Over in this thread, Der Trihs declares the following:
While reasonable people on both sides have condemned today’s violent incident (which at this stage we still have not confirmed was motivated by politics or even anything rational - the shooter appears to be quite mentally ill in his youtube postings), it seems that our resident fanatic is trying to take advantage of this incident to incite violence against right-wingers.
Sure, he doesn’t come right out and say he wants it to happen, but it’s clear that he thinks that if a left winger were to respond to this with violence, DT thinks it’d be justified - the only solution. Because of course, it makes perfect sense that our elected officials want to see America turn into a warzone. That has worked so well for much of the Middle East.
Der Trihs is a pathetic, sniveling, miserable, lonely, sociopath who shamelessly whores himself to a radical agenda. He’s a blinded by hatred as Fred Phelps.
I disagree. Sniveling and miserable don’t seem to fit. Arrogant and angry fit better. I also don’t like lonely. Makes an assumption. He may actually be a pleasant person to talk to outside of the message board and have a normal sized social circle. Well, “sociopath” seems a bit much too.
Wasn’t the OP that said it, but yeah. Seems if not perfectly accurate to be well within the ball park. His rhetoric is certainly as inflammatory and as hateful as those he rails against.
I also think the Phelps comparison is apt - He’s got an axe to grind, and doesn’t much care what’s going on, just so long as he can slap a saddle on it and whip it towards his goal - Whatever that goal might be, and no matter how bizarre it may be, nor with any concern over whom he may offend.
You’re interpretation of Der Tris’ meaning is not at all clear to me from the part you quoted. All that is clear to me from that quote is that he thinks inciting terror is a regular rightwing tactic and he think it seems to be working for them - not that he approves of the tactic or wishes others to adopt it.
It doesn’t make sense - unless they think it will work out in their favor.
Speaking of Dumb Things Our Elected Officials Think:
Sharon Angle: “if this Congress keeps going the way it is, people are really looking toward those Second Amendment remedies.”
Michelle Bachman: “I want people in Minnesota armed and dangerous on this issue of the energy tax because we need to fight back. Thomas Jefferson told us ‘having a revolution every now and then is a good thing,’ and the people – we the people – are going to have to fight back hard if we’re not going to lose our country.”
Sarah Palin: Commonsense Conservatives & lovers of America “Don’t retreat, Instead- RELOAD!”
Pima County Rupublicans organizing an election event against Giffords: “Get on Target for Victory in November Help remove Gabrielle Giffords from office Shoot a fully loaded M16 with Jesse”
But let’s not talk about any of that. Let’s talk about Der Trihs, a random guy on the internet. That Der Trihs, he sure is a pistol, isn’t he.
You right wingers are scum. You sit by while mainstream right-tards incite hatred and when duly the right wing terrorists get shooting you pathetically handwave a quote from some guy on the internet that does not in any way say what you say it did. You are the people inciting violence. And you got your way. Well done.
Moreover that those on the right will continue to use it until they themselves are targeted. Certainly he didn’t mean it to sound threatening, but it’s not entirely far away from a threat and not that different from things those he hates have said.
Some of us can do both. Some of us can think that the statements you list above, and the numbingly stupid things that Der Trihs spouts when he’s on a roll are both wrong. Maybe not similar in scale or reach, but still wrong. If you feel differently, I’d like for you to explain why.
First your deluded belief you’ve made a witty remark.
Second that I give a flying frack what you think.
The mainstream Right incited this violence. The right created the climate of hatred and one of them duly acted on it. Yet it’s some guy on the internet that gets pitted.
I believe I made an insulting remark, and if nothing else it was wittier than just calling you a moron.
It’s the pit. You can swear here. Of course, you might feel witty for making a Battlestar Galactica reference. More power to you then.
You’re totally right. Not like there is a four page pit thread on the front page of the forum discussing the shooting at all. There is nothing like that going on and all of the attention of the straight dope is focusing on this pit thread of Der Trihs. At least, that’s what I assume must be happening because if that’s not what is taking place, you’re gonna look so silly.
I disagree with your conclusion. Der Trihs, was, as far as I can see, making a simple observation.
As you say - he didn’t mean it to sound threatening. I think the things I quoted were explicitly meant to sound threatening. I think this is a supremely important distinction.
Furthermore, Der Trihs, unlike Palin, Bachman, and Angle, is a private citizen. Unlike the others quote here, he can expect to neither inspire or nor benefit from the actions of others.
Der Trihs is not the chosen representative of a wealthy political party, with access to employees, media and lawyers working for his publicity and success. Der Trihs is just a random loudmouth. The people I quoted all work for and benefit from the Republican party.
Der Trihs is not an elected political representative - his statements, however many and however stupid - will not affect the course of our country or anyone’s individual life. This is not true for the people I quoted.
Der Trihs does not have followers - unlike Palin et all. Nobody en masse approves his comments, works for him, donates to him, pays him for talking, buys his t-shirts. Palin, Bachmann and the rest are financially benefiting from their incitement behavior.
All of these are reasons why I think it’s ridiculous to compare his remark with the ones I’ve quoted, and similar remarks from public figures like O’Reilly and Limbaugh.
I have no doubt that Der Trihs has said any number of stupid things over the years. God knows, I have. I bet if I looked, Harborwolf, I could turn up some howlers from you, too. So what?
My point (and I swear I didn’t think of the ‘pistol’ thing, until you wrote that, twickster) - I think that scale and reach are important in this comparison. I’m tired of hearing variations of ‘both sides are equally bad’ and ‘well, your side does it too!!’ every time some rightwing nutjub* shits the bed. I’m tired of the sudden rush to find someone, anyone, who can be vaguely said to have done something, anything, in a blatantly transparent attempt to prevent people from discussing the latest republican bullshit.
When Der Trihs becomes a best-selling author and lecturer, with his own prime talk show, and people whispering about his running for office - then you can come and talk to me about how he’s destroying the fabric of our nation. Until then, his remarks have no impact whatsoever and as such, have no resemblance to the problems caused by our major officials advocating violence. (And again - I think his remarks bear no resemblance to the ones I’ve quoted.)
Hey, whine about him all you want - that’s what the internet is for. But don’t think you’re fooling anyone as you clutch your pearls and act all innocent as if somehow a random loudmouth carries the same weight as your official vice presidential candidate.
*So we’re clear, I’m including Palin, Bachmann et all as rightwing nutjubs.
Also, so were clear, being a nutjub doesn’t cancel out the rightwing part.
Guy who shot the cops in Pitssburg? Rightwing nutjob
Guy who flew his plane into the IRS building? Rightwing nutjob.
Guy who vandalized Giffords office recently? Rightwing nutjob.
Those Christian militia guys? Rightwing nutjobs.
They’re nuts. No questions. Doesn’t mean that they aren’t part of the conservative movement. Doesn’t meant that they weren’t motivated by the words and actions of conservatives.
Merneith, I’m not saying that both sides are wrong. I’m saying that that kind of talk is wrong regardless of side and especially if you are going to criticize one side for doing it. Doesn’t particularly matter the scale either. If you think that kind of talk is wrong, then it’s wrong. You can’t draw a wiggly little line and say that it’s okay because it’s just online and he’s not really important anyways. You’re doing the exact same stupid crap as Glenn Beck does when he says “I’m just a radio clown” and when Sarah Palin says “I’m not an elected official, just a concerned citizen.”
As much as I think **DT **is a deluded, self-hating, pathetic, narrow-minded spreader of ignorance, I don’t think the OP’s quote indicates he is inciting left wing violence. He is making one of his idiotic predictions, and it’s a stretch to conclude that he is saying he wants that to happen.