Wow! I’d be happy if SDMB right-wingers would indicate what news sources they use; sometimes it really does seem that we’re living in parallel universes!
The present Republican Party, now under the influence of such as Limbaugh and Beck, has deviated so far from rational conservative thought as to suggest that recent threads are correct when they suggest that the political divide has little to do with ideas, but rather with emotional response. Right-wingers, even of the more intellectual SDMB ilk, want to hear blustering talk about “liberty” and “family values” with any factual analysis irrelevant.
Blah blah - Bush is going to invade Iran, Bush is going to cancel the elections and rule as a dictator, voter fraud in Ohio, right wing coups, evil anti-abortion conspiracies, etc. This is the left-wing equivalent of birthers, except it is all taken seriously by a different set of crackpots.
It’s the same as the other crackpot theories - something the far left believes in, with no evidence, because it fits their presumptions better than the truth. Same thing as this foolishness about right-wing coups.
The SDMB just has this folie a dieux about one set of conspiracy theories that they wouldn’t accept about any other set. It’s kind of a shame, but every group as extreme as this board can be will have blind spots. They aren’t based on rational thought, so it can’t be refuted with it - one can only derive amusement from admiring the towering edifices of delusion erected in defense of these notions, and (especially) giggling when those edifices come crashing down.
Like I’ve said before, it is not necessary that the deluded realize how silly their notions are to provide entertainment.
In fact it’s more entertaining if they don’t. Anyway this is on par with the spate of “will people riot if Obama loses?” questions that were posted here in the fall of 2008. I might rank it slightly lower but it’s a similar level of ridiculousness.
I genuinely believe that the rhetoric from the GOP leadership on this issue is bombastic and that the level of fear-mongering on both sides is out of control.
The essence of conservatism is a belief that traditional methods are best and that radical change is dangerous. The Obama administration has been demonized not only by the right-ring fringe but also by the mainstream of the movement precisely because the administration represents change in the body politic. This frightens some conservatives and fear breeds hatred.
This isn’t good for any nation that wishes to move forward into the 21st century.
That there is some pretty crazy shit, Oakie, I’ll grant that. The crazy ass stuff that you project out of your sarcastic imagination, that is. You want to hear some genuine crazy ass shit, straight up, no chaser, based on fact?
So I’m not too worried about organized resistance to the gov from the wing-nuts. Joe Bob has a cousin in the National Guard, and if he shoots his cousin, Aunt Rose is going to be mighty pissed off about it, making Thanksgiving even more awkward than usual.
I am worried about the alpha-lemmings, the nut cases who are willing to believe that they can be the leaders of an insurrection, that they can inspire the seething masses to rise up by a single act. They worry me. The unsophisticated political maunderings of a dead rock star…not so much.
Man, it’s like you people have never heard of eco-terrorism. ELF alone has caused millions of dollars in damage over the past few years. Burning down homes, destroying radio antenna, etc.
Not to mention all the protests at WTO and the G8 summit. It’s completely ignorant to say that leftie violence is a thing of the past.
Does “righty violence” inlcude haring off on a futile and pointless war that costs a hundred thousand innocent lives, or is that categorized under “Oopsy!”?
The general opinion of the sane minority is that about 30% or so of the voting population of the USA is determined to vote for whoever is the most conservative, and will do so virtually unconditionally. This is the so-called conservative base and the majority of GOP candidates focus upon those people’s fears and a desire for a return to ‘the good old days’ in order to win office. As the partisan attacks from both sides have become more shrill, the tactics used to arouse these folks’ baser emotions have become more fear-based and have also lost whatever tenuous connection to consensual reality that they had a couple of decades ago.
The fact is that the loud pundits on the right are the mainstream of American politics.
These people are driven to do whatever it takes to win ratings, and if that means inciting the increasingly unbalanced masses to violence, then so be it. As long as the money keeps coming in to their advertisers, this kind of over-the-top rhetoric will continue.
Keep in mind that most, if not all, of these right wing pundits self-identify as evangelical Christians. Religious fanaticism has simmered right below the surface of American politics for generations. It is not too much of a leap of faith (pardon the pun) to project the eventual trajectory of this will lead to pogroms and auto de fé via cable.
As I said before, this is clearly not good for any nation.
This is true. But it’s almost true that on the left, WTO protesters and ELF types are considered the lunatic fringe. Where the Tea Party types stand relative to the right wing fringe is less clear. But they’re getting a lot more acknowledgment from elected officials (nevermind the pundits) than the anti-globalization and ELF people do.
I wonder if you’d be so kind as to point me to an example of a Democrat politician who has approved of ELF or violent protests at the WTO or G8
Alternatively, perhaps you could link to an example of a media network that has provided material support for ELF or for protest rallys that call for overthrow of the government of the US. Thanks so much.
Could you be so kind as to point to where anyone in this thead laid the blame for leftie violence soley (or even primarily) at the feet of leftie politicians and media support rather than upon rabid lefties in general?
