I'm afraid

by: Still Learning

August 27, 2009 9:27 PM

Yesterday, I was excited about a (relatively) coherent debate I had with some Sarah Palin supporters. I thought there might be hope for the two sides to coexist without the threat of violence. Then I read some news today:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32...

You all remember the last president? THAT GUY?? Remember what would have happened if someone joked about assassinating him? Every Mother-effing law enforcement officer would be breaking down their door shooting first and asking questions later. Flash forward to 8/25/09 when a Republican candidate for Governor in the state of Idaho makes a joke about buying "tags" to hunt Obama. WTF? Yes. I said "buying tags to hunt the president". But it's OK because he was joking.

Mr. Rex Rammell: You and your GOP sheep like to throw around the word "treason" whenever the whim strikes. Let me remind you that a call or threat to assassinate the president IS treason! You dumb bastard! You should be dragged through the streets, tarred and feathered! Then thrown out bleeding to be slowly picked over by the animals you were selling "tags" to hunt. You slimy, wormy, worthless sack of putridness. If this lunatic doesn't withdraw his candidacy, it'll be a sad day for America. And a sad future ahead.

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Sad

by: sheeadogFri Aug 28, 2009 at 02:38:13 AM UTC

Not only will Mr. Rammell not apologize, I bet that not a single conservative/Republican voice will repudiate the comment. Sad day indeed.

(0.00 / 0)

"You know what guys (Republicans).... I think you might be confusing tyranny with losing." -- Jon Stewart, The Daily Show (April 7, 2009)

These people are so far from patriotic

by: spiral115Fri Aug 28, 2009 at 04:28:50 AM UTC

and it befuddles me why they are not called on this behavior immediately. There should be secret service investigations. During the Bush years all you had to do was make fun of his pants and you were a criminal. The noise from the Right is unpatriotic, dangerous, and quite insane.

Mental slavery is mental death, and every man who has given up his intellectual freedom is the living coffin of his dead soul. ~Robert Green Ingersoll

I'm sure I could do this all night

by: Still LearningFri Aug 28, 2009 at 07:18:27 AM UTC

I just found another few stories about threats to Obama. Why isn't the "mainstream" media talking about this? Diffusing? anything? Remember that guy who brought the assault rifle to Obama's town hall? His pastor apparently doesn't believe in preaching rational thoughts, either. Here's a clip from his sermon, titled "Why I Hate Barack Obama". Nice, I know.

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpoi...

Like I said, I could probably do this all night, but I don't have the stomach to be online anymore tonight. Feel free to dig up & post any other nauseating tidbits!

I feel like I'm witnessing the systematic destruction of a people's ability to survive. It's horrifying. - Rachel Corrie

Be carefully with the path you are heading down

by: sjwillis39Fri Aug 28, 2009 at 13:35:03 PM UTC

While I am no way in favor of assinating the president I think that people should be able to joke about killing him. Sure the secret service should be investigate all credible threats against the president, and we should ridicule people who say dumb things buy let's not move to censor free speech.

Your thoughts of tarring and feathering him are no betterthan his comments of hunting the president. They are obviously said in jest and not to be taken literaly, we must be willing to put up with unpopular speech.

What the republicans did while in office does not excuse acting the same way, the right to free speech is above partisan politics and should be sacred. It is pretty appaling that something like this drives you to want to punish your opponents.

"I am SJ amd I am AWSOOOOME"

Lamb12

Perhaps a little perspective

by: Still LearningFri Aug 28, 2009 at 21:02:02 PM UTC

How bitterly divided is our nation right now? How much racial tension and blatant racism still exists? How many wing-nuts are being bolstered by talk like this? I'm not advocating censorship, I'm advocating common sense. We have a history of assassinations in this country and plenty of guns. When aspiring leaders and preachers feel that it's OK to make public statements about the death/assassination of the President, we have a serious problem. Do I think either of these guys would try to kill Obama? No. However, people listen to them and respect them. People who might not infer the joke. If either of these men had any common sense, they would diffuse hate speech, not encourage it.

I'm not saying these guys should be tarred and feathered because I disagree with what they said, but rather because they are idiots. I am also making my statement in a forum where no one is going to take it as a message to actually DO that. This site encourages sarcasm and understands that I'm blowing off steam. Everyone here understands that I am just a simple student with no influence whatsoever.

These men, on the other hand, are leaders in their communities. Hell, the preacher even gave that sermon knowing that a member of his congregation was planning to attend the President's meeting carrying an assault rifle.

I certainly understand the fear of censorship. I believe in the right to free speech, and respect that there are disagreements where policy is concerned. However, to state that you wish Obama would die, or make jokes about hunting him - in public, in an already scary and tumultuous time is irresponsible.

[ Parent ]

Emphasis

by: Still LearningFri Aug 28, 2009 at 21:55:13 PM UTC

Everyone here understands that I am just a simple student with no influence whatsoever.

Again, I want to emphasize the words simple student. It is true that I am a freshman in college, with aspirations of med school. Politically speaking, I have always been active in voting and had a grasp of the issues but am just learning about delving deeper into the issues. This is a fact that I'm sure has been painfully obvious to some of the more veteran members of this site. For your patience and guidance, I thank you.

This fact is what I most wanted to convey in my posts and response - the fact that these men are in leadership roles and making these horrifying statements.

I hope I have successfully clarified my position.

LefTake