Berg's father targeted by right-wing group (FreeRepublic)

[phishhead]

http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2004/05/288339.shtml

An Internet hate group called "Free Republic" targeted Nick Berg's father and company on an enemies list two weeks before the son was detained by Iraqi police. The son was subsequently kidnapped and beheaded, allegedly by Islamic terrorists.

Two weeks before Nicolaus Berg, the American beheaded in Iraq, was picked up by Iraqi police, a right-wing hate group calling itself Free Republic published an internet a <a href=" http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1092851/posts">hit list</a> of "enemies" with the avowed purpose of harassing and harming individuals on the list. The list was copied from an online petition supporting a March 20, 2004 demonstration sponsored by the anti-war group ANSWER. It included the name of Michael S. Berg and listed his affiliation as Prometheus Methods Tower Services, Inc.

Tactics discussed by the right-wingers included circulating the names to employers, the FBI and the military in anticipation of causing them "serious grief." One participant stated, "I sure do hope to see a round of hangings soon." The larger Free Republic site abounds with apocalyptic imagery, frequent calls for genocide against Muslims and Arabs and expressions of adoration for US President George W. Bush.

"Here you are, FReepers." wrote 'doug from upland,' the instigator of the enemies list, , "Here is the enemy. Working in conjunction with A.N.S.W.E.R., they have given us their names. How about this one --- Jameel Rashid, U.S. Coast Guard, Portsmouth, VA. Well, sailor. I guess it is time for me to call your commanding officer and see what he thinks about this."

The discussion topic is identified on the site by the "keywords": APPEASENIKS; DAMNCOMMIES; ENEMYWITHIN; LEFTISTS; PEACENIKS; RATS; SCUMBAGS; TRAITORS; TREASONOUSSCUM; USEFULIDIOTS; WARONTERROR

"Less [sic] we forget," replied 'bmwcycle,' "Everyone send this to Rush, Sean, Fox, and everyone you can e-mail this list. Don't stop until everyone has a copy."

The tone of discussion on the topic, which initially continued from March 7 to March 12 2004, may be summarized by the following comments:

"The poor moron is not going to know what hit him."

"2000 piles of puke on the floor, representing the who's who of the world of stench."

"Ah, too bad we don't have some pictures so we could make up a rogues gallery of some of the individuals."

"Turn on the full volume idiot alert with red strob [sic] light. This is priceless ---"

"I only wish this putz worked for me. I can assure you, he would rue the day his mother delivered him."

Discussion on the list had played itself out by March 12, totalling 269 messages. Then on May 11 it resumed with the message, "The guy who was beheaded was on this list. He was also arrested by Iraqi police and held in an Iraqi prison for a few weeks before he was kidnapped. I think they treated him better in the prison than the kidnappers did." This was followed by a correction, "Michael S. Berg, Teacher, Prometheus Methods Tower Service, Inc.," I believe this is the father of Nick Berg - I wonder what he thinks about his Muslim buddies now..."

One respondent to the message, "'He won't blame the Islamofascist ****s. He will blame the president'... and he has," expressed a desire to "spit in the face" of Michael Berg. It was deleted by the list moderator, (comment #275).

Another relayed the information that the FReeper enemies list was being mentioned in connection with Nick Berg's murder.

"Did you know FreeRepublic is being partially blamed for Nick Bergs beheading?" Asked one participant.

A subsequent message sought to disown any possible culpability, "FR just copied a list. Whoever put the list together in the first place is in the mix too." Two messages, their senders apparently struck by conscience or public relations savvy, quickly offered obligatory, if mixed, expressions of magnanimity: "My heart and prayers go out to the Berg family, and Mr. Berg's friends. My prayers also go, daily, to our fightig [sic] men and women, and that God will strike our enemies senseless." "My prayers are for the Berg family and friends also. Regardless of their politics they are parents and I have sympathy for what they must be going through. It has to be heart wrenching.

The last comment on the list, as of 4:10 am on May 13 complained, "Now we at Freerepublic are responsible for Berg's death-because of this thread?" But perhaps the answer to that had already appeared, two messages earlier with presumably unintentional irony: "When is the last time you saw someone on the political right do property damage or deliberately injure someone? When do we call for the death of anyone other than our enemies?"

On edit: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1092851/posts

[Ghost of]

This is an outright lie and the fact you're getting it from indymedia(any of their outlets) the same one that allows the most bizarre and vicious propaganda to be posted on their site, reduces your credibility to ZERO.

It is NOT a hit list. It is for benefit of knowledge of who would sign a petition organized by a group that is a front for the World Workers Party and other STALINISTS. Not Green party--STALINISTS--they support North Korea and Cuba's governments.

Strange that the far left feels entitled to protest those that they feel are opposed to them, but the right is not entitled to same.

But the characterization of it as a "hit list" is false and more likely a projection of the motives.

Michael Berg was listed on the petition and might have had deeper involvement than that, I don't know. So what? You think Zarqawi is a Freeper? lol

Many others have been signatory to other such petitions and sometimes the names are surprising. This information allows people to know the real stance of many people who have star status like Danny Glover, who embraces Cuba and other super-far-left causes and for those who wish, to boycott said individuals.

Frankly, this list is IRRELEVANT to the matter except to paint some bizarre connection of a HUGE right-oriented site to Nick Berg's murder.

[Destino]

Ghost it's a make-life-miserable-for-these-people-if-you-can list. They are calling employers and such to screw people over. That goes beyond 'protest' don't you think?

