# Obama gets 400% more death threats than W did **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 5, 2009, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385 "2009-08-05T03:01:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/41 "2009-08-05T17:05:42Z")
I don’t know why people seem to be just assuming that these threats are from conservatives. I would guess the vast majority are from neo-nazi/KKK/skinhead types. [You want to define these people as RW, OK. But I don’t think they have much in common with what is commonly known as the RW, other than opposition to affirmative action. In any event, the distinction needs to be kept in mind.] ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/42 "2009-08-05T17:10:52Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > I don’t know why people seem to be just assuming that these threats are from conservatives. I would guess the vast majority are from neo-nazi/KKK/skinhead types. > > [You want to define these people as RW, OK. But I don’t think they have much in common with what is commonly known as the RW, other than opposition to affirmative action. In any event, the distinction needs to be kept in mind.] I can’t imagine why anyone would think the KKK is conservative. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/43 "2009-08-05T17:45:24Z")
Pittable, yes. Unexpected, no. Like **Aquila Be** , I have no idea what they mean by 400% - it’s a 265% increase. Even if they did it the ‘usual’ wrong way they’d say a 365% increase. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/44 "2009-08-05T18:08:49Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > [You want to define these people as RW, OK. But I don’t think they have much in common with what is commonly known as the RW, other than opposition to affirmative action. In any event, the distinction needs to be kept in mind.] It’s a good question. I’d be interested in seeing a survey of KKK-types. My guess is that you’d find: -Opposition to gay rights even more severe than what the Republican party usually espouses. -Opposition to increasing rights for women in society, even more than what the GOP has traditionally espoused (to be fair, the GOP appears to have given up on this one since the seventies). -Opposition to abortion rights even more severe than what you see among the GOP. -Support of school prayer even more ardent than what you find among the GOP. -Support of “strict constitutionalism” even more extreme than what the GOP usually espouses. -Opposition to “socialism” even more than what the GOP usually espouses. -Support of limits on immigration even more strict than what the GOP supports. -Opposition to gun control even more extreme than what the GOP usually espouses. I think on most social issues, and on many economic and foreign affairs issues, militias and Klansmen groups are at the extreme end of the right wing, just like groups like the IWW are at the extreme end of the left wing. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/45 "2009-08-05T18:48:59Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > I don’t know why people seem to be just assuming that these threats are from conservatives. I would guess the vast majority are from neo-nazi/KKK/skinhead types. > > [You want to define these people as RW, OK. But I don’t think they have much in common with what is commonly known as the RW, other than opposition to affirmative action. In any event, the distinction needs to be kept in mind.] The major distinction being that the KKK and similar groups are more forthright and unsubtle with their bigotry. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/46 "2009-08-05T19:29:04Z")
“More forthright with their bigotry” than you are? I don’t think that’s possible. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/47 "2009-08-05T19:30:05Z")
If Obama gets more threats, you say Pubs are evil. If he gets less, you say more people must like him. Wonderful. Yet another SDMB “conservatives suck” circle-jerk. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/48 "2009-08-05T19:40:31Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > “More forthright with their bigotry” than you are? I don’t think that’s possible. > > Regards, > Shodan Curious, **Shodan** –what percentage of your posts in political threads would you say consist of polysyllabic versions of “No U”? ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/49 "2009-08-05T20:01:37Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > Check out the Yahoo! Answers section on politics sometimes, for some reason that’s a hotbed of extreme right-wing-nuttery. It’s really quite insane. There he’s a far worse threat that Hitler commanding an army of gay dinosaurs to rape all Christian newborn babies. Gay dinosaurs? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/50 "2009-08-05T20:07:35Z")
Fagosaurus, Dykerotops, Faelociraptor–Hitler commands them all. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/51 "2009-08-05T20:14:45Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > I don’t know why people seem to be just assuming that these threats are from conservatives. I would guess the vast majority are from neo-nazi/KKK/skinhead types. Maybe because people who aren’t skinheads nor, by any evidence, neo-Nazis or KKK members are publicly, in the most mundane settings, like in **jsgoddess** ’s case, or in one another’s homes, like my run in with my plumber last night (a birther, town hall disruption supporter, etc.) openly discussing how they would celebrate this man’s death. Obama’s election has unearthed a nasty vein of racism in this country, and the further right on the spectrum someone is, the more assured they seem to be to proclaim their racism-marinated hatred of the man himself (not just his policies) in places and at times that such exclamations are hardly appropriate. They just can’t seem to help themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Taber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac91a4/32.png) [@Taber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taber)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/52 "2009-08-05T20:14:52Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > If Obama gets more threats, you say Pubs are evil. If he gets less, you say more people must like him. Wonderful. Yet another SDMB “conservatives suck” circle-jerk. Poor conservatives, damned if you do send death threats to the president, damned if you don’t. A shame there’s no way to show disapproval of a president without sending him death threats. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/53 "2009-08-05T20:26:54Z")
