There's a very "balanced" comment thread in this story at The Christian Science Monitor about conservatives' use of a Psalm in the Bible indicating a shortened term of office for one in power..."may his children be fatherless and his wife be a widow."
Ooh! Stay classy, Religious Right.
In the middle of this thread was made this statement which -- I hate to say this about anything in the Monitor, their journalistic standards are high, etc. -- but it really has the giveaway scent of having been pulled out of the commenter's butt:
13. Bobbi | 11.17.09 It’s interesting that we are concerned that reciting a Bible verse in reference to Obama when, during the G.W. Bush years, people — some in positions of so-called leadership - were calling for his death and writing book on how to assassinate him. Have we deteriorated so far that freedom of speech is only for one party?
My reply, which I posted but which may not be published (paper's choice, and I get that)
Bobbi - please back up this amazing statement with some proof. I am the lefty-est left wing blogger in the history of left wing bloggerdom and I never ever saw a person in a position of leadership with a book on how to assassinate Bush or calling for his death.
Movements such as "turn your back on Bush" during his second inaugural? Yes.
A call to try him as a war criminal? Yes.
A call for his impeachment? Yes.
All of that, guilty as charged. It is amazing to me that right wing commentators not only answer every criticism of Bush with "he's not president anymore" but also make stuff up about how the Left expressed their anger with him. I blogged against that president from Election Day 2004 onward. I called him many names, but never advocated violence against him or anyone in his administration. I do not recall anyone "in a leadership position" doing so. Stop making stuff up when there is plenty of on-the-record evidence in our blog archives from which to draw. Have a ball.
What is happening with Obama is an already long ago disenfranchised lower class white segment of our society is looking at the first non-white president and acting out, with "guns and religion" to quote one of Obama's more unfortunate statements. These low-class whites, who have a LOT to be angry about in this recession, are getting a LOT of help from high powered well-financed astroturf groups to ONCE AGAIN work against their own best financial and other interests and work up a frenzy to oppose health care reform, better rights for unions, and a cleaner environment. The saddest part is, it's easier to do because this president is...Hawaiian.
Yep, Hawaiian is the new black. Or as it is pulled out of certain conservative commenter's butts:
I'm actually kind of afraid Red State or NRO will pick this image up and use it without irony, aren't you?
UPDATE: Great comments in the thread below; anyone wishing to explore the free speech aspect of wishing harm to the president I point to Ben Metcalf's terrific 2006 Harper's article, "On simple human decency".
Thanks for confronting that lie. I wish the media (talk show hosts, radio hosts, reporters) would do that simple thing--ask right-wing liars for some proof. I'm so tired of yelling at my TV and radio about all the lies and straw-men arguments that are allowed to stand unchallenged.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Your delurking post this week worked for me--my second comment in a week!
Kelly - YES!!! I am so tired of the lying. I spent a week with some family and they drink up all those lies and repeat them to me as fact. There's nothing I can do or say to get them to see the truth because in their minds, I'm under the influence of the Evil Liberal Media (TM).
ReplyDeleteDid you see the Daily Show on Monday where they did a whole piece of the horror of Geraldo being the voice of reason? It was right on the money.
All I want is for journalists to start calling people on the outright lies that pour out of their mouths.
Bobbi is just practicing her God given Republican right to rewrite history. They have had a lot of practice at that lately! ;o)
ReplyDeleteI often volunteer at a local high school as a writing coach helping kids with their essay-writing. Depending on the assignment, I try to get them to concentrate on one of two questions: "What do you know and how do you know it?" or "What do you believe and why do you believe it?" If only our political discussions could be laid out so artfully. No name calling, no unsubstantiated claims, no histrionics. Arguments not backed up by evidence or logic would be baked to ashes by common sense and blow away.
ReplyDeleteAwesome response, but it's from you, so it has to be.
ReplyDeleteI am so frustrated that so many people -- SMART people -- who I love and respect have bought all the lies and don't see (or don't want to see) that they are doing the work of those who seek to use them and discard them when their party is back in power again.
I saw that article as well and wondered. This sounds way too close to calling for the assassination of Obama. Calls for killing any U.S. President, by the way, are not covered by the free speech amendment. Nor is yelling fire in a crowded theater. Free speech does not mean one can say everything that pops into one's head, regardless of consequences. This is just covering hate and trying to legitimize it with biblical reference.
ReplyDeleteOr my neighbor telling me that Sarah Palin was on Oprah and she explained EVERYTHING. So there. Yeeeesh.
ReplyDeletei could just scream.
ReplyDeletegreat post..my reaction when the far right started screaming when President Obama bowed to the Japanese leader...at least he didn't hold his hand and french kiss him...sigh*
ReplyDeleteJust the fact that they said "leader" when referring to the Left shows they're lying. I mean, if they knew ANYTHING about the Left, they'd realize that leading us is like herding cats. Leader? Piffle.
ReplyDelete'I blogged against that president from Election Day 2004 onward.'
ReplyDeletePiker.
;)
The fastest way I ever knew to shut down any of the exceedingly rare comment threads that I viewed between 2002-08, jotted by well-meaning but quite immature TV babies on chat boards(or plants posing as such for the purposes of social disruption) was to remind them exactly who would be left in charge should such an unfortunate situation as a presidential assassination occur during the reign of Bush II.
Really quite the confabulation stopper.
;>)
Great points all, BG, but I think it's a little late for this disquisition. If you wonder why the Impalin' troops are out in force now, check Obama's last statement about the next phase (coming quickly) of this now easily seen double-dip recession (leading into a really big Depression).
ReplyDeleteWe are talking (finally) about the lying loud mouths as the economy goes over the edge.
I hope not, but won't the irony be just a little too rich for us smart folks?
Not to put too fine a point on it, but why should they change? Or want to play fair? They've won so far (the PR war, anyway).
And we are still shaking our fists at phantoms.
S
Spitting on returning Vietnam vets was another urban legend created by the right.
ReplyDeleteOG
Your originality and creative bite never cease to impress.
ReplyDeleteIt's for sure that many of your fans will be using your post as the basis for some sharp responses to some of the ignorami who comment on the threads of major newspapers and other websites.
I know that I will!
Thanks once again for being.
What I find interesting is that the rightists all follow the same nonsensical talking points to justify their claims. They are like sheep heading to the slaughter, by their own rightist shepherds.
ReplyDelete