They are guilty for their violent words!

Rep. John Dingell today read out a list of quotes of violent rhetoric from the right wing:



This is not at all new and has been brewing for some time. Bill Moyers, a couple of years ago, did a whole segment on it:



I know what those who would defended the far right - Note: we should distinguish between a right-winger and a conservative, they are not identical - will say. They will say that words don't kill people, that no real violence was actually intended by those who used violent language, and that you can't blame pundits and politicians for the actions of a few wackos.

This argument is too stupid to take seriously. When Glen Beck tells us that he wants to strangle Michael Moore, and kill Charlie Rangel with a shovel, when Sarah Palin tells us to reload because Obama and his people are dangerous socialists who will kill off grandma with their death panels, when tea-baggers bellow that they must "take their country back," "water the tree of liberty," and that Obama is a secret Muslim terrorist who is going to ruin our country from within, can we honestly say this does not lead to a violent political climate? Can so many violent and fearful comments really never lead "some wacko" to kill? That is nearly impossible to believe.

But if you are still in doubt that this does lead to such disasters, I quote Robert Wright from yesterday' New York Times

People on the left and right have been wrestling over the legacy of Jared Loughner, arguing about whether his shooting spree proves that the Sarah Palins and Glenn Becks of the world are fomenting violence. But it’s not as if this is the only data point we have. Here’s another one:

Six months ago, police in California pulled over a truck that turned out to contain a rifle, a handgun, a shotgun and body armor. Police learned from the driver — sometime after he opened fire on them — that he was heading for San Francisco, where he planned to kill people at the Tides Foundation. You’ve probably never heard of the Tides Foundation — unless you watch Glenn Beck, who had mentioned it more than two dozen times in the preceding six months, depicting it as part of a communist plot to “infiltrate” our society and seize control of big business.

Predictably the right-wing hate mongers have responded to the recent violent attacks in Arizona by whining and playing the victim. Sarah Palin, who has taken much heat because of rifle targets she put on a map over several democratic congress districts (including the poor woman who was shot!), responded by crying that we demean and offend her by saying her words could of led to this, and saying that we commit "blood libel" if we hold her in any way accountable.

Palin's response is, of course, shameful. Even worse are the many pundits who rushed to her defense, as if the real tragedy of the Arizona shootings is that some people thought Palin should tone down her violent rhetoric!

When some idiot like Palin runs around saying that the President of the United states "pals around with terrorists," wants to create "death panels" to kill grandma, puts bull eyes over districts of the opposing parties representatives, tells people that Obama wants to take away their guns and Bibles, can anyone honestly tell me that she is not contributing to a climate of violence?

Enough nonsense. Let us please be honest the words of these hate-mongers are violent and they must be held accountable for that.

Sarah Palin's words are not likely responsible for the shootings in Arizona. But the violence in her words and the words of many like her are creating a climate of fear, hostility, and anger. Those who speak like her must be held accountable for their words.

Domestic Terrorism strikes again

We all know that the far right is unstable. Their world view is one of hatred, bigotry, and unthinking blind rage. It will thus hardly be news to learn that one of their number has struck again. Alright, so Joe Stack was not really a right wing idealogue. His politics, if we are to use that term, were really anger at all the ruling classes, State and Corporate. But like the tea-baggers he is "mad as hell, and not gonna take anymore." Big government bothered Joe Stack, but so did big business.

NPR explains

The pilot, identified as Joseph Andrew Stack, 53, was presumed dead. Emergency crews found a body in the building Thursday night, but Police Chief Art Acevedo declined to say whether it was the pilot.

Authorities said Stack was a software engineer who apparently had some tax problems. His northwest Austin home was set on fire before the crash.

Stack also owned a single-engine Piper Cherokee.

Stack's neighbors described him as a mystery man, NPR's John Burnett tells Robert Siegel.

"He didn't mix with his neighbors very much at all," Burnett said. "Most of what they learned about him was this morning at 9 o'clock when the fire went up, and his wife and their daughter, who they estimate to be about 12 years old, were distraught and screaming and went into a neighbor's house."

Investigators were looking closely at a posting on a Web site registered to a Joe Stack of San Marcos, Texas, that contained a lengthy, self-described "rant" attacking the federal tax system as unfair.

This is, in a way, logical on Stack's part. Much like other domestic terrorists He is merely putting the rhetoric of Glen Bleck and the tea-baggers into action. But he is equally voicing the sheer desperation and even despair of working class Americans. Of course, before anyone writes to tell me so, I concede that Beck and most on the right are not actually advocating violence, and would probably say they oppose such things. I do not doubt their word. But the Rhetoric is unhinged and insane and it is hardly surprising to see someone with similiar rage act this way - nor is this the first time: Such angry right-wing violence is fairly common place. One need only think of the murder of Dr. Tiller or the bombings of abortion clinics.

That right wing rhetoric lends itself to this kind of madness is clear enough. The following clip From Bill Moyers' Journal demonstrates the relationship quite clearly:

The rage, anger, hate, and ignorance speaks for itself. But that is only the tip of the iceberg. People like this Stack are easy pray for hate mongers because they really do live in a country which operates against their interests. We really are victims to a system that is designed to exploit us. Americans are rightly angry, confused, and ready to take action.

Just look at what else NPR tells us about Mr. Stack's blog post:

The post portrays an America that is divided between corrupt individuals who are powerful enough to make tax laws and governmental functions work in their favor and people who have become victims of the system.

This claim is absolutely right. It is not as Stack and the loony tea-baggers imagine. The issue is not "big government" or "socialism" or "liberals" or any such nonsense. Nor is the issue simply about the federal tax system, free markets, or big banks. Five minutes of open and honest refection refutes that rubbish. The issue is much bigger than that.

The problem is that money runs the country. Powerful corporations buy our politicians and make them pass laws for them; not us. The moneyed interests own both parties and expect a payoff no matter who wins any election cycle. In fact much of Stack's anger is entirely comprehensible as can be seen here

It is indeed true that the government does exist to help out the rich and powerful at the expense of "Joe common." Americans are rightly fired up and filled with rage about this. Until this issue is honestly faced and real changes are made we will find more Joe Stacks.

Joe Stack voiced an anger, a rage, that is very present today. People from all walks of life feel betrayed and harmed by those who hold money and power. They are correct.

The Tea-bagger crowd is using this rage and this injustice to whip up hate. They are blaming "liberals" and "big-government." Let us not laugh them off. True, they are ignorant and uniformed. But they known enough to see that they are mistreated. If the Glen Becks of the world can find them a scape goat or two, they will attack it. Remember the past, fascism easily arises among the downtrodden.