March 27, 2010 06:00 PM
Chatting with Laura Flanders: Why violent eliminationist rhetoric is becoming a real concern
I've been a popular guy this week; been doing a lot of radio interviews. I also was on GritTV earlier this week, chatting with Laura Flanders about the wellsprings of the extremist rhetoric that is unleashing all this unhinged behavior from sore-loser Tea Partiers.
I'm still recovering from my jet lag and I look like crap, but I think I was at least reasonably coherent.
If not, let's talk about it here.
I thought your comments to Dr. Flanders were on target, especially regarding the diffusion of responsibility (whether intentional or accidental) for eliminationist rhetoric, the mainstreaming of eliminationist rhetoric (the fact that Glenn Beck makes the once-unthinkable now-possible), the linkage to right-wing authoritarianism and the apt comparisons with the Nazi propaganda machine.
I do not agree that race is not a (or perhaps 'the') central issue - well, tentatively disagree - many of the same tactics we are seeing took place during the civil rights era (terrorism, harassment, vandalism, etc) and I don't think it's an accident that they have increased with the election of the first African-American president. The "Southern strategy" seems to be covertly employed by the political right to create fear among certain members of their constituents.
I'm a cheapskate with dial-up Internet access so I can't watch the video, but I'm sure you did just fine.
Id like suggestions on how to "cover" a tea party.
There is one planned for my area that is getting lots of media attention.
How do you cover a Train Wreck? How do you cover a burning Hospital? How do you cover a riot?
It’s easy. You take video, and do your best not to get hurt.
How do you participate in a Tea Party is the better question.
Part of the problem IS that the mainstream media have lavished attention on what should be a fringe element on the political right. There could be any number of reasons for this (they reflect corporate interests; they're sensationalistic) but some of the pieces seem to be "fluff" pieces to make them seem like ordinary Americans, and then you have Sarah Palin going around with them to make them likeable.
By contrast, other political parties have sprung up (Working Families Party, The Coffee Party) but have been largely ignored I suspect due to their more progressive agendas which do not go in the interests of big corporations who advertise on and own the media.
There are a lot of Glenn Beck's out there (just as Hannah Arendt once pointed out, there were a lot of Eichmann's in Germany) - the problem is that you have a mainstream media, particularly FOX, that amplifies, mainstreams and legitimates the idiocy. That is irresponsible and unethical journalism.
You're correct: without all the media attention The Tea Party would scarcely have been noticed.
But it goes beyond just "attention" .. Fox News has been actively promoting The Tea Party.
And it seems to me that the ONLY reason all the other "news" providers have even mentioned The Tea Party is that Fox News has made it seem so important that the rest of the media simply MUST report it.
So .. I think we can say that without Fox News' active promotion of The Tea Party, no other outlet would have reported about them, and The Tea Party would scarcely exist.
When will government of the people, by the politicians, for the corporations perish from this Earth?
Not soon enough!
also. at least enabling them. so if anything happened on a more major scale by a Tea Partier there could be a taint (fair or unfair, but nonetheless there) on the GOP. they want to play with fire, but they dont care enough to put it out. well then theyre going to get burned. and, if something did happen, and i hope it doesnt, then they deserve it. that party, in its current incarnation, deserves nothing less than oblivion. theres nothing positive about them at all.
The Tea Party is being used to deflect the attention of Democratic voters away from the Democratic Party and onto the *scary* GOP. Likewise, terrorism is being used to deflect the attention of Republican voters away from their party and onto the *weak* Democrats. In both cases, the objective is the same: maintain the status quo (which is of course extremely favorable to corporations and the wealthy) by distracting the voters.
I think it can be argued this very website is playing this game as well, since 90% of the stories here are designed to make Democratic voters afraid of the GOP.
..it leads. faux, specifically beck, is selling the right wing fringe the grist for their mill to boost ratings and to keep the flames burning. Without the fuel, the fire dies and where would faux be? Lower than a snake's belly in a ditch. While even the msm is doing the same thing, they are doing it to remain competitive with faux who have made this eliminationist rhetoric an art form. That's why no hard questions are asked and interviewers (david gregory for example) seem to give free passes to the right wing guests. Its why karl rove keeps getting invited on shows and w and cheney are not yet indicted for war crimes. The msm deserves no respect in the current culture for their failure to address the real issues facing America and its citizens with truth and honesty; just as long as they can run ads for the Oil Companies is all that matters. But its the culture of American Idol and DWTS and tabloid TV that the masses watch, too apathetic to care about what seems to be beyond their control. The result is an uninformed mass of people listening to the people with an agenda of hate.
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
A 6 pack should be enough.
Lew
Fighting the Christian American Taliban daily.
Get one of those video cameras that you can hide in your t-shirt.
capitalize her last name
But there's some feedback on the audio that is hard to hear past.
yeah I'm hearing that as well Nicole.
Too bad,because it's fascinating stuff.
"To me, truth is not some vague, foggy notion. Truth is real. And,
at the same time, unreal. Fiction and fact and everything in between,
plus some things I can't remember, all rolled into one big "thing."
This is truth, to me. "
-Jack Handy
He must be using that horrible Skype program. That thing is a piece of shit. We tried using it at work to save money but quickly abandoned it because no one could understand what anyone else was saying.
The Republicans have a comunication problem - they're getting through to us. The problem is what they want.
"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-
Check out this article based on an interview with Chris Reichert, who threw money at the man with Parkinson's disease sitting on a sidewalk at a Tea Party rally.
