This post will be pretty much just a stub. There is currently a hostage situation taking place at the Discovery Channel’s headquarters in Maryland. The assailant, James Lee, has posted a radical list of demands, encompassing environmentalist policy, military intervention, and with particular vitriol for human reproduction. A partial list of demands can be seen at Pharyngula.
I am writing this in order to state clearly and immediately that I repudiate and condemn this action by Mr. Lee, who does not speak for me as an atheist, an environmentalist, a military objector, or a fan of Daniel Quinn. Innocent people should never be used as fodder in an ideological struggle, and I abhor violence as a means of social protest. I encourage all those in the secular movement to do the same – we are quick to malign moderate Christians and Muslims for not speaking up against extremists. We now have an example of a far-left atheist extremist – let’s not forget our principles.
It seems that Mr. Lee is mentally unhinged, and while I hope this standoff ends without anyone being hurt, my concern is for the hostages. I am also not looking forward to watching smug assholes on the right turn this into justification for anti-environmentalism and anti-atheism (which they are virtually guaranteed to do – they love pointing out hypocrisy, as long as it isn’t theirs).
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UPDATE: Mr. Lee has been shot and killed by police (3:20 PST). As of 2:30 PST there is no word on his condition, but it seems like he might not be dead.
Crommunist 
I read that at Pharyngula, and my first thought was that it was a spoof.
Makes me sad that it’s real…
I thought so too. Nothing about this bodes well for anyone. The rhetoric machine, running on a high-octane mix of fear and stupidity, will be revved up full-tilt to make this psychopath emblematic of the entire left. That’s why I’m trying to “refudiate” it right now.
Well I must agree that Mr. Lee’s acts are wrong on a great many levels and I don’t wish to be associated with them in the least. I can’t help but think that the very fact that some one like Mr. Lee is using or is should say abusing the secular/atheist/environmental meme speaks well for the increasing popularity of those ideals.
Having said that the far right is going to run over this and call us a great many evil things.