A man who has been convicted of making threatening calls to immigration rights group CASA has apologized to the group and has blamed misinformation he received at a Republican meeting as one of the reasons why he made the phone calls.
According the the DC Examiner,
Flanked by several members of CASA, his father, who is in a wheelchair, and some Hispanic would-be workers, Wesley James Queen II made his apology in a basement room of CASA’s worker’s center in Langley Park.
Queen pleaded guilty to making threatening phone calls and entered into a plea agreement earlier this month. He is set to be sentenced in July.
He said a number of factors led him to making the calls in May 2008.
“The combination of personal stresses, misinformation that was received during a Republican meeting that I attended, and myself not taking my bipolar medication were all parts of what led up to the threatening phone calls,” Queen said, reading from a statement.
Maryland Republican Party Executive Director Justin Ready said he didn’t know Queen and had “no idea” what meeting he was talking about.
“The Republican Party does not condone or encourage violence of any kind toward groups or individuals,” he said.
Queen refused to answer any questions after his statement, referring reporters to his lawyer, who could not be reached immediately for comment.
CASA spokesman Mario Quiroz, who received one of Queen’s threatening phone calls, said he spoke in support of Queen during his plea hearing and plans on speaking again during sentencing.
“What we have been saying is that … we believe that he’s really aware of the damage that he made and all the troubles that he brought,” Quiroz said, adding that he doesn’t believe Queen is trying to make amends with the group to receive a lighter sentence.
“In my heart, I believe he’s truly sincere,” Quiroz said.
CASA officials, who promoted Wednesday’s news conference with a news release saying Queen had been “motivated by attending a meeting where elected officials disparaged CASA and the immigrant community,” had few details about the meeting, who attended or what was said.
CASA officials and supporters said the purpose of Wednesday’s news conference wasn’t to disparage the Republican Party, but rather to showcase the reconciliation between Queen and CASA and to draw attention to the consequences of the “hate language” directed at the immigrant community used by some politicians and some members of the media
While a firm believer in people taking personal responsibility for their own behavior, one has to always be mindful that words can set off unacceptable behaviors amongst those who are not stabile. Perhaps this is what Mrs. Napolitano meant when she spoke about extremists last week.
DISCLAIMER: It is important to note that Anti-bvbl is NOT implying that the Republican Party is culpable for this man’s behavior. The objectives for examining this story are to discuss how words can set off unintended consequences. Additionally, there has been much rancor over the DHS warnings about left and right extremist groups. This story does lend some credence to the department’s warning.
To me, this seems more about someone with some mental health issues and possibly imagining things than anything else. This person really needs some help. People do bizarre things all the time, make up excuses for their extreme behavior, and this just seems to be in that category.
Gainesville, I see you point, however, I would add that the rhetoric about Obama being a terrorist is EXACTLY the kind of mainstream rhetoric that spurs people like this to do crazy things.
When you say there is an invasion, that parasites and are infiltrating your community, you are implying that you are under attack. What do people do when they are under attack? They fight back.
I agree the rhetoric about Obama being a terrorist is just plain stupid. I don’t think there is many in the Republican party except the extreme fringe that uses the parasite and other rhetoric like that. Yes, I know bvbl uses it, but that’s the local fringe wing of the party.
Elena and Gainesville, I agree with both of you.
This might also be a good time to remind readers that one of the admins on this blog is a Republican. I am independent, so that narrows it down some. 😉
Gainesville,
you ought to go to the ADL website and read their information on extremism into the mainstream.
http://www.adl.org/ADL_Opinions/Civil_Rights/HoustonChron_121208.htm
Are we sure he didn’t attend a Help Save Maryland meeting?
The man’s phone calls probably sounded a lot like the kinds of internet comments left by people who are similarly influenced by hate politics. You can find them on just about any internet site that mentions the word “immigration.”
I wish he hadn’t said “Republican” to describe the meeting, even if it was. Because now everyone’s defenses are up. It tars the entire party with this kind of language when the majority of people in the Republican party oppose this language. Unfortunately, the ones who either believe this stuff or actively propogandize on this issue are the ones who most vocally respond when this problem is mentioned. They pretend to be outraged that we see a problem here. I think that most normal Republicans recognized there is a problem. But they are not going to be able to handle it as well if they feel it is a smear against the entire Republican party, rather than concern about a small faction with in it.
No, but it wasn’t mentioned in the article.
Shellyb, the Republican party said they didn’t know him and pretty much disclaimed any responsibility. I don’t think that is a theme song of the mainstream Republicans. Please note the strong disclaimer I put in at the end of the article. I don’t want anyone thinking WE are saying the Republicans are responsible for this. Alanna would kick my butt!
