Someone may be taking potshots at Lou Dobbs. It’s not that I can’t understand the impulse, every time he comes on the tube I want to make like an Iraqi journalist and go all Hush Puppy on his ass. Still, you’ll not hear me defending the shooter.
As I write this, no one has been caught. It’s too early to tell if it was a rabid lefty kicked out of his house or a disgruntled illegal immigrant who picked artichokes for 6 months to save up for bullets. It could’ve been a garden-variety hunter or a righty with a crazy plan to make it look like a lefty did the deed. It could even have been The Big Dick showing off his first-class marksmanship - Lou and old Republican donors look a lot alike. In this day and age, almost anything is plausible.
And that’s the problem.
The blood sport of demonization is a real hit these days. If you disagree with someone you must start with a baseless accusation or bald-faced lie just to let the dogmatics know you’re serious. Then, you whip the crowd into a teabagged frenzy and when it goes over the top, stand back and say, “I didn’t know anyone would be offended by me pointing out Obama’s affinity for fried chicken and watermelon - wink,wink, nudge, nudge, say-no-more.â€
Lou, you’ve made a third career of goading border vigilantes into action and sowing the fear that all Americans will be required to eat tacos and flan if the borders aren’t sealed. You may package yourself with a more genteel veneer than Beck, O’Reilly, or Rush, but you’re hyping issues better discussed with a moderation. And yes, the left does it’s share of demonizing too. Mob-birthing is, unfortunately, a bipartisan activity.
There’s nothing wrong with people speaking their minds, but we’re no longer speaking - we’re screaming fire at the top of our lungs and then exhorting theatre patrons to shoot the firefighters when they show up.
Lou, you were - at the very least - one of the fire-shouting brigade who helped load the gun and point it at something you hate. Unfortunately, it appears the possible domestic terrorist you riled took it upon himself to turn the gun on you.
I have no problem with espousing ideas you think are important, even if I think they’re half-baked. I’d also not let the actions of a crazy put you off speaking about those ideas. I’ll even defend you from the crazy if it comes to that. But, I do urge you to speak a bit more temperately. We need no more vigilantes “guarding†the border.
One nut - left or right winged - with a gun is enough.
Cross posted at The Omnipotent Poobah Speaks!
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Comments: 16
"One nut - left or right winged - with a gun is one too MANY"
This IS hunting season...............could have just been a stray bullet since it hit the ATTIC area of he house....even Shooter Cheney isn't that bad of a shot! LOL
And I have never seen a Tea Party Patriot sign promoting violence. Let's see some proof.
I did a quick search and found quite a few images of not only direct death threats by teabaggers, but also of violent themes (links to a few below). Several teabaggers have been arrested for direct threats and carrying concealed weapons.
To be fair, it's pretty easy to find similar Bush era signs from the left as well and that's my point. I don't imply that every teabagger is a killer waiting to explode, but to deny ANY are is turning a blind eye to the problem.
Both sides are over-hyping everything they do or say and creating a culture where anything goes. The message of a Glenn Beck pouring fake gasoline over a liberal and pretending to light it is pretty clear. So are signs like the ones linked below that say, "We came unarmed this time..."
I suspect any "proof" I, or anyone else offers you isn't going to be good enough, no matter how ironclad and that's part of the problem too.
BTW, there are some news reports surfacing indicating the shot may have been a stray hunter's round rather than intended for Dobbs or his wife. But, notice he didn't wait for an investigation before claiming people were trying to kill him. He immediately said the shots were because of his views. That may well turn out to be, but he shouldn't make bold accusations before he knows if they're true. By doing so, he hyping the incident, which is exactly what I was saying in the post.
The links:
http://the44diaries.wordpress.com/2009/09/12/teabaggers-gone-wild/
http://media.photobucket.com/image/KILL%20OBAMA%20SIGN/isteaman/Death_Sign2.jpg
I used the link to a blog because several photos happened to be in the same place. ALL of the photos originally came fom news sources.
As for the licensing, where is your proof that he hadn't gotten a license and even if he did, what difference does it make. He still made the threat at a tea party that was serious enough for the Secret Serice to detain him.
And as I said, it appears no "proof" will satisfy you. I've seen you say repeatedly that mainstream media can't be believed unless it's Fox. Why do you want proof from a source you think is unreliable? :-)
If Fox news had reported these guys were at the rallies, would it be any less or more true than if MSNBC reported it? What about if you saw it yourself? Have you ever been physically present to witness all the "lies" the "media in bed with Obama" has supposedly told. If not, how would you know they are lies?
You're using a circular argument Marilyn. One that always proves you're right. Are you saying you're infallible?
Lou Dobbs a few years ago decided to drop any semblance of journalistic integrity and pad his pockets a la Beck, Hannity and others that fan the flames (and then throw fuel on the fire that they themselves lit). Playing to mob passions seems to be a big money-maker these days. But being a jerk doesn't make any attack on him valid. Ever. You don't shoot jerks, you stop watching them on TV.
It's time to grow up, people.