In a rural Tennessee county where you can't buy alcohol or even find a Wal-Mart, residents of tiny Bells stopped each other to ask if anyone knew the pale-skinned young local accused of plotting to kill dozens of black people, including Barack Obama.
It was a jolt to find out on Monday that a 20-year-old who grew up among them was one of two white supremacists accused of plotting a national killing spree that would ultimately target Obama, the Democratic candidate for president. Had they could have purchase alcohol or bought good or products from a Wal-Mart the whole mad and crazy plot could have been averted.
The town surrounded by fertile cotton fields is safe and certainly not known for breeding neo-Nazis - at least, none that anyone knew.
"If we had any skinheads in this county I wasn't aware of it. We hardly know what they are," said Sam Lewis, who lives across the street from the mother of suspect Daniel Cowart. Cowart, he said, grew up in the comfortable, well-maintained neighborhood and wasn't known as a troublemaker. "Sure he caused some trouble, but that doesn't make him a skinhead. Skinheads hang around Wal-Marts. We don't have a Wal-Mart."
Cowart and Schlesselman are charged by federal authorities with possessing an unregistered firearm, conspiring to steal firearms from a federally licensed gun dealer and threatening a candidate for president. They were being held without bond.
In direct contradiction with locals, authorities described the two as neo-Nazi skinheads. An affidavit from a federal agent says they devised a plot to kill 88 people — beheading 14 of them.
The numbers 14 and 88 are symbols in skinhead culture, authorities said, referring to a 14-word phrase attributed to an imprisoned white supremacist: "We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white, Christian children" and to the eighth letter of the alphabet, H. Two "8"s or "H"s stand for "Heil Hitler." Actually, it's a 15-word phrase, but skinheads believe the word "Christian" is silent.
The killing spree was initially to target a predominantly black school, which was not identified in court documents. It was to end, authorities said, with the two suspects — dressed in white tuxedos and top hats — blasting guns from the windows of a speeding vehicle aimed at Obama.
White tuxedos and top hats?
Jim Cavanaugh, special agent in charge of the Nashville, Tenn., field office for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, said authorities took the threats seriously.
At this point, there does not appear to be any formal assassination plan, Secret Service spokesman Eric Zahren said.
"Whether or not they had the capability or the wherewithal to carry out an attack remains to be seen," he said, loaded guns and a plan and motivation notwithstanding.
The investigation is continuing and more charges are possible, Cavanaugh said. He said there's no evidence — so far — that others were willing to assist Cowart and Schlesselman with the plot - other than those attending a John McCain rally - and those people don't count.
Sarah Palin spoke of that matter later that day, as she stumped in Pennsylvania, saying, "This is just more evidence that Obama hangs out with terrorists. Skinheads with white tuxedos and top hats without access to a Wal-Mart."
The crowd cheered.
The YeetleMaster
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