their moron proxies to do the intimidation and thugery for them just like back in the early 20th century.
August 7th, 2009 at 6:14 pmRepub politicians & pundits have incited this violence, promoting injury & even killing towards any Democrat that actually wants to improve the country. They are responsible. We must continue to hold them responsible for the hatred, racism, & extreme violence they promote towards Democrats, & Obama in particular. When has the U.S. ever– EVER- seen this sort of ignorant, dishonest, lobbyist-backed hatred & violence? Answer– never before. It’s a Republican thing; they follow like sheep & live for lying, racism, killing & anti-Government bullsh*t. And in the last few months, Repubs & their blind followers have shown themselves as the liars & anti-Americans they truly are. They really hate the United States & its Constitution.
August 7th, 2009 at 6:16 pmCorporations then the GOP and then their proxy morons.
August 7th, 2009 at 6:17 pmHey pastcaring @58- did you see that woman holding the red bible? What in hell did she plan on doing with it? I mean she’s holding up the bible like she was going to use it for whacking heads – religious nuts! ROTFL! Well, better bibles than guns. Jeez!
August 7th, 2009 at 6:18 pmWhat, we’re going to go to civil war over whether or not a portion of our tax dollars goes to help poor people with their medical bills?
Time for our democratic leaders to stand up to this nonsense.
Why are they holding so many town hall meetings suddenly?
Why are they permitting these protesters to harass and threaten people?
Why are the police not arresting these people.
Why are they not being charged with disorderly conduct like liberals were when they protest republican meetings?
The democratic leadership (and I use the term loosely) is at fault here for once more being spineless.
If they would actually “LEAD” once in a while, then these mobs of thugs would be arrested and charged and that would be the end of it.
August 7th, 2009 at 6:18 pmIt’s the corporations that use the GOP that uses the idiots out there who will fight for the wealthy elite.
August 7th, 2009 at 6:20 pmIt’s truly unbelievable that, when a group of honest, hard-working people try to improve health care for the middle class, the poor, & the elderly, the GOP & the Repub pundits hysterically attack it with lies, dishonesty, & smears. The GOP & Repub liars whine, they scream, they disrupt, they assault, they demean, they lie & lie & lie. What is wrong with them? Don’t they want their fellow Americans to be safe & healthy? Answer: no, they do not. They want money, money, & more money. And they fool their pathetic sheep into thinking they care. They never will. And above all, they only want to protect rich, white people.
August 7th, 2009 at 6:22 pmThe Republican way: I don’t like you, therefore I will kill you. Could be Bolton’s motto.
August 7th, 2009 at 6:24 pm***
#53,
i’m not arming myself with anything but the truth.
it was good enough for dr. king and it’s good enough for me.
:)
August 7th, 2009 at 6:25 pmThey’re attacking organized working people and those workers who are trying to organize with healthcare reform. Big Business has always done that.
August 7th, 2009 at 6:26 pmJust imagine this sort of threat to Bush: If you start a totally illegal war with Iraq, y’all are gonna come up against the Second Amendment.
August 7th, 2009 at 6:27 pmThat person/persons would have been shipped off to Gitmo as a terrorist.
Fear — its how a minority can destroy a democracy…
August 7th, 2009 at 6:30 pmWe all need to become unionized in all our different jobs and it starts with universal healthcare.
August 7th, 2009 at 6:31 pmBig Business has always used racism to drive workers apart. That’s prevented this country from having a true class struggle like they have in Europe where workers are treated much better.
August 7th, 2009 at 6:34 pmThat is something else, isn’t it?
I always wonder if someone like that lives in the same world I do…
The hypocrisy of a supposedly right to lifer, using the bible to deny 18,000 Americans the right to life…
Through the looking glass indeed…
August 7th, 2009 at 6:37 pm:|
Joe @ #69..
I admire your sentiment about truth, but we all know what happened to MLK.
Watch your back, friend!
August 7th, 2009 at 6:54 pm3. joe cantwell sez:…
Aye, ’tis the loony season in neocon land, as it always is.
I think what happened is the dupe forgot to say “or else” after “stop the violence”. He’s just missing a few connections in his fuse box; the fact that he contradicts himself never occurs to him and would make no difference.
It’s just words, to him, and of no importance, until the words start carrying some negative freight for him – then it’s blood, hair, and brown stains all over the walls.
August 7th, 2009 at 7:19 pm77. oopsy. dang, I’d only read the post and didn’t realize that the caller was female until I listened to it. None the less, my comment in 77 stands, with the amendment that it should be ’she’ rather than ‘he’.
Sounds like a well practiced little speech too. May have been read from a script.
