How To Protect Yourself From Republican Anger

[azbadpuppy]

Pup, I'm not a violence advocate, wrong read on my words.  Cantor apparently has recieved threats as well.  Can you prove he's lying and the Dims who have supposedly been threatened aren't?  It's political theater.  Also, who has provided proof that it's Tea Party followers or members who have supposedly been making threats?  I think that's more generalization than reality.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2825460/republican_eric_cantor_threatened_office.html

"Republican Eric Cantor Threatened, Office Window Shot Out
Adjust font-size: +  –  Published March 25, 2010 by:
Mark Whittington

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Inconveniently for those people who are trying to construct the narrative of rabid tea party people threatening Democratic Congressmen, Republican House Whip Eric Cantor announced at a press conference that he too is being threatened.

According to Right Scoop:

"Eric Cantor just held a press conference to address the threats and violence that have been made against him. After announcing that someone shot a bullet through his campaign office, he quickly condemned not only those who are committing the acts of violence but also those who would use it for political gains. He specifically called out DNC Chairman Tim Kaine and DCCC Chris Van Holland for fanning the flames of violence."

The takeaway from this incident is that any contentious issue is going to bring out the nuts, who will act out against anyone, no matter of what political persuasion. There is no cabal of fanatical tea party members plotting to kill members of Congress for voting for health care reform. Anyone who says so is, as Rep. Cantor suggests, inciting violence themselves.

Mike Pence, another prominent House Republican, also spoke up to condemn threats of violence, but also cautioned his Democratic colleagues as well as members of the media to stop trying to smear the opposition to health care reform.

Victor Davis Hanson, writing for the National Review, was even more blunt, blaming the lack of decorum in political debate squarely on the Left:

"Like it or not, between 2001 and 2008, the 'progressive' community redefined what is acceptable and not acceptable in political and public discourse about their elected officials. Slurs like 'Nazi' and 'fascist' and 'I hate' were no longer the old street-theater derangement of the 1960s, but were elevated to high-society novels, films, political journalism, and vein-bulging outbursts of our elites. If one were to take the word 'Bush' and replace it with 'Obama' in the work of a Nicholson Baker, or director Gabriel Range, or Garrison Keillor or Jonathan Chait, or in the rhetoric of a Gore or Moore, we would be presently in a national crisis, witnessing summits on the epidemic of 'hate speech.'"

I get your point, but I think you're missing the forest for the trees. He's already been proven a liar in this case, or at the very least, he jumped the gun in accusing the other side of an act of violence. He was not threatened. The police and investigators already proved that.

Cantor has been threatened in the past, and by his own admission, was mainly due to his Jewish faith. There is no evidence that he was threatened in any way as it relates to this current situation.

It is very obvious that this was an attempt to try and even the playing field so to speak.

The recent real acts of violence against Democratic lawmakers speak for themselves. The fact that very few on the right have spoken out and condemned them, and in fact many have come out and suggested they were fabricated, speaks volumes.

[nathanm]

"Republican Eric Cantor Threatened, Office Window Shot Out

Unfortunate nobody bothered to read the police report regarding Cantor's window. Turns out the bullet wasn't actually aimed at his building. Some dimwit fired a gun into the air (you know, nearly straight up) nearby and it happened to fall into Cantor's window. The bullet ended up between the glass and the window blinds.

I don't blame him for reporting it how he did. Prior to the investigation, there would have been no way to know the bullet had a downward trajectory, although perhaps the fact it didn't make it through the window blinds might have been a clue. Either way, given the vandalism and threats against some Democrats lately, it's an easy conclusion to jump to.

[Red Arrow]

Let us know how you feel if you hear a gunshot and your window breaks shortly thereafter.  Investigation results won't take away the initial reaction.

[nathanm]

Let us know how you feel if you hear a gunshot and your window breaks shortly thereafter.  Investigation results won't take away the initial reaction.

Which is why I wrote "I don't blame him for reporting it how he did ... there [was] no way to know the bullet had a downward trajectory." Given the previously ongoing spate of political vandalism, it wasn't exactly a big leap for him to draw the conclusion he did initially.

My concern is that the facts be used in the future, rather than the initial speculation.

The fact of the matter is, that at this point, there is no recent confirmed act of vandalism targeted at Republican offices and there has been a pattern of vandalism targeted at Democrats. I don't blame the Republicans for what the loons do. I do place some blame upon those whose inflammatory rhetoric reinforces the mindset of that lunatic fringe, but obviously the vast majority of the blame should lie squarely on the shoulders of those who are committing political violence. (some might call that terrorism)

More than anything, it concerns me.

A citation supporting my conclusion: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/03/26/bullet-struck-cantors-office-appears-randomly-fired/

[Conan71]

The immediate reaction is that it's a bunch of Republicans or Tea Party members responsible. Have they sent out letters taking responsibility as a group? How do we know these aren't lone anarchists, inds, or dems?

[nathanm]

The immediate reaction is that it's a bunch of Republicans or Tea Party members responsible. Have they sent out letters taking responsibility as a group? How do we know these aren't lone anarchists, inds, or dems?

Last I checked, the main group threatening violence were self-proclaimed tea baggers. In the case of the fellow with the cut propane line, said vandalism occurred shortly after a teabagger posted the guy's address on his website, which is targeted at teabaggers. That's not proof by any means, but I think it rises to the level of reasonable suspicion.

It would be nice to see whoever is doing this stuff arrested. I don't care who they are, political violence is completely unacceptable.

[fotd]

The immediate reaction is that it's a bunch of Republicans or Tea Party members responsible. Have they sent out letters taking responsibility as a group? How do we know these aren't lone anarchists, inds, or dems?

You betcha not...

[fotd]

Bill Maher said last night the Republican party has shrunk and exists only in small regions of our country....so true. This is it's proud crapitol.

[guido911]

Bill Maher said last night the Republican party has shrunk and exists only in small regions of our country....so true. This is it's proud crapitol.

Oh well if BILL MAHER says something then it must be true.  I wonder how far up his own a$$ his head was during the Massachusetts, Virgina, and New Jersey repub pickups in the past several months. Oh I get it now, those small regions in the country he was referring were THOSE areas.

The face of fotd's political lighthouse:



FAIL.  

On the topic of fanning hate, here are some Harry Reid supporters throwing eggs and issuing threats to tea party-related folks:

[fotd]

New Rule: You Can't Use "There Will Be No Cooperation for the Rest of the Year" as a Threat If There Was No Cooperation in the First Half of the Year

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-maher/new-rule-you-cant-use-the_b_515354.html

"Democrats in America were put on earth to do one thing: drag the ignorant hillbilly half of this country into the next century, which in their case is the 19th -- and by passing health care, the Democrats saved their brand. A few months ago, Sarah Palin mockingly asked them, "How's that hopey-changey thing working out for ya?" Great, actually. Thanks for asking. And how's that whole Hooked on Phonics thing working out for you?"