Man Who Complained Ex-Proud Boy Was Plotting to Kill Him Is Found Dead

[The Barbarian]

Looks to have been a falling-out between extremists, but it's disturbing that this is going on. This is what was going on between rival groups in Germany before the Third Reich.

An Arizona man who claimed he was targeted in a terrifying Proud Boys “assassination” plot has been found dead in a suspected homicide, according to authorities.

Officers from the El Mirage Police Department found Thomas Christopher Retzlaff, 55, dead at his home on Sept. 1 with unspecified “fatal injuries,” spokesperson Timothy Mason told the Phoenix New Times. Police had been asked to do a welfare check by his wife. The death was ruled a homicide by the Maricopa Medical Examiner, the New Times reported.
...
The Daily Beast previously reported that he had been complaining for years about what he said was a campaign of “threats of murder and mayhem” carried out by Jason Lee Van Dyke. The Texas lawyer previously represented the Proud Boys and was once a member of the far-right “Western chauvinist” group.

According to a legal filing that cited an Oak Point Police Department last year, Van Dyke had tried to use members of Proud Boys’ Arizona chapter to surveil Retzlaff.
...
For his own part, Retzlaff had a robust rap sheet. He was convicted of misdemeanor assault on his wife, violating a protective order, theft, tampering with a government record, “display of harmful material to a minor,” and a felony weapons offense. He was also accused in separate, unsuccessful litigation of secretly posing as a member of the KKK on the internet.
Man Who Complained Ex-Proud Boy Was Plotting to Kill Him Is Found Dead

 

[BobRyan]

Looks to have been a falling-out between extremists, but it's disturbing that this is going on.

"Ex-proud boy?"... Does this mean we need a law that nobody can leave the proud boys?

 

[The Barbarian]

"Ex-proud boy?"... Does this mean we need a law that nobody can leave the proud boys?

Maybe just a good practice not to unnecessarily annoy white supremacists.

 

[BobRyan]

Maybe just a good practice not to unnecessarily annoy white supremacists.

Because black Cubans are "White surpremacists"??
or... you're saying this actually has to do with white supremacists and not "proud boys"??

 

[Albion]

Sounds like there's a long list of people who might have wanted this guy dead.

 

[Blade]

Hmm scary when left says "just let them die" is not as bad? This was said by some in Media as in CNN ABC CBS NBC MSNBC, and some in Hollywood. And does not get the same kind of treatment. Oh there was as we all know much worse said by some..again odd that does not get posted. I can't be the only one reading about it.. been going on almost ever day.. oddly left out.

June July 2021 29 black on white killings .. white boy missing.. 19 black man killed white Grant said no to the demand for money..they then heard a shot. Allot going on..odd how its not talked about huh. As if there is no such thing as black supremacists. Now again I did a search on Google and not ONE link to the story. Try a not so famous search and..wow what you find not being shown by Google as in real police reports and what not. There is so much more. Stores being robbed in daylight by black people and white people and no one is stopping them. Now didn't see any white people but.. be foolish to leave that out. It would be no different then how the left media and sometimes Fox does.

 

[pescador]

"Ex-proud boy?"... Does this mean we need a law that nobody can leave the proud boys?

What???

 

[The Barbarian]

Because black Cubans are "White surpremacists"??
or... you're saying this actually has to do with white supremacists and not "proud boys"??

From the Anti-Defamation league:
Ideology: Primarily alt lite: Misogynistic, Islamophobic, transphobic and anti-immigration. Some members espouse white supremacist and anti-Semitic ideologies and/or engage with white supremacist groups.
Proud Boys

They seem pretty disorganized, mostly just people who like to hate, vandallize, and kill people. But they do seem to focus on black people a lot:

Historic D.C. Black churches attacked during pro-Trump rallies Saturday
https://www.washingtonpost.com/loca...97bfb0-3d54-11eb-8bc0-ae155bee4aff_story.html

Might just be because they hate Christians, but I'm guessing there's a clue in which Christian groups they want after. What do you think?

 

[The Barbarian]

Sounds like there's a long list of people who might have wanted this guy dead.

If you run with rabid dogs, you're likely to get bitten.

