By David Futrelle
We don’t know much about Mark Anthony Conditt, the man allegedly responsible for a string of bombings in the Austin area that killed two African-Americans, injured numerous others, and terrorized a city. But what we do know is certainly suggestive: Conditt, who seemed to have been targeting prominent African-Americans, was a conservative homeschooled Christian who blogged about his opposition to abortion, same-sex marriage and sex offender registries.
So naturally more than a few on the right have decided that Conditt must have been some sort of AntiFa supersoldier.
Mark Anthony Conditt’s social media was immediately scrubbed off the face of the internet. It’s safe to say he was a radical leftist ANTIFA looking to terrorize the conservative community of Austin.
More blood on liberal hands…
— The Trump Train (@The_Trump_Train) March 21, 2018
https://twitter.com/DrJaneRuby/status/976471387761205248
This is a picture from his student ID at Austin Community College. Either way probably Antifa or Bernie Sanders supporter, one not excluding the other. https://t.co/YjsfwJakqY pic.twitter.com/7GrG1crYpJ
— Niteangel (@I_am_Niteangel) March 21, 2018
IMAGINE DIS?
BREAKING NEWS… The Texas Bomber was a Democrat / Leftist /Liberal "ANTIFA" supporter….
The serial bomber who terrorized Austin identified; left ‘treasure trove’ of info before blowing… https://t.co/kK1JDLL8uV
— Cynthia Johnson (@CynthiaDustin) March 21, 2018
.@FoxNews @DRUDGE @BreitbartNews @RealAlexJones @newsmax @realDennisLynch DHS insider confirms #AustinSerialBomber Mark Anthony Conditt attended Antifa meetings
— Campaign4America2016 (@Campain4America) March 21, 2018
https://twitter.com/saneplanet/status/976541790743404544
https://twitter.com/kraig4u/status/976498041619271681
If the bomber in Austin Texas was a Donald Trump voter it would have been all over the news by now what do you want to bet he's an antifa member or Bernie bro or he's a Hillary Clinton voter?
— Oligarch Kabuki (@HouseCracka) March 21, 2018
Mark Anthony Conditt.
-How much info on this guy did the FBI take in and then mismanage?
-Is he a
1. Bernie Bro?
2. Antifa Anarchist?
3. Recent convert to a well-known peaceful religion?If he was a 'Right Winger' then CNN would have a 30-member panel on 24/7 until November
— Texas Peanut (@marklindesr) March 21, 2018
ANTIFA members are vicious. And they don't use guns.
So the Austin bomber was a member of ANTIFA. Surprised?— @CountryJazz4 (@CountryJazz4) March 21, 2018
While the “Rex Tillerson” in the above tweet isn’t the real Rex Tillerson, those pushing this particular conspiracy theory aren’t all anonymous nobodies. The Trump Train twitter account has more than 200,000 followers; General Deplorable has more than 60,000. @DrJaneRuby is a self-described “American Health Economist, New Right Journalist, TV Host” who is working with alt lite conspiracy theorist/former Bumble user Jack Posobiec and others to organize a right-wing networking conference in DC later this year.
Speaking of conspiracy theorists, one ingenious Twitterer managed to blame a prominent Parkland survivor-turned gun control advocate for somehow inspiring the bombings … by talking about package delivery services.
https://twitter.com/orlandowan1/status/976548266644049921
While some cried “antifa,” other right-wing conspiracy theorists thought they saw the hand of some nefarious “deep state” cabal at work.
