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The Spectacle Blog
I wrote a brief note on the shooting at the Family Research Council headquarters in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday.
Now that more information has to come light, I have some further thoughts to offer.
First and foremost, we know the name of the suspect is Floyd Lee Corkins II, a 28-year old Virginia man who volunteered at a LGBT organization in D.C. More on him later.
I don’t think it’s prudent for Family Research Council President Tony Perkins to lay blame at the feet of the Southern Poverty Law Center. While I disagree with the FRC’s views on gay marriage they are not in the same league with neo-Nazis or the KKK and for the SPLC to say so is both defamatory and odious.
Nevertheless, I think Perkins’ dislike of the SPLC is clouding his view of the situation at hand. Under the circumstances, it would be difficult for Perkins to maintain his objectivity when you also consider that a man who is both his employee and a friend was injured in the shooting.
If we want to get to the bottom of what occurred on Wednesday morning, we have to know more about the assailant and his activities. CNN maintains Corkins “had no significant criminal record.” Well, what does that mean exactly? To say that someone has no significant criminal record suggests that person has been in some sort of trouble with the law. If that is the case then must ask if the incidents in question involved violence? If Corkins has a history violent behavior then the SPLC certainly does not bear any responsibility for his actions.
With that said, it would be interesting to know what the environmnent was like at the LGBT center especially considering that Corkins was carrying Chick-fil-A sandwiches with him at the scene of the crime. It would not be a stretch to suggest that emotions would have been running high at the LGBT center during the Chick-fil-A controversy. I cannot help but wonder if someone at the LGBT center might have suggested that harm should come to people who oppose gay marriage. I’ve been around gay rights activists who have said people like George W. Bush and Sarah Palin should be raped and murdered because they oppose gay marriage. If Corkins did in fact say, “I don’t like your politics,” as he began to shoot then one ought to ask how the atmosphere at the LGBT center might have influenced his behavior on Wednesday.
On the other hand, it’s quite possible that the staff at the LGBT center conducted themselves professionally and refrained from engaging in that kind of rhetoric. Let’s also keep in mind that Corkins was a volunteer rather than an employee at the LGBT center. So how often was he there? Once, twice a week? How did he interact with the staff and vice versa? Did he socialize with them after work hours? Of course, it’s also entirely possible that Corkins was a loose cannon and staff might have kept their distance from him. Yet they might have liked his passion and tried to channel his energy to specific projects or tasks.
I don’t think Perkins serves himself or the FRC well by blaming the SPLC in the absence of specific evidence. Chances are that Corkins has probably never even heard of the Southern Poverty Law Center. The reasons as to why Corkins brought Chick-fil-A sandwiches and ammunition to the Family Research Council on Wednesday lay with Corkins and possibly the LGBT center.
View all comments (27) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Aaron Goldstein
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Derek Leaberry| 8.17.12 @ 4:56PM
In the culture war, one has to take sides if you are a conservative. The Southern Poverty Law Center is fundamentally evil and Morris Dees is the Barnum and Bailey of race hustlers. On the other hand, the Family Research Center defends Western Civilization which at its roots is a Christian civilization. Sadly, a majority of those who call themselves "conservative" have no sympathy for or comprehension of what Western Civilization is and could care less whether is survives. That is the sort of "conservative" Mr. Goldstein is. It is no surprise that Mr. Goldstein is more sympathetic to the SPLC and the so-called "LGBT community."
BD57| 8.17.12 @ 6:01PM
Why must we read people out of conservatism if they depart from orthodoxy on any issue?
I agree SPLC is not one of the "good guys" and their program makes race relations worse for their own benefit.
The other side of that equation is we don't advance our agenda by making accusations that aren't "reasonable."
SPLC didn't pull the trigger. There's no indication this particular nut knew who or what SPLC is. SPLC deserves criticism for its lack of integrity in argument - those who can't defend what they say try to make all other viewpoints illegitimate. But that's a different argument.
Seek| 8.17.12 @ 7:24PM
Sometimes it isn't as easy as "taking sides," especially when each side, in its hysteria, gets things wrong in fact, context or both. Goldsteain wrote an excellent piece, at once critical of the gay radicals and yet gently reminding Tony Perkins that thinking, even when understandably agitated, is critical.
Truth to Power| 8.18.12 @ 8:51AM
This is funny coming from an out and out racist.
Truth to Power| 8.18.12 @ 8:50AM
Well said.
Occam's Tool| 8.17.12 @ 5:14PM
The despicable SPLC continuously spreads the net while leaving gaps on what it considers "hate groups." It doesn't consider CAIR a hate group, despite CAIR's policy on homosexuals, for example.