 

[Lukaris]

The US homicide rate skyrocketed from 2019-2020 in step with defunding the police. This should be a basic observation but useless, long drawn out “discussion” will say otherwise.

us homicides 2020 vs 2019 - Google Search

 

[public hermit]

The US homicide rate skyrocketed from 2019-2020 in step with defunding the police. This should be a basic observation but useless, long drawn out “discussion” will say otherwise.

us homicides 2020 vs 2019 - Google Search

Yeah, but it was in step with a lot of other stuff like a pandemic, which increased alcohol consumption, which increases violence. It was an election year with tons of vitriol on social media. Domestic violence rose, too. 2020 is not the year to try and pin an increase in homicides on one thing, I don't think.

 

[The Barbarian]

The US homicide rate skyrocketed from 2019-2020 in step with defunding the police.

Since no police departments were defunded in that time, it would appear to be due to something else that went badly during that time...

Your point is well-taken; the decades-long decline in violent crime was reversed after Trump became president. For obvious reasons:

New report finds violent crimes by white supremacists hit decade-high under Trump
New report finds violent crimes by white supremacists hit decade-high under Trump

Which is pretty much what people were expecting. What did you think was going to happen?

 

[Lukaris]

Since no police departments were defunded in that time, it would appear to be due to something else that went badly during that time...

Your point is well-taken; the decades-long decline in violent crime was reversed after Trump became president. For obvious reasons:

New report finds violent crimes by white supremacists hit decade-high under Trump
New report finds violent crimes by white supremacists hit decade-high under Trump

Which is pretty much what people were expecting. What did you think was going to happen?

Yeah, decades high rates of crime with the similar inspiration hit decades high rates in another administration. If I made a similar cheap blame game association you do you’d cry foul.


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlando_nightclub_shooting

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_San_Bernardino_attack

 

[The Barbarian]

Yeah, decades high rates of crime with the similar inspiration hit decades high rates in another administration.

No, you got that wrong, too. There was a significant increase in violent crime after Trump was elected, fueled by increased right-wing violence.

New report finds violent crimes by white supremacists hit decade-high under Trump
New report finds violent crimes by white supremacists hit decade-high under Trump

But it was still much lower than violent crime rates a few decades ago.

If I made a similar cheap blame game association

You did make such a faulty association:

The US homicide rate skyrocketed from 2019-2020 in step with defunding the police.

You were wrong on both points. Yes, violent crime rates went up on Trump's watch, fueled by more right-wing violence. But it didn't "skyrocket" and it wasn't due to defunding police, which never happened. What happened was Trump pandering to the far right, which encouraged them to become more violent.

you’d cry foul.

No, I just pointed out your errors. Works better, doesn't it?

 

[Lukaris]

No, you got that wrong, too. There was a significant increase in violent crime after Trump was elected, fueled by increased right-wing violence.

New report finds violent crimes by white supremacists hit decade-high under Trump
New report finds violent crimes by white supremacists hit decade-high under Trump

But it was still much lower than violent crime rates a few decades ago.

You did make such a faulty association:



You were wrong on both points. Yes, violent crime rates went up on Trump's watch, fueled by more right-wing violence. But it didn't "skyrocket" and it wasn't due to defunding police, which never happened. What happened was Trump pandering to the far right, which encouraged them to become more violent.



No, I just pointed out your errors. Works better, doesn't it?

I was ok with Public Hermit’s corrections to my post but not yours. I looked at your linked article which says that right wing extremist homicides rose by 466% and accounted for a total of 14 extra homicides overall for a 3 year period. Meanwhile homicides went up by the thousands last year & your linked article seems to pinpoint Trump goaded right wing extremism as root cause.


Your linked article mentions Bowers of the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh, Pa among the alleged Trump inspired extremists ( alleged only as pertaining to the blame game not the perpetrators). That murderer was actually anti Trump as well as anti Semitic, racist, etc.

Who is Robert Bowers? Suspect identified in the Pittsburgh Tree of Life Synagogue shooting


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburgh_synagogue_shooting

I guess I can make reckless associations of a former president as part of a mindset that inspired shootings like those of San Bernardino, Ca. & Orlando, Fl ( pulse club).

https://www.ajc.com/news/local/coul...d-obama-2008-campaign/jC8NKhQr6a72VjRYY9o0EM/

 

[Lukaris]

DP

 

[The Barbarian]

\You were wrong on both points. Yes, violent crime rates went up on Trump's watch, fueled by more right-wing violence. But it didn't "skyrocket" and it wasn't due to defunding police, which never happened. What happened was Trump pandering to the far right, which encouraged them to become more violent.

I looked at your linked article which says that right wing extremist homicides rose by 466% and accounted for a total of 14 extra homicides overall for a 3 year period. Meanwhile homicides went up by the thousands last year & your linked article seems to pinpoint Trump goaded right wing extremism as root cause.

