MSNBC continues 'both sides are responsible' lies.

[Metta]

This morning on Chris Jansens's show, Lee Cowan not only repeated what they themselves have already discredited about "both sides" using inflammatory rhetoric, he showed a Republican congressman saying the same thing, both without any facts backing up this lie about the left. I've already sent them my concerns about this lie.

In addition, CJ did nothing to correct him.

[OHdem10]

1. MSNBC is then giving permission to GOP and Tea Party to

continue in their ways.

[Vinca]

2. I don't get it. I really don't get it. Why are they insinuating the left

is as bad as these pistol packing, hate mongering righties? We might call a bad name every so often - like Grayson's "Taliban Dan" or whatever it was - but Mr. Grayson did not say "Let's target Taliban Dan. Taliban Dan is a dead man" or anything remotely violent. When was the last time you saw a leftie show up armed at a political rally? In my own state, the first order of business in the newly-minted Republican legislature is to allow handguns to be brought into the Capitol buildings. The Democrats are opposed. You've got a bunch of gun-loving psychopaths on one side and a bunch of sign carrying, ditty singing folks on the other side whose biggest complaint is the absence of spine of members of their own party. MSM is seriously pissing me off.

[Imajika]

3. NEITHER side is likely responsible...

...for Loughner - at least insofar as the "tone of our rhetoric" goes. This kids appears to have been a loon and very likely killed for his own psycho reasons completely unrelated to right or left wing politics, Palin, the tea party, etc, etc.

Is the right vastly more extreme and obnoxious than the left? Yes. There is no comparison. Is it relevant to this situation? Not at all.

This whole blame game has been ridiculous and pathetic from moment one. There is NO evidence whatsoever that the "tone of the debate" had anything at all to do with setting off this kid. There is no more evidence that justifies we should "watch what we say" or "dial back our rhetoric" than there is that we should censor violent video games or ask Hollywood to reduce violence in movies, etc, etc. All of it is stupid, and I will not be watching what I say. We have laws on the books, if the tea party or anyone else actually encouraged this guy to violence we will find out about it. As of now, there is literally no evidence Loughner even has a coherent political agenda and it certainly doesn't appear he is getting his marching orders from anyone on the left or right. This is NO reason we should be self censoring ourselves - nor seriously asking anyone else to. The very idea is ridiculous.

On the other hand, a very real debate should be had about taking care of those whom are mentally ill, finding those who need help and getting it to them, adequately funding mental health programs, etc. THIS is the kind of debate we need more of, and this is the kind of debate that can produce some genuine good from this horrible assassination attempt. Trying to attach Loughner to the right is likely to prove a completely wasted effort. Calling on people to "tone down the rhetoric" when there is no reason to believe political speech had anything to do with this in the first place is not only silly, but likely to backfire. Pushing to get those with mental diseases some can only have a positive effect.

[Historic NY]

4. Really some people are more susceptible to rhetoric & propaganda...

inciting is not political speech, using code words is not political speech, were assailed ever day with talk that just gins up these people. Do any of the opinionated news entertainers make any effort to moderate their tones? Do they make any disclaimers? Were stuck with a 27/7 barrage of commentary designed to target civil discourse.....this is what sells & passes debate. When a politician, any politician can go out and say anything they want that inflammatory or untrue and get a pass on it from the MSM its not free speech.