User Comments

1. 

   8/13/08

   jan4insight

   I was just going to start a thread on this, so thanks, sati, for getting it going.
   
   It's terrible news. My heart goes out to the victims' families, and to all the Democratic campaign workers who now are literally putting their lives on the line to turn this country around.
   
   There's lots of talk in the blogosphere about how the right-wing talk show eminences (if you can call them that) have created such a poisonous, hate-filled atmosphere towards liberals, that perhaps they bear some of the responsibility towards this. Here's one such discussion thread:
   
   www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/13/arkansas-democratic-party_n_118720.html
   
   It makes sense (of a terrible kind) to me. I've cringed every time I've come across quotes from Coulter and like, about how "liberals should be killed." That was always good for a laugh from the good old boys. It's definitely not funny any more.

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   1. 

      8/14/08

      jan4insight

      Here's another link in which the lead article more directly addresses the point I was stating above:
      
      www.huffingtonpost.com/dan-sweeney/twos-a-trend-arkansas-dem_b_118753.html
2. 

   8/14/08

   Anok

   Wow, have their been any similar attacks on the right, or is this a new liberal killing phenomena?
   
   Jan, I agree, I think that the Pundits who constantly espouse hatred and violence of anything they disagree with - including regular old folks on the wrong side of the political spectrum bear some responsibility here, if not legally, at least ethically.

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3. 

   8/14/08

   globalgirl

   Although tragic as any murder, I venture to say the "left" murder as much as the "right". Murderers are not isolated to one political party.
   
   Those who kill others for the sake of the thrill (versus self-defense) are clearly quacks and need help.

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   1. 

      8/14/08

      satijournal

      These people were murdered because of their political views. Right wing politics are all about intense hatred of liberals.
   2. 

      8/14/08

      jan4insight

      Globalgirl, I venture to say that the "left" do not murder their political opponents as much as the "right."
      
      If you look at the list of political assassinations over the last 40 years (several responders in the discussion threads I linked mentioned this), it's overwhelmly the liberal figures who have been shot down.
   3. 

      8/14/08

      Anok

      IN tandum with what others are saying, it isn't who did the killing, but rather who is being targeted, politically speaking.
4. 

   8/14/08

   jan4insight

   For years now, the public airwaves have been filled with hatred spewn by the whacknuts of the "right"-wing punditry. They have chanted "kill liberals" over and over, to the point where it's become their mantra. (Why? Because they know their ideology is failed and won't win without killing off the opponents?)
   
   And now we have two cases where their supposed followers have gone out and done it. Are we surprised?
   
   What I want to know is, how can we stop this and get the violence-inciting talking heads off the air? It's been suggested that we put pressure on their advertisers. If someone comes across a petition or an effort organized to do this, let's post it and get going. This is life or death for us, now.

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5. 

   8/14/08

   clioandme

   I don't know enough about the case, which will have to be tried first, but I do know that words matter.

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