Click here to view this media Rep Trent Franks of Arizona made the rounds on the Sunday talk show circuit today and he did his best to make believe he’s really a very civil guy. The right is frantically trying to silence the criticism of the over the top rhetoric and violent activities during president Obama’s brief time in office that has emanated from the RWNM. I watched him on Meet the Press and then CNN. He certainly wasn’t too happy with Sheriff Dupnik’s comments about the hate that has filled our country and he cited Arizona as being the ‘Mecca for prejudice and bigotry.’ Dupnik: “When you look at unbalanced people, how they respond to the vitriol that comes out of certain mouths about tearing down the government,” he said. “The anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on this country is getting to be outrageous and unfortunately Arizona has become sort of the capital. We have become the Mecca for prejudice and bigotry.” Crowley: Wow, the Mecca for prejudice and bigotry. Franks: Even in these circumstance, first of all I think our focus should be upon the tragedy that occurred here and I think it’s unfortunate to inject the comments that the Sheriff did in this case because he has been heavily involved in the whole immigration issue and he found himself in this case at ends even different than Miss Giffords. And I think that he’s carrying on that debate even in this tragic moment and I think it’s unfortunate. Crowley: Probably should say that you all have been personally affected by this and that sometimes you say things you might not want to. The point being that there is now going to be this conversation about “why?” And right now we are seeing “the political conversation is terrible, it is heated rhetoric, we are seeing unhinged people to do things.” Do you see a link between increased sharp rhetoric, sometimes aggressive rhetoric, violent rhetoric, whatever you want to call it, in the political forum and this type of heinous activity. Frank: Sometimes in any human dynamic there are so many factors that it becomes difficult to really analyze it. But sometimes you can see a central element, and that central element is this unhinged lunatic that had no respect for human life was willing to make some grand statement, I don’t know if he even knows what grand statement he was willing to make to take the lives of his fellow human lives to do it. And there is the problem, a lack of respect for innocent human life. It’s a lack of respect for the constitution, for freedom . Many of the Tea Party candidates that won and lost during the midterm elections crossed the line of civility during the HCR debates a long time ago and they were backed up by the shock jocks and their FOX News friends. It would be naive to think that no matter how unhinged Loughner is, you have to ask the question. Where did he hear about the US and the gold standard? It’s not a common thread among many in this country. I think you know. However, what kind of behavior did Trent Franks put on display during 2009? Does calling President Obama a n enemy of humanity fit his definition of respect for human life? It’s interesting that he would say that. And even more interesting that Crowley didn’t think to ask him about this comment of his at last year’s How To Take Back America conference: Obama’s first act as president of any consequence, in the middle of a financial meltdown, was to send taxpayers’ money overseas to pay for the killing of unborn children in other countries…there’s almost nothing that you should be surprised at after that. We shouldn’t be shocked that he does all these other insane things. A president that has lost his way that badly, that has no ability to see the image of God in these little fellow human beings, if he can’t do that right, then he has no place in any station of government and we need to realize that he is an enemy of humanity There is no comparison of how the left and right conduct themselves. What’s sad but expected is how the MSM is trying to equivocate both sides when the right has been just throwing gasoline on the fire that they started during the general election of 2008. At C&L we obviously have focused on the extreme right wing vitriol. You can search some of our many tags to see how much hate and crime is being perpetrated because of this vitriol. Here are two… http://crooksandliars.com/taxonomy/term/3952 http://crooksandliars.com/taxonomy/term/11838 You can also check out this excellent piece that documents many vitriolic rhetoric as well as violent criminal acts that have occurred in the last few years. Insurrectionism Timeline I ask again. How many acts of violence does it take for the media to stop calling this a lone nutjob and reveal there is a well established pattern of behavior that has taken over the country and it is led by the Conservative/Tea Party/John Birch followers and transmitters?
Continue reading …By Mr. Fish Related Entries January 9, 2011 Bless You January 7, 2011 Mr. Fish’s New Year’s Dissolution
Continue reading …By Mr. Fish Related Entries January 9, 2011 Bless You January 7, 2011 Mr. Fish’s New Year’s Dissolution
Continue reading …Click here to view this media The Village was out in full force yesterday, making sure that no one dared to blame Sarah Palin and her map of targets for the attempted assassination attempt on Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. Heaven forbid we might be allowed to ask if the woman who has been using elininationist rhetoric since the presidential campaign might be held accountable for the general political climate in this country that has made overt racism, hatred and bigotry mainstream. These pundits know they’ve completely fallen down on their jobs for the last two years with the way they’ve covered the right wing and they’re giving themselves cover here as well. They’ve been more worried about sucking up to power than letting anyone know that one of our political parties has allowed the inmates to take over the asylum. And even after someone’s been shot, they’re still giving Palin cover for her over the top, dangerous rhetoric.