Maybe the guy talked to people who said they were Republicans. Anyone can say they are anything they want to say they are. Regardless, he was off his meds. That diagnosis sounds pretty familiar, doesn’t it???????
This is hardly a story or an issue.
By contrast, we have a woman leading “Homeland Security” who doesn’t want to encourage deportation of illegal immigrants, and sees no problem with foreign workers who posess fake IDs working in our food processing plants, etc. etc. THAT should be something to discuss.
Rick,
In fairness, she probably wants to get them Real IDs to work in the food processing plant.
Rick, have you been drinking kool aid? You say smart, intelligent things on the dark screen and then come over here and go after Ms. Napolitano. It takes over 20 years for things to get as they are now and you expect her to clean things up in 90 days? Wow, talk about high expectations.
Let’s talk about all the howling and carrying on about right wing extremists. I sure didn’t hear left wing extremists howling. Perhaps they just don’t have the ear of the mainstream media like the right wingers do.
I’m sure there’s left wing extremists too. Now that Bush is no longer President they have less to howl about. If Congress was Republican controlled there would also be more activity from the left wing extremists. Extremists come in all flavors, no side holds the monopoly on them.
And, extremists distort things and do stir up power feelings and hatred, etc. There’s no doubt about that. There will always be extremists and hate speech and hate groups in general – I don’t see that going away anytime soon.
I meant to say “powerful feelings”, not “power feelings” in the first sentence above.
“Yes, I know bvbl uses it, but that’s the local fringe wing of the party.”
That “fringe” group got the original immigration resolution passed in this county.
Does that make the BOCS fringe as well?
“In fairness, she probably wants to get them Real IDs to work in the food processing plant.”
Well, that ain’t happening. Let me point out, she’s supposed to be in charge of HOMELAND SECURITY. Not Democratic voter recruitment, not wage control. Like Chertoff before her, she’s a politcal tool completely beholden to the powers-that-be.
“It takes over 20 years for things to get as they are now and you expect her to clean things up in 90 days?”
I expect her not to actually encourage lawlessness. You know, if and when the next big food tampering scandal occurs, and if it involves illegal immigrants or even terrorists, it’ll occur to everyone to wonder what the he** this woman’s agenda was all about because it clearly is not about providing protection and “Homeland Security” for Americans.
M-H, I was being careful also not to tar all Republicans. We have a two party system and no one that I know wants to see the Republican party gobbled up by extremists. I think what this story points out is that the extreme rhetoric that some members of the Republican party use for the purposes of elections and, well, whatever it is they are doing right now, is putting Americans in danger. I suppose is not their fault that some people actually believe the things they say. But we all know that the use of certain extreme words are intended to make people angry and afraid and hateful. This is a sure fire way to control their opinions and how they vote. However, once you have controlled their opinions and how they vote, how do you control the violent or threatening actions they take as a result of believing your overblown rhetoric?
I think that if Republican leaders are going to deal with this issue, they will have to decide to do so on their own. No amount of prodding from federal agencies (now that a Democrat is President) will do it. But just like this blog doesn’t want to alienate people, the leaders in the GOP really don’t want to alienate people.
It’s like a person who is addicted to drugs but is a member of your family. How do you tell them they have a problem without alienating them and creating a problem for yourself?
I think the reaction to the DHS memo is a good example of the problem. Too many extremists control the message coming from the GOP. It really is way out there on the fringe right if you take that position that violence and threats of violence are not as big of a problem as having our federal authorities tacking steps to avoid violence and threats of violence.
Really? In what world is that true? Domestic terrorism is a concern and the DHS should indeed be monitoring the types of groups that engaged in domestic terrorism in the past. Who cares what political views they hold, and what powerful news channels or politicians might share those views? If they are planning violence, that’s a problem. You have to put politics aside at SOME point.
Rick, you can say hell here if you want. When have you ever minced words? Where is the real Rick?
In all cabinet appointments, the secretary serves at the behest of the president. I guess all of them are ‘tools’ then. Funny thing, you didn’t howl when the rules/laws/policy changed before. Why is it that Alanna’s husband could have his status adjusted and Twinad missed the deadline by days and has waited 8 years for the chance to adjust the status of ‘Mr. Twinad?’
We are a patchwork of laws in all 50 states, trying to deal with problems that states have no real authority to deal with. Let’s give her a chance. I didn’t see the problem being corrected during the past 8 years. I only saw it getting worse.
