That an anti-Muslim flame-thrower would try to turn his followers’ fear into cash:
KPNX television reporter Brahm Resnik tweeted on Sunday that Ritzheimer had set up a GoFundMe page to raise $10 million to “protect his family or run against” Sen. John McCain (R-AZ).
It is, of course, not impossible that Ritzheimer might be at risk. See Hebdo, Charlie and Theo Van Gogh, e.g. Obviously, none here wish Ritzheimer more than regular ridicule, and it is my devout hope that the Muslim community in this country continues to act as they have so far: emphasizing that sheer dicktitude on display, and demonstrating the virtues of another path:
The contentious nature of Ritzheimer’s protest on Friday didn’t prevent some productive interaction between the two sides. From the Washington Post:
Jason Leger, a Phoenix resident wearing one of the profanity-laced shirts, accepted an invitation to join the evening prayer inside the mosque, and said the experience changed him.
“It was something I’ve never seen before. I took my shoes off. I kneeled. I saw a bunch of peaceful people. We all got along,” Leger said. “They made me feel welcome, you know. I just think everybody’s points are getting misconstrued, saying things out of emotion, saying things they don’t believe.”
Paul Griffin, who had earlier said he didn’t care if his t-shirt was offensive, assured a small crowd of Muslims at the end of the rally that he wouldn’t wear it again.
“I promise, the next time you see me, I won’t be wearing this shirt,” he told one man while shaking his hand and smiling. “I won’t wear it again.”
But to return to the defining thread of this kind of nonsense: whether or not Ritzheimer may indeed face anything more than scorn, you have to be impressed — not in a good way — at hiseffortless pivot to the trough. Rage and bigotry as a profit maximizing strategy.
Tree With Water
“Send Muslims, guns, and money- the shit has hit the fan”.
Elizabelle
Good to hear the campaign was pulled.
Shameless.
realbtl
@Tree With Water: Actually, projecting what I think will be his career I think the original works better.
JPL
During the event, I streamed the local Fox news out of Phoenix and the coverage appeared to be fair in the beginning. They mentioned that it was a terrible idea to be walking around with AK 47’s in front of a house of worship. They also mentioned that there were far more supporting the right to worship. After the event, it somehow turned to the fact that terrorism is causes by Muslims and that Obama didn’t call the Ft. Hood murders terrorism. At that point, I didn’t think it was necessary to listen anymore. It’s always Obama to those people.
Villago Delenda Est
One of the most telling sins of this fucked up country. The fundigelicals live by it.
Warren Terra
I’m pretty sure doing the “donate here for my possible run against John McCain” as a GoFundMe campaign is illegal – actual political campaign donations are handled quite differently, and aren’t interchangeable with “buy me a big house in a gated community”.
Villago Delenda Est
@Warren Terra: Or “I’m being oppressed by the Gaystapo”.
OzarkHillbilly
Speak for yourself. I wish this dickhead a huge shit sandwich everyday for the rest of what I hope is a very long life.
LWA (Liberal With Attitude)
@Warren Terra:
All appearances to the contrary notwithstanding.
Ben Cisco (onboard the Defiant)
What a collosal asshole move.
Then again, he apparently knew marks when he saw them.
I love the fact that even among his crew, the narrative fell apart in less than 24 hours.
dmsilev
I know John McCain is a cantankerous and grudge-holding jackass, but I doubt he’d order a hit on this guy’s family.
Botsplainer
Personally, I can say I wouldn’t mind seeing him shrug this mortal coil quickly in order to make Earth a better place.
The method is unimportant but I’d like it on Pay Per View…
JPL
It appears that the entire event was a scam to raise money. Can the police charge him for the cost of extra security? It sure would be nice to think so.
srv
Let’s just pick an unihhabited island somewhere and challenge ISIS to a Battle Royale. Do a kickstarter to send as many Ritzheimers as possible.
