inappropriate political discourse
The Past And The Present: Brief Thoughts And A Question
Forty-six years ago today, on 22 November 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, TX.
In an effort to show that they want to achieve full status as domestic terrorists, the right wing -- with the full faith and promise of the GOP and its media propaganda machine -- is escalating ongoing efforts to incite violence, foment revolution and trigger assassination attempts on the current President and his Administration.
The levels of inappropriate political discourse are increasing almost exponentially, as the GOP does everything possible to prevent the Obama Administration and current Democratic majorities in Congress from achieving any measure of success in cleaning up the mess caused by 8+ years of GOP dominance, incompetence and corruption.
My question is simple, really: why can't these people be called out for their willful ignorance, their unAmerican and treasonous terrorist activities and their perpetual, intentional instigation of ongoing threats against our government?
The “grab yer guns and destroy Obama” meme is now an internet game!
The wingnuts have set up an online “overthrow Obama” game. According to the backstory, Obama takes over in a coup (which we call an “election” in the real world), kills Glenn Beck, and puts all the other rightwing pundits in concentration camps – Rush, Sean, Billo etc. A revolution ensues, the military refuses to fight to defend Obama, and Sarah Palin takes command of the revolutionaries. The game encourages the players to “invade” and “conquer” their neighbors (presumably the nasty little brown ones).
http://crooksandliars.com/node/32078
So now mass insanity is now a web game like Sudoku or crosswords.
Fun fun fun for the whole family!
Beyond The Pale -- The Treasonous Bloodlust of the GOP's Reichwing Lunatic Fringe
It's not too late to stop the madness, but we're awfully close to falling over the edge and into the abyss. Remember when I issued this note of caution?
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It's begun. The wackos have all begun to unwind and step out from behind their stately faux patriotism with their lunatic friends, fomenting rebellion and attempting to instigate violence. It's an insidious fifth column of propaganda and divisiveness, delivered through auspices of free speech yet fooling few in the rank desperation of their calls to incitement.
-- GreyHawk, Inappropriate Political Discourse: The Blood of Patriots and Tyrants
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Well, since then, the incitement and frothing nutty insanity of the right has grown significantly. Republican "leaders" are now openly telling their faithful to "get their guns" and buy more bullets, to prepare for a time to "take back" America.
"Take back" America? They "had" America for 8 years, during which they ravaged the nation and ran amuck; now, they want to "take it back"? From Glenn Beck's recent insane drivel about "the military and police are with us" to Rep. Trent Franks referring to Obama as an "enemy of humanity" the reichwing's anti-American hatespeech has been steadily escalating. It's spilling over into action more and more often now: people showing up with guns at rallys with the President, the assassination of Dr. George Tiller and the lynching, and subsequent smearing of Bill Sparkman.
These people are no longer operating with anything but the intent to incite violence and depose a legitimately elected, popular and intelligent leader in favor of a return to their corrupt, inept and destructive control of our nation.
We've covered some aspects of this behavior before (Boehner at CPAC calling all of Obama's Policies Socialist), and here's a quick list of other stories that have hit the wires lately:
- NewsMax proposing a Military Coup: Hat tip Lordrag of DelphiForums, John Aravosis of AmericaBlog and Media Matters for America.
- Kitty Werthmann giving her bloody revolution speech: Hat-tip Claimsman of DelphiForums, ThingProgress.
- Trent Franks calling President Obama an "enemy of humanity": Hat-tips to ProfJonathan of DailyKos, Alex Koppelman in Salon and ABC's Jake Tapper.
See also: inappropriate political discourse
This is beyond the pale, ladies and gentlemen.
It's time for leaders and lawmakers to stand beside law-abiding citizens to denounce and quell these unAmerican, dangerous, hate-filled acts and to assert an air of sanity back into the rapidly decaying mental state of the GOP's lunatic base.
And it's time to publicly denounce and censure all those GOP "leaders" who participate in these efforts to foment and incite violent dissention.
No more free passes.
These bastards fought any efforts to hold them and the previous administration accountable during the Bush years while they gleefully bragged about how they were going to continue to do whatever they wanted. They sought a "permanent Republican majority" and a golden age of graft.
They destroyed our infrastructure and economy, and most importantly they LOST the last election.
They are now looking for any excuse to refuse the new President and Administration the courtesy of helping clean up the mess they made; they are now steadfastly determined to block any part of the new agenda, and to incite their more rabid followers to violence in efforts to further damage our nation.
This must end now, before any more blood is spilled. They must be held accountable, and forced to begin acting like adults instead of dangerously unbalanced psychotic thugs and legalized mobsters.
Over the Line: Wingnut Pastor Attempts Inciting Presidential Assassination
Hat-tip LordRag of DelphiForums.