This just seems like a case of a guy with obvious mental issues not taking his medication and doing something “crazy”. What a surprise! Someone not taking their medication did something crazy and is now saying crazy things. Oh the horror… This is such a non-story if you ask me. Why don’t we go just to a mental hospital and as some patients if they blame any of their actions on Republicans? What if this guy blamed Dems for something, would that make the news?
Yeah I knew I could say hell but I try to mitigate the rudeness sometimes.
Napolitano will undoubtably get her chance, but her public utterances show that she is more concerned with her personal agends and/or her boss’s political agenda than she is with her defined job. Then again this was true of Chertoff as well, and Ridge as well before that (before he quit in disgust). Nothing new. DHS is has been and will remain a joke – millions of undocumented foreign nationals working in food processing and they pretend they’re looking out for “National Security”.
Also, it’s somewhat suspect that nobody knows anything about the “meeting” this guy attended. Could this meeting have happened in his own mind due to him not taking his medication?
Mrs. Napolitano is a joke, she said that the 9/11 terrorist came into the U.S. from Canada for crying out loud. This woman need to lose her job if the DHS wants to retain any kind of credibility. What a horrible descision to have this woman in this position.
Hello, that is a good question. I said above that this crazy man’s wording was unfortunate. He chose the word “Republican.” The rash of violence and threats we are talking about is not “Republicans.” We dealing with dangerous people who think they are Republicans, but they are some other kind of thing that we are right to be concerned about.
So, to answer your question, YES! I think it would have been news if, back during the Bush years when Bush was very popular, people were committing acts of violence with political motivations.
If someone had shot a bunch of people saying “I shot them because I couldn’t reach the neo-cons I was told to hate,” that most certainly would have been news.
And if you recall, during that time, the Bush administration was spying on Americans, including pacifists, environmentalists, and bake sale grannies. The rationale was that anyone who opposed the Iraq War or President Bush might be a threat to this country. Better to spy on them then not.
Where was the outrage then?
Right now you have a bunch of wingnuts really upset, I mean really really upset, that DHS is writing reports expressing concern about right wing extremism on the rise. No illegal spying going on. Just voicing caution and concern. The hypocrisy in trying to create “outrage” about this is just blaringly loud and impossible to ignore.
But again, to answer your question, YES, if there had been a liberal equivalent of Richard Poplawski, committing acts of violence because of something he saw on television, evoking the President’s name and his policies as a justification for murder, then YES, that would have been news.
If there had been a liberal equivalent to Jim D. Adkisson, who shot up a Unitarian church and killed two people because he “hated the liberal movement” and was upset with “liberals in general as well as gays” then YES, I think that would have been news.
I might not have advocated illegal spying on Americans. But I would not be faking outrage if the feds had begun to look into the phenomenon. In fact, I would be disappointed if they didn’t.
“This story does lend some credence to the department’s warning.”
BULLSHIT Moon-howler…what a thing to say!!!??? It could just as easily be said that this press conference was set up to attempt to lend credence to that ridiculous document (“Flanked by several members of CASA, his father, who is in a wheelchair, and some Hispanic would-be workers, Wesley James Queen II made his apology in a basement room of CASA’s worker’s center in Langley Park.”). Where was his lawyer? Why was it held where it was held, with only his invalid father and the people whom he allegedly threatened in attendance? Who were the witnesses to the threats…perhaps they were ALL members of CASA? And I agree with hello, except I would go farther and say that it is FAR more likely that a bi-polar individual off of his meds is very capable of hallucinations and false memories manipulated by other parties! You know what REALLY makes this all suspect?…the timing.
Saying that this really suspect incident gives that report merit, Moon-howler, is, to me, like saying that I belong on a terrorist watch list and may need some re-education eventually!
“Right now you have a bunch of wingnuts really upset, I mean really really upset, that DHS is writing reports expressing concern about right wing extremism on the rise.”
And by the way, Shelly, I guess you could say that I’M one of those ‘wingnuts’ who happens to be really upset about that report. You obviously didn’t read the entire thing!
My most recent comment will make more sense after my comment immediately previous to that makes it out of moderation…if it ever does!!
ShellyB, you seem to be pretty concerned about the Bush NSA’s domestic wiretapping program. However, I didn’t see you mention Obama’s decision on April 3rd to tell a federal court to halt a lawsuit by AT&T customers to stop domestic wiretapping, why not? Kind of one sided don’t you think?
Oops. Sorry AWC. I was talking about Eric Cantor and some of those really out-there TV and radio entertainers.
But do you get my point that spying on Americans who opposed the Iraq war is really a lot worse than trying to connect the dots with this rash of violence that seems to be motivated by extreme political rhetoric?
