The Legacy of Right-Wing Hate

I was working on a post this week about some of the more extreme comments I have received on this blog. It seems that real-life events in the last week or so have interceded to make some of those hateful messages more pertinent. Yesterday, a security guard at the Holocaust Museum was murdered by a loopy-right nutbag. Last week, Dr. Tiller was murdered in Kansas by a similarly inflamed "patriot". It appears that the years of hateful screeching by the vast network of right-wing message disseminators is again – as it did in Oklahoma City 14 years ago – leading to real results, real violence, real death.

The right-wing has pumped it up now quite a bit since the rejection of their agenda by the electorate in the last two election cycles and the remarkable success and popularity of President Obama. Their casual denial of the humanity of everyone from the president to anyone with the temerity to disagree with them has led the weakest of their listeners, readers and followers to strike out in uncasual ways. These most recent sad people who have inflicted death on the innocent while imagining them guilty now have begun their long stints in jail and prison cells with the false sleep of the just. They are still waiting for congratulatory messages from the radio clowns who spurred them to action and wondering where, exactly, they might have gone wrong.

I have seen a bit of this insanity here, on this blog. A while back, I had to start moderating the comments because some commenters – including one in particular – were abusing the privilege of instant, unscreened posting of their comments. They have called me and others ridiculous names, called for the assassination of President Obama, used the N-word in reference to the president and committed various other sins of impoliteness and slander.

I received a couple more such comments in the last couple of days – one, in fact, in response to my post yesterday announcing that I was going to President Obama’s town hall in Green Bay today – so I thought I would share what I’ve been dealing with once in a while as I have tried to engage on the important issues of the day. Whoever is doing this (all the offensive comments are under the cowardly "Anonymous" label; most, it appears, from one guy), I’m was not going to say – as the wing-nuts always do in highlighting any idiotic lefty posts on the Daily Kos, etc. – that this nonsense is representative of any right-wing "thought", such as it is. But that was before the murders of Dr. Tiller and security guard Johns. Now, it appears, while perhaps not representative, these comments are certainly a result of the poison atmosphere created on the radio and elsewhere.

NOTE: LANGUAGE AND OFFENSE ALERT

The ugly comments here are left by someone who (mostly) hides behind the Anonymous shield, the last refuge of the internet coward. In his twisted heart, he knows he’s right; but he also is afraid his family, friends and co-workers might see his twisted posts and would rightly think he’s nuts. From homophobic to racist to murderous, the comments I have filtered out run the gamut of 5th grade-level invective.

For instance, here is one I got just last night:

Mike go fuck your self and die, take the commie nigger "Obamination"with you.

Two days ago:

Mike dying of AIDS yet? or maybe your boyfriend? [Note: I’m not gay.]

Please SOMEBODY take Doyle and the Obomination out. A Clear MAJORITY of this country will cheer when that happens.

And more from the recent past:

His first 65 days have been a complete disaster, much less the next four years, someone please shoot the nigger and his wife in the head!!! PLEASE ANYONE?

Why is it Obama's the most heavily guarded US President ever? LMAO, his mellon will be split open with a assassins bullet sooner rather than later is my bet.

Folks we are living that disaster now with the communist, socialist un-american BAAAARAAACK Obama, names sounds like a person throwing up after a bout with food poisoning. Where is that crazy lone gunmen when we need one, that is hope and change I look forward to, it will happen Mikey.

LMAO OBama is destroying the economy, stocks are tanking with a no confidence vote towards the nigger. In 2 years Republicans will overwelmingly [sic] regain control of Congress putting a stop to the communist nigger. Reverse his damage that he is doing to America and if he isn't assasinated [sic], he will either be impeached or voted out in a landslide.

LMAO Republicans will win 10-15 senate seats in 2010 just based on the niggers current fuckups.

And, locally:

You forgot to mention that Butler got trounced the first time he ran for the Court before receiving his affirmative action appointment by Doyle. Now that Butler is likely to get a lifetime appointment to the federal bench (yet another position he couldn't earn on his own), perhaps it's time you and the other hug-a-thug apologists stop whining about the voters' wise and informed decision to throw Butler out on his butt for the second time.

Note the reference to Louis Butler as an "affirmative action appointment" and a "thug", for no reason other than the color of his skin.

Well, you get the idea. And this is only from this year. Note the constant racism. Observe the homophobic references. Read the violent fantasies of assassination and "melon-splitting".

UPDATE:

An alleged implication has been withdrawn and an apology has been accepted.

It is past time we stop being intimidated by the bullies who would shut us down because their positions can’t withstand scrutiny in the marketplace of ideas. The wing-nuts don’t encourage wacko would-be vigilante violence as much as give it permission. With the apocalyptic tone used by so many of the radio squawkers and bloggers – Obama is radical, socialist, unAmerican, etc. – what else is a "great American" to do but take matters into his own hands?