The World’s Largest Coalition of Nontheists and Nontheist Communities!

Loughner's inciters

Regardless of the political leanings of Loughner, who is probably psychotic, virtually all of the commentators that incited him were of the right wing - the Palins, Paladinos, Cantors, Mitchells, Limbaughs,O'Reilly's, Bachmanns, Becks, Robertsons, Grahams etc etc. It goes on and on and on. There is nothing comparable to this amount of irresponsible, lockstep and reckless inciting of violence on the left.

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by eric stone on January 14, 2011 at 11:32am

I don't see any real elected liberal or progressives leaders among these.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Phil on January 14, 2011 at 10:39am

Excellent example. There is no equivalent on the "left" of the right wing rhetoric and the orchestrated mob frenzy being used for corporate and personal enrichment at huge cost to the fools that get frenzied.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Binker on January 14, 2011 at 11:04am

• Obama: “They Bring a Knife…We Bring a Gun" http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/06/14…

** Obama to His Followers: “Get in Their Faces!" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCMDur9CD…
** Obama on ACORN Mobs: “I don’t want to quell anger. I think people are right to be angry! I’m angry!" http://www.american-election.com/2009/03…
** Obama to His Mercenary Army: “Punch Back Twice As Hard" http://www.politico.com/news/stories/080…
** Obama on the private sector: “We talk to these folks… so I know whose a** to kick.“ http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun…

** Obama to voters: Republican victory would mean “hand to hand combat" http://www.blogrunner.com/snapshot/D/9/3…

** Obama to Latino supporters: “Punish your enemies." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAhwTQ784…

** Obama to democrats: “I’m itching for a fight." http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010…

"a Democratic Leadership Committee publication in 2004, [which] featured nine bullseyes over regions where Republican candidates were considered vulnerable that year, and was accompanied by a caption reading: TARGETING STRATEGY. A smaller caption, beneath the bullseyes, read: BEHIND ENEMY LINES. The map illustrated an article on campaign strategy by Will Marshall of the Progressive Policy Institute.

What about the endless protests surrounding George Bush? I recall "Kill Bush" t-shirts and "I'm here to kill Bush" signs for starters. Here are some more: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppa…

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by eric stone on January 14, 2011 at 11:40am

They Bring a Knife...We Bring a Gun"

Punch Back Twice As Hard"

Sound like responses to threats of violence to me which further confirms my thinking that inflammatory rhetoric causes violence.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Park Bierbower on January 14, 2011 at 11:15am

Why do we all have such a short memory span?

Seems like we've forgotten Jim David Adkissan.

Remember Here

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Binker on January 14, 2011 at 11:37am

Adkisson's manifesto^[12] also cited the inability to find a job, and that his food stamps were being cut. His manifesto stated that he intended to keep shooting until police arrived and expected to be killed by police.

Another mentally disturbed individual on a suicide mission.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Park Bierbower on January 14, 2011 at 11:47am

Yes, a nutjob indeed. but a nutjob who's ideals mimic the rights, and who was an avid follower of right wing commentators and who's explanation for his actions is directly derived from their commentary.

During the interview Adkisson stated that he had targeted the church because of its liberal teachings and his belief that all liberals should be killed because they were ruining the country, and that he felt that the Democrats had tied his country's hands in the war on terror and they had ruined every institution in America with the aid of major media outlets. Adkisson made statements that because he could not get to the leaders of the liberal movement that he would then target those that had voted them into office. Adkisson stated that he had held these beliefs for about the last ten years.

I appreciate your ability to selectively reason, but please check it at the door. Yes, he was a nutjob~ a nutjob motivated by conservative media. a nutjob who has no parallel on the left.

What is so hard about just admitting that the right can still get their point through without saying inflammatory shit? why the fuck is it such a big deal to say " ok, we didn't put the gun in this guys hand, but seeing what we talk about in action has helped us realize that maybe the rhetoric of our discussions isn't going in the most productive direction, and we'll change that."

Really, people just need to grow up.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by ETres on January 14, 2011 at 11:57am

You and the OP keep forgetting the key point: Those committing the violence made an active choice to do so. Rhetoric didn't pull the trigger.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Binker on January 14, 2011 at 12:06pm

Should we have outlawed liberal commentary after the Ford assassination attempt? Should we have blamed liberals for the Reagan assassination attempt? Absolutely not. These were acts committed by mentally deranged individuals. Just like this latest tragedy.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Park Bierbower on January 14, 2011 at 12:24pm

So then it is perfectly reasonable for me to go on national tv, and representing atheism, talk about killing all non atheists? Where is the line on this rhetoric? When does it go from "commentary" to "inciting?"

plus bullshit on the reagan assassination~ yeah he was crazy, but not motivated by liberal rhetoric, but by his "love" for jodie foster; it was his attempt to display his love for her. in fact, he revered Lee harvey oswald, who assassinated a democratic president.

"Squeaky's" Attempt on Ford was not as much an attempt as it was a statement~ if you've read about it. that was environmental [if you ignore her connection to Charles Manson]. Sarah Jane Moore's can be summed up in this quote "I do regret I didn't succeed, and allow the winds of change to start. I wish I had killed him. I did it to create chaos.”

although I will give you this quote of her's as well “The government had declared war on the left. Nixon's appointment of Ford as vice president and his resignation making Ford president seemed to be a continuing assault on America.”

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by eric stone on January 14, 2011 at 12:26pm

I don't have any views re the legal aspects of this. I think we should be free to express our criticisms and views about the probable consequences of this sort of behavior. I don't know of any violent rhetoric on the part of liberals against either Ford or Reagan.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Park Bierbower on January 14, 2011 at 12:31pm

And you know, I don't really care about any legal action in all of this. I just want people to tone back the fuckin' rhetoric already~ I'm tired of this red-neck republican machismo bullshit where S. Palin goes on tv to hunt caribou or something. Dont retreat, reload.

But more to the point, republicans and the right in general will do ANYTHING to deflect responsibility for anything negative.. The left does it too, of course, but I don't EVER hear the left say the same kind of shit the right does. Not to mention they prey on the weak minded of us (troll troll troll LOL)