It is an incoherent, Left Wing, money making machine far removed from its original decent purpose of opposing scum like David Duke. It is responsible for making violence against those who support traditional marriage to be consideredincreasingly mainstream among the Left.
Mr. Aaron is usually on the side of the good guys, Mr. Leaberry. Everyone makes a mistake once in a while---Aaron is also a Red Sox fan, and lives in Massachusetts. I think he has done a fine job of overcoming his "Masshole" tendencies. :-)
darcy| 8.17.12 @ 5:43PM
Mr. Goldstein trends more libertarian than he does conservative. Therefore, I am not surprised that he finds fault with FRC's "pruden[ce]" in recognizing that the radical leftist SPLC has fostered a hostile environment toward TRADITIONAL values.
This is beyond the pale and wholly unacceptable, that an entity which promotes principles UPON WHICH THIS NATION WAS FOUNDED should be labeled a hate group.
The hate group is the SPLC. Tony Perkins deserves a medal for calling out SPLC for its GROSS INTOLERANCE of OTHER POINTS OF VIEW, going to the extreme of labeling what has been NORMAL for much of American history as HATE.
The SPLC staff has made a FORTUNE in stirring up HATE; and it has the unmitigated gaul to term faith, family, and freedom as hate.
May its members rot in financial hell. I will leave their souls to God to judge -- may He have mercy on them.
You embarrass yourself, Mr. Goldstein, for permitting your social liberalism to dismiss the legitimate concerns of Tony Perkins.
BD57| 8.17.12 @ 6:04PM
you realize "hostile environment" is a concept pushed by the left to make people responsible for ... nothing in particular, right?
SPLC is intellectually dishonest. It's a "bully" organization - can't defend it's position so it tries to silence it's opponents.
Call them on that - it's enough.
Truth to Power| 8.18.12 @ 1:23PM
You argue against a straw man. As people call the SPLC or Aaron Goldstein out you accuse them of things that they don't say. Derek pointed out where Mr. Goldstein is not much of a friend when it comes to cultural issues that are causing our country to rot from the inside out. Darcy stuck to the SPLC only but didn't ask for any legal sanctions. He was just calling them out. Let me point out that we know that Mr. Goldstein's views aren't as offensive as the KKKs or neo Nazis and it would be odious if somebody said so although I disagree strongly with Mr. Goldstein's position on gay marriage.
Conservative Bob| 8.17.12 @ 5:26PM
For FRC's Perkins to lay blame on SPLC is to be the Brian Ross of the Right.
I think M Dees and his organization are dishonest scum bags painting anyone the disagree with as hate groups. However if we want to battle Dees the better road is on facts and merrit. Confront them directly. How can we be taken seriously in our outrage when the left blames Palin for Giffords shooting when we allow the same exact tactic to be used against someone with whom we disagree?
Bachmann and Walsh are being blamed for causing attacks on a Mosque in Chicago on identical grounds.
We must take the fight to our adversaries but on words and actions that we can directly link to them. Dees has enough lies and distortions in his actions to be totally discredited without resort to blaming him for the unconnected actions of others. If links to others are revealed in the investigation then condemnation is called for. Without it we end up sounding as shrill as the left and as disconnected from reality.
Bob K| 8.18.12 @ 8:31AM
Dees is the SPLC. Palin, Bachman and Walsh are not the Tea Party. The Tea Party exists outside them. The SPLC can't be discredited without Dees being discredited nor can he be ignored when someone associated with his organization is involved in activities that cause it to be criticized. After all, he makes his living, and a very good living at that, from the SPLC.
Bob K| 8.18.12 @ 8:31AM
Dees is the SPLC. Palin, Bachman and Walsh are not the Tea Party. The Tea Party exists outside them. The SPLC can't be discredited without Dees being discredited nor can he be ignored when someone associated with his organization is involved in activities that cause it to be criticized. After all, he makes his living, and a very good living at that, from the SPLC.
Quartermaster| 8.17.12 @ 5:44PM
SPLC is part of the atmosphere that generated Corkins. To place part of the blame at the feet of that scum bag Dees and his minions is not a stretch at all.
Sorry Occam, but Mr. Aaron is still a Masshole.
