On Sat, Jan 15, 2011 at 12:40 AM, Judah McAuley <[email protected]> wrote: > > I've totally avoided this topic up til now, with good reason, but now > I have to ask you: > > Do you really think that rhetoric has nothing to do with these sorts > of crimes? Really?
That was not the point of most of my arguments. My arguments stemmed around the fact that the 'rhetoric' was being blamed for the shooting before the victims were even at the hospital. That is jumping the gun. We knew nothing about this guy and the MSM was already ban ing on the drum that it was Palin and her 'rhetoric'. As it seems, in this case, the rhetoric had nothing to do with it. I think its possible that these sorts fo crimes can happen with out any influence from the rhetoric. I mean, its not like this is the first time a politician was targeted for assassination, is it? This 'rhetoric' did not exist when Reagan was shot, so how would you explain that? How would you explain the assassinations of John and Bobby Kennedy? Now much 'rhetoric' back then either. Politicians have been the targets of violence almost as long as there have been politicians, longer than Sarah Palin and the Tea Party have existed. I had not heard any of her drivel (the 'don't retreat, reload' shit, and the stupid map) until _after_ the shooting. SO if I had not heard any of it, its possible that this guy, and others, had not heard it. Its really hard for something you have not seen/heard to influence you in any way. > > I've got an uncle, Russ, who is schizophrenic. Classic presentation. > He's mellowed out some now that he's hit his 50s, which is a good > thing, but he's still mentally ill. Totally awesome guy, really smart. > Love him to death. But he's mentally ill. > > Russ is really a sweet guy and good to be around but I was told, as a > kid, that while that is true, I needed to pay attention if he started > talking about "blackie". Blackie tells him to do things and they often > times aren't the nicest things. It isn't a good time for kids to be > hanging around. Does anyone specifically speak to Blackie and tell > Blackie to tell my uncle specific things? No, not that I'm aware of. > But does Blackie pick up on things in the media and help funnel them > to my uncle? Yes, without a doubt. > > So did Sarah Palin (or anyone else) directly cause this guy to shoot > the lady? It seems highly unlikely. Does the rhetoric that she and > others spout out have an effect? Yes, it certainly does. Words are > important. We can't be responsible for all the effects our carelessly > chosen phrases have on all the worlds peoples, but when you are a > widely broadcast and quoted public figure, the words, phrases and > themes you return to can and do have an impact and to deny that is > both stupid and cowardly. I am not denying that. But to date, there has been no connection between what she said and what he did. I am not saying she was right in saying what she did, nor am I condoning what she said, but in this case, the case that brought all this to a boil, it seems, as of yet, there is no connection...at all. Does that mean I don't think the rhetoric needs to be toned down? No. All it mean is that in this particular case, I do not think it had anything to do with it. Something a lot of people can;t seem to grok. -- Scott Stroz --------------- You can make things happen, you can watch things happen or you can wonder what the f*&k happened. - Cpt. Phil Harris http://xkcd.com/386/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Order the Adobe Coldfusion Anthology now! http://www.amazon.com/Adobe-Coldfusion-Anthology/dp/1430272155/?tag=houseoffusion Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/message.cfm/messageid:333514 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/unsubscribe.cfm