> [@tumbleddown](#): > > Maybe because people who aren’t skinheads nor, by any evidence, neo-Nazis or KKK members are publicly, in the most mundane settings, like in **jsgoddess** ’s case, or in one another’s homes, like my run in with my plumber last night (a birther, town hall disruption supporter, etc.) openly discussing how they would celebrate this man’s death. Yeah, the guy I mentioned is no skinhead or neo-Nazi. He’s just a guy named Roger. Mild-mannered, plays golf with my brother, that sort of thing. I mean if it had been my in-laws, it wouldn’t have surprised me. They are rampant racists and, while still not skinheads, they _say_ stuff like this. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/54 "2009-08-05T20:28:09Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Fagosaurus, Dykerotops, Faelociraptor–Hitler commands them all. You forgot lickalotopus. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/55 "2009-08-05T20:41:32Z")
> [@bup](#): > > You forgot lickalotopus. And Megasaurass… ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/56 "2009-08-05T20:51:59Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > “More forthright with their bigotry” than you are? I don’t think that’s possible. > > Regards, > Shodan [Pee-Wee Herman] I know you are, but what am I? [/Pee-Wee Herman] ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/57 "2009-08-05T21:00:57Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > It’s a good question. I’d be interested in seeing a survey of KKK-types. My guess is that you’d find: > -Opposition to gay rights even more severe than what the Republican party usually espouses. > -Opposition to increasing rights for women in society, even more than what the GOP has traditionally espoused (to be fair, the GOP appears to have given up on this one since the seventies). > -Opposition to abortion rights even more severe than what you see among the GOP. > -Support of school prayer even more ardent than what you find among the GOP. > -Support of “strict constitutionalism” even more extreme than what the GOP usually espouses. > -Opposition to “socialism” even more than what the GOP usually espouses. > -Support of limits on immigration even more strict than what the GOP supports. > -Opposition to gun control even more extreme than what the GOP usually espouses. > > I think on most social issues, and on many economic and foreign affairs issues, militias and Klansmen groups are at the extreme end of the right wing, just like groups like the IWW are at the extreme end of the left wing. Most of these are just the result of overlap in support among similar demographic groups. E.g. both draw their strongest support from rural Southerners, and many items on your list tend to be supported by rural Southerners. For similar reasons I would bet you would find a disproportionate percentage of KKK types drive pickup trucks, but it doesn’t say anything bad about pickup truck drivers or imply that there’s some valid connection between pickup truck driving and extreme or racist views. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/58 "2009-08-05T21:07:27Z")
> [@tumbleddown](#): > > Maybe because people who aren’t skinheads nor, by any evidence, neo-Nazis or KKK members are publicly, in the most mundane settings, like in **jsgoddess** ’s case, or in one another’s homes, like my run in with my plumber last night (a birther, town hall disruption supporter, etc.) openly discussing how they would celebrate this man’s death. No doubt there are some. The question is what accounts for the increase. Anecdotal evidence has no bearing here. > [@](#): > > Obama’s election has unearthed a nasty vein of racism in this country I would say the opposite. Obama’s election has showed the country to be less racist than many people thought, and many people - both racists and non-racists - predicted that a black man could never get elected only to be proven wrong. Difference is that when shown to be wrong the non-racists are happy about it and the racists are angry and frustrated and prone to making death threats. [I remember during the campaign telling one racist that Obama was very likely to get elected and he said “you really think people are going to vote for a black president? You really really think so?” And I said yeah I do, but I don’t think he was convinced until the results came in.] ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/59 "2009-08-05T22:08:53Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > Check out the Yahoo! Answers section on politics sometimes, for some reason that’s a hotbed of extreme right-wing-nuttery. [How appropriate.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahoo_(Gulliver%27s_Travels)) ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/60 "2009-08-05T23:22:00Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > Most of these are just the result of overlap in support among similar demographic groups. E.g. both draw their strongest support from rural Southerners, and many items on your list tend to be supported by rural Southerners. Unfamiliar with the Southern Strategy, are you? There’s a reason for this overlap; it’s not coincidental. The Republican Party spent decades actively courting racist white Southerners. I’m glad they’re not doing so to nearly so strong a degree anymore, but the ugly residue of the despicable practice remains. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385.md?page=4)