Reminder: Beck's Incendiary Rhetoric Has Motivated Threats, Assassination Attempts

[Emit]

Beck's Incendiary Rhetoric Has Motivated Threats, Assassination Attempts

During an interview on MSNBC's Hardball, Media Matters President and CEO David Brock accused Glenn Beck of being "responsible for three thwarted assassination attempts this year." Indeed, in each of the three examples Brock cited -- Gregory Giusti, Charles Wilson, and Byron Williams -- the incendiary and often violent rhetoric spewed by the Fox News host and elsewhere on the network was said to be a motivating factor, if not the inspiring factor, in the men's actions.

~snip~

...Brock alleged that "Glenn Beck himself has been responsible for three thwarted assassination attempts this year":

~snip~

MATTHEWS: How is he responsible for them?

BROCK: Well, you want to know what they are?

MATTHEWS: You said it.

BROCK: Yeah, sure. So, he burned Nancy Pelosi in effigy on his set. He tried to poison her with a chalice, OK? Some weeks later, somebody tried to firebomb Nancy Pelosi's house. That guy's mother went on television and said he gets all of his ideas from Fox News. Do you know about Senator Patty Murray and the death threat that she got?

MATTHEWS: No, go ahead.

BROCK: OK. It's recorded -- the guy says after the health care vote. He says you have a target on your back and I can accomplish what I want to accomplish with one bullet. Now he's tried, convicted, and in the sentencing phase, his cousin writes in for leniency, and she describes in a very chilling memo -- it's on our website -- that he was slowly drawn into Glenn Beck's world. And she portrays the guy, the attempted assassin, Charlie Wilson, as a victim of Beck.

And number three, which you probably do know about, this liberal foundation in San Francisco was targeted by a gunman, Byron Williams, in June. The shooter gave jailhouse interviews, and we published them, and he says Glenn Beck is this schoolteacher on television and points to specific episodes of the Glenn Beck show that inspired him do it. (MSNBC, Hardball with Chris Matthews, 1/12/11)

http://mediamatters.org/research/201101130002

[wiggs]

1. Important. Stomarch Turning. Covered Up. Should be part of discussion. nt

[Emit]

11. I do wonder why this hasn't been a greater part of the discussion

But, since I do not have cable, maybe it is and I am just not aware of it. Anyway, kudos to David Brock.

[Ineeda]

2. and there are hundreds, if not thousands

slightly more subtle examples.

[wiggs]

3. Have to go. LET'S KEEP THIS KICKED ALL DAY. Important. nt

[progressivebydesign]

4. this why I reject the claims that the "left" is overreacting to the violence.

There are hundreds of these guys out there as we type, and just because one person is not a Fox News watcher, but commits a heinous crime, does not take away the truth that they are inciting violence daily on Fox "news." As are the other "pundits" like Ann Coulter.

I want to be the person President Obama asked us to be last night, but I am greeted this morning with outrageous attacks on Democrats by Limbaugh, and the others... for pointing out that their words DO have consequences. Once again it seems to be the left that in introspective, and is open to criticism, and willing to work together. Sadly, the other side has made it clear that they will keep going as they were.... spreading hate and lies all day long.

[me b zola]

5. K&R

[H2O Man]

6. Recommended.

It was a valuable part of the show.

[The Magistrate]

9. Indeed, Sir: This Should Be Kept To The Fore

[Jamastiene]

7. Palin and Beck, et al, have been going on and on about how death threats and assassination attempts

against Democrats are just people exercising their 1st and 2nd amendment rights.

Yet, one day after making a long laborious video about the 1st amendment, Sarah Palin claims she has gotten death threats and she is all upset about it. :wtf: You can't have it both ways. It doesn't work like that.

Choose a logic and stick with it, Palin. You can't wax nostalgic about the 1st amendment when right wingers threaten Democrats, then turn right around and complain if the same things are said to or about you. Pick one, dammit. Are death threats just 1st Amendment rights only when right wingers are doing it against Democrats? By their logic, that seems to be the case.

And we, on the left, are supposed to "tone it down?" Cold day in hell. I can't even pretend not to see the glaring double standard.

Right winger: I'm going to kill you, Democrat.
Democrat: Don't kill me. Stop that!
Right winger: You are violating my 1st Amendment rights. It's time to break out the 2nd Amendment remedy on you. BANG!
Democrat: You just shot me.
Right winger: See? I told you these Democrats just want to take our 1st and 2nd Amendment rights away from us.

It really does not compare. People like Beck and Palin purposely get people all worked up to come kill or attempt to kill Democrats, yet WE are the ones who are supposed to not say anything about it. I got news. The scenario I wrote out above is EXACTLY what is happening right now.

And WE are the ones who are supposed to "tone it down?" I still can't get over calls for us to STFU about this while the right preaches hatred and foments a volatile, murderous movement to wipe us out.

[RedCloud]

8. Beck should serve hard time with the butt slammers and forfeit his crime money.

[lyonn]

10. It was good to see David Brock on MSNBC!

His book is my political bible, joke. It does explain what happened to Clinton and who is who in the repub zoo.

[Kurovski]

12. K&R. (nt)

[wiggs]

13. evening kick. nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. maybe, just maybe, the MSM, or at least tweety

are waking up.

By the way boys (and gals) she just painted a huge target on ya. So take precautions, m'kay

[Poboy]

15. Recommend

[Swamp Rat]

16. k&r

[wiggs]

17. morning kick. nt

[CrispyQ]

18. Too late to rec, but I'll give it a kick. -nt

[wiggs]

19. afternoon already? kick. nt

[EFerrari]

20. David Brock is an excellent speaker.

:kick:

[PufPuf23]

21. Stochastic terrorism is a new term to me that is an apt description.

The media propogandists (Beck, Rush, Hannity, et al) condition minds and push lone wolves and the fringe over the edge into actions, many more into preparation, millions into agreeing in philosophy, and general acceptance of tone and content of discourse into society.