https://twitter.com/TerranomaLead/status/976521436733952000
Mark Conditt was a pawn in the oligarchy’s game to create a media smokescreen for the federal authorities who failed in #Florida, Americans should know that Deep State agents loyal to Andy McCabe were involved in sending those packages just as they let proles die in Parkland #USA
— PRC SC Princeling (@PRCSCPrinceling) March 21, 2018
https://twitter.com/HaleyItalee/status/976521911503998976
Here Igou Again IMHO: The Austin bomber fits the bill as another Mk Ultra killer in that his father's next-door neighbor said the young Conditt was friendly and quiet, and he never got the sense that anything was amiss…. https://t.co/QRAY7bVR9p
— RedneckUpdate.com (@RickHisself) March 21, 2018
https://twitter.com/FrankSemperFi/status/976554461098381312
https://twitter.com/TerranomaLead/status/976524781615923200
https://twitter.com/Omerta_15/status/976574256132886534
On Infowars’ Facebook page the commenters mixed and matched comspiracy theories with wild abandon:
Even before the suspect’s name was announced, some glommed onto comments made on Reddit by someone claiming to be the bomber as “proof” of some sneaky conspiracy that could not possibly involve anyone with right-wing leanings.
Alex Jones’ Infowars pushed this angle hard, with Infowars TV host David Knight relying on the Reddit postings to suggest that the bomber was an AntiFa “nihilist.”
BREAKING: #AustinBombings Stopped, Suspect Dead,
Was he a nihilist #Antifa?WATCH: https://t.co/Qzm8jGtf4o
— David Knight Show LIVE 9am EST, M-F (@libertytarian) March 21, 2018
While Knight presented his theories in the form of questions, his colleague Paul Joseph Watson treated the unverified Reddit postings as Revealed Truth, declaring that they proved the bombings were “not political.”
Austin Bomber Said Attacks Not Political: Left Screams “White Terrorism” Anyway https://t.co/rq70ZSE2xW
— Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) March 21, 2018
Meanwhile, some cited the Reddit posts as proof that Alex Jones — whose alternate reality “news” empire is based in Austin — was the bomber’s real target.
https://twitter.com/1984VISION/status/976437040593162241
Mark Anthony Conditt allegedly said on Redditt under a fake name that he was sending a bomb to a radio host in Austin. That means he was out to kill Alex Jones. Doesn't sound like a Trump supporter.
— Dave's Spirit (@dave_spirit2001) March 21, 2018
Possible target of Alex Jones is a hit at the alt media truth. And the fact the terrorist enemies want to take Out Q is desperation of being found out. #Qanon #TheStormIsHere https://t.co/mVd3mYzc1j
— M MAGA (@MKWPatriot) March 21, 2018
He tried to kill Alex Jones.
He was a leftist Antifa, just like many other domestic terrorists in the US. https://t.co/RfSpZtVkaj
— Poke Badger (@poke_badger) March 21, 2018
It would all be a lot funnier if this weren’t how an increasing number of Americans get their “news.” From Donald Trump to Alex Jones and down all the way to @MKWPatriot, the right in America has chosen to live in an alternate reality of their own making. And the rest of us have to deal with the consequences.
@ Tree Person:
re: white shakira
http://www.shakira.com/img/default_fb.jpg
@Ohlmann:
There’s this weird, almost nihilistic sort of doublethink that one gets on the far Right, where everything is simultaneously easily dismissed but also deadly serious at the same time. “Soyboy” is both a joke and also not one. Black Panther is both a race crime and also an alt-Right movie. Theodore Beale is both religious and skeptical. Benjamin Netanyahu is both a man of peace and also the Remover of Kebabs. Carl Benjamin is both a laughable cuck and also a deep thinker. Jordan Peterson is both a classical Liberal and also red-pilled. Paul Joseph Watson is a liar but also the only one telling the truth. Trump is a glorious leader but also a hilarious troll, who’s going to both build and not build a wall while both fighting and not fighting Iran and North Korea.
Everyone is both on their side and not on their side at the same time, depending on the minute-to-minute needs of the conversation; and we “normies” are weird for not being able to understand it.
I don’t know enough social theory to be able to make sense of it all, but I get the sense that there’s something deep and interesting here.
@EJ: I don’t think there’s much to it, other than the feeling of superiority they cultivate by “getting the joke” and “being in the know”, except that there’s no real knowledge and the joke is painfully unfunny.
