BIRTHERS ... OR BOOTHERS?

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1. What they're really "pushing for" ...

August 09, 2009

Are the Republicans inciting actual violence against Obama?

by John Aravosis

They did it before, during the campaign. It got so bad that the Secret Service had to start investigating Sarah Palin rallies. Now the Republicans are doing it again. The Republicans are stirring up what remains of their base - the craziest, angriest, most extremist elements of the far right - and they're trying to convince them that the big bad black man is trying to turn their country into Nazi Germany. Those aren't just fighting words, as this guest points out on Rachel Maddow's show, they're words that can incite extremists to violence.

And if the Democrats had any experience in actually fighting back - had any desire to do so - they'd perhaps pick up on this theme and run with it. The media would probably be quite interested in the question of whether the Republicans are inciting violence against their political opponents, including President Obama. And it would be a great way to move the coverage from "anger explodes over Dem health care plan" to "have the Republicans gone too far?"

Or how about just running TV ads showing Obama and Hitler and asking: "Is this the kind of talk you voted for?"

http://www.americablog.com/2009/08/are-republicans-inciting-actual.html



August 3, 2009

Barack Obama faces 30 death threats a day, stretching US Secret Service

by Toby Harnden

US President Barack Obama is the target of more than 30 potential death threats a day and is being protected by an increasingly over-stretched and under-resourced Secret Service, according to a new book.

Since Mr Obama took office, the rate of threats against the president has increased 400 per cent from the 3,000 a year or so under President George W. Bush, according to Ronald Kessler, author of In the President's Secret Service.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/5967942/Barack-Obama-faces-30-death-threats-a-day-stretching-US-Secret-Service.html

[RagAss]

2. How many arrests have been made?

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3. the article doesn't say

nt

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4. Rent-A-Mobs aren't just poisoning public discourse

Industry funded right wing rent-a-mobs aren't just poisoning public discourse

August 7, 2009

The "rented mobs" are comprised of the people who have been instructed to show up and cause trouble, led and/or encouraged by by lobbyists. Not participate, not listen, not share opinions, but create havoc.

The rent-a-mobs ... are employing hate speech, death threats, and violence. They have come to town halls with the goal of causing trouble. It's thuggery, pure and simple, designed to prevent the free and open exchange of ideas. And it's being furthered by hate talkers, particularly Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck. Fox is promoting the dates and times of Democratic town halls.

In short, the right wing crazies are not just trying to poison the discourse, they're trying to incite violence with their hate speech. They are breeding eliminationism.

http://www.nwprogressive.org/weblog/2009/08/industry-funded-right-wing-rent-mobs.html

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5. Wanted (dumb or alive?)

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6. The Last Gasp of the Angry White Man

The Last Gasp of the Angry White Man

by Cenk Uygur
Mon Aug 10, 2009

What we're seeing in these angry town halls these days is the last gasp of the angry white man. He's not quite sure what he's angry about, but he knows he's angry. It's not the world he used to know. He gets the disquieting feeling that he doesn't rule the roost anymore. And it's driving him crazy.

One of the chants at the town hall events was, "No national health care!" Okay, mission accomplished. No one has proposed such a thing. So, I guess they can go home now, befuddled at what they were yelling about.

The reality is that what they have been manipulated into arguing against is a public option that would give them more choices, not less in health insurance. It wouldn't nationalize health insurance at all, let alone any part of the rest of the health care industry.

But this isn't about health insurance. It isn't even about health care. You think those people are really this animated about having less health care options and making sure it costs more for them and their family? No, this is visceral for them. And it has nothing to do with their perceived choices on health care. This is about the sinking feeling in their stomach that they are losing power in this country -- losing control. That the reigns of power are slipping out of their hands and they don't know what to do about it, except yell, really loud.

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The woman who now famously stood up in a Delaware town hall and demanded that her congressman recognize the illegitimacy of Barack Obama's birth certificate, said something telling in her rant. She said, "I want my country back!"

Indeed. Where did it go? Of course, the country is still right here. It's the "my" part that's missing. She doesn't want this country back. She wants her country back.

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It's beginning to smell a lot like banana republic around here. And there is no answer. If you try to suggest that they bring it down a notch, they scream censorship and warn their audience that their rights are about to be taken away from them. And so is their country. If you say it might not be such a good idea to have all of these weapons in the hands of all these angry men, they scream about the Second Amendment and tell their audience to hold on to their guns even tighter. And many have held on so tight that some of them even pulled the trigger.

How many more will? When does this stoking of anger and fear stop? And who would stop it? I really don't know. Here's one more thing I don't know. What happens if it doesn't?

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/8/10/764553/-The-Last-Gasp-of-the-Angry-White-Man