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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

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Editorial: Knezovich’s warnings of far-right extremism a needed message

Bizarre conspiracy theories and incendiary anti-government rhetoric are on the rise. They’ve inspired acts of violence – and may do so again – so resist the temptation to write off each episode as temporary nuttiness.

That’s the blunt message Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich delivered Monday night at an event hosted by the Republicans of Spokane County in Spokane Valley. He is frustrated with the fear of phantom menaces as he tries to cope with real ones. We don’t blame him.

Time and again, we’ve dismissed oddball concerns only to see them spread. For example, “Agenda 21,” a supposed United Nations plot to usurp U.S. sovereignty, used to be a topic kept at the fringes. Now it’s a plank in Republican Party platforms across the country. We’ve yet to see the tangible consequences of this alleged threat.

Knezovich says he’s tired of questions about “FEMA camps,” where the government will allegedly imprison Americans once it launches an attack that’s been predicted for years but never occurs. He’s had it with the presumed plot to confiscate people’s firearms. He’s even been asked about a rumor that President Barack Obama has plans to order a hit on Tennessee police officers.

“It is sad how many people believe this stuff. It really is.”

It’s beyond sad; it’s dangerous. Nativists, racists and anti-government cranks are poisoning our politics and fueling sick minds.

This region has a history of complacency in response to extremism. It wasn’t until people mobilized and pushed back that the threat receded and hate groups pulled up stakes. But in the name of “sovereignty” and “taking back America,” so-called constitutionalists and patriots have become increasingly worrisome, Knezovich says. He is not alone among law enforcement leaders.

Researchers from the University of North Carolina and Duke University recently asked 382 police and sheriff’s departments nationwide to rank the biggest threats from extremism. About 74 percent listed anti-government-inspired violence, and 39 percent listed radical Muslim-inspired violence.

Foreign terrorism is a real concern, Knezovich says. The U.S. Justice Department reported this week that counterterrorism investigations are currently being conducted in all 50 states. But homegrown violence has been more prevalent since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, with the recent racist attack on a South Carolina church underscoring the threat.

“Don’t tread on me” dogma has spread rapidly in recent years, with extremists becoming party officers and elected officials. The Republican Party is waging an internal battle for control, with moderates becoming an endangered species.

In a message to his own party, Knezovich said, “You need to figure what you’re going to do with this group of individuals that are giving you all a bad name.”

We applaud the sheriff’s frank assessment and straight talk. The community should pay heed.

To respond to this editorial online, go to www.spokesman.com and click on Opinion under the Topics menu.