One’s Attitude
I visited The Left Anchor today for the first time in a long time and I was shocked to see this McCain Rally Video (I think it is a Rally):
There have been a few news articles scattered around the web this past week talking about the difference between the Democrats and the Republicans in terms of enthusiasm. I don’t remember the specifics but I remember seeing double digit differences between the interest factor of the respective parties. This interest was thought to have disappeared after the “Big Media” played up the division between the Hillary and the Obama supporters however as expected, those rumors are false.
A further point, that the Left Anchor made quite astutely is that people are much more civil in the Obama rallies. No one shouts “McCain…..terrorist….” It really escapes me how people are so afraid of one man and what he could do for America. I am reminded at this point of what Gordon/The Griper once mentioned, I am not sure who because both of them are quite knowledgeable:
Even if Obama wins, America can survive one Obama term if not two.
I know I got that quote wrong so I hope the parties involved will forgive me but I am imploring conservatives to tone it down because some people actually really do believe Senator Obama is a muslim and a terrorist.
October 19 2008 02:39 pm | American Politics
October 20th, 2008 at 12:13 am
Crian,
I’m at a loss to understand where the hate and vitriol comes from on the Right.
But it isn’t new. The day before JFK went to Dallas, the Dallas Morning Star ran an full page ad, financed by conservative Republicans in which JFK was dipicted in a frontal and profile view with the words “Wanted for Treason” across the top.
In the ad, the conservative Republicans accused JFK of being a Communist sympathizier and unAmerican and many of the exact same things that the conservatives are labeling Sen. Obama with.
Over the years, all they have to deal with political opposition is hate and lies.
This dangerous for our country. Hate and misinformation is how they deal with anything that is different from their ideology.
October 20th, 2008 at 7:45 am
“The day before JFK went to Dallas, the Dallas Morning Star ran an full page ad, financed by conservative Republicans in which JFK was dipicted in a frontal and profile view with the words “Wanted for Treason” across the top.”
that is not true, shaw.
as for hatred, i’d take a good look in the mirror. i’ve seen and heard just as much hatred spewed from the left also if not more so.
October 20th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Thanks for leaving a comment on my blog. I really love your website.
What are your thoughts on Powell formally endorsing Obama? Can’t say I was surprised, but I was happy. I would love to guest blog on here if you ever want me to. Also, I’d love for you to do a guest blog on my website. Just let me know.
October 21st, 2008 at 3:50 am
[...] A Political Glimpse from Ireland, meanwhile, posts this shocking video showing supporters at a Sarah Palin rally in Johnstown, PA [...]
October 21st, 2008 at 1:15 pm
I guess it is politics as usual for the GOP
October 22nd, 2008 at 2:35 am
For Griper’s edification, the ‘untrue’ Dallas newspaper ad Shaw refers to, may be from the story
from here
October 22nd, 2008 at 3:51 am
Gee, Shaw, if I were you, I wouldn’t be making accusations about hate and vitriol, considering what you publish on your blog:
In this post, you stated “Governer (sic) Palin worked for and enthusiastically supported Patrick Buchanan when he ran for the presidecy (sic) in 1992.” This was false. No correction appears.
In this post, you wrote: “Palin Slashed Funding To Help Teenage Mothers.” This was utterly false, as the head of Covenant House confirmed. Did you correct yourself? Nah.
Then, in this post, you claimed that Palin cut funding for special needs kids. However, the truth was that she raised funding enormously, as shown
here. Did you bother to correct your smear? Heavens, no.
Three examples of spreading false rumors–and these were all from the first week of September. I didn’t even have to read through the whole week.
Glass houses and all that, darlin’.
October 22nd, 2008 at 3:57 am
Crian,
I said that the republic will survive an Obama presidency. Griper may have said something similar.
The video is interesting; trust me, if you look around on blogs of a more conservative nature, you’ll find video and photos of equally offensive behavior from Obama supporters.
October 22nd, 2008 at 4:42 am
The more things change; the more they remain the same:
“On the very day JFK visited Dallas and died, the local newspaper, The Dallas Morning News, featured a full page, black-bordered anti-Kennedy advertisement prepared and paid for by persons affiliated with the John Birch Society, one of the most infamous right-wing extremist organizations of the 1960’s. The ad claimed to be the work of “The American Fact-Finding Committee,” in reality a nonexistent organization. Bernard Weissman, listed on the ad as the chairman of the Committee, however, did exist; he was the person who actually placed the ad. Weissman later testified before the Warren Commission. He was one of the few witnesses before that body who deemed it prudent to appear accompanied by an attorney.
The ad began with a sarcastic “Welcome Mr. Kennedy to Dallas,” a city which had been the victim of “a recent Liberal smear attempt” and which had prospered “despite efforts by you and your administration to penalize it for non-conformity to ‘New Frontierism’.” The ad then posed a series of belligerent, insulting loaded questions, including:
“Why has Gus Hall, head of the U.S. Communist Party, praised almost every one of your policies and announced that his party will endorse and support your re-election bid?”
