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 an 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...
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?