Make it an annual event.
jl
Guy should have entered the GOP pres primary. (edit: only 9 are declared right now, so still a chance to make the big debate stage for a guy who has a knack for publicity)
And, glad a few teabagger souls were brave enough to meet people at the mosque and changed their minds and hearts, at least a little bit.
Valdivia
Always and forever with the grift not too far behind. It never ceases to amaze me actually.
jl
Part of me feels sad. Why not let a winner win? A guy gets a couple of million $, he could afford some cool ancient Scythian swag:
2,400-Year-Old Ancient Gold Bongs Unearthed In Russia
” A team of archaeologists has discovered a pair of gold “bongs,” or water pipes, in southern Russia. The artifacts, which are made of pure gold, are believed to be around 2,400 years old.
According to the archaeologists, tribal chiefs used the ancient paraphernalia to smoke opium and cannabis….
The archaeologists believe the pair of treasures belonged to the Scythians… ”
http://www.ibtimes.com/2400-year-old-ancient-gold-bongs-unearthed-russia-1947171
Botsplainer
@jl:
That’s only 45% of a Duggar vagina’s worth of clowns.
There’s plenty more room out there for more candidates.
beltane
I almost feel like I’m missing out on something by not partaking of the wingnut Fountain of Grift. If I just erected a homophobic or Islamophobic statue on my lawn I’d probably be able to rake in enough money to fund my chidrens’ college education.
SiubhanDuinne
@JPL:
You used the words “Fox” and “fair” in the same sentence. Please tell me you haven’t gone over to the Dark Side.
Villago Delenda Est
@beltane: You’re one of us poor saps who have the disease of scruples.
The Duggars, Hastert, and every televangelist ever are missing that. Which explains their actions.
Baud
@beltane: I know we don’t want to admit this, but it takes a certain degree of talent to be successful at the grift.
JPL
@SiubhanDuinne: It was the local Phoenix station and I said appeared to be fair and then the local fox channel blamed Obama.
Even our local Fox channel appears unbiased and then suddenly blames Obama. They just can’t help themselves.
Omnes Omnibus
@beltane: It’s not so much that you are missing out on something; it’s more that you aren’t missing something – call it a conscience, a soul, a sense of decency, something like that.
Baud
@Omnes Omnibus:
But we’ll take care of that!
Omnes Omnibus
@Baud: Soulectomy or just by being poor role models?
beltane
Starting one’s own fundie church seems like the best form of grift. It’s a more reliable form of income than these one-off, outrage generated revenue bonanzas.
Valdivia
@beltane: why limit yourself? you can start one and then create an outrage one-off martyrdom scenario. You get the long con and the short con in one!
Baud
@Omnes Omnibus:
Yes!
Howard Beale IV
Poor Michelle Malkin: IN an article she worore comparing Bernie Sanderos policies to the current condition in Venezuela, it seems the editors at NRO put up a doctored photo that was supposed to be a Venezuelan supermarket but was actually one from Austin TX before Hurricane Kartrina hit. Little Green Footballs shredded that picture six ways from Sunday and proceeded to tear into Malkin, who said: “it’s not my fault-it’s up to whoever publishes my article who obtains the picture (in this case, NRO)”. Well, needless to say, that didn’t go over very well, to the point she’s actually pissed at NRO for not publicly stating they screwed up.
As far as this whole charade goes, I’ll outsource it to Alan Parsons.
catclub
@dmsilev:
But didn’t Lindsey Graham already promise to do that to anyone who looked at him funny.
Valdivia
@Baud: @Omnes Omnibus: so it’s true, this is a den if iniquity and we are all here just to get corrupted? ;)
beltane
Is Mitt Romney expected to squeeze into the clown car? They could use a designated driver.
Poopyman
@Valdivia: I came here for an argument.
Omnes Omnibus
@Poopyman: No, you didn’t.
Baud
@Valdivia:
Not so much a den as a palatial estate.