Occam's Tool| 8.20.12 @ 3:05AM
Hey, I dislike the SPLC, too. But Aaron is usually a good guy, and I tend to make allowances.
kingsmill| 8.17.12 @ 5:58PM
Very squishy sentiments from AG. The American Spectator made a huge blunder with David Brooks. I hope AG is not laying the groundwork to be the next "conservative" who has grown...
kingsmill| 8.17.12 @ 6:10PM
Even Rich Lowry & Co. over at National Review Online have learned something from the Chick Fil A dust up. They are taking the Left to task for their egregious polemics. Meanwhile Aaron continues his role as Mr. "See No Evil" except those nasties on the Right, who insist on defending morality and religious liberty.
Seek| 8.17.12 @ 7:21PM
An excellent, well-reasoned piece. There's a certain irony in Corkins buying a bagful of Chick-fil-A treats. In his purchase, he's helped the very cause he professes to hate. This dude is, well, conflicted.
Sjccoach| 8.17.12 @ 11:21PM
More CINO pap from Mr. Goldstein. He should stick to what he does best, writing obituaries.
Jack smith | 8.18.12 @ 8:12AM
Your content is very nice , i really like your post please continue to put your's updates regularly.
Geoscience jobs
Indy| 8.18.12 @ 8:43AM
Mr. Goldstein, please listen to the interview
http://www.therightscoop.com/m.....-shooting/
Perkins says the shooter is responsible for his actions and he goes on to say the SLPC created the environment that led to the shooting, your post is misleading.
The SPLC is a far Left group with an agenda, the "media" contstantly refers to them as if they are a credible source. How can you trust an organization that labels the New Black Panthers as a Right Wing Hate Group and they were only recently added after people complained about the omission of the NBP on their list but they tagged them as Right Wing, really?
Albert Constantine Jr.| 8.18.12 @ 8:12PM
If I recall correctly, the SPLC made its bones with the lawsuits against the Klan and Aryan Nations in which victims of racially motivated crimes perpetrated by members of those organizations were awarded financial damages when civil juries held those organizations liable. Wouldn't be ironic that if Mr. Corkins was motivated by the FRC's designation as a hate group in selecting it as a target,and subsequently the SPLC was similarly targeted in a lawsuit?
Occam's Tool| 8.20.12 @ 3:06AM
The Left Wing organizations in partnership with the SPLC also make it harder to involuntarily medicate dangerous psychotics in Alabama. All part of the same circle of scum.
Occam's Tool| 8.20.12 @ 3:06AM
Albert: savagely accurate as usual, sir.
Albert Constantine Jr.| 8.20.12 @ 1:01PM
Among the ironies present is that while the SPLC and their ilk will fight to prevent the involuntary medication of psychotics, they will labor just as diligently to defend those who inflict harm while in their psychosis due to insanity.
Indy| 8.18.12 @ 9:18AM
"If Corkins has a history violent behavior then" how was he able to buy a gun? Perhaps he didn't have a prior arrest record, I don't know, has anyone in the press done any homework?
"I've been around gay rights activists" You may be interested to read Kevin DuJan's piece below, he writes about the strong Anti-Christian message carried out by many in the Gay Community. Living in Chicago, he has direct knowledge of how the Left uses the LGBT Community
"Democrats need to keep gay people voting Democrat (against their own economic best interests) because the Democrat Party could not survive without the money it raises from gays and the usefulness that gays provide the Left as a colorful goon squad."
Read more http://hillbuzz.org/open-lette.....ears-36700
"With that said, it would be interesting to know what the environmnent was like at the LGBT center" Indeed, will you follow up?
Oldefarte| 8.18.12 @ 2:12PM
Organizations like these need to be investigated and outlawed period, since they are specifically organized to foster militaristically taking physical action against those that do not agree with their partisaned agendas. Of course this homosexual organization incites this criminal type behavior [anyone doubting same need only visit their website and read the created articles contained thereon]. After the 8/1/12 conservative protests at CFA's nationwide, the reaction of same was to physically deface CFA's buildings with spraypaint and to harass an elderly man reading his Bible in front of one]. These econ-terrorists of the liberal/progressive movement are historically domestic terrorists that resort to violent menas in order to effect their desired outcomes. There is no PEACEFUL element in their actions, and their methods are to de-face provate property, humiliate people, institute violence; just as did the Muslim terrorists that attacked innocents on 9/11/01. There is [and never has been] any difference, and anyone stating that ther is such is a lying MF'er!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oldefarte| 8.18.12 @ 2:17PM
PS: Oh, and also, there is no difference in this type behavior and that of this current administration of our government. When reason and discussion of legislative process ends in a result that these liberals/progressives do no like and agree with, they resort to dictatorially cramming their desired wants down everyone else's throat [ie immigration, offshore oil drilling, coal mining etc through permit issuance, regulation and authoritative dictates]!!!!!