This weekend's tragedy in Arizona, courtesy, apparently, of a deranged young man named Jared Loughner, has created something of a controversy regarding whether he is a left-wing or a right-wing nut. That hardly matters to me. He is a nut, a dangerous nut, and that is THE issue as far as I'm concerned. From the news reports attempting to piece together something of a profile of Loughner that I have read, the picture that emerges is incoherent. Loughner listed the Communist Manifesto and Mein Kampf among his favorite books. Yes, and John Wilkes Booth (President Lincoln's assassin) was an ardent confederate sympathizer, Leon Czolgosz (President McKinley's assassin) was an anarchist, Lee Oswald (President Kennedy's assassin) was a communist. The shooter of President Garfield, Charles Guiteau, claimed he acted on God's command. Nutjobs tried to take out presidents Ford and Reagan. Nutjobs make death threats against presidents and other public figures all the time. Because they are unhinged.
Jesus said "you have the poor with you always," and I suggest the same is true about the crazy.
Two things are especially troubling to me about life in this modern age. One is the lack of basic civility. The idea that we can no longer disagree without being disagreeable, that we must forever have an "in your face" attitude, that our opponents are really are enemies, is bleeding all the rationality out of intelligent discussion in this country.
The second thing is the level of violence we have come to accept as normal. I've mentioned before that I collect classic television shows on DVD. One thing I miss is the way the lines between good and evil were clearly drawn back in the "old days." Heroes acted like heroes as opposed to today's typical anti-hero. I guess this is a simplistic view of things, but hey, I'm a simple guy.
I deplore our modern gun culture and the entire notion of "Second Amendment solutions." Violent rhetoric, violent sports, violent games, violent entertainment. Where will it end? And I'm not talking about censorship, but good taste. Why have we tolerated this disintegration of our values for so long?
Are we not slowly blurring the line between crazy and enthusiastic? I fear this may be so. A left-wing nut or a right-wing nut is still a nut. A sick society only exacerbates a perennial human problem.
10 comments:
As long as folks make money stoking fear and rage they will continue to do so. When people stop watching and stop listening they'll go away. What really got me was the lack of outrage at the young woman being stomped on and kicked in the head a few months back. Some folks acted as if it were a common occurrence.
I want the MSM to have the courage to tell it like it is. Some folks on right have been encouraging aggression since Obama has been in office. With dog whistle type language. Even carrying guns outside of presidential events. What was the point of that? To create fear, intimidation panic?
Good people from every political background should stand up and come together and put an end to this. Yet it won't end until we face the problem. I hate the both sides argument when it isn't valid or isn't proven.
It reminds me of being in school and a few classmates would cut up and the teacher would punish the whole class instead of going after the troublemakers.
I want to make it clear that the shooter is ultimately responsible for his actions. Just as Palin and any other politician who uses violent imagery when speaking of their opponents are responsible for the messages that they're sending out.
Politician's who encourages aggressive behavior of their constituents; such as barging into their representatives offices or shouting their opponents down at town hall meetings, should be censured and held accountable. Our leaders must not only be allowed to speak freely, but they must also speak responsibly. There are two separate issues here; the shooter made the choice to pull the trigger and Palin made a choice to put crosshairs around her opponents names.
Although that action wasn't illegal, it was in bad taste, irresponsible and very inflammatory. Considering our history when it comes to assassinations and attempted assassinations of our political figures, the MSM should have called Palin out.
Instead of buying her lame explanation for the chart. I'm praying for all the victims and their families. It's unreal that a human being could commit such a senseless act...just unreal...
Rainlillie - So great to have your comments! I've missed having you here lately.
Of course I agree with you on this. If something good does come from this tragedy, maybe it will be the highlighting of the extreme rhetoric that is poisoning our media. At least it is getting some attention now.
I have seen Palin getting some unwanted attention in the MSM for her crosshairs stunt. Sometimes I think these guys take this "Second Amendment solutions" approach because they think it makes them look tough and decisive. I think it makes them look foolish and subhuman.
What troubles me is that Fox News and their style of news commentary even finds an audience with so many people. As I said, I think that very fact is a sign of a sick society. They fill a niche, and unfortunately it is a large niche. That is why I am so big on reason and logic. But sadly, as I've commented here before, the gut usually seems to win out over the head with most folks.
One more thing. As a parent I'm very concerned about the level of violence in our society. There's this cool place on the net called Commonsense media. They rate books, music and video games. As a way to let parents know about the content. I use that and other sources before purchasing things for my daughter or even going to see a movie. I always found it funny how nudity is more acceptable in Europe and violence is more acceptable in America. Compare the murder rate in the two counties and it's pretty shocking. Remember "nipple-gate" you had parents flipping out because of Janet's nipple was exposed, yet those same parents would allow their child to watch someone being hacked up in a movie. I have people like that in my family.
Doug B,
Great post and I agree. I have to wonder sometimes if people don't say the most outrageous things to make money and get ratings. I also wonder if they believe some of the stuff they're saying. I guess it doesn't matter if they believe it, their audience does. Thanks for the therapeutic conversation. I'm off to make banana pancakes. Enjoy your day!
Rain - I would rather see nudity than the over-the-top violence we are regularly treated to in today's television and movies. After all, we're all naked under our clothes. All of us aren't blood thirsty, however. Banana pancakes sounds good. I'm off work because we got a huge (for us) snowstorm of 7 or 8inches. I'll make the most of my day and hope we don't lose power.
Of course I agree with you both. But all the excitement right now about "turning down.." will be forgotten in a few weeks. Suddenyly congress can find money for their own safety, all agree on THAT. But health care for citizens? I find that funny, ha ha funny. Yes, the guy is a crazy, but comparing him to the murderers of former presidents is off--this was fueled by right wing oil. And I agree w/Rain, the violence in schools is out of control. I agree with Doug, the violence in media is out of control. The old westerns, bad guy, good guy, one bullet for the intended. Clean. Now our wild wild west is coming back as more and more citizens are packing (again--I have YET to see one actually stop a killer) but they are packing semi-automatics...collateral damage? So what? I see a big problem with FEAR among our people. FEAR FEAR FEAR---fear breeds violence. And violence rolls bigger and bigger, just like that snowball that you better look out for today, Doug. May all the flakes you meet today be only snow.
Hi Diane! The common link between this nut and the nuts who took pops at other politicians, is being unhinged enough to act upon crazy impulses. It doesn't matter to me what a nutjob's politics or religion is. All the vitriol in the world shouldn't affect a sane and reasonable person. But it is fair to note that this man is very young and young minds do tend to be very impressionable. Maybe that's the gravest danger: young minds areimpressionable. I think our society as a whole is in decline. This guy had far deeper issues than just his politics.
Youth....hmmm, good point, I am thinking of some killer crazies. most quite young...hmmm Yes, he has deeper issues. How do you jump to society as a whole in decline?
Diane - As I wrote: I deplore our modern gun culture and the entire notion of "Second Amendment solutions." Violent rhetoric, violent sports, violent games, violent entertainment. Where will it end? And I'm not talking about censorship, but good taste. Why have we tolerated this disintegration of our values for so long?
What kind of a people accepts these things as mainstream the way we do?
And I object to Palin, Limbaugh, and Fox News as much as you do. But they didn't create the problems. Our sick society created them (the problems and the rabble rousers). And continues to tolerate them.
The voice of reason is the only hope I know of. And it is constantly drowned out by overly emotional morons. We have become a very narcissistic people, and it shows.
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