“Why have you ordered or permitted your brother Bobby, the Attorney General, to go soft on Communists, fellow-travelers, and ultra-leftists in America, while permitting him to persecute loyal Americans who criticize you, your administration, and your leadership?”
“Why have you scrapped the Monroe Doctrine in favor of the ‘Spirit of Moscow’?”
Later that morning there were disparaging protests by right-wingers against JFK along the route of the presidential motorcade as it traveled from the airport to downtown Dallas. As the motorcade drove through the suburbs, with President Kennedy only minutes from death, an unfriendly-looking man in a business suit stood on a sidewalk in an aggressive posture holding a protest sign which screamed: “Because of high regard for the presidency I hold you JFK and your blind socialism in complete contempt.”
Source: http://tinyurl.com/6qsjl9
I got the poster and the ad in the Dallas Morning News conflated, but my allegation is essentially correct.
Words and accusations have consequences–especially when weak minded maniacs listen to them and act on their fears and hatreds.
Haven’t we learned from Dallas where this sort of vitriol leads to?
If, as the Griper says, this is happening during Obama’s rallies, it’s the first I’ve heard of it. And I’m sure the McCain/Palin people would have jumped all over it and sent Youtube videos of it all over the internet.
The facts are that the McCain/Palin campaign is promoting or at the very least allowing crowds to become inflammed with fear and hatred as Palin ignorantly encourages the people to think the very worst of a United States senator and a man who has every right to run for the presidency.
Some 46 years after the murder of JFK, we still hear “Commie,” “Socialist,” “terrorist,” and now even “Kill him!” from those McCain/Palin crowds.
October 22nd, 2008 at 11:47 am
Feel the love in this:
October 23rd, 2008 at 5:21 am
Seriously, Shaw,
What kind of a cocoon have you been living in?
Do you think we didn’t notice all of the times “progressives” have called Bush a Nazi?
Did you miss out on all of the cute Air America bits where they made jokes about assassinating Bush?
Was your computer broken when all of the various artwork picturing someone about to shoot Bush zipped around the lefty blogs?
I live in Minneapolis, which, excepting San Francisco, is probably the bluest city in America. Do you think I didn’t notice all of the lovely vicious hateful shit spewed out by nearly everyone around me? Folks look at me and see my ponytail, and assume I’m just another lefty artist type working in a loft in northeast Minneapolis, so they feel free to speak their minds. And when I bite back my words, and simply get up and leave rather than embarrass my hosts, the host meets me at the door, telling me they don’t really mean it. Maybe they don’t, but when did it become okay to spout things that the Secret Service would have to take notice of? And why is no one else in the room calling them on their words?
I’ve sat across the dinner table from a woman I care a lot about, and respect, despite her political beliefs. She’s not only a lefty; she’s a freakin’ pacifist! And yet I heard her say she wished she had a gun and could shoot George Bush.
You know, we were better off 40 years ago when there was no internet, and no talk radio, and no Fox News or MSNBC. Back then, very few people in the media had “journalism” degrees. They came to the field with other knowledge, other experience (wonder how I know? my family has been in the newspaper business since before WW II). They knew their neighbors, and they knew that about half of the country were Democrats, and about half were Republican. And the newsrooms pretty much reflected that split. It wasn’t perfect, but at least all of us out here had a shared set of information.
Nowadays conservatives read Power Line, Hot Air, and Ace of Spades. They watch Fox News, and listen to Rush and Hugh Hewitt. Liberals read DKos, Pandagon and Progressive Eruptions, watch MSNBC, and listen to…what, NPR? Ed Schultz?
We operate in ideological echo chambers, and those echoes intensify and amplify our own beliefs. We start to think of our fellow citizens as Them. And the words we read, and hear, get a little rougher, and a little sharper, a bit at a time.
October 23rd, 2008 at 12:33 pm
as he reads shaw’s response he only mutters, “my point made, thank you”
October 23rd, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Thanks for sharing that video. It is just… wow. At first, I laughed at the ignorance – it just irks me when people use words like communism and socialism without truly understanding the theory. The more I watched, however, the more I felt sick. How can people close their minds to the world around them like that?
Wonderful blog by the way =)
November 3rd, 2008 at 8:31 pm
Oh my gosh! This is funny and sad at the same time. I find it so destructive when certain groups are so set on the fact that they are right, and everyone else is wrong. Sad, sad!
Election tomorrow. I am VERY nervous!
November 3rd, 2008 at 8:36 pm
I also wanted to comment on Gordon’s comments. I also live in Minneapolis, and I’d have to agree Gordon. It is a very blue city! I sometimes make the mistake of simply assuming everyone is as liberal as me, and I also make the mistake of putting my foot in my mouth about politics because like I said, I just assume. . .
I also think the world would be better off with less media. Although, I must say. . . I’ve never gotten what the conservatives say about NPR being liberal. I listen religiously, and I am of the opinion that all opinions are represented equally. I’d love to hear your thoughts on what makes this media outlet liberal? I truly don’t get it or see it.
November 6th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Leah,
I’d be happy to discuss the political bent of NPR/MPR with you. But it might be better done on your own blog. So, if you’ll start a post with your ideas, I’ll comment in reply.