Doug R
I think that t-shirt works best wrapped around your head as a covering. assalamualaikum
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
@Poopyman: What would you like to argue? I’m professionally trained.
Baud
@a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q):
In what?
fuckwit
Is someone keeping a running list of the clowns somewhere? I’m getting confused. It has to be about a dozen now, I think.
Poopyman
@Omnes Omnibus: I most certainly did.
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
@Baud: Arguing (oral and written), of course (among other things).
SiubhanDuinne
@JPL:
I know. It’s like a rubber hammer to the patella.
Villago Delenda Est
@beltane: L. Ron Hubbard and Joseph Smith would agree with you.
El Caganer
So sad seeing that advanced Ritzheimer’s Syndrome, when somebody’s grift just falls completely apart.
Poopyman
@Baud: Well, he’s a lawyer, so I expect he’s referring the ability to argue either side of any argument, possibly switching in midstream, and being able to totally nail the dismount.
Ditto OO, of course.
ETA: Nym Fail. Sorry BQ.
Omnes Omnibus
@Poopyman: You didn’t.*
*We could go on like this for a loooonnnnggg time.
Baud
@a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q):
Cool. Argue something.
SiubhanDuinne
@Poopyman:
@Omnes Omnibus:
@a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q):
I’m sorry, this is abuse. You want Room 12-A, down the hall.
Edit: Abus? No, abuse.
SiubhanDuinne
@Poopyman:
Did did did did did didn’t did
Poopyman
@Omnes Omnibus: Well, I only paid for the 5 minute argument, so I think we’re finished.
Omnes Omnibus
@SiubhanDuinne: Shut your festering gob, you tit! Your type really makes me puke, you vacuous, toffee-nosed, malodorous pervert!!!
Chris
@Howard Beale IV:
Sounds like their unpaid intern was putting an amount of effort into the job commensurate with his salary.
Baud
@SiubhanDuinne: I like abus.
Omnes Omnibus
@Baud: I’ve ridden on abus.
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
While Poopyman may indeed have come to Balloon Juice tonight for an argument, a simple denial of that assertion by Omnes Omnibus is somewhat unproductive as arguments go, as well as less than engaging. Much to my surprise, since OO is quite clever, if occasionally short of commas.
Valdivia
@Baud: I see you’re not arguing the iniquity part…..
Exactly why I come here.
@a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q):
aren’t we all! :)
SiubhanDuinne
@Omnes Omnibus:
I CAME HERE FOR AN ARGUMENT
trollhattan
@SiubhanDuinne:
Diane Abus is one of my top-five photographers.
FlipYrWhig
@Baud: if you like can abus, I hear the Scythians were into that too.
Baud
@Valdivia: If you want am argument, there are plenty of folks here who will accommodate you (for a fee).
Baud
@FlipYrWhig:
Has there in history been a more bad-ass named demographic group? I wish I could say my nationality was Scythian on some form.
Valdivia
@Baud: no, no I come here for the iniquity and debauchery, harrumph!
fuckwit
@trollhattan: The Abus A300 was quite revolutionary. Fly-by-wire, and all.
trollhattan
O/T Baby steps, but steps in the right direction.
Omnes Omnibus
@a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q): I am waiting to be paid. I ain’t doing it pro bono this evening.
Redshift
@fuckwit: No, there really are only nine officially announced GOP candidates right now. Hard to believe, but ones like Jeb! and Walker are still “unannounced” so they can hoover up more money with less scrutiny.
Poopyman
@Valdivia: Wait, there’s debauchery? Does that come with the basic subscription rate?
Omnes Omnibus
@Valdivia: There’s debauchery? Why wasn’t I told? I left my pager number for a reason, damn it.
Karen in GA
@SiubhanDuinne: No you didn’t.
Baud
@Poopyman: @Omnes Omnibus:
Debauchery comes with the BJ+ package. The iniquity is free (with ads).
trollhattan
@fuckwit:
Not to mention they can convert to submarines and sneak off to somebody’s evil lair.
trollhattan
@Omnes Omnibus:
Pretty sure the debauchery is apres comfy pillows.