Holding a sign up and chanting is not the same as going after someones job. But if you disagree post your name and the name of your employer so someone can send him some of your more colorful posts. What? No big deal right, just a protest right? OK then.

This is exactly what it seems to be, an attempt to shut up the opposition by attacking them personally.

And this just reinforces my belief that FreeRepublic is nothing more then a right wing version of DemocraticUnderground. No less reactionary or predictable in their opinions, motives, and methods.

[phishhead]

Ghost,

You saying I have no credibility means I must be doing something right. Thanks.

[Ghost of]

Who said that's what happens? The list came from ANSWER"s list. Should we look at it then do nothing?

And most of the people on the list don't have ANYTHING happen at all, even an email to an editor. It's mainly to see what professors, celebs, and 'activists' are on it.

You see, to us, you are responsible for who you march with, and whose petitions you sign. So if you align yourself with ANSWER, and there are no debates about their true goals and loyalties, then you are at least in partial agreement with them.

Also, this is a free country and as such it would be wrong to use governmental power to alter the conduct or hold such people accountable. Thus, you use private methods.

And no, FR is definitely NOT a right-wing version of DU. Sorry, there are loonjobs on there, I have no doubt. But DU is the internet version of the most extreme protestors of the left you see. FR has a lot more difference of opinion on given subjects and some of the most qualified individuals post there, not only on politics but on issues of science and history, film, music and a huge contingent of South Park fans, Lord of the Rings and others. There are atheists, hardcore born-again Christians, agnostics, Jews, Buddhists, Muslims and nominal members of all faiths.

[Destino]

I agree with you about ANSWER but I just don't see myself as the type of person that could attack someone personally like that for their political beliefs. My decisions are guided by my need to rest my head on my pillow at night and be able to sleep with a clear conscience.

Also that little diatribe about DU being so different....if you swapped DU for FR it's exactly what a DUer would write. I've been a member of both boards and my beliefs have gotten me tossed off of both. At DU they thought I was a undercover Freeper, at FR they thought I was a DU troll.

Funny thing is I was tossed from both becaues for the EXACT same reason. I took issue with the broad attacks lobbed at Catholics. Funny eh?

[Ghost of]

That is kind of funny.

Were you able to register and post right away on DU? I've heard they don't allow that anymore, whereas we get about 20 trolls or banned individuals a day.

Yes, there is an anti-Catholic contingent there. Of course, some find recent statements by the Vatican(or some representative) to be offensive, and so those who have those biases will have further fuel.

FR is a lot larger than DU and the non-political threads alone outnumber all the threads on DU. Apparently, there weren't a lot of LotR threads on DU but there were on FR. Not sure if it's message resonance or what.

Anyways, from everything I've read on protests and the like, only boycotts and counterprotests occur. I've never heard of any Freeps where anyone was targeted because their name was on a petition, especially non-public figures. The people who write articles that put themselves out there, however, will get emails. And to me, that's legitimate, and I trust that the vast majority of them are without threat of violence(but this is the net and there is anonymity. I fully expect if I ever achieve a measure of notoriety or fame that I'll receive at least one death threat in my life.)

Sorry, whereas I feel there are extremists or a-holes on FR, I feel the entire DU population represents the farthest extreme of the left. In fact, they aren't Democrats at all, they are Socialists or worse.

[luckydevil]

nm

[Destino]

Originally posted by Ghost of Nibbs McPimpin

I feel the entire DU population represents the farthest extreme of the left. In fact, they aren't Democrats at all, they are Socialists or worse.

I agree. Any site that has MoPaul as a member and he isn't hated is extreme. Do you know that dude? Sick little sh*thead.

[Ghost of]

Naw, don't know him. I know that Kos is the one who basically laughed at the murder of the Americans in Fallujah and the link to his site was taken down from Kerry and the DNC sites(Until that point he had the heaviest traffic of a democrat political site)

One comforting word, the Drug Warrior fascists on FR are despised, it's just that they post so much and don't TECHNICALLY violate posting standards.

[thew]

free republic is an online comunity news group. Thousands of folks who post rumors and stories and sometimes first hand observations on a web site. When I was in Saudi a buddy of mine quoted a story on the new republic several times saying the war had begun.

Free Republic isn't a hate group so much as a water fountain lots of folks go to say what they know or think, or thought they heard. Not always accurate but often entertaining....

Look to the Free Republic any given Sunday to discuss UFO sightings..

[Joe Sick]

Sound like Free Republic should have a nice discussion board for killing abortion doctors...

I'm sure they have a nice section on "How to live in a one-room cabin in Montana."

[Thiebear]

My favorite quote:

allegedly by Islamic terrorists.

Nuff said...

[Larry]

Re: It's not a hit list, it's just a way of letting people know where certain people stand.

One thing I look fondly back on, from my days in DC, was listening to Tom Breadon (sp?) and Pat Buchannan during drive time. (I liked the show because it wasn't overly confrontational, and they were very well nformed: I learned things from them.)

Once, the subject of "enemies lists" came up. Buchannan, who'd worked in the Nixon White House, protested that the list wasn't an attempt to "get" anybody, it was simply the White House's way of letting staffers know that some reporters had demonstrated a tendancy to interpret statements in the least flattering ways; to war staffers to be carefull what they said around certain people.

Braedon's response was that this sounded really sweet and non-threattening, but perhaps it would be more informative to be more specific: "I was on that list for six years. And my income taxes were audited six years in a row."