From Crooks and Liars, the Reich Wing has finally crossed the line:
That's no longer free speech -- that's incitement to commit murder. I'll bet it also violates multiple instances of the USA PATRIOT Act and a slew of DHS, FBI, Secret Service and other assorted federal and state rules, regulations and laws.
The GOP has a responsibility to rein in the hysteria, and they are instead choosing to bolster select elements while denying any responsiblity. To me, their failure is more than criminal. It's more than a mere oversight.
It's blatant complicity.
The Republican leadership has failed to speak up, to speak out and to quell these lunatics. They refuse to accept their responsibility as leaders. The men and women of today's Republican party are arrogant, self-centered cowards; unAmerican, unChristian, myopic and self-centered hypocrites of the most heinous nature. They were elected by the people in order to represent the public good and act to preserve not only public welfare but also to represent the best of their districts in the halls of government. They are supposed to act with relative selflessness, with integrity and conforming to the rules of decorum. They should be expected to pursue the concept of due diligence in all the ways that they represent their constituents, and the way they contribute to a stronger nation.
They are willfully and maliciously abdicating their roles and responsibilities. They are actively working against the security of the nation, interfering with and endangering the proper operation of government and aiding and abetting those who would do damage to our nation and duly elected leadership.
The GOP -- as a whole -- must now choose: stand up and take responsibility. Take action to defuse the chaos you've been feeding. Do it now, before the whole thing explodes in the collective faces of everyone in the nation -- before some lunatic sets off the spark that acts as the first and last sign of your criminal, treasonous activity.
Stand up now and put out the smoldering fires you've been feeding, before it's too late.
This is a hell of your own making, and only you can save yourself from the inevitable damnation it will bring...and the innocent blood that you'll be responsible for spilling.
"What sluggards, what cowards have I brought up in my court, who care nothing for their allegiance to their lord. Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest?"
-- The Murder of Thomas Becket, 1170,
Eyewitness to History.com
See also: Inappropriate Political Discourse: The Blood of Patriots and Tyrants
Threats Against President Obama Up 400% Since Inauguration: Secret Service Doing A GREAT Job
Hat-tip Democrats Ramshield of DailyKos.
The teabaggers, birthers, deathers, Right ("Reich") wing hatemongers and followers of Rush, Beck, Hannity, Coulter and O'Reilly are showing their true colors -- kind a crazy neon fuscha -- as their increased fervor and flying spittle evoke more and growing threats against the majority-elected, popular President Barack Obama.
Their actions are as deplorable and childish as they are psychotic and dangerous.
With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility: The Blood of Patriots and Tyrants, Part II
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It's begun. The wackos have all begun to unwind and step out from behind their stately faux patriotism with their lunatic friends, fomenting rebellion and attempting to instigate violence. It's an insidious fifth column of propaganda and divisiveness, delivered through auspices of free speech yet fooling few in the rank desperation of their calls to incitement.
-- GreyHawk, Inappropriate Political Discourse: The Blood of Patriots and Tyrants
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Yes, I've just quoted myself. And now I'm going to quote a recent piece by David Neiwert of Crooks and Liars, which I strongly recommend you read and share: There's a reason the Obama-hating crazies are coming out of the woodwork --
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When people become the subject of a relentless campaign of demonization -- especially by the use of grotesque smears that make them out to be monsters and provably false "facts" that have the concrete effect of unhinging people from reality -- it will only be a matter of time before the lethal violence breaks out.
And while the concern for Obama is well-placed -- he is, after all, the focus of all this hatred -- there is only a remote likelihood of anyone actually succeeding in harming him, since he is very well protected indeed. What's far more likely, in fact, is that some innocent bystanders in his vicinity will be harmed -- or, moreover, that the crazies will decide that instead of harming Obama, they will take out their hatred on his supporters.
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Neiwert firmly hits the nail on the head and drives the point home by quoting an excerpt from the Knoxville church shooter's manifesto, which I'll repeat here. I've highlighted the bits that stand out for me:
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This was a symbolic killing. Who I wanted to kill was every Democrat in the Senate & House, the 100 people in Bernard Goldberg's book. I'd like to kill everyone in the mainstream media. But I know those people were inaccessible to me. I couldn't get to the generals & high ranking officers of the Marxist movement so I went after the foot soldiers, the chickenshit liberals that vote in these traitorous people. Someone had to get the ball rolling. I volunteered. I hope others do the same. It's the only way we can rid America of this cancerous pestilence.
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We cannot afford to forget the lessons of history. The piece I'd written and quoted from at the start is a piece that begins with an infamous and oft-quoted reference to an incident that is well known in history: the murder of Thomas Beckett, as incited by a King.
Virginia GOP Candidate Attempts to Incite Insurrection
Courtesy of DailyKos.
