The random political thoughts thread (Part Deux)

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by JWBear

So if someone shouts "FIRE!" in a crowded theater, they are blameless for the result? If someone goes out and incites a riot, then they are not criminaly liable; but everyone else should get arrested?

This discussion hasn't been about incitement of riots. Through all the Health Care town halls, I am only aware of one turning violent, and that was a protester getting beat up by some union members.

I thought this part of the discussion was about when someone says something and others have time to actually think about what was said and then turn violent on their own at a later time, is the person who uttered the words they dwelt upon to blame.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

I thought this part of the discussion was about when someone says something and others have time to actually think about what was said and then turn violent on their own at a later time, is the person who uttered the words they dwelt upon to blame.

I'll go let Charles Manson know he should be expecting a pardon.

[scaeagles]

Hey JW - just read this off of a link (for full disclosure) off of the Drudge Report.

Briefly, the Earth Liberation Front destroyed some property.

Should Obama be liable for the damages because of his stance on global warming?

Of course not. They very suggestion is ridiculous.

Various eco-terrorist actions are large and while I could not venture to guess what percentage of violence this might take on in the realm of demostic terrorism, I would suspect it is sizable. I do not for one moment blame anyone except those who did it.

[katiesue]

I guess I was the only parent who got the email from the school about the Obama speech and thought - wow that's pretty cool. The President is going to address students about the importance of education. Pretty cool that with technology they can all view it at the same time.

[JWBear]

Leo,

Obama never suggested that these radio towers should be destroyed.

Bill O'Reilly went on the air nearly every single day and suggested that it would be a nifty thing if someone killed Dr Tiller.

Your analogy makes no sense whatsoever.

[scaeagles]

But doesn't the urgency of his and others in their environmentalism inspire others into these violent actions? I've been doing a little reserach and there is a lot more ecoterrorism than I was aware of.

(please be aware this is completely rhetorical and I do not believe that anyone is responsible for ecoterrorism other than the perpetrators themselves, and perhaps anyone who might have facilitated and/or ordered it be done - put that in there because of GD's excellent point on Manson)

[Ghoulish Delight]

What JW said. I'm interested if you can cite mainstream liberal figures who have advocated violence and vilified people of the opposing viewpoint the way the right wing pundits have.

It's a HUGE difference between, "This is a very very important issue and it's frustrating that there are people preventing it from being solved" vs. "These people are doing evil things and I'm going to use words like 'Naziism' 'evil' and 'vigilante'."

ETA: Or Glen Becks favorite rhetorical game, "I'm not saying X, but I think X." Like, "I'm not saying Obama's health proposals are going to lead to Eugenics in America, but Obama's health proposals are Eugenics in America."

[scaeagles]

How about politicians, then? Reid has referred to health care protesters as evil. Pelosi said they were carrying nazi symbolism (as far as I know one guy was with a red line crossing out the swastika). Should they then be blamed for the union people who beat up Kenneth Gladney at a town hall meeting in St. Louis?

Edited to add - the above link clearly has a political spin. However, the man Kenneth Gladney and what happened to him and who beat him up is very, very real.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Talk to me when Pelosi starts joking about poisoning people she disagrees with.

[BarTopDancer]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

How about politicians, then? Reid has referred to health care protesters as evil. Pelosi said they were carrying nazi symbolism (as far as I know one guy was with a red line crossing out the swastika). Should they then be blamed for the union people who beat up Kenneth Gladney at a town hall meeting in St. Louis?

Did they tell/suggest to the union people (or anyone) that they should beat up people who disagree with them?

The difference between that and the murder of Dr. Tiller is this:

Originally Posted by JW

Bill O'Reilly went on the air nearly every single day and suggested that it would be a nifty thing if someone killed Dr Tiller.

Pelosi and the politicians didn't say or suggest people should harm those who disagree with them.

How do you not see the difference between a direct suggestion to cause harm and someone calling protesters evil.