A Golden Opportunity for the Right: Take the High Road and Condemn Violent Rhetoric

[Laelth]

Here's a call to action that might allow something good to come from the Giffords tragedy.

A Golden Opportunity for the Right: Take the High Road and Condemn Violent Rhetoric

January 10, 2011

The tragic shooting of Gabrielle Giffords provides conservative pundits and politicians a golden opportunity to take the high road and condemn the violent, hateful rhetoric that encourages political assassination attempts of the kind we recently witnessed in Arizona. It doesn’t matter whether the shooter was a left-wing nut or a right-wing nut, and make no mistake, Jared Loughner is a nut, as his YouTube videos demonstrate. The right thing to do under these circumstances is to condemn the reckless rhetoric that creates a climate in which it’s inevitable that a nut will eventually act out in a way that leads to the deaths of innocent people.

Because the intended victim was a Democrat, Democrats and left-leaning pundits can not lead on this subject in this environment. Any thing they say about the hateful, violent rhetoric that passes for political discourse in the United States these days will be automatically condemned as purely political posturing. These kinds of accusations have already been leveled. No. Right now, in this environment, only Republicans and right-leaning political commentators have the opportunity to do the right thing—and that would be to make every effort to reign in the rhetoric that leads nuts like Loughner to exercise their 2nd Amendment remedies. Seriously, how hard would it be for conservative politicians and pundits to admit that violent, hateful rhetoric creates a climate that invites tragedy? How hard would it be for the "adults" among us to universally condemn the rhetoric that leads to this kind of tragedy? Wouldn't that be the responsible thing to do?

...

At this particular, historical moment, only conservatives can lead us to a more rational and civil national discourse, but will they?

The jury’s still out on that, but the point being made here is that it would be beneficial, both morally and politically, for the right to condemn violent and hateful rhetoric in the wake of this tragedy. Defensive responses are tantamount to an admission of guilt, and while some right-leaning politicians and pundits have every reason to be defensive, it would serve them better, politically, to do the right thing and condemn all rhetoric that incites violence, whether it be from the right or the left. Not only would that be a service to the nation and to the Republican Party, itself, it would be the right thing to do. It is entirely up to them whether or not they heed this call and seize this golden opportunity.

More here: http://laelth.blogspot.com">Laelth's Letters

-Laelth

[seabeyond]

1. this is my point on high road. it doesnt mean to ignore reality and truth. that is NOT the high

road. that is enabling that will allow problem to continue. there is taking the high road and staying in reality.

[Laelth]

17. I am not sure I am following you, here.

Care to expand/elaborate?

Thanks for the response, in any event.

-Laelth

[Ian David]

2. They're doing the opposite.

Tea Party Express Fundraises Off Giffords Shooting: 'Tea Party Won't Be Silenced'
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x166155

Tucson Tea Party Leader: We Won't Change Our Rhetoric After Giffords Shooting
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x149500

[Laelth]

3. You're right. Many of them are being defensive ... a tacit admission of complicity.

But I want to offer them another alternative--one that will do the nation some good.

-Laelth

[Ian David]

4. Yeah, good luck with that. n/t

[Laelth]

18. We'll see. I'd like to give them the opportunity to do the right thing.

Whether or not they take it will be up to them.

-Laelth

[rbrnmw]

5. I am not holding my breath

If the last few days are indicative they will continue on in their terrible two's stage. They remind me of children that can be caught red-handed but still try to blame a sibling, playmate, or even their stuffed animals if nobody else is around to blame. Of course 2 year olds are cute and cuddly.

[mwb970]

6. republicans have been reminding me of children for years.

The crying, the squalling, the bed-wetting. The screams of "it's not fair". The constant whining. The bickering over trivia.

Sometimes they remind me of infants, with their single-minded focus on themselves and nothing else. Other times, they remind me of 2-year-olds, as you describe. In their more mature moments, they remind me of 5th-graders arguing over false rumors on the playground.

Sadly, republicans never ever remind me of wise, grown-up adults. I can't think of a republican (demagogue or sheep) who has acted in a genuinely mature way in recent years.

[rbrnmw]

7. I know and it's scary

We can see it plain as day, but people actually vote for these children, and then have the audacity to tell us the adults are in charge now.

[Laelth]

10. This essay makes it hard for them to play their favorite card--the victim card.

It's outrageous that there are six dead people and thirteen wounded, yet somehow the right acts like Sarah Palin is the victim here. Perhaps they can be shamed into doing the right thing.