Poopyman
@Redshift: Nine? Well, we can go a couple of ways with this:
“The nine are abroad.”[1]
Or:
Sleazy, Gropey, Dumpy, Doc, Prancer, ….
([1] Feel free to run with that one, folks.)
Omnes Omnibus
@trollhattan: I would quite like to have a lair. I don’t think my apartment qualifies.
Poopyman
@Baud: Hmmm. I can only imagine why it’s called the “BJ+ Package.”
fuckwit
@trollhattan: Can you swim? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeBqf6bYZak
Southern Beale
WAIT it’s to “protect his family OR run against” McCain? I don’t think you can do that .. it’s either a political contribution or it’s not. THERE ARE RULES, MAN.
Brachiator
@Omnes Omnibus: Would you be willing to do it sonny bono?
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
@Omnes Omnibus: Fair enough.
Since he is professionally trained, Omnes should not be expected to produce an elegant argument pro bono. He can reasonably expect and demand to be compensated for his time and talent.
As may I, now that I think about it. And I should not be paid less, simply because of my gender. In fact, there’s a colorable argument to be made that I should be paid more, based on years of practice. Likewise there is an equally colorable argument that I should not be paid more. Indeed, perhaps I should even be paid less than Omnes, based on my time in the non-profit mental health advocacy field, along with time in equestrian management and training.
Discuss.
Omnes Omnibus
@Baud: I guess I need to upgrade.
@trollhattan: No one expects the Spanish Inquisition (except Santorum, of course – he pines for it).
Poopyman
@efgoldman: Are you asking if he gets an opportunity to run a grift on the clientele?
Baud
@a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q):
Overruled!
(That’s how judges argue.)
muddy
I don’t know that I would call the Scythian bowls “bongs”. They are amazing though, check out the photos.The details are incredible.
Baud
@Omnes Omnibus:
We refer to it as an “enhancement.”
Omnes Omnibus
@a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q):
Nice try but you aren’t going to trick me into arguing for free.
@efgoldman: One has to look out for one’s old age.
trollhattan
@fuckwit:
Gotta give it up to Q for that one!
Belafon
Some Muslim group should set up a fund for Ritzheimer.
Valdivia
@Poopyman: @Omnes Omnibus: @Baud: really, I was the only one who assumed debauchery came with the iniquity? I guess your experiences in dens of iniquity are different from mine ;)
Seriously: apparently there is a fee?
Baud
@Valdivia: There is always a fee.
trollhattan
@Omnes Omnibus:
Under no circumstances let goths bearing cases of insulating foam cans and black spraypaint inside. Instant lair.
Omnes Omnibus
@Valdivia: I wasn’t saying I was opposed. Some day I may tell you all about fountain swimming with the English girl.
@trollhattan: Oddly, that’s just the sort of thing I would do.
Valdivia
@Baud: the question is what kind, there are fees and then, there are fees.
Baud
@Valdivia: And then, of course, there are feefees, which one should try to avoid getting entangled with.
NotMax
Summarizing a piece in The American Conservative:
Lindsey Graham is a fibber.
SiubhanDuinne
@Karen in GA:
An argument isn’t just contradiction.
::strolls off like a boss, head held high, confident that she has won this round::
Valdivia
@Omnes Omnibus: don’t think I am not making a list of these stories; I am keen to hear :)
Tom Levenson
So this is what happens when a thread derails. And thus finds itself home on derange.
muddy
@Tom Levenson: The painting you chose is fantastic. It’s like he’s falling out of the world.
Valdivia
@Baud: chapeau, my friend
/tips grey fedora your way.
@SiubhanDuinne: touche to you too. :)
@trollhattan: does it have to be goths? could it be steam-punk adepts?
El Caganer
@Southern Beale: Mark it zero!
