Eugene Robinson giving some very insightful comments on KO right now about

[coti]

our political climate.

That the sheriff did not know of ANY public officials who weren't receiving death threats says something incredible about....well, something.

What is that? What does that mean for our society?

[XanaDUer]

1. Okay, the violence in the US goes back and forth

forty years ago, it was the Left that was blowing stuff up and assassinating cops, building bombs and, sometimes, blowing themselves up.

Now it is the RW. Will it be the Left again? Who knows?

Nixon ran on the old law-and-order platform, and spoke for the Silent Majority. Mad at college kids who got to go to good public universities when their parents didn't b/c of the Great Depression.

So, either everyone on all sides denounce this kind of stuff, or we end up with a banana republic?

[mix]

8. Just the left?

I seem to remember a lot of right wing violence in the 50s and 60s--bombings, assassinations, hangings, beatings.

Anyone who lived through that period or studied it, especially if your were an anti-war or civil rights activists would laugh in your face.

[XanaDUer]

9. Yes, correct

Both sides in America are unhappy with, what they see, as their particular vision not being met, or being messed with, by "the other side".

But it does seem like, today, it is the RW who is doing most of the terroristic attacks. Not the Left.

The Left was much more active in the past than now, in the US.

I am not so sure why that is, and I don't know if there will be a rise in LW violence, in answer to this RW violence.

[XanaDUer]

10. PS- no need to be so rude, btw

nt.

[Doctor_J]

17. Your statement was ignorant

the 60's radicals weren't egged on and encouraged by the mass media like today's wingnuts are.

When you post drivel you should expect scorn.

[XanaDUer]

18. How was it "ignorant"

there was more left-wing violence in the past than there is now. That still does not mean there was not RW violence, too.

And, who the fuck are you to say I post "drivel"?

Listen, human nature being what it is - ALL humans are capable of lots and lots of violent things, right, left, and center.

Jesus H. Christ.

[RedCloud]

11. The outside world is Left and Right with only one direction dead.

[XanaDUer]

13. And I'm not sure what this means for our society

and the democratic process. My minds keeps going to movies like "Brazil" or "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie" where terrorist attacks are just accepted as everyday occurances, barely noticed, and Life goes on.

Or, a massive police state.

The sheriff who spoke was correct, there will be a dearth of good people willing to serve if this is what happens. Whether as politicians, or judges, or whatever. And, as the economic situation grows worse and worse in this country, the worse it will get. The man who brought the gun to the board of ed meeting b/c his wife was laid off and he was at the end of his rope - but he didn't shoot anyone but himself.

It is pretty scary.

[killbotfactory]

16. 40 years ago the people on the right were also violent

Like the KKK.

In the US, I have not seen evidence of anyone on the left advocating murder of political opponents, or political violence in general, since the sixties. From then on most it has been nonviolent resistance and petty vandalism. None of which has been endorsed by leftwing politiicans. Since then it's been coming from the right wing. Mostly racists and religious nuts opposed to abortion or gays. And the right-wing politicians have no qualms about fanning the flames of that kind of shit, and the media has never called them out on it.

[XanaDUer]

20. I understand how upset we all are

and I am not saying that the RW was not ratcheted up the rhetoric/violence level in this country - they have, and they need to be held accountable. I was saying to my partner right after this happened - watch, they'll try to paint this guy as a "liberal" or, if that does not work, as the good-old lone-nut if it looks like he was leaning way to the right.

The OP was wondering what this means for American society and democracy. And I don't know the answer to that at all. This young man could be apolitical (but I doubt that and I will see what unfolds in the investigation) for all we know. And he does seem mentally ill.

The RW is dying out in this country, and they are pissed as hell and not going away quietly. So, there may be more and more of this type of violence. So, how do we handle that? How do we get good people to run for office and go out among the community and people they serve, like our democracy calls for, when they may be blown away.

And I do not know the answer to that question.

[Webster Green]

22. Any links to cops being "assassinated" by leftists.

Not saying it didn't happen, but I would like to read about them.

[MadMaddie]

2. It means that our society is now one of the Banana Republic countries.

It means that citizens can't gather in public forums and feel safe because the gun toting hate mongers rights exceed the rest of the citizens rights. The town hall meetings, Beck, Limbaugh and Palin all have contributed to this tradgedy and not one of them will accept responsibility for their actions.

[XanaDUer]

4. I think the blowback onto Palin, from this, she cannot run from

no matter how far she goes out onto the tundra. I have a feeling this is going to be hammered and hammered at, and it should be.

Oh, and they canceled her crappy show, too, but not b/c of this.

[Doctor_J]

15. Oh, please

Every one of the right wing assassins going back to McVeigh has been a minion of hate radio. There hasn't been a single blowback on any of them.

[XanaDUer]

19. Outside of some fringe group or nut

who the fuck identifies with McVeigh and all those people, and kids, he murdered?

[valerief]

12. +666 trillion!

[Lint Head]

3. So, do we give the right wing hate mongers a pass again.

Or is it due time to do something that is no a milk toast response.

[nolabear]

5. I agree. He and Keith both are so somber and grave about this.

As they should be. That sherriff wasn't kidding. Good people are going to be afraid to hold office. And then we are lost to the warlords.

[coti]

14. Yup, that was striking to me.

No one worthwhile wants to put themselves in that position anymore.

[BrklynLiberal]

6. Yes. He is very insightful

[liberalmuse]

7. As far as security around members of Congress goes...

the government could save millions by merely protecting Democrats. The truth is, liberals are not likely to try and demonize and kill someone because they hold differing views. They might kill 'em with logic, but not with a gun or some other weapon. Let's not fool ourselves. It is the radical right we have to protect ourselves from, not the radical left.

[morningglory]

21. How are you guys seeing KO on Saturday? I have Lockup. n/t