August 7th, 2009 at 7:29 pmWhere’s the Patriot Act when you need it?
The Patriot Act defines Domestic Terrorism as:
(5) the term “domestic terrorism” means activities that—
(A) involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State;
(B) appear to be intended—
(i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population;
(ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or
(iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and
(C) occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States.
To “engage in terrorist activity” is defined as committing, inciting to commit or planning and preparing to undertake an act of terrorism.
August 7th, 2009 at 9:31 pmThese dim witted right wing terrorists only understand one thing. They are begging for a good old time beat down. They will not stop until they get it.
August 7th, 2009 at 9:58 pmRemember that’s what they want, they want to bait us into violence against THEM…then Limbaugh can go around proclaiming about how we’re thugs and we’re nothing more than Brownshirts…
August 7th, 2009 at 10:33 pmThese teabaggers need to be careful who they call and threaten. They don’t want to get the unions riled up. The unions have a lot of clout and quite a bit of money, and I don’t believe they wouldn’t mind spending the money to find this “Dianne” and file a lawsuit against her behind. In fact, I’d be willing to chip in a few bucks if they decide to do exactly that.
August 7th, 2009 at 11:41 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
You’re a thug. And if you don’t believe it, I’m gonna blow away your kneecaps.
August 8th, 2009 at 12:27 amAnd the lovely Diana finished up by saying, “…and keep your goddamn government hands OFF my Medicare!”
What a deluded moron. Classic projection.
August 8th, 2009 at 12:34 am#83. con guy:…
now now, conservatwit, don’t get yer knickers in a twist…
August 8th, 2009 at 12:44 ampastcaring says:
Good commercial here from the DNC…I like the line at the end:
“call the republican party & tell them you’ve had enough of the mob…(202) 863-8500″
put the pressure back on them…
careful there – i heard a report earlier today that those calls are being rerouted to the DNC, if you follow the prompt and press #1…
steele was rather pleased with that trick too…
chickenshit.
August 8th, 2009 at 12:50 amThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
#87 katy says:
here’s their fax# 202.863.8820
August 8th, 2009 at 2:04 amNo one says they don’t have a right to free speech…free speech does not give them or anyone the right to be a rude loudmouth who’s only goal is to silence someone else and their right to free speech, including making death threats to those they disagree with…before you say these things, you should do some digging…not just parroting…
August 8th, 2009 at 2:06 amLOL, oh my this chick is hilarious. Stop the violence or we’ll blow your damn head off!!!
August 8th, 2009 at 2:39 amPaladinofPeace needs a good nickname, and I think wingnutofwar might just fit.
August 8th, 2009 at 7:10 am“TYPICAL”, A tactic of the GOP,
If they can’t “SHOUT YOU DOWN,,,THEY WILL SHOOT YOU DOWN”
You can bet they will use the same Tactic next year during the Election.
August 8th, 2009 at 10:50 amconservative guy says:
Time for YOU to go kill yourself. You are far too stupid to serve humanity in any other way.
August 8th, 2009 at 11:48 amPaladinofPeace
YOu are a moron. You are a liar. PRove this happened. What a punk you are. YOU are not only un-American you are a subhuman MORON. You are so stupid that your stench is noxious to decent human beings. Stuff your stupid up your tarhole you ignorant piece of garbage. You are a pustulent seeping herpes sore on the A$$ of humanity
August 8th, 2009 at 11:50 amIt sure doesn’t help when you have Sarah Palin talking about the Obama death squads. Just keep fueling the fire until people start to get killed over this, and then turn around and blame Obama. This despicable behavior will someday come back to bite your asses.
August 8th, 2009 at 1:47 pmThis is all about bigotry. You can’t reason with people like this.
Republicans don´t believe in freedom of speech. Anybody who has an opinion they don´t like they heckle or shout down. They don´t believe in the Constitution. Anybody who wants to do something different they call a traitor.
August 9th, 2009 at 9:49 am96. bsober sez:…
Um. Sarahcuda isn’t talking about Death Squads, bsober. She’s busy bearing false witness, and what she’s claiming is part of health insurance reform is something she’s made up called “Death Panels”. Kind of like a panel of judges.
The whole thing is supposed to bring to mind the eugenicidal activity of the Nazis, although it could just as easily be aimed at some of the activity done in the name of eugenics in this country in the 20th Century; actions like forced sterilization of poverty stricken women by (usually) hard-line conservative judges in the southern US, along with forced sterilation of retarded folks and some with various disabilities.
Dang, is eugenicidal a word? It oughta be…
August 9th, 2009 at 1:40 pm