And as I stated earlier, if reality is completely thrown out the window, it’s easier to impress their version of the Truth on the public discourse. It’s a question of control, as is everything when dealing with fascists.
@ Patricia
Oh my god.
I…I never realized before that everything I believed was a lie, that justice is an obscenity, that treating minorities and immigrants like human beings is depraved.
What a great fool I’ve been, for so many years!
Thank you, courageous anonymous internet rando, for changing my entire worldview with your totally unsupported claims, which certainly must be true! Because why would a self-proclaimed lifelong former Democrat lie?
Do you know where I can find a MAGA hat for cheap?
I find it so hard to believe that his 25 minute confession recording offers absolutely no insight whatsoever to his motives. Especially since I’d bet money they had FBI profilers all over this case during the investigation. I wonder if it’s ever going to be released?
Disclaimer: I just woke up, so if things came out overnight I wouldn’t know yet.
I should add that unlike the right wingers in the OP, I don’t think there’s some nefarious conspiracy to hid the motive. I think extremist right wing views have become even more normalized lately. They always were normalized to an extent because despite the belief these people have that they’re constantly under siege, right wing values are the values of either the current status quo or what was the status quo in the recent past. People who are privileged, have somewhat conservative leanings and haven’t been paying attention to online “kek” and how young men are getting radicalized online by fascists can really easily hear extremist right wing views and because they’re pretty close to what the current White House occupant says, they aren’t seen as abnormal and therefore couldn’t possibly be a motive.
So he was homeschooled, called himself a conservative, called himself a Christian, was against abortion and homosexuality – well, colour me not surprised – and was against sex offender registers?
I mean… whut?
Since when did that get added to the off-the-peg deplorables kit?
Down with this sort of thing!
Two words: Josh Duggar.
Careful now.
One thing to remember: The bomber’s “blog” was written in 2012, and it was written for a poli sci course apparently? So the political comments are there to answer specific questions.
Not that it changes how awful they are or makes him less culpable! It’s sort of ironic, really – in the self description, he said that he was taking the course because he felt like he didn’t see how his his conservative views lined up with the real world (And yes, Patricia, he describes himself as very conservative and his beliefs line up with that). I guess he learned from that course “I’m right, and everyone else is wrong!”
F’n Conservativism.
My blood boils every time they pull this shit. I couldn’t finish this article. If I ever run into them in a darkened alley… I will not say more as to not violate comments policy.
@ Shadowplay
I had to google. Yikes!
I was thinking maybe since Roy Moore.
As a person mildly interested in preserving Western liberalism, humanism and skepticism, I cannot abstain from any means necessary to fight the religious extremists who dabble with Islam.
So the message we’re supposed to take away, if I have this correct, is that in a society where blacks are at best treated like second class citizens, whose status could be stripped away in an instant, whose murders by agents of the State are not only condoned but celebrated, who are considered subhuman by a distressingly large amount of the population…it is somehow impossible to figure out a motive for why a white racist conservative (but I repeat myself) would go out and murder black people. So incomprehensible, in fact that the killer (not a terrorist!) must have been mentally ill. And also definitely a liberal because only liberals do bad things ever.
There’s always been the tendancy to disapprove of the sex offenders register – certainly amongst Evangelicals, where it was pretty much required since the biggest preachers tended to have their hand either in the till or up a stranger’s skirt – but it’s become far more blatant since the Duggars started on telly.
Roy Moore just showed how far the infection has gone.
Trump’s lawyer John Dowd resigns.
@WWTH
Well, he’s fucked. Even if the law is entirely against you, most attorneys will try to maneuver with whatever options the client has available, to reach the least damaging scenario.
This tells me that Trump is so toxic the lawyer himself is afraid it’ll stick to him. Either that or Trump is so frustrated with the “incompetence” of lawyers (who can’t magic him out of trouble) that he’s been constantly berating him, past his breaking point.