-Laelth

[rbrnmw]

13. maybe you are right, but they are best at playing victim.......

I am always astounded by how many buy it hook, line, and sinker. Whereas when we are victimized, we are called whiners, sore losers, or you guys do it too.

[Laelth]

30. Sarah Palin is now accusing people of committing "blood libel."

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0111/47477.html

Amazing, isn't it? 6 dead and 13 wounded and, somehow, Sarah Palin sees herself as the victim. Disappointing.

-Laelth

[dionysus]

8. ROFL!!! suuure they will...

[Laelth]

24. Hope springs eternal. n/t

-Laelth

[Motown_Johnny]

9. this is how they motivate their base.

The high road is political suicide for them

[OnionPatch]

12. Exactly.

They can't do that, they'd lose most of their followers.

[Laelth]

26. Would they?

I am not so certain. It may be that they're afraid of crossing Limbaugh and Beck. That I would believe.

-Laelth

[Little Star]

11. Hear, Hear Laelth! k&r

[Laelth]

25. Thanks for the k&r.

-Laelth

[JoePhilly]

14. Never happen.

1) To do so would be to admit the truth and accept some responsibility. They won't do that.

2) Too many right wing pundits are getting rich by feeding hate to the mentally ill. To argue for "calm" would put them out of business.

[Laelth]

27. I buy #2.

I'd like to believe many of them are capable of #1.

-Laelth

[sadbear]

15. This is why nothing will change

We've already been marginalized by the MSM. And the right have no incentive to change. They're manipulating the narrative as we speak and soon this will all be our fault.

[Laelth]

33. Rush has already said that the shooter is relying on Democrats to save him.

As illogical as it is to believe that Democrats would want to protect the shooter of a Democratic Congresswoman, that's exactly what he's arguing.

Indeed. The narrative is being manipulated, but sanity and reality are on our side on this issue.

-Laelth

[AsahinaKimi]

16. it is but they won't unfortunately

in fact, its more then likely they will ramp up the lies, and hate speech, with Fox News and Hate radio egging them on.

[Doctor_J]

19. Come back from denial!

We need all hands on deck in the real world.

[Laelth]

20. I presume you're saying I'm wasting my time and energy.

That may be true. We'll see.

-Laelth

[rbrnmw]

21. I hope they do too

I would love to see a more civil, honest, and intelligent discourse

[mcollins]

22. Well said!

I've stayed out of this discussion as it is all over campus and I am not here to take part in political arguements but to teach.

[Laelth]

23. Thanks. n/t

-Laelth

[leftstreet]

28. K&R

[Laelth]

34. Thanks for the k&r. n/t

-Laelth

[walldude]

29. K&R

Waiting with breathless abandon ;)

[Laelth]

31. Quite, but I would advise you not to hold your breath.

I have hope that a few people can hear my message, but I doubt that it will be many.

-Laelth

[Batgirl]

32. I don't think "the jury is still out"

on whether conservatives will avail themselves of said golden opportunity.

Condemning violent rhetoric would mean drastically changing their brand. They were already supposedly going to change their brand after their drubbing in Nov. 2008. Of course, the only rebranding that happened was renaming their whacko base with the "Tea Party" moniker. New name, same foul taste.

Current GOP mentality: High road is for losers.

[Laelth]

35. I was trying to give them the benefit of the doubt.

But I hear you.

Thank for the respone.

-Laelth

[Laelth]

36. Kick. n/t

-Laelth

[spanone]

37. they have never taken the high road....never

[Urban Prairie]

38. The RW has no intentions of taking the high road on anything, essentially admitting culpability

Their ultimate goal is to take their "Christian" country back, and if over a third of the nation's population becomes homeless, starving, imprisoned, or ultimately perishes as a result, and some of their "own" invariably get caught up in their crusader-like "purge" of whom they consider "anti-Americans"....that would be very regrettable, but necessary.

Everything that rightwingers propose or support is specifically designed to weaken and silence the left, for example, creating a Constitutional amendment making it so that only tax-paying property owners can vote, the elimination of government funding of social services, and/or perhaps privatizing everything except the three branches of government and the military.

We are the enemy, and most rightwingers are comparable to the Terminator, you can't reason with them, you can't bargain or negotiate with them. They feel no pity, and have little or no empathy for those who can no longer, or never could support themselves. Only the unborn deserve their support, but once out of the womb, and the cord is cut, the infant and mother can die right there on the delivery room floor, if the mother can not afford to pay, or lacks the necessary health insurance coverage for the birth.