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America: Why So Furious?

Terrorism, recession, economy drive nationwide rage

By Drew Nelles, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 30, 2009 4:30 PM CDT

(Newser) – With town halls gone mad and anti-Obama protesters toting guns, this is America’s angriest summer in recent memory, McClatchy reports. The fury of voters has deep roots, from a long history of hate groups to anti-Vietnam marches to rage against George W. Bush when he left office—but it’s only intensified under Barack Obama. Town halls "were the most visible sign of something that may be larger," one expert says.

Fear of immigrants, terrorism, and a sinking economy are likely driving the anger, which has sparked 50 new militias and enough tax-refusnicks that the IRS created a National Tax Defier Initiative last year. Meanwhile, new technologies are quickly spreading anti-government conspiracies—like the belief that Washington is using 30,000 guillotines to harvest body parts. "In '94, you had talk radio," one expert says. "In '09, you have talk radio, Fox, and the Internet.”

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Randall Terry, the founder of anti-abortion group Operation Rescue, shouts at former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean during a town hall style meeting on health care reform. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Are town hall standoffs simply the latest twists in a long tradition of vigorous, undeferential public engagement or evidence of some new, alarming brand of political virulence? (AP Photo/The Patriot-News, Christine Baker, File)

Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa., left, listens to a man speaking during a town hall meeting on health care in Lebanon, Pa. on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/The Patriot-News, Christine Baker)

In this Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2009 file photo, William Kostnic wears a 9mm pistol as he stands outside a town hall meeting on health care held by President Barack Obama, in Portsmouth, N.H. (AP Photo/Joel Page, File)

Opponents of the health care reform bill shout at former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean at a town hall style meeting on health care reform with Dean and Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va., in Reston, Va. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

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There seems to be a reservoir of anger in the country of a particularly intense and shrill variety that it is not simply what's appeared at the town meetings. - Michael Barkun, political scientist

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America: Why So Furious?