No wonder I’ve been getting such heavy doses of 90s nostalgia; it’s Timothy McVeigh conspiracies all over again. We just didn’t have an internet in 1995 that could spread them around so quickly. He’s Muslim! No, he’s white. Must be a radical leftist with foreign backing! No, he was at Waco and had pages of The Turner Diaries in his car. False flag! False FLAAAG! They’d kill children for a false flag? They never existed! CRISIS ACTORS!!!
The one things conservatives fear above all is a good memory. This is not new terrain, Patricia. It’s as old as Tamagotchis, POGs and the Macarena. And what’s sad is that it’s all unnecessary obfuscation. There’s a reason I’m not running up to Paul Ryan demanding he answer for a terrorist in Texas, because despite being a zombie-eyed granny starver, Paul Ryan isn’t actively going around dehumanizing minorities. But Donald Trump is, and the conservative base does traffic in the dehumanizing language regarding black people, so I think that’s where this defensiveness comes in.
As much as basic human decency is rapidly becoming a leftist-only thing, it doesn’t have to be.
@EJ
It’s a defense mechanism. If your abhorrent views are coated with 17 layers of lacquered irony, it makes it not only more palatable to you, but lets you deploy the “it’s just jokes bro” defense if you’re called to account while offering an easy means for other deplorables to identify you.
There’s a reason it’s so hard to pin these people down on their exact stances on anything. Because if they have a concrete set of ideological principles, they open themselves up to direct criticism and refutation. So instead, they proclaim themselves “rational freethinkers” free of all ideologies (or if they have one at all, it’s only “freedom of speech”). It’s cowardice is what it is. But they can get away with it because they’re so far removed from the consequences that they can retreat to the comfort of a video game and forget they were ever one of the Pepe/MAGA brigade.
@Lumipuna (nee Arctic Ape)
What does “any means necessary” include, exactly?
Apparently Dowd and his other attorney Ty Cobb had convinced him to be more cooperative and Trump was under the impression that this would cause the investigation. Whether his attorneys were bullshitting him because Trump has to be treated like a child who will throw a massive tantrum if he hears anything uncomfortable for him or whether Trump was just being willfully delusional is not clear. The rumor his he’s bringing back his old attorney Cassowitz (probably misspelled, sorry) who had resigned after sending someone a threatening profanity laced email. This is a possible sign that he’s headed down the path of trying to fire Mueller. I can’t tell if this is a terrible thing because constitutional crisis. Or a good thing because this could finally be the thing that kills the last shred of benefit of the doubt people have been giving to Trump.
On that note, I’ll drop this link again for USian Mammotheers
https://act.moveon.org/event/mueller-firing-rapid-response-events/search/
MoveOn is arranging immediate rallies in the event that Trump fires Mueller. If you RSVP you’ll get an email if it happens telling you where to go.
Vaguely disapproving words, I think.
(For the record, my last couple comments were a joke that was possibly turning tasteless. I’ll stop now.)
@Lumipuna (which I keep trying to write Lumipuma – cats on the brain)
No thinning your lips disapprovingly?
The latest skinny on the austin bomber is that he was a member of a really dodgy christian youth gun fancier group called RIOT: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/austin-bomber-mark-anthony-conditt-texas-christian-righteous-invasion-truth-a8267976.html
Interestingly RIOT is also the name of a Christian music album by Carman. It stands for righteous invasion of truth… doesn’t sound violent at all does it?
Some lyrics:
Righteous – to conform to the Bible
Invasion an armed attack
Of truth – the real state of affairs
Like a church on the move that will not double back
From the fight, ’cause we’re salt and light
And we thrive on Jesus, the theme of our lives
And here’s the spin
Love nothin’ but God, hate nothin’ but sin
It’s true, now the time to win nations for the Lord
And it’s true, now the hour, the saints must go to war
We’ll preach it, we’ll sing it
We’ll shout it, we’ll cry it
‘Cause desperate times need desperate action and that means
We need a R.I.O.T
The album also contains a song called whiter than snow… hmmmmmmmmm