Hatewatch: FBI Thinks ‘New World Order’ Theory May Have Motivated LAX Shooter
Last night, on CNN’s “Erin Burnett OutFront,” I tried to explain how a note written by alleged LAX shooter Paul Ciancia contained several hallmarks of the antigovernment “Patriot” movement’s animating “New World Order” conspiracy theory. My remarks were based on references to the Federal Reserve and “fiat currency” that were exclusively reported by Hatewatch over the weekend.
My jousting partner in the exchange was Michael Medved, a conservative radio show host, frequent television commentator and columnist. Medved told the audience that my comments were “very dangerous” and “unforgiveable,” that I was “completely unfair” to use the word “Patriot” in describing a key sector of the radical right, and that I was “try[ing] to tar” the political right with the Nov. 1 shooting that left one TSA agent dead “when the clear problem is mental illness.”
Even as Medved spoke, the FBI was, in effect, backing me up with its own suspicions about Ciancia’s motives. The Associated Press reports the FBI obtained a warrant yesterday to search Ciancia’s cell phone for, in the words of its request, materials reflecting his “views on the legitimacy or activities of the United States government, including the existence of a plot to impose a New World Order.”
In other words, the FBI also is looking into the possibility that Ciancia’s views about the New World Order — a feared totalitarian “one-world government” that he also reportedly mentions in his note — may have been part of his motivations. That is precisely the point I was making on CNN. Even then, I carefully pointed out that we had no information suggesting Ciancia was involved in any Patriot group.
Medved is normally a fairly reasonable and calm debater and, to be fair, he was not very clear in many of his remarks on CNN. But he was clearly incensed at my description of the Patriot movement and, in particular, its name.
What he did not seem to realize is that this is what these groups, by and large, call their own movement — this is not some name I made up to describe them. At times, they call themselves “Christian Patriots,” but I don’t think that would have made Medved any happier. He seemed to think I was impugning all conservatives.
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