Omnes Omnibus
@Tom Levenson: At least we are being decent to one another in the main.
Omnes Omnibus
@Valdivia: For whatever reason (perhaps nostalgia), I am more likely to let the goths in. It might be the hipster mustaches on the steam-punks that puts me off.
Valdivia
@Omnes Omnibus: yes, there is something hyper hipster about the steampunks, I guess if it were more Mary Shelly goth than Marilyn Manson goth it would be rather cool.
Omnes Omnibus
@Valdivia: I dated a girl in the 80s who went to a halloween party dressed as Robert Smith.
Valdivia
@Omnes Omnibus: That’s very cool. Because The Cure, how can one not love that? The most inventive I ever got for Halloween was in grad school when I went to a very debauched party hosted by Chilean gay painter whose house was full of crucifixes (his art, very freudian). I went as a Nabokov character–don’t ask :)
Omnes Omnibus
@Valdivia: Humbert Humbert? I had a stock Halloween costume I used for years. An old suit of my dad’s from the 60s, my grandfather’s 1930’s overcoat, and Soviet fur hat I bought in Berlin. I was KGB guy. The overcoat eventually died, the suit as well, but I still have the hat.
Valdivia
@Omnes Omnibus: See that would have been so much cooler, I went as the other character from the same book, much older professor man on my arm (I know, grad school professors, such a cliche). I love the idea of KGB man. Those hats are made to endure eh?
Omnes Omnibus
@Valdivia:
We all have our cliche phases. Hell, I married an East European blond bombshell – just after I turned 40.
Suzanne
This is my favorite blog. You are all batshit.
That Ritzheimer DOOD is a TOOL.
Elizabelle
OT: Quote of the day, from newly minted presidential candidate Lindsey Graham’s sister:
Now with more warmongering.
Omnes Omnibus
@Suzanne:
I don’t know what you mean.
Valdivia
@Omnes Omnibus: if one is going to have a cliche phase, one has to make it a good one I say. Seems you did it in style. I think I did too. It was the scandal du jour at the university.
Omnes Omnibus
@Valdivia:
Excellent. As far as I know, I was one of two people from my undergrad who went to my law school. The other was two years ahead of me at both schools. We both made law review and became editors. She was Ed in Chief; I was Articles Editor. She had sex with the law review faculty adviser on her desk in the law review office and broke up his marriage; I did not. OTOH, I liked her when I knew her in undergrad. She was charming.
Valdivia
@Omnes Omnibus: Oh mine wasn’t as, um, colourful as all that. Still, to this day he remains the mythical-ex for a reason (even if the moniker is used mostly tongue-in-cheek)
Omnes Omnibus
@Valdivia: Lawrentians are expected to be interesting.
fuckwit
@Omnes Omnibus: This should cheer you up for sure. You see I’ve got your old ID, and you’re all dressed up like The Cure.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muz_4QimXk8
Omnes Omnibus
@fuckwit: Forget a link?
ETA: Never mind.
yodecat
Crap on a stick is not necessarily a popsicle.
Omnes Omnibus
@yodecat: Sure it is. It is just a very bad popsicle.
different-church-lady
Man, that’s a hell of a choice…
jpe
You’re asking whether we can charge people to protest.
You can probably figure out the answer to that.
boatboy_srq
@Elizabelle: Shame has very little to do with grift. I keep wondering whether GoFundMe may be the end of the massive multimedia Xtian machine: if grifting the rubes is now suddenly so easy, there’s no need for a massive “cathedral”; no choir to pay; and the only requirements are sensational press coverage, a Website and a GFM account.
gratuitous
Strange that Ritzheimer feels so threatened; doesn’t he have a great big gun so that he isn’t so scared all the time?
I understand the president of the mosque invited the unruly, armed jackasses in for the evening service, and some of them actually took him up on his offer. And of those who did, a couple of them have completely changed their minds and will no longer participate in these hate sessions. I can’t imagine why that wouldn’t make the news, though.