Excerpts from the infamous "bullet box" speech by Catherine Crabill, the Virginia Republican Party’s candidate for House of Delegates from the 99th District (full video here):
The Virginia GOP candidate is banging the drum and sounding the clarion call for all the right-wing nutjobs to rise up against the legitimate government of the United States because they can no longer undermine and betray the laws and the Constitution directly.
I hope the FBI and Secret Service are watching these lunatics, and preparing to act to prevent the violence that the GOP is trying so hard to incite.
Open Thread -- Wacko Week, Lunatic Fringe Review Edition
This has been one crazy week, and one heck of a week for crazies.
Here's a quick update: First, courtesy the Huffington Post in a report that AP writer Kathleen Hennessey contributed to, Daniel James Murray (see "Armed and Deranged") has been arrested. Yay -- one more nutcase off the street, a few million more radical wingers to go.
Next, from NorthJersey dot com, we have this:
Far-right radio host Hal Turner will spend the weekend in jail as he awaits a Monday court date where he will fight extradition to Connecticut on charges of inciting violence, according to his lawyer.
Township police arrested Turner, 47, on Wednesday at the request of the Connecticut Capitol Police, who have a warrant charging him for allegedly asking followers to "take up arms" against two legislators and a state official on his blog Tuesday.
Hal doesn't think he should be arrested for saying things like this (hat-tip pavlovdog of DailyKos):
"It is our intent to foment direct action against these individuals personally," the blog stated. "These beastly government officials should be made an example of as a warning to others in government: Obey the Constitution or die."
And, the post continued, "If any state attorney, police department or court thinks they're going to get uppity with us about this; I suspect we have enough bullets to put them down too."
Also -- according the previously linked NorthJersey piece -- Turner wrote the following last Thursday:
The Turner Radio Network "advocates Catholics in Connecticut take up arms and put down this tyranny by force. To that end, THIS WEDNESDAY NIGHT ON THE 'HAL TURNER SHOW' we will be releasing the home addresses of the senator and assemblyman who introduced Bill 1098 as well as the home address of Thomas K. Jones from the [Office of State Ethics]"
Um, yeah -- that's incitement, Hal. You're screwed...and you brought it on yourself. Kinda like what you haughtily said about Dr. Tiller after his murder by another of your "brothers with arms" (and no brains).
Speaking of Dr. Tiller's murder, the lunatic responsible for that -- Scott Roeder -- is complaining about his treatment. It seems, unbelievably, that he's being treated like a criminal. Imagine that.
The level of disconnect between their insanity and reality is stark, growing and already frightening.
Keep your eyes open out there people. The lunatic fringe has taken flight, and they're crazier than a rampagins horde of headless chickens in camoflage pants and suicide vests. I've attached a Don Henley song that keeps running through my mind at this point: "All She Wants To Do Is Dance" -- it just seems appropriate for the occassion.
In closing, remember: This is an Open Thread.
Special bonus video over the fold: Don Henley's "Dirty Laundry" -- dedicated to Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, Michelle Malkin and -- of course -- Hal Turner.
Inappropriate Political Discourse: The Blood of Patriots and Tyrants
"What sluggards, what cowards have I brought up in my court, who care nothing for their allegiance to their lord. Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest?"
-- The Murder of Thomas Becket, 1170,
Eyewitness to History.com
It's begun. The wackos have all begun to unwind and step out from behind their stately faux patriotism with their lunatic friends, fomenting rebellion and attempting to instigate violence. It's an insidious fifth column of propaganda and divisiveness, delivered through auspices of free speech yet fooling few in the rank desperation of their calls to incitement.
Attempts to twang racial, social and emotional strings are coming faster, more frequently. From the "That one!" of the campaign, to the NY Post's inappropriate fiscal chimp cartoon and their subsequently foot-in-mouth That Cartoon ham-handed apology, to the rantings of Rush Limbaugh and now Alan Keyes, the nation is under assault. Specifically, it is an assault directed against a President tasked to clean up after a corrupted, incompetent and criminally negligent predecessor and the former majority party that helped foster the disaster that has gone before.
From the Countdown with Keith Olbermann site:
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Here's an excerpt (hat-tip noweasels from DailyKos):
"Obama is a radical communist and I think it is becoming clear. That is what I told people in Illinois and now everybody realizes it is coming true. He is going to destroy this country and we are either going to stop him or the United States of America is going to cease to exist."
-- Alan Keyes
Our nation is in dire straits, on the brink of the worst economic disaster in decades and embroiled in global controversies spanning issues of health, humanity, security and environment -- and these unevolved cretins go on the attack against the primary people and methods that we have at our disposal for dealing with it. A mess that these same fools and liars -- disingenuous, arrogant hypocrites, all -- either directly contributed to or actively opposed efforts to mitigate.