Yes, the rot seems to have started at the top. Right wing terrorism rose significantly, but as Jesus said, violence tends to perpetuate violence. So Trump's encouragement of violence did have an effect on society generally.

Trump did not specify which incident he was referring to, but he appeared to be talking about an assault in the audience during his rally Wednesday in Fayetteville, N.C. Police were ejecting a black protester, whom multiple videos show to have been loud but nonviolent, when a 78-year-old white man, John McGraw of Linden, N.C., hit the protester in the face.


McGraw, who was arrested the next day on suspicion of assault and disorderly conduct, told “Inside Edition” on his way out of the rally: “Next time we see him, we might have to kill him.”

On NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, Trump was asked whether he would pay McGraw’s legal fees, as he once offered to do for supporters who rough up protesters.

“I’ve actually instructed my people to look into it, yes,” Trump responded.

“If you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of them, would you?” Trump said, drawing cheers and laughter. “Seriously, OK? Just knock the hell — I promise you, I will pay for the legal fees. I promise. I promise. They won’t be so much, because the courts agree with us too — what’s going on in this country.”
Trump's endorsement of violence reaches new level: He may pay legal fees for assault suspect

Your linked article mentions Bowers of the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh, Pa among the alleged Trump inspired extremists ( alleged only as pertaining to the blame game not the perpetrators). That murderer was actually anti Trump as well as anti Semitic, racist, etc.

Show us that he was anti-Trump. As you know, Nazis like David Duke strongly supported Trump:
David Duke, a white nationalist and former Klu Klux Klan grand wizard, told his audience Wednesday that voting for anyone besides Donald Trump “is really treason to your heritage.” “Voting for these people, voting against Donald Trump at this point, is really treason to your heritage,” Duke said on the David Duke Radio Program.
David Duke, former KKK grandwizard, says any white person not voting for Trump is a traitor

Bottom line? You're wrong about "skyrocketing violence", but there was a significant increase in violence during Trump's administration, for reasons discussed above. The increase did not even come close to going back up to levels decades ago, however.

 

[Lukaris]

I will further reply but to your one point in post #17, you say show me where the murderer in the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting was anti Trump, I gave 2 links. I do not want to paste his disgusting statements, they can easily be read.

here they are again:

Who is Robert Bowers? Suspect identified in the Pittsburgh Tree of Life Synagogue shooting

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburgh_synagogue_shooting

 

[The Barbarian]

I will further reply but to your one point in post #17, you say show me where the murderer in the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting was anti Trump, I gave 2 links.

I don't have a Newsweek subscription. The other shows him oppose Trump only for his "globalist" views, while having connections with various Trump-supporting groups, like...

A Proud Boys member warned “we’re rolling out” after presidential candidate Joe Biden was named the 46th president-elect.

Shortly after Decision Desk HQ and other outlets named Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential race, defeating President Donald Trump in his bid for reelection, a self-proclaimed Proud Boys “chairman” stated that Trump’s “standby order” was no longer in effect.
Proud Boys Warn Trump’s ‘Standby Order Has Been Rescinded’

As you know, Trump ordered them "stand down and stand by" pending further orders. They apparently now feel that their leader betrayed them.

Why should they be different than anyone else who has trusted Trump?

Again, the bottom line is you're wrong about "skyrocketing violence", but there was a significant increase in violence during Trump's administration, for reasons discussed above. The increase did not even come close to going back up to levels decades ago, however.

 

[Lukaris]

I do not have a Newsweek subscription either yet I accessed the article & it is cited in the Wikipedia account I have linked. The whole Trump link with the proud boys just more agitation propaganda like that was used against Trump in the Charlottesville incident where he actually condemned right & left wing extremists.

https://www.nationalreview.com/2020...ase-study-in-the-medias-mishandling-of-trump/

Look at the current Afghanistan situation which turned into a disaster. Trump tried to sensibly get us out of there and closing Bagram air base was to be last. The current administration closes it & then trusts the Taliban for security then chaos erupted. Meanwhile billions of $ worth of equipment is left behind. Amidst the chaos at Karzai airport, security almost breaks down & unfortunate people die. So a drone strike is ordered to try to vindicate the incompetence & more innocents die:

Afghanistan: US admits Kabul drone strike killed civilians

Amidst all of this, reports circulated that General Miley restrained Trump from bringing on Armageddon. How can you believe this garbage?