US Military Coup?

Right-Wingers Fantasize About Anti-Obama Coup
The Huffington Post , September 30, 2009 | 4:37:01 PM (EST)

Extremists who oppose the president have begun fantasizing about a military coup to overthrow Obama.

Newsmax columnist John Perry wrote Tuesday that President Obama "is inviting" a military coup and that it might not be such a bad thing: "Imagine a bloodless coup to restore and defend the Constitution through an interim administration that would do the serious business of governing and defending the nation. Skilled, military-trained, nation-builders would replace accountability-challenged, radical-left commissars."

Newsmax subsequently took the column down. A spokesperson said in a statement, "Newsmax strongly believes in the principles of Constitutional government and would never advocate or insinuate any suggestion of an activity that would undermine our democracy or democratic institutions." She added that Perry "has no official relationship with Newsmax other than as an unpaid blogger. (Perry is a former senior editor at the site.) However, she also defended Perry's column, saying that he "clearly stated that he was not advocating such a scenario but simply describing one."

On the same day conservative talk-radio host Jim Quinn directly addressed U.S. troops, telling them that Obama is "gonna get you killed."

Media Matters points out that the appeals to the military follow a wave of rhetoric from the right suggesting that civilian violence against the government might be justified. Chuck Norris has asked if people are ready for "a second American Revolution." RedState's Erick Erickson has asked, "At what point do the people ... march down to their state legislator's house, pull him outside, and beat him to a bloody pulp?" Radio host Michael Savage declared recently that "we're going to have a revolution in this country."