I mean, there weren’t any murders who said they were angry at Bush’s policies. We have 5 dead people that I have counted because they were driven insane by false and inflammatory rhetoric having to do with Obama being elected President. I mean, dead people are dead people, no? Politics aside? Would you prefer this all be ignored?
Hello, I’m not that concerned about wiretapping to be honest. I’m not a libertarian, and although it is creepy to think that the government could be listening to my phone calls, I never have said anything that would get me in trouble and I never will. I never said that much against invading Iraq at the time.
My point was that you have dead people. Dead people. People are dead. And the government is looking into it. The result: fake outrage on TV turning to real outrage from TV consumers. Okay. Fine.
But when during the Bush era, these granny bake sale ladies had done NOTHING AT ALL to even hint that they might take someone’s life, and they had spies infiltrating their bake sales and reporting to the government. I mean don’t you see that is going a lot further than writing a report? And don’t you see that five dead people is a real and actual threat, being that the people are dead? Whereas these grannies were not guilty of anything except pacifism?
That’s why I say the outrage is fake.
Stress can exacerbate most forms of mental illness. Stress has a physical and mental effect on everyone, so for people with mental illness, it is even more pronounced.
CASA seems to recognize mental illness as a factor here, which is something positive.
This makes me wonder how many people in hate groups might have true, mental illness. I mean this respectfully and truthfully.
But you know, Hello, your point is taken. If our government begins an illegal spying program that targets innocent gun rights or anti-abortion bake sales, I will defend right wing outrage instead of being puzzled by it as I am now.
Come back and repeat that last comment and questions to me when this continued erosion of our individual rights in this country reaches its zenith…and YOU find yourself “on the lists.” I think it’s more likely you’ll be choking on your own naivete.
Well, AWC, I was a little weirded out, I’ll admit, by the domestic spying and the undercover investigations of granny bake sales. I didn’t blog about it because I didn’t know what a blog was.
My point is that the “erosion of individual rights” you speak of was not a concern when the President was Republican. At least not for the same people voicing concern now. I just find it really strange the way people are reacting to this, in light of all the murders. Murders are serious. And motive is a big part of how we investigate murders. And motive might be a helpful thing to study in an attempt to prevent murders.
Notice I say murder rather than terrorism, which is a loaded word. Murder is also loaded, I grant you, but it is accurate. These two men committed murders because of extremist rhetoric they heard on TV. There is no disputing that.
“My point is that the “erosion of individual rights” you speak of was not a concern when the President was Republican.”
That’s another sweeping generalization of which far too many around here tend to be guilty. There were plenty of us warning of the erosion of individual rights…only no one was listening, just as you’re not listening now.
There has been an erosion of individual rights since 9/11.
AWC, I admire your principles and consistency. You have a lot to teach those who are currently out front speaking for the Republican party, especially Greg Leteicq and Corey Stewart.
Like our local blowhards, Rush Limbaugh and Eric Cantor were NOT protesting the Bush administration’s destruction of the Constitution back in 2002 and 2003. Now they’re throwing hissy fits over a DHS report.
But AWC, you were concerned about individual liberties under Bush even though you are a Republican. I salute you for that. You should point us to a blog thread or something that you wrote so you can distinguish yourself from the hypocrites giving Republicans a bad name.
I imagine your concern is that a report like this could be used as justification for the sort of illegal wire taps and unwarranted snooping that Bush engaged in to squelch dissent re. his Iraq policy. If similar domestic spying and unwarranted snooping were to be used to target anti-abortion or pro-gun people, I would support your outrage.
Until then, is it really such a crime to conduct a study and release the findings?
FYI: Suggest reading an informative article in today’s WaPo
(Metro-B4) “Montgomery County Crisis Among Latino Teens Demands
Action, Leaders Say”.
– “Last year, for example 78.13 percent of Latinos received high
school diplomas, compared with 94.5 of non-Hispanic whites,
83.94 percent of Afro Americans and 95.45 of Asians, state education
figures show.
– State health data also suggest that Latinas in Montgomery County
have a higher incidence of teen motherhood, with the birth rate for
girls 15 to 17 nearly three times that of Afro Americans and nearly
four times that for non-Hispanic whites.”
Yes, we must adapt our views to be more accepting of immigration,
but Hispanic immigrants, must also change. Classroom
education should be valued and children having children can not
be the norm.
A new debate on immigration reform is about to open and
Hispanics need the reasonable, rational middle on their side –
but they will have to work for it with real progress.
