Re: BREAKING NEWS: Coast Guard Lieutenant Charged with Planning Mass Attack Targeting Democrats and Journalists

[GrosseAdmiralFox]

This just showed up... and by all indications it is a Trumpist Coast Guardsman doing this. Basically the Coast Guard higher ups saw some red flags, called the FBI and DoJ, and the investigation nabbed him.

[TheFeniX]

I got nothing worthwhile to say here, so I'll just go with "If 15 guns and 1,000 rounds of ammo is 'stockpiling,' I am so screwed."

[U.P. Cinnabar]

I got nothing worthwhile to say here, so I'll just go with "If 15 guns and 1,000 rounds of ammo is 'stockpiling,' I am so screwed."

His being in the uniformed services was also a factor, not just the weapons, FenIX.

[Lord Revan]

I got nothing worthwhile to say here, so I'll just go with "If 15 guns and 1,000 rounds of ammo is 'stockpiling,' I am so screwed."

His being in the uniformed services was also a factor, not just the weapons, FenIX.

I suspect also what types of weapons there was a factor was well. I've not watched the vid yet but on the thumbnail those pistols do look like they could all be the same model and there's few legal reasons I can think of to have 4 examples of the same exact model if they all work just fine.

EDIT:looked at vid and rifles at back look similar (though with different furnishing) as well.

[Broomstick]

This just showed up... and by all indications it is a Trumpist Coast Guardsman doing this. Basically the Coast Guard higher ups saw some red flags, called the FBI and DoJ, and the investigation nabbed him.

So... the system worked? It spotted a threat prior to Bad Stuff actually happening.

I got nothing worthwhile to say here, so I'll just go with "If 15 guns and 1,000 rounds of ammo is 'stockpiling,' I am so screwed."

Think context matters here - he was planning a terrorist attack AND acquiring guns and ammo.

As opposed to, say, having three different handguns in three different calibers for target shooting (and maybe concealed carry), a shotgun, a couple different hunting rifles, and ammo for each. It looks to me like he was more of a Stephen Paddock getting multiple guns of the same type to cut down on reloading time.

[GrosseAdmiralFox]

So... the system worked? It spotted a threat prior to Bad Stuff actually happening.

Problem is the context and the timing. Mueller has been pretty much the TERMINATOR OF JUSTICE with his investigation and has been closing in around Trump's inner circle at the very least, and then this pops up...

... given the GOP's prior comments about 'Second Amendment Solutions against the Democrats'... this is worrying.

[Broomstick]

Yes, but it seems this guy has been planning for awhile, it's not something he started last Tuesday.

I've been worried, but expecting, this sort of thing since Trump became the Republican nominee.

[ray245]

I'm worried about the fact that he seems to pass any admission criteria in the US military without much issue and seemingly continue to serve up until his arrest.

[Broomstick]

From what I can construct as a timeline, he was in the USCG a long time before he started becoming radicalized. It's not that a nutjob was able to join the USCG, but rather someone joined the USCG and then became a nutjob.

(Sure, he might have been racist or whatever a long time, but most racists don't become terrorists, they just remain assholes.)

[Ralin]

As opposed to, say, having three different handguns in three different calibers for target shooting (and maybe concealed carry), a shotgun, a couple different hunting rifles, and ammo for each. It looks to me like he was more of a Stephen Paddock getting multiple guns of the same type to cut down on reloading time.

I'm not a gun person, but the picture they showed seemed to have a pretty good variety of guns?

[ray245]

From what I can construct as a timeline, he was in the USCG a long time before he started becoming radicalized. It's not that a nutjob was able to join the USCG, but rather someone joined the USCG and then became a nutjob.

(Sure, he might have been racist or whatever a long time, but most racists don't become terrorists, they just remain assholes.)

The fact that he held racists views while being undiscovered for a long time in the army is the thing that is frightening? The fact that he's an officer didn't help?

[Crazedwraith]

From what I can construct as a timeline, he was in the USCG a long time before he started becoming radicalized. It's not that a nutjob was able to join the USCG, but rather someone joined the USCG and then became a nutjob.

(Sure, he might have been racist or whatever a long time, but most racists don't become terrorists, they just remain assholes.)

The fact that he held racists views while being undiscovered for a long time in the army is the thing that is frightening? The fact that he's an officer didn't help?

I'm pretty sure "being racist" isn't illegal or prohibits you from military service? Not unless you act on it or incite others or something.

[Broomstick]

I'm not a gun person, but the picture they showed seemed to have a pretty good variety of guns?

