GOP Promotes a "Culture of Violence"

[rucky]

This is the sound bite I'd like to hear from the Dempundits. The Republicans are promoting a bloodthirsty culture, and creating a MORE violent world for our children. There's plenty to back it up, and this is the perfect time to roll it out:

- Cheney's shooting, of course.
- Abu Gharib photos.
- Attacks on Antiwar protestors.
- Defense of CIA "torture camps"
- Unprecedented spending on weapons.
- Rationalized use of nuclear & chemical weapons.
- Rejection of Clinton's violent video game legislation??
- Air strikes on civilian targets (weddings?!)
- State legislation that allows gun defense without proof that the victim had a weapon.

If you defend these actions, you're pro-violence.

Anything else to add to the list? We've given violence a free pass for too long.

[ThoughtCriminal]

1. More examples

- A curious attraction to corporal punishment and "boot-camp" abuse centers for problem children.

- Practically everthing Ann Coulter says

- Oklahoma City

- Anthrax assasination attempts exclusively targeted at Democrats and precieved media enemies

[Texacrat]

3. Whoa!!!

Are you saying that the GOP orchestrated the OKC bombing and the Anthrax attacks?

That's just as reviling as Republicans saying the Democrats bombed the World Trade Towers, IMHO.

[ThoughtCriminal]

4. Right wing rhetoric bred McVeigh's hatred of Government

Now I expect you'll tell me OKC was done by Iraq.

[Texacrat]

6. No, I will tell you that a deranged nut murdered 169 innocent people

And there is no evidence whatsoever that Tim McVeigh ever received aid or assistance from the National Republican Committee or any Republican Committee of any state in doing so.

[Flubadubya]

8. So what?

He is still part of the GOP culture of violence. He didn't have to receive money or aid from them... he was affiliated with them. That's all that counts. It's the mentality we are talking about here.

[Texacrat]

10. I don't know what McVeigh's party registration is off-hand

But I would bet that if we did a study of what was the official party affiliation of all convicted murderers in the United States, we would find both registered Democrats and registered Republicans. However, neither the the Democratic Party nor the Republican party is responsible for the convicts' deeds. The convicts (if they truly did the crime), and the convicts alone, are responsible for what they did.

[Flubadubya]

13. Well, I'm sure that all Republicans are the saints that they claim to be..

and they do claim that... the bedrock of morality. Oh, and they claim that Democrats are godless, immoral heathens. I know that's right too, and I know you are absolutely right... there is no culture of violence in the GOP. They're just lovely people... better than Democrats as a matter of fact. :sarcasm:

[Flubadubya]

5. Timothy McVay was a Right Winger...

He was a REPUBLICAN who committed the FIRST act of terror on American soil.

The Anthrax perp has never been identified, and the attacks were aimed at high-ranking Democrats.

Yes, I'd say those two things absolutely emanate from the GOP "culture of violence". It doesn't take a genius to put 2 and 2 together.

Why do you defend the Republicans on this board? :shrug:

[Texacrat]

9. Do you have any evidence that the GOP conspired to mail Anthrax?

If so, please do the responsible thing and contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation at www.fbi.gov.

You also seem to forget the White House and the Department of State received mail contaminated with anthrax.

I deplore politics of this kind, regardless of what side uses them (and the GOP IS notorious for this type of politics as they typically label the Democrats as terrorists.) However, I don't believe it is right to stoop down to their intelligence level and play that game.

[Flubadubya]

11. Do you think a Democrat mailed it?

Why would a Democrat mail anthrax to Tom Daschle and Patrick Leahy? You go ahead and believe that which is counterintuitive and I will look at the facts as they present themselves and draw appropriate conclusions.

[rucky]

16. Ann Coulter promotes violence for sure.

so does the Free Republic hate group.

Pat Robertson calls for assassinations, and frequently denounces revels in the demise of victims of natural disasters.

As does the FEMA and their callousness toward the Katrina Victims.

Then there's the several insensitive comments towards widows and mothers who've lost loved ones in the "war on terra".

[Texacrat]

2. Some Democrats might support items on this list

Namely, rejection of Clinton's violent video game legislation and State legislation that allows gun defense without proof that the victim had a weapon.

Are they pro-violence?

(Frankly, I don't have a position on either of these two issues, but I believe they should not be lumped in with the other issues).

[rucky]

14. eh, those are the weaker illustrations

compared to torture camps and the like.

you can make your case with a shortened list.

[Azathoth]

7. It would play well with the Left, but it wouldn't have broad appeal

The "culture of life" meme plays well because it is a positive, benevolent-sounding message that can't easily be opposed (after all, who is actually against a "culture of life"?) "Culture of violence," on the other hand, could be easily misrepresented by the media and the GOP as a vicious attack on conservative values and the moral character of conservatives in general. We don't need a message that attacks the GOP; we need a message that promotes our beliefs and is nearly impossible to oppose without coming across as "pro-violence."

[rucky]

12. That would not be a misrepresentation.

It IS a vicious attack on conservative values and the moral character of conservtives in general.

And they ARE pro-violence.

[Azathoth]

15. Like I said, plays well with the left

But a good campaign strategy it is not. :)

[Rocknrule]

17. I agree, except for the violent videogame part

Fake violence cannot drive a person to commit a crime. Real violence, and real encouragement of violence, like what Bush and his supporters engage in, can.