Continue reading …By E.J. Dionne, Jr. There is one commentator whose words should enlighten us on the meaning of Saturday’s shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and the savage murders that took the lives of, among others, a federal judge and a 9-year-old girl. The person is Giffords herself. Related Entries January 9, 2011 Bless You January 7, 2011 Mr. Fish’s New Year’s Dissolution
Continue reading …By E.J. Dionne, Jr. Rule One of politics: When you have the advantage, don’t allow your opponents to turn the tables. House Republicans violated this rule, a mistake that will haunt them for years. Related Entries January 9, 2011 Bless You January 7, 2011 Mr. Fish’s New Year’s Dissolution
Continue reading …Fake news by Andy Borowitz By Andy Borowitz Also in this edition of the Borowitz Report: Birthers Challenge Hawaii to Produce Statehood Certificate. Related Entries January 9, 2011 Bless You January 7, 2011 Mr. Fish’s New Year’s Dissolution
Continue reading …As someone who has been involved somewhat in the punditry circuit (for lack of a better term), I have been asked by progressive friends what I think is needed for the Left to compete with the Right, not so much in the war of ideas, as idea distribution. To begin with, we need people who can confidently promote progressive values on television and radio . While the last decade has seen the creation and expansion of progressive think tanks, Air America Radio (an incubator of such talent as Rachel Maddow and Sam Seder), and even primetime MSNBC’s becoming a mini-progressive tv outpost, we still lack the funding of the Right, and the pipeline it creates. A 24-hour conservative television station and talk radio both nationally and locally dominated by conservatives doesn’t only get the message out and give cover to politicians and political ideas once considered slightly to the right of insane (make no mistake, they’ve used these and many print distribution channels to take Bircherism, or Hofstadter’s “Paranoid Style,” mainstream–something which was once looked at as absolute looniness by those who even controlled the Establishment on the Right). It also has created everyone from Glenn Beck to Sean Hannity to Tucker Carlson (we can also thank The Weekly Standard and Swanson for this last honor, as in Tucker Swanson McNear Carlson). So we may not have that. Or Heritage Foundation Summer School (with balconies!) and, for the most part, the other think tanks that pay conservative “thinkers” real salaries just to think out loud during non-paid tv segments, in low-paying articles and columns, and to write books nobody buys–but reach the NY Times bestseller list because these think tanks bulk buy 20,000 of them the minute they come out. But we are making progress in other areas. One project I’m involved with, The Progressive Talent Initiative, not only provides 3.5 days of media training including everything from performance critiques to messaging advice, but the relationship continues afterwards, as the program gives you a tune up when you need it and helps get you booked for appearances. It is a great program, which I had the luck of attending, and now maybe it’s your turn . If you’re a political strategist, progressive activist, blogger, academic, non-profit dweller or the like, this could be a great program for you to earn the key messaging and media training skills the Left so critically needs. The training is free to participants so if you are selected, can take the time to participate and are eager and willing to be booked after the training, the PTI team will take care of everything else. If this is something you’ve been thinking about, give it a shot , as we need progressives armed with not only the facts, but the ability to share them with persuadable audiences. So what are you doing March 9th-12th? If you’d like to apply for media training, now’s your chance. The training is limited to only 12 participants, so showcase your talents in your application for the review committee to see. Application is available here and is open until January 14. So get in the game my friends!
Continue reading …All images credit Franke James TreeHugger favourite Franke complains in one of her trademark photo essays that she is irked by unshovelled sidewalks. It is one of those contradictions, where the sidewalk is on city property. where we are not required to shovel the streets for cars, (the city has ploughs for that) but the sidewalks, for pedestrians, are the homeowners’ responsibility. Franke famously does not own a car and walks everywhere, so I am surprised by her complaint…. Read the full story on TreeHugger
Continue reading …Click here to view this media Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) may only be an eye doctor but he didn’t hesitate in offering a medical diagnoses for the man that allegedly shot Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) Saturday. “I looked at some of the writings of this young man,” Paul told Fox News’ Bret Baier Sunday. “From a medical point of view, there is a lot to suggest paranoid schizophrenia, that this man was a really sick individual,” he said of Jared Loughner, the man suspected of shooting Giffords. “Absolutely we need to condemn the violence. And absolutely we need to have our prayers and our thoughts with those who suffered from this violence,” he added. Paul, a self-certified ophthalmologist , didn’t reveal which qualifications allowed him to make the diagnosis. As a darling of the tea party and a political ally of Fox News’ Sarah Palin, Paul may have reason to deemphasize any connections between Loughner and conservative ideology. Giffords was on Palin’s so-called hit list of Democratic districts being “targeted” for defeat. When Palin’s name was mentioned at a vigil for Giffords Saturday, Fox News quickly cut away . Paul also said Sunday that calls for more restrictive gun laws shouldn’t play a part in the tragedy. “I don’t think that plays into this at all. I think they’re unrelated,” he said. “This is probably about a very sick individual and what should be done for that person.” “But the weapons don’t kill people, it’s he individual that kills — that killed these people.”
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