It's impossible to be sure from the photo as there is not enough detail, but those guns might be very similar with just superficial differences within a category (the shotguns might have different finishes/stock materials but actually be of the same caliber, for example).

From what I can construct as a timeline, he was in the USCG a long time before he started becoming radicalized. It's not that a nutjob was able to join the USCG, but rather someone joined the USCG and then became a nutjob.

(Sure, he might have been racist or whatever a long time, but most racists don't become terrorists, they just remain assholes.)

The fact that he held racists views while being undiscovered for a long time in the army is the thing that is frightening? The fact that he's an officer didn't help?

Holy crap, don't you realize how common racist views are?

If a person prefers their own race but it doesn't interfere with their job or how they treat others that falls under freedom of belief, sometimes even free speech. You don't have to like everyone, just treat them fairly.

When they start thinking of ways to KILL everyone not exactly like them, though, that becomes terrorism.

[ray245]

I'm not a gun person, but the picture they showed seemed to have a pretty good variety of guns?

It's impossible to be sure from the photo as there is not enough detail, but those guns might be very similar with just superficial differences within a category (the shotguns might have different finishes/stock materials but actually be of the same caliber, for example).

From what I can construct as a timeline, he was in the USCG a long time before he started becoming radicalized. It's not that a nutjob was able to join the USCG, but rather someone joined the USCG and then became a nutjob.

(Sure, he might have been racist or whatever a long time, but most racists don't become terrorists, they just remain assholes.)

The fact that he held racists views while being undiscovered for a long time in the army is the thing that is frightening? The fact that he's an officer didn't help?

Holy crap, don't you realize how common racist views are?

If a person prefers their own race but it doesn't interfere with their job or how they treat others that falls under freedom of belief, sometimes even free speech. You don't have to like everyone, just treat them fairly.

When they start thinking of ways to KILL everyone not exactly like them, though, that becomes terrorism.

I know how common such views are. I just expect the US military to have a more active policy in making sure such views don't fester.

[Gandalf]

So... the system worked? It spotted a threat prior to Bad Stuff actually happening.

Problem is the context and the timing. Mueller has been pretty much the TERMINATOR OF JUSTICE with his investigation and has been closing in around Trump's inner circle at the very least, and then this pops up...

... given the GOP's prior comments about 'Second Amendment Solutions against the Democrats'... this is worrying.

Terminator of justice? Are you referring to his termination of justice leading to the invasion of Iraq in 2003, or his somehow being allowed to exist outside of a prison cell afterwards? The verb is a bit vague.

[Ralin]

I know how common such views are. I just expect the US military to have a more active policy in making sure such views don't fester.

I mean, if they aren't going around actively calling people racial epithets, tossing off Heil Hitlers and passing out white supremacist literature on-duty what is the organization supposed to do? I'd rather not have departments in charge of monitoring military personnel's politics and personal lives.

Also isn't the Coast Guard like quasi-military depending on whether we're actually at war or something like that?

[The Romulan Republic]

Is this guy one of the "good people on both sides"?

[Elheru Aran]

I know how common such views are. I just expect the US military to have a more active policy in making sure such views don't fester.

I mean, if they aren't going around actively calling people racial epithets, tossing off Heil Hitlers and passing out white supremacist literature on-duty what is the organization supposed to do? I'd rather not have departments in charge of monitoring military personnel's politics and personal lives.

Also isn't the Coast Guard like quasi-military depending on whether we're actually at war or something like that?

Your first paragraph is pretty much it. As long as you keep your personal life strictly separate from your work in the military, and you don't get involved in politics while enrolled, they don't care what you worship, look at on the Internet, read about, drink, eat, whatever. As long as you meet the standards they require of your position at your work (don't get fat, for example), they're going to be reasonably hands-off about whatever you may believe in.

Now if it extends into 'the job', then they will have a problem. Say White Supremacist Dude comes under an African-American officer and starts grumbling around the job. If they find out, that's gonna get a talking-to at least. They expect their service members to do what they're told regardless of any personal convictions, pretty much up to the 'is this illegal' line.

As to the status of the CG: They're technically part of the Department of Homeland Security at the moment. They have fallen under the DOD before, the transition to Homeland Security was in the early 2000s. There's an exemption for wartime conditions though, in which case they're seconded to the Navy. However this does mean that in peacetime, they're treated as civilian employees of the government. This was a big problem during the Federal shutdown earlier this year. That's since been addressed, IIRC a bill was passed that guarantees the Coast Guard will continue receiving pay during any future shutdowns. One wonders if that was his tipping point.