As much as I wish it were otherwise, given the things we're seeing politically at present, I think it's unwise to not take them at what they say. I doubt the higher-ups believe half of it, but they sure as hell mean it, and the sheep absolutely believe it.

I think the 'liberal' (for lack of a better term, maybe 'sane' or 'rational' might serve) tendency to dismiss extremist positions like this one has given those positions an awful lot of freedom to grow and spread outside the public eye. And I also think this is something on which those advancing such positions rely - knowing full well no one on this side of the sanity line will take them seriously.