Health-reform rally heckler says he's sorry and scared
When will government of the people, by the politicians, for the corporations perish from this Earth?
Not soon enough!
At least the man feels remorseful. Now would be a good time for people to calm down so that he doesn't have to feel afraid; at least he had the guts to fess up, and he's clearly taken the experience to heart.
Like most, I was horrified at that video clip, but what it really shows is how as social critters, we take our cues from others. This doesn't sound like a man who would have tossed dollar bills at a Parkinson's patient if he'd not been part of a 'mob', and that social experience prompted him to behave differently than if he'd had time to take a few deep breaths.
Dave, keep at this topic please.
The GOP is playing with fire, yet they don't seem to have enough judgment to recognize that fact.
I've worked with adult education and retraining enough to assume that some of these people are really, deeply rattled about their personal identity and their place in the world. At least, that's the way that I see them.
Unless we have an economy that actually has jobs that produce something other than extravagant wealth for Wall Street, I fear this kind of behavior is going to accelerate exponentially.
When people are confused and uncertain, they're more vulnerable to behaving aggressively. And most of the things they're upset about (the economy, jobs) are probably really about feeling powerless and out of control of key decisions in their lives.
Getting some genuine Financial Reform, clawing back exec pay would probably also calm some of these folks down, IMVHO.
Please keep explaining this topic: it's really important.
Frankly, some of those Tea Baggers may have some good ideas, but at present the signal:noise ratio is so high that no one can hear for the static.
the man's a registered Republican, do you think he registered in a moment of passion too?
Preempting responses such as "but that could be due to fiscal conservatism" I say tell me with a straight face that Republicans care about the weakest among us, nay that they don't look down on or even despise them.
Most Democratic politicians never mention *the poor* or *the homeless* or *the unemployed,* which makes it clear they feel the same way about the disenfranchised as most Republican voters do.
..never violence. Don't visit me with violence though, I won't embrace your cause, it will only strengthen my resolve and I will defend myself to the limits of my rights.
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
I read the link and the first thing I thought of was the old movie, The Ox Bow Incident because of the mob mentality. It is frightening how a mob can do awful things, things that a single individual would not do. I am not too sure that this fellow who threw the money is that remorseful for his action. It seems to me he is remorseful because of the consequences of his actions. Whatever, it is a compelling insight into the minds of some of these "hate" mobs.
..also good is the Rod Serling Twilight Zone episode where the neighborhood erupts in violence being controlled by unseen aliens. We might envision ourselves as the "neighborhood" and beck, limpbaugh and faux as the alien entity.
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
they have alot to fear. I sure wish someone would point out to these IDIOTS and BUFFOONS in the republiCANT partyy of LOSERS and the INBRED White Trailer Trash Clowns of FEAR and HATRED that we know who they are and these MORONS do not know us.
Going down the road how about a bullet through the window or a rock.
How about backing out of your drive way and you run over a doll that could very well have been one of your children.
How about coming down the road one night and a cable gets stretched across the roadf decapitating you.
You Morons on the right havbe real big mouths and NO strategy, yeah yeah you got your bang bang how about a arrow from 150 yards right through your chest.
This is a warning to the right you have alligator mouths and row boat asses, and that Alaskan DINGBAT isn't helping you to show you how STUPID you are when you look left your liable to get kicked in the balls if you have any.
Your mad because a BLACKMAN got the Presidency and your joke American TRAITOR and WAR CRIMINAL was APPOINTED. Your mad because you LOST your control of the MINORITIES look at your signs you Racist Nazi pieces of shit.
You have been proven WRONG at everything you have done and you have been proven to be totally out of Touch with reality.
So I say keep calling for DEATH and see if it doesn't find you we know were you LIVE and your Families live.
You White trash have been Publicly SPANKED for the whole WORLD to see how STUPID you really are. HAHAHAHA!, LOSERS
of how violent rhetoric can come from both sides. And this isn't the first time from oldretire either. As far as linking every nut job big mouth with the Tea Party movement, I don't think that's fair. Every group has a couple of nuts. Oldretire proves the point beautifuly, and I thank him for it.
some of your points are well made and taken but I would calm the rhetoric down a bit unless you're specifically meaning to incite either lefties or righties, to put the distinction crudely.
If you're just venting, that energy might be more profitably spent while allowing for the same catharsis by drawing targets (or using your imagination if you're at a public range and can only use silhouette targets): improve your accuracy while you vent some rage--works for me and probably at least a few others on the line :-).
..never violence. Don't visit me with violence though, I won't embrace your cause, it will only strengthen my resolve and I will defend myself to the limits of my rights.
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
..a member of the Communist Party or a nazi, so you tea-baggers can just STFU now. Just words.
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
... you might want to listen to 2 hours of podcasts from KGO radio (San Francisco, 810 AM) this morning, from the Brian Copeland show. His guest was John Avlon, The Daily Beast columnist, CNN commentator and author of "Independent Nation: How Centrists Can Change American Politics".
This morning the topic was Avlon's latest book, "Wingnuts: How the Lunatic Fringe is Hijacking America", which examines the polarizing effect of the intense, extremist hyperbole that has hijacked national discourse, silenced mainstream Americans and disabled our democracy.
http://members.kgoradio.com/kgo_archives/play...
http://members.kgoradio.com/kgo_archives/play...
Yes, I finally figured out that the cool new catchword means something like eliminating those who disagree or whatever. However, the word simply does NOT COMMUNICATE effectively and I don't think most people readily know what it means.
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