When I hear the term “bull’s-eye”

[johnaries]

I think of darts. When I see the bull’s-eye symbol, I think of a dartboard. I have heard other Liberals talk of “pulling a hat trick”, which is Dart lingo (3 bull’s in a row). The store chain Target uses a bull’s-eye symbol as it’s logo.

The term “target” is common in business terminology, such as “targeted goals” and “target markets”. When someone speaks of “targeting an election race”, if you put it in the context of a “targeted market” it’s quite an appropriate statement in that they have very similar meanings.

Regardless of their origins, both terms are commonly used in a non-violent context.

However, when I hear or see crosshairs, I think of a rifle scope. A violent image. When you hear a group that constantly refers to the 2nd Amendment “right to bear arms” talk about a “2nd Amendment solution”, it suggests a violent image. When members of the same group quote Jefferson and talk about refreshing the Tree of Liberty with blood, or carrying signs saying things like “we came unarmed… THIS time”, no one can deny that inspires a violent image.

The Left Wing has always been pacifists - the “doves” as opposed to right Wing “hawks”. Liberals would protest by using “sit-ins”. When being arrested instead of “fighting back” they were instructed to “go limp” to make it harder to remove them. Liberals have always openly preferred non-violent methods - it’s part of being a Liberal! Remember the iconic image of a hippy girl placing a flower in a gun barrel.

Remember the Kent State Massacre. And if you don’t remember it, Google it.

Yes, the Left was angry during the Bush Administration. Justifiably so. But we never advocated assassination or “2nd Amendment Solutions”. Yes, there were calls to “take to the streets”, but in the tradition of Left Wing non-violent protests - not riots.

Granted, there have been a handful of violent Left Wing groups - but these were extremists that were never accepted by the Left Wing mainstream. On the other hand, the Right Wing mainstream appears to have embraced their violent extremists by defending them and accusing the Left of “doing the same thing”. Are those of you on the mainstream Right willing to denounce the violent as extremists, as those on the mainstream Left have?

To those on the Right who suggest that the rhetoric must be “toned down” on both sides, I say our side already has:

Your Turn!

[Hoopla Phil]

1. Not me.

[bettyellen]

5. me nether, i think of archery

[whopis01]

2. A hat trick is actually cricket lingo...

Not that it isn't used in other places nowadays - but originally it was used in cricket and an actual hat was awarded to the bowler who scored one.

[malaise]

3. 100% correct n/t

[Taitertots]

4. Kent State violence was initiated by the protesters

Not to mention the days of vandalism, looting, and violent attacks against police and National Guard troops.

There are plenty of good examples of leftist non-violence. A bunch of rowdy college students throwing rocks at the police and burning down buildings isn't the best example.

[spanone]

6. what bullshit.

[Taitertots]

7. I'm sure that the ROTC building just set itself on fire

And those rocks were just falling from the trees, not being thrown.

[bettyellen]

8. freudian slip? "There are plenty of good examples of leftist non-violence"

[walldude]

12. So when a building is set on fire it's ok to shoot into a crowd

of unarmed people. People armed with.. rocks. Oh and all that looting and violence against the National Guard.. wow, yeah that stuff was horrible. Nothing but bodies of cops and National Guardsmen everywhere...

Nice try.

[Taitertots]

13. National Guard mishandling doesn't justify the rioters actions

They were still rioting jackasses. The National Guards response doesn't change that.

[Paladin]

9. Grave-Dancer. (n/t)

[JoePhilly]

10. The right wing can't "tone it down" ... lacking ideas, anger and hate is all they have.

If the right wing can't threaten and intimidate their opposition ... if they can't lie about "death panels" ... or argue that "Democrats hate America" ... or claim that Democrats are "unAmerican, unpatriotic, terrorist sympathizers" ... or that Obama is "just like Hitler", or "just like Mao", or "just like Stalin" ... if they can call those who are pro-choice "baby-killers" ...

Just what would they talk about ... absolutely nothing.

[GoCubsGo]

11. When I see a bullseye...

I think of The Who.



And, U2.



And, the whole British "Mod" scene of the late 1960s. And, the British Royal Air Force.