Jan 9th, 2011
By Connie Prince
I lived as a grownup during the assassinations of JFK, RFK, MLK, Malcolm X, Harvey Milk, Abbie Hoffman, Huey Newton, at a time when political tensions were high over civil rights and a war.
Having lived through the deaths of 65,000 Americans, bloody civil violence against the war draft, I’m not inclined to be sympathetic to tea party conservatives, Republicans or their media supporters.
When I witness politicians and broadcasters who foment hatred and a hostile political atmosphere, because culture wars make money, I remember how much vanity actually drives violence. Only when a nine year-old innocent gets killed in the cross-hairs do the consequences of these culture wars create any brief moments of shame. For instance, why did Palin pull down her cross hairs web page only today? Because she knows that violent language sets the stage for violent action.
All public figures -- Michelle Bachman ("be armed and dangerous"), Sharon Angle ("2nd Amendment remedies"), Glenn Beck ("God, Gold and Guns"), Bernard Goldberg (100 People Who Are Screwing Up America), Bill O'Reilly and FOX ("Tiller the Baby Killer") and all the dog whistling "bulls eye" talk in right wing talk shows -- have also created the violent political atmosphere that incites political violence.
I can’t agree that next week’s House of Representatives shut down somehow honors the fallen of the right’s culture wars. Yes, there will be memorials for the fallen of Arizona. But the reality is that our government has been dysfunctional, embarrassing theater , and is more likely looking for an excuse to regroup as the new House majority tries to get an adult legislation program together that doesn’t continue tearing down the American house.
The pattern of the right in recent years is this: political cowards play innocent as they culturally set the stage upon which the the mentally ill do their dirty work. The argument of “isolated incidents” ends TODAY.
When I witness politicians and broadcasters who foment hatred and a hostile political atmosphere, because culture wars make money, I remember how much vanity actually drives violence. Only when a nine year-old innocent gets killed in the cross-hairs do the consequences of these culture wars create any brief moments of shame. For instance, why did Palin pull down her cross hairs web page only today? Because she knows that violent language sets the stage for violent action.
All public figures -- Michelle Bachman ("be armed and dangerous"), Sharon Angle ("2nd Amendment remedies"), Glenn Beck ("God, Gold and Guns"), Bernard Goldberg (100 People Who Are Screwing Up America), Bill O'Reilly and FOX ("Tiller the Baby Killer") and all the dog whistling "bulls eye" talk in right wing talk shows -- have also created the violent political atmosphere that incites political violence.
I can’t agree that next week’s House of Representatives shut down somehow honors the fallen of the right’s culture wars. Yes, there will be memorials for the fallen of Arizona. But the reality is that our government has been dysfunctional, embarrassing theater , and is more likely looking for an excuse to regroup as the new House majority tries to get an adult legislation program together that doesn’t continue tearing down the American house.
The pattern of the right in recent years is this: political cowards play innocent as they culturally set the stage upon which the the mentally ill do their dirty work. The argument of “isolated incidents” ends TODAY.
Very well stated. Do you think the shut down is not so much to honor the dead, but to simply regroup, wait and see how things unfold this week and avoid backlash?
ReplyDeleteThe rhetoric has been a very successful strategy for conservatives, and the plan to pursue what they will call a mandate in congress may have to be approached more delicately.
Persecution is simply prejudice put into motion. Metaphors have great power and "lock and load" is appealing as a quick fix to those who feel denied and isolated. Rush, Sean, Glen, Bill, and Sarah are largely responsible for this shooting. There is no equivalent responsibilitg from the left.
ReplyDeleteExcuse the typo.
ReplyDeleteI completely Agree, Cletis. There is no equivalence.
ReplyDeleteTo Anonymous:
ReplyDeleteRecall McCain's "I'm suspending my campaign" nonsense? The House going nuts and spending like days just standing around wailing about Terry Schiavo and then trying to subpoena a brain dead woman to kidnap her? Steroids in baseball hearings? I mean these people are total clowns.
They're just pulling stunts, trafficking in high profile American like high schoolers using disaster as an excuse to get out of going to school. This latest killing horror of one of their own might hurt a little but it doesn't stop the stunt train.
As for real governance, the House majority's got nothing; thus they have planned, as Cantor has set the schedule, "two weeks on, one week off." They're either refining their stagecraft for their preferred constituents, or they're trying to actually learn how to govern. Which do you think all this time off will produce?
edit: I meant, "trafficking in high profile American suffering like high schoolers..." Sorry for the omission.
ReplyDelete