One Lone Nut Making a Whole Movement Look Bad

A lot of people have picked up on the fact that white separatists are apparently worried that the shooting makes them look bad.  This is hilarious in a laugh-until-you-cry sort of way, as is their strenuous efforts to ensure that we all realize he's nuts.  Trust me, folks--we think you're all nuts.

But like Yglesias, what really struck me is that John de Nugent telling the Washington Post that "the responsible white separatist community condemns this."  What, one wonders, characterizes the responsible white separatists?  Are their swastika armbands all made from 100% biodegradeable materials?  Do they take care that the leather in their jackboots comes from humanely raised cows?  Do they carefully follow the Forest Service's wildfire prevention guidelines when burning crosses?  Are their white separatist brownie points for attending school board meetings or chairing the Community Chest drive?

But their concern does raise one interesting point:  it's not actually possible for the white separatist movement to look any worse than it does.  George Tiller's killing cast some genuine shame over the pro-life movement that nurtured his killer.  But did yesterday's horror make you think any less of W.A.R.?  You couldn't actually think any less of them, could you?

This article available online at:

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2009/06/one-lone-nut-making-a-whole-movement-look-bad/19171/