dagblog - Comments for "Anyone Who can't See that the GOP is Purposely Provoking violence is an Idiot"

I'm not holding my breath

Elusive Trope — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 16:31:35 +0000

I'm not holding my breath either. The folks like Rush will still be able to be on the airways even when they have been marginalized because there is still money to be made in even someone who has just a few followers relatively speaking. This sometimes can give the impression that they are "larger" force then they are. As someone pointed out, even in 2008, the one Republican who Rush hated was McCain and look who got the nomination. He also preferred Clinton over Obama, and look who got the nomination. And then he wanted McCain over Obama. Palin is even less of a force. But both will probably always have enough people who follow them to make it profitable for them to keep doing what they are doing. The hope is that it doesn't spread throughout the body politic. The person to keep an eye on is Bachmann. Is she changing her tone? Are other Republicans denouncing her if she doesn't?

Spot on Trope.

emerson — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 15:49:21 +0000

In reply to I think this is the crux of

Spot on Trope.

Wise words, Trope. The

Ramona — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 15:37:54 +0000

In reply to I think this is the crux of

Wise words, Trope. The problem is, the other side refuses to be marginalized. They keep big money behind them just to keep the perception going that they never will be. Thus they never are. Not so far, anyway. I keep hearing how the days of violent rhetoric are dying, and that Sarah Palin is done, and next it will be Limbaugh and Beck, but I'm not holding my breath.

They are the constant Phoenixes rising, while we're consistently the ashes. It doesn't seem right, but there it is. Still, I like your approach better.

I think this is the crux of

Elusive Trope — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 14:31:08 +0000

In reply to Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh

I think this is the crux of the matter. Will one achieve one's goal by attacking the attackers or by marginalizing the attackers. I believe using the former strategy merely reaffirms the violence and perpetuates the culture of violence. Of course, this denies one the satisfaction of "sticking it to 'em" which when tragedies like that in Arizona happen is something we really want to do. And it is immediate satisfaction. The latter strategy is more effective, but occurs over a period of time and does not deliver that immediate satisfaction. Because it must be sustained in the face of temptation to lower oneself to the other side, it is much more difficult. Consequently we tend not to see successful examples in history.

I have your same misgivings

Ramona — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 14:24:15 +0000

In reply to Hi Ramona. Oh! That's right!

I have your same misgivings about censorship, but I honestly don't see it happening here. Do you? Sometimes admin on any site has to step in and calm the room down, but I don't see that as censorship unless it gets to the point of silencing any dissent.

We probably can't get away from the language of violence. If we weren't angry we wouldn't be spending so much time on these blogs talking about issues that bother us. And obviously trying to rise above the fray doesn't get us anywhere! But yes, that "overpolicing" by the commenters gets real old real fast. It adds nothing to the conversation and only serves to shut it down. People just stop talking after a while, and that's the end of any real dialogue.

Well said, Resistance. Thank

Ramona — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 14:05:09 +0000

In reply to I agree, It's nice to see

Well said, Resistance. Thank you. Yes, there's no pretending that we're all going to agree all of the time, but an argument is only effective if both sides come away knowing something more about the other's reasoning. Even on sites like Dagblog, where like-minded people gather, the "discussions" can get hot and heavy. We're impassioned and committed to our own viewpoints, and we're putting ourselves out there because we obviously think we're right! But when everybody in the room is screaming, nobody is listening.

The last thing in the world anybody here wants to do is to stop Richard from doing what he does so well. He works hard at it, and comes up with the most fascinating takes on issues--both current and historical. Richard is Richard and I wouldn't have it any other way. This was just a little blip and now it's over--I hope.

Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh

rmrd0000 — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 13:59:00 +0000

In reply to The President's Flowery

Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh and their hardcore followers will double down on the issue of violent rhetoric because that is who they are. Most Democrats, Independents and rational Republicans will agree with the setiments of the President. Obama actually has won the conversation.

Hi Ramona. Oh! That's right!

wabby — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 13:43:37 +0000

In reply to Hi Flower, I appreciate your

Hi Ramona. Oh! That's right! Genghis did extend an invitation at TPMCafe. I'd forgotten that! Okay. But, I'm still a guest here (and at any other blogging site as well) and I do respect the right of the creators and administrators to protect their creations. I do understand there is a need for Terms of Service and an adherence to them.

I also thought A-man and Mr. Day were gentlemanly about the situation; they clearly have gotten past it. It's me. I'm seeing the pendulum swing too far over into censorship and it becomes worrisome. Again, I understand the raw feelings of A-man at this time of personal sorrow for him. I could not, however, not mention the action and register my objection to being over-policed by ArtAppraiser.

I wonder, Ramona, if it even is possible to get away from the language of violence that has become such an integral part of our communication style here in this country. It is very deeply entrenched.

I agree, It's nice to see

Resistance — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 13:36:09 +0000

In reply to Hi Flower, I appreciate your

I agree, It's nice to see others perspectives.

I hear what YOU say

And if ever I disagree, which is very seldom

We can agree to disagree without being disagreeable.

As far as Richrd is concerned, there's no one like him, Think about all the research and the time he puts into driving home the point, of his passion. A real labor of love.

Sometimes a little on the devilish side. With a little reminder "Come back Richard, stay away from the Dark side"

I have rarely see him keep account of the injury, always the agreeable one. HA!

He graciously accepts counsel.

You are definitely one that I read, something rather than "got Ya" posts.

Hi Flower, I appreciate your

Ramona — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 12:54:26 +0000

In reply to Hmmm. Well, ArtA, you know

Hi Flower, I appreciate your comment and have to agree that the common practice here of selecting one word or one sentence out of many and using it as a mallet to drive an insult really takes away from the general discussion and worse, waters down the OP's original intent. Beyond that, it's a time-waster and usually says more about the person doing it than it does about the person receiving it.

But I thought both A-man and Richard were gentlemen about the editing of Richard's comment. I know Richard didn't mean anything by it, but I understand why A-man felt the need to remove it. We have spent the last couple of days talking about civility, after all, and the need to cool the violent rhetoric. The events in Tucson are still an open wound to A-man, who knows both Gabby and the judge personally, and since Dagblog is his baby, in a sense, he wants to guide it in a direction of his and Genghis's choosing. That's not to say that suddenly censoring (or admin. editing) is going to be the order of the day--I don't see that. Just a toning down of the language of violence.

I'll admit here that I had reservations after the fact about my own title, No more Pussyfooting: The Republicans and the C of C are trying to Kill us. I wrote it before the shooting in Tucson and didn't think much about it. Obviously I didn't mean it literally, but there's that word "kill", and once we began talking about the shooting and how words can do damage, I would have liked to have gone back and re-worded it.

But Flower, you're wrong about being an "uninvited guest" here. We were all invited by both A-man and Genghis to come over and participate on this site, and the voices here, including yours, are what make it unique and interesting. I'm glad you feel welcome, because you most assuredly are.