Sunday, April 18, 2010
It's been 15 years, things are worse, not better. Who gets the blame?
Tomorrow is the 15th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing by an American terrorist, things have not gotten better, they are much worse. Chris Matthews, on his show today, showed a CNN poll that said 70% of republicans polled in February of this year fear their rights and freedoms are under imminent threat, in February of 1996 after the Oklahoma City bombing, 52% of republicans said the same thing. President Clinton was much too gentle in his assessment of the GOP and the role they play in ramping up the hateful rhetoric towards our government.
In an interview with the New York Times on Friday, Clinton warned of the effect that angry political rhetoric might have on antigovernment radicals like Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh; he pointed to Rep. Michele Bachmann calling the Obama administration and the Democratic Congress "the gangster government" at a tax day Tea Party rally on Thursday.
"They are not gangsters," Clinton told the newspaper. "They were elected. They are not doing anything they were not elected to do."
Clinton said that demonizing the government with incendiary language can have effects beyond just rallying a crowd.
The pouring of fuel on the fire by right wing leaders, "news" shows, radio hosts and tea party extremists is why the poll number has grown significantly.
The righties will say the left is fueling the fire by calling all teabaggers racists and extremists(not true, BTW), But as long as the GOP and prominent rightwing commentators continue to embrace these teabaggers and not condemn the hateful rhetoric coming from the rallies, then what choice do we have? The teabaggers are an extension of the republican party. They claim to be a movement against the government and not against a particular party. How then do they explain the targeted seats in the House and Senate are All democrat seats? These people are desperate to gain back republican power, why? After 8 years of runaway spending, lies and cover-ups from a republican administration they want to put them back in power is not only insane but just proves the agenda of the teabaggers. OUST all democrats possible and especially President Obama. Their hate for President Obama is not based on rational thinking, how could it be? He has not done a single thing to take away any citizens freedoms.
The militias, religious fanatics, extremists teabaggers, rightwing nuts, they are all in this together and the leaders on the right who stand in silence, OR stand right along side of these groups are going to pay the price. We can not afford to go backwards in this country and we can not tolerate hate and violence when it is not based on reality.
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6 comments:
Really interesting. I think it's pretty obvious who is to blame for dangerously elevating the level of political debate in this country. Talking heads from the right wing, fueled by small but extremely vocal groupings of conservative radicals, have managed to get their hate speech covered by big media. I'm all for freedom of speech, but inciting violence, however tacitly, should not be accepted. Sarah Palin's gun metaphors are ignorantly dangerous. All it takes is one nut, and the Republican Party has plenty.
Check out my blog Young Politics for more stuff like this.
I'm hoping that between the domestic terrorist attacks on federal buildings, abortion providers & clinics, holocaust museums, etc., the true threat is finally taken seriously.
It's shameful the way the right wing entertainment media (it's sure as hell not news...)and the GOP continue to pour gasoline on the fire. Pres. Bill was, as you said, far too kind on this scourge - he's spoken on other occasions and made it clear that there are repercussions that occur with free speech. As I always told my students, with every right there comes responsibility. The Republican Party seems to want to wash their hands of responsibility, and that's just morally wrong.
Nice post, and so glad you addressed this timely issue. Thanks!
Well, my dear, since I posted this as well - great minds and all that - I'll just say I missed ya and I'm glad you're back. Can we expect any pictures?
Just like their ideological fathers the Nazis, the Rushpubliscum Party believes that the ends justify the means. If a few hundred, or a few thousand, or a few hundred thousand have to die to accomplish that, oh well. Protecting the rich is what Jesus would want them to do, after all.
mornin'!
GB, thanks for the comment and invitation to your blog, I will come see you.
the right does incite violence in their round about way but will twist it to look like we are blowing it way out of proportion.
Mommap, when will this country finally take the rightwing extremists seriously? Lump together all the murders and violence and it's pretty horrific! But the GOP believes the country needs their kind of leadership, it's a joke!
Since the GOP won't denounce the crazies then our people like Clinton need to speak louder then their jokers like Limpy and Palin ETC...Thanks for coming by always love having your comments!!
Leslie I was only gone one day but nice to know I was missed! Pictures of Lancaster? No, didn't take any. That was the old blog where I posted those types of pictures.... I'll be by to see your post today.
JR, you make me smile! lol. Just like the wars the right loves, Americans are like little plastic army guys. The dead mean NOTHING to them. They do believe killing the "sinful" is justifiable and perfectly fine with Jesus.
I think there are two big differences between the situation 15 years ago and today. The first, obviously, is the internet. Its much easier for people with similar opinions to hook up, whether that be for good purpose, or for evil, and for anything in between.
And also....the rhetoric is even harsher than it was in 1995. Conservatives may have despised Bill Clinton, and they turned over every stone possible to find away to remove him; they belittled and ridiculed his presidency, but at no time did they say that he was NOT legally the president (as the birthers have).
OK...Limbaugh tried to say that Clinton had Vince Foster killed, but even the most loyal Republicans thought that was crazy.
In 1995 the elected Republicans pulled some of their punches in attacking Clinton...they didn't want to appear too extreme. But today its as if its OK for an elected GOP official to say the most outrageous thing about the President and there's no one around to tell him or her to ratchet it down a notch or two. At least in the 1990's there was a sense that there was someone in charge of the GOP, like Gingrich or Armey. Today, it seems to be free for all like France before their first revolution.
Their bottom line...the more reckless and irresponsible things you say about Obama, the more popular you'll be with the base.
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