Why discussion about Coulter, Rush, etc. is good for us

[lwcon]

Whenever someone posts here about topics like Ann Coulter's recent call for skinheads to menace liberals, they're greeted with a lot of "don't give them the time and publicity" flak.

If you're personally uninterested in those stories, fine. Don't read 'em. And if your POV is that "we've got better things to do," please join me over here, and let's get something done: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2635046&mesg_id=2635046

But please don't shout down the people who want to share these quotes and articles.

The fact is that right-wing nut jobs get all the publicity they need. Listen to AM radio. Look at a list of the most popular blogs: http://truthlaidbear.com/ecosystem.php

What they have is an audience. What they don't have enough of is people to shame them and their supporters for their hate-filled talk.

Their favorite pastime is taking quotes from our side and contorting them into fodder that energizes their base. Why should we object when our brethren and sisteren arm us with choice bits of their crazy talk, which helps us make the point about the true meaning of their so-called compassionate conservativism:

* Demonizing liberals
* Mocking and marginalizing women, minorities, gays, atheists, etc.
* Turning America into a theocracy
* Blood lust and genocide fantasies
* Turning government into a trough for the powerful

I think shining a spotlight on their vicious talk helps reins them in, far more than it tells some yokel to get on their lunatic bandwagon.

They've created all sorts of memes like "liberal media" that have made people distrust us, and in recent years we've started to fight back. People have learned that Fox News is in the pocket of the right. People have learned that Rush is a big, fat idiot.

I, for one, am very glad there are people like Al Franken and the folks at Media Matters who help give us talking points we can use to show the reality of what the right wing's spokespeople are saying, so that maybe we can dissuade some people from believing their hate-filled lies.

And thanks to eagle-eyed DUers who do the same.

No, it's not the only thing we should do, nor the most important. But here's one vote to keep it on the menu.

___

Hey, the liberal light is always on at the Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy. Please stop by and say "hi!"

[T Wolf]

1. I agree. Know your enemy.

The same goes for posting info about the pukes. Ignorance of the enemy and their views & tactics only weakens our ability to fight them.

[Breeze54]

2. I agree to a point

I want to know what the idiots are saying, so I have ammunition to combat them.
That's why I signed up for daily updates from Media Matters.

Like the 2nd reply said, "Know thy enemy."

OR

"I keep my friends close. I keep my enemies closer."

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. were you around yesterday

when one brave DUer in Yuma was assalted by freepers and his/her sign torn up. The attack was caught on film by a local media outlet and one of those who assaulted the DUer was arrested.

We need to know what Coulter and O'Liely and the rest are saying so that we can be ready for confrontation. It could even be important-if Mann Coulter is telling her listeners to assault us, and it can be shown that the knuckle dragger in Yuma was following her advice, I think we might be able to get Mann into a bit of trouble.

[lwcon]

4. Wow, I'd missed that story

I don't know if the full video is available anymore, but the footage last month of freeper-types besieging Lampson, the Dem who's going after DeLay's old seat, was similarly outrageous and totally underplayed on the news.

I totally agree -- we not only have to go after the "culture of corruption," we have to get people to repudiate this neanderthal behavior that Ann and co. keep stoking.

Everyone's on board with "Remember 9/11," but who remembers the wingnut-fueled terrorism in Oklahoma City? We can't just take a "wingnuts will be winguts" attitude about it.

___

Hey, the liberal light is always on at the Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy. Please stop by and say "hi!"

[Breeze54]

5. I might have a link to it -

Lampson's from Texas, right? I can't remember offhand.
I do remember some thugs harrassing him at his press conference though,
if you are talking about the same guy.

It was blogged on a beauty parlors blog? :shrug:

[lwcon]

7. That's the guy

From what I saw, only CNN had the full footage of the siege, and it was very disturbing; they don't seem to have it anymore, but I haven't yet scoured the web for it.

No blood, but total mob intimidation against free speech and the political process.

___

Hey, the liberal light is always on at the Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy. Please stop by and say "hi!"

[NoPasaran]

12. Here you go

Juanita's... not exactly a beauty parlor.
http://www.brazosriver.com/april_6_nick_lampson_press_confe.htm

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

6. Please check out this thread

that was started by the fellow who was attacked. Seems the local paper did a good write up on the situation:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1235064

[lwcon]

11. Thanks

I've put a link to his journal on my l'il blog: http://vastleft.blogspot.com/2006/05/which-amendment-grants-right-to-tear.html

[SeaBob]

8. rightwingnuts

I always believed the constitution and numerous supreme court decisions interperted freedom of Speech to mean that people with who you have the