RRC Archives

Posted: **Wed Oct 29, 2008 9:05 am**

in the real fourth reich you'd be the first to go... so says Jello

Posted: **Wed Oct 29, 2008 8:43 pm**

Let's hope members of the right-wing base like larry can get through to R.epublican politicians that playing with skinhead/neo-fascist themes (racism, nationalism, xenophobia, religious-supremacism, anti-labor, anti-homosexual, anti-leftist rhetoric) is just plain wrong. It's always tricky to bring up comparisons to fascism, but, sadly, the M.cCain/P.alin rhetoric has clearly steered into that territory. I should also point out that key tenants of fascism are Goverment/Corporation collaboration, crisis mentality and the revving up and unleashing of mob violence.

Here are a few accounts of violence at their rallies:
http://joekillian.wordpress.com/2008/10 ... e-sixpack/
http://tinyurl.com/65ghmr

The claims that M.cCain and/or P.alin aren't able to hear the hate-cheers that they are working to inspire (and that's why they aren't speaking against it), well that claim has been shattered:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9T0FI2axbU

P.alin: Obama...Barack O.bama has an ideological commitment to higher taxes. The lessons I believe we have taught our kids would start to erode. Those lessons about work ethic, hard work being rewarded and productivity being rewarded...

Female yelling off-camera, in audience:
And he's a ni***r!

Palin: And...and......lessons about, um, the virtues of freedom and independence while being generous and compassionate with others.

Yes, they can hear the shrieks of "terrorist" and "kill him" and they're still going with their speeches.

M.cCain got horribly indignant when civil rights hero John Lewis pointed out that what M.cCain and P.alin were doing in their speeches was similar to what segregationists like George Wallace did. They never call for a specific act of violence, but clearly communicate that O.bama is dangerous, foreign and if he wins, it's invalid. (M.cCain knows perfectly well that no one is showing up to v.ote with a "Mickey Mouse" ID, but he still spews crap about "the greatest threat to democracy." There's no point to this except to make O.bama's e.lection seem invalid.)

Here's some analysis of how their language is working:

http://dashes.com/anil/2008/10/what-sar ... aying.html

Sarah P.alin has been unsurprising in her criticisms of Barack O.bama's credentials and policies, fulfilling the traditional role of the vice presidential candidate being the most aggressive and pointed rhetorical attacker in a campaign. But a closer look at her deliberate use of vernacular and language reveals that she has gone far beyond any other candidate in vice presidential history in the dangerous and irresponsible implications of her attacks. She has phrased her attacks on O.bama in a way that avoids accountability to the press while specifically addressing the subset of her audience who are most likely to advocate extreme actions against O.bama. ... What's striking to me this e.lection season, though, is that Sarah P.alin has chosen to abuse her command of language so obviously without suffering any serious criticism for it thus far.

The crux of the issue is simple:

1. Sarah P.alin has unequivocally associated Barack O.bama with the idea of terrorism and specifically with "terrorists".
2. R.epublican President George B.ush has defined in our National Security Strategy, and the R.epublican Party's platform affirms, that we may identify and strike at terrorists before they have committed any defined acts of aggression against American citizens.
3. George B.ush has made clear, by stating before a joint session of Congress that "Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists."
4. P.alin has used deliberate choice of language to avoid these connections being highlighted by the media, while increasing the likelihood that the target audience for her message will be incited by her statements.

Through these arguments, it becomes clear that Sarah P.alin's assertions are designed not to prove that O.bama is unqualified for the office of the Presidency of the United States. Rather, she appears to be attempting to convince a substantial portion of her supporters that O.bama supports terrorism against the United States and thus should be, at the very least, incarcerated as an enemy combatant (which we are doing to American citizens already) or at worst, assassinated for supporting terror. She has done this knowing full well that she can retain plausible deniability thanks to the ambiguity of her statements as they'll be interpreted by the media, by her detractors, and by her more reasonable supporters.

Larry - I'm glad you hate skinheads too. But there's no way around the fact that a big slice of the R.epublican party gladly benefits from wading into the waters of American racism. I really hope that we can get through the next week without angry right-wing "whites" attacking "black" or Arab people as they did in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks. (or, yes, Indian-as-in-from-India folks - several Sikhs were attacked because, well, most right-wingers are too stupid to know the difference)

Posted: **Wed Oct 29, 2008 11:24 pm**

"P alin has used deliberate choice of language to avoid these connections being highlighted by the media, while increasing the likelihood that the target audience for her message will be incited by her statements."

What complete bullshit. This guy is saying that P alin is so smart she can use language that the brainiacs in the media won't pick up on, but will "incite" the crowd. Some kind of secrete code that a redneck can understand but a reporter won't even notice. Hilarious.

Racism is contemptible, no matter who's promoting it, no matter the color of their skin, or the brand of their p olitics. But your hypersensitivity to the offenses of uncouth jerks on the right, whether these offenses are real or imaginary, is comical. Particularly in light of your complete blindness, to similar offenses from the left. Have you ever peeked in on Daily Kos? Some of the posts there would singe your eyeballs. That is, they would if they were aimed at your favored politician. As it is, they're aimed at right wing pols, so you don't even notice them. Ditto for P alin hanged in effigy.

For the record, I don't think Mc Cain, P alin, O bama, or B iden are trying to promote racism or hatred, not even through some "secret language" that only Anil Dash and the mindless haters can decode. The occasional jerks that spew hatred are responsible for their own behavior, and it's completely unfair of us to try to blame the candidates for the actions of a few misguided souls. None of these candidates bear any resemblance at all to Lestor Maddox or George Wallace. I was there, and I remember what those asses were like. There is no mainstream equivalent today. Not even close.

How's about you don't blame Mc Cain/ P alin for what some right wing loon shouts out at a rally, and I won't blame O Bama/B iden for the hatred spewed by those nutbags on Daily Kos?

By the way, you've read that the Secret Service agents in attendance didn't hear what one reporter said was shouted at that P alin rally, and were unable to find anyone that could corroborate what the reporter said. You know about that, don't you?

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