And from our "Sucker Born Every Minute" file, the Austin-based survivalist retailer ReadyToGoSurvival.com reported a large spike in orders over the weekend for bulletproof backpacks for schoolchildren.

The May 25 rally attracted about 500 to 600 counter-protesters who opposed the nine Klansman who came from Indiana and protested in Courthouse Square. The counter-protest group was fenced 0ff away from the Klansman and several people in the crowd were seen carrying firearms.Hasan Karim, who knew Betts and grew up in Bellbrook in the same high school class, was in the crowd accompanying freelance journalists and was taking pictures of the event. Karim bumped into someone in the crowd and the man told him `You don't know me.' The two said hello to each other and Karim recognized Betts by his voice, body and mannerisms in their brief interaction.Betts wore a bandanna covering part of his face and sunglasses. He carried a gun which appeared to be similar in style to the one used in Sunday's shooting. He did not appear to be part of any group that was in the protest crowd.

So, someone "recognized him by his mannerisms"?  But his face was covered?

Also he did not appear to be a part of any group in the protest crowd?

Sounds to me like quite a stretch to say he was actually there or if he was that he was not there to shoot up the protest group and changed his mind.

suo: "Considering Betts' fairly detailed history of strongly left-leaning political views and activities like [counter-protesting a KKK rally,] I would not quickly accept the premise that he was trying to lynch black people."

Nobody on the left who's sane and reasonable is defending Conner Betts or offering any excuses for what he did. We've long contended that being a crackpot, or even a violent crackpot, isn't contingent upon one's political orientation.

So what if Betts sympathized with leftist causes in social media posts? His overall public record is reflective of an emotionally unbalanced and socially atrophied young man.

More to the point, Bett's reasons for opening fire in Dayton may well have been entirely personal, given that his younger sister was one of his victims, and likely had nothing at all to do with politics. We simply don't know, because he didn't post an online rant just before heading into Dayton's party district -- unlike Patrick Crusius, whose racist screed clearly underscored his rationale and motivation for driving nine hours to El Paso to rampage.

Your post strongly suggests that you are far more interested in embarrassing Democrats, rather than dealing realistically with the problem at hand, which is an overt act of deflection and denial on your part.

Anyway, here's a suggestion. If Republicans and conservatives really want to avoid being suspected and / or accused of being closet white nationalists, maybe they ought to consider joining us in public to protest Nazis and the KKK whenever they show up in our mutual communities.

Because honestly, white racist / nationalist violence targeting people of color is an American problem, and one which really shouldn't be the exclusive concern of liberals and progressives.

So, if conservatives want to be active partners in a mutual quest for solutions, rather than perceived as an integral and particularly obstinate part of a very toxic problem, then it's high time for them to step up and actually walk the walk on combating racial hatred and ethnic bigotry, and stop dog-whistling racists while simultaneously trying to claim plausible deniability.