Talk radio and the consequences of hate

[Bliss Sage]

Originally Posted by Andrew Brunelle

And let's not get confused here. This has nothing to do with the supposed hate speech being spouted on Conservative radio. If you don't believe in that ideology, you don't have to listen. For those who do believe and think these people advocate violence, what do you think would happen if they truly did say something like, "We need to kill those Liberal politicians because that is the only way we'll ever have a truly Democratic America."? They would be thrown off the air.

Pffff - nooooooooooo.

Has everyone forgotten the threats (including death threats) and rage that were promoted and incited (and accepted) from the audience against Obama at McCain's and Palin's gatherings in the presidential campaign?

Has anyone tried to kill a Republican yet? ... I wonder why...?

[t4488]

Originally Posted by Bliss Sage

Pffff - nooooooooooo.

Has everyone forgotten the threats (including death threats) and rage that were promoted and incited (and accepted) from the audience against Obama at McCain's and Palin's gatherings in the presidential campaign?

Has anyone tried to kill a Republican yet? ... I wonder why...?

Have you forgotton the rage and threats (including death threats) promoted and incited against Bush for several years. The Republican judge WAS killed. Although I suspect there is higher chance at a Republican event that people would shoot back.

[garentee]

Originally Posted by t4488

Have you forgotton the rage and threats (including death threats) promoted and incited against Bush for several years. The Republican judge WAS killed. Although I suspect there is higher chance at a Republican event that people would shoot back.

thats exactly what I mean about it being on both sides... It has to stop!

[t4488]

Originally Posted by garentee

thats exactly what I mean about it being on both sides... It has to stop!

I'm not sure it HAS to stop. There's always been political rhetoric. Much more heated than now, BTW. It would be a shame for some crazy guy to wreck the freedom of speech part of the constitution for everyone.

[garentee]

Originally Posted by t4488

I'm not sure it HAS to stop. There's always been political rhetoric. Much more heated than now, BTW. It would be a shame for some crazy guy to wreck the freedom of speech part of the constitution for everyone.

I have said this above and I will say it here.. There is no need for any new laws or regulations regarding speech.. rather people need to think about what they are saying AND take responsibility for it.. Language is a funny thing.. you can say the same thing in many ways.. violent rhetoric is a tool for the lazy.

[MariconesUnited]

The "founding fathers" made a grave mistake in enshrining the right to bear arms as a fundamental right. The country was founded through violent means and so in their context it made sense. They didn't imagine rifles or hydrogen bombs or things of that nature back then.

Most advanced countries don't have a "right to bear arms". Canada doesn't have one. And its violent crime rate is much lower than it is in the US. And it's not like we don't get influenced by your culture.

Yes, I think every person needs to take a look within and see if and how he/she is contributing to violent and aggressive behaviour. It's important. However, on a global scale, let's not kid ourselves...There is one side of the political spectrum that hangs tooth and nail on that "fundamental right to bear arms". And as was mentioned by Brutha, it's hypocritical to incite violence against elected officials and then deny any responsibility when someone takes the rhetoric literally. Yes, the left wing has a history of violence as well. But it's not as pronounced as it is on the right.

Now...I still haven't gotten to the heart of the issue: culture. That is where the problem stems from! The USA has a strong history of violence both within and outside its borders. Look at the videogames it produces, the books, the comics, the movies, the music...everything really. Now, I'm not advocating against freedom of speech. That is a fundamental right in any working society, absolutely. I'm saying it's a wonderful thing...Why don't we use it more productively and positively instead? That's my intention right now.

Personally, I think we live in a system that promotes all the ego-driven behaviours. Destructive and even self-destructive behaviour. The things I've done and seen people do for money and the collective illusion of property...Horrible things. People have and will kill for money. Or drugs.

How are we going to effectively help our environment, other species, other human beings, our own health when we fundamentally believe in individualism and choose to ignore the inter-relation of it all? The idea of nation-states is also a product of collective consciousness agreeing on ultimately detrimental concepts. It reinforces these incorrect ideas that "this race" is superior, or that "this nationality" is superior, or "this religion" is superior etc. When we regard others as inherently inferior the most probable result is violence.

At the root of the problem is the self-identification to the ego. That's why it's the most important aspect to investigate, regardless of how much time and effort it takes.

Peace and Love y'all!

[desertrat]

Originally Posted by GhostGoat

Ayn Rand's "We the Living" was also on his list of favorite books, and its very anti-communist. I agree that he was totally insane, and that's what drove him to go on a shooting rampage...not politics.

I guess a good question would be, do you think there should be public assistance for those who need mental help, but can't afford it, or have no insurance? The school that expelled him could have referred him to such a service, if one were to exist, or made it mandatory for him to see a doctor in order to stay in school.

Or do you think that its the mentally ills' own responsibility to seek out help, and the government shouldn't have a role in providing mental help assistance for those in need, since its not mentioned in the Constitiution?

This guy was mentaly ill, and neaded help. Once when I viseted a girl friend when she had checked her self in to a mental hospitial , there was a woman who had wreked her car , given a rental , and wrecked it. They said she was suicideidle and locked her up. She seamed fine to me , but as I told her , when she asked me if I could help , I am not a doctor. desert rat

[Ming on Mongo]

IMHO, I don't think "talk radio", Fox News, or Right Wing bloviators are really even about "Politics" anymore. They're simply a "product", that's "manufactured" for consumption by a particular "market niche". And in case you haven't noticed, it's always the same "formula" of Fear mixed with the Rage du Jour (Nobama, illegals, gays, whatever...). So these days, most of their audience is just tuning in for their daily "rage fix" (aka, serotonin).

BTW, interesting coincidence. Aprox. 20-odd percent of the voters are "hard-core" conservatives (aka, the ideological "base"). Current estimates are that aprox. 1 in every 5 adults has a clinically defined psychological or behavioral disorder.