You obviously have never read my blog, Shelly…or the multitude of comments I have posted at BVBL and numerous other blogs for the past 5+ years. I tell ya what…you show ME where YOU have written ANYTHING showing outrage for what’s been happening to our nation in the past decade. How dare you imply that I am a hypocrite climbing on the bandwagon out of expedience when it happens to be a popular place to be??!! I owe you no proof, now or ever…and I couldn’t care less what you think of me! I have often put myself on the line for unpopular causes because it was the right to do, and I need NO validation from you or anyone else!!
AWC, I was trying to be on your side. You don’t have to prove yourself to me. I HAVE read your blog! I was trying to draw a distinction between you and those you are always struggling against, and I was taking your side. You know I adore you. And I’ve apologized in the past for misunderstanding you. I’m on your side here and accepting your valid points.
@Poor Richard
I agree, Poor Richard, that there are problems in the Hispanic community, just as many Hispanics will agree. A Hispanic leader of a major Hispanic immigrant rights group pointed out that there are problems such as alcohol consumption that must be addressed if Hispanic people are to thrive in this culture. I don’t think the Hispanic community is denying these issues.
However, I do think communities that are scapegoated and ostracized shut themselves off and thus receive less intervention than other communities. Once a community closes itself off, it becomes more difficult to encourage assimilation and education.
I am not saying that members of the Hispanic community are free from responsibility. But when others encourage a climate of fear, there is less likelihood these communities will seek out external assistance.
Please don’t be mad, Anke. I really didn’t mean to offend you.
OK Shelly, I accept you apology. Just a FYI, this is where I apparently misunderstood your comment…and really got pissed off:
“You should point us to a blog thread or something that you wrote so you can distinguish yourself from the hypocrites giving Republicans a bad name.”
You see, I don’t believe that I have anything to prove to anybody, and I most certainly have no need to distinguish myself from hypocrites of any stripe…my contempt of hypocrisy is legend in some circles. It’s not an easy political niche which I have carved for myself over many years, but it’s one of which I am very proud.
Of course, I’m also a bit perturbed at the moment that I have a comment hung up in moderation for, what I believe, is no good reason. I have seen FAR worse posted by people here and it happens to be about something of which I am quite passionate.
Yay. I’m glad we cleared that up. The moderation thing is being triggered randomly by computer. But anyway, I should have gone and found one of your old blog posts myself. My bad.
What I was really getting at was consistency. I am realizing that people show their true stripes when they swap out their principles in order to take a partisan stand. For instance, the way the Board members voted on Covington’s appointment showed six of them standing on principle (blog quotes matter, or free speech matters), while Stewart and Stirrup swapped their principles. I was trying to say that I have learned to accept people who’s opinion differ with me, as long as they are consistent.
So, I commend someone like you AWC who opposed Bush’s domestic spying and other breeches of the Constitution, and also worries about where this DHS report could lead (focusing on certain people for their beliefs as opposed to their actions).
I was trying to say I don’t commend others (mainly people on TV) who I haves seen inciting still MORE anger over this report, when they were and still are cheering civil rights and human rights abuses when Bush was in office.
I tell ya what Admins, if there is one term holding up my comment in moderation, you can replace it with “bovine excrement”…that should satisfy the computer.
I agree with AWC. I also agree with almost everything she has ever printed on her blog. I have DISAGREED with almost everything printed on this blog about “illegal” immigrants and about anything on BVBL that has a religious redical tone to it or a racial slander tone to it. My outrage (similar to AWC’s) has been toward what has been happening in the US over not only the past 10 years, but the past 35 years. The changes away from democracy, away from the stable and respectful US social culture of the mid-60s, away from the civil rights focus of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, and toward the political emphasis of the 1990’s and 2000’s promoting the power of radical racial, gender, religious and ethnic f.a.c.t.i.o.n.s to control our laws, our government and our interpretation of the US consitution is HURTING US CITIZENS and REWARDING “illegals” and FOREIGN F.a.c.t.i.o.n.s operating within the US, all of which are extremely detrimental to our US interests and the interests of the US people.
Like many on the right wing (other than the religious radicals represented by BVBL’s blog), and many on the left wing (other than the pro-foreigner, pro-ethnic interest radicals) represented by this blog, I am very upset that the economy of this nation has been destroyed by “illegal” immigration, the laws of this nation have been ignored by “illegal” immigrants, and the social ideology and democracy of this nation has been undermined and will be destroyed by ethnic, gender, religious and ethnic groups who are operating ONLY in their own selfish self interests regardless of how many people it discrimminates against, priviliges, harms, oppresses or makes to suffer under “minority rule” and not democratic “rule of law”, created for and made by a democracy of individuals united under a sovereign nation for the protection of ALL from the f.a.c.t.i.o.n.s that would destroy it for their own global, racial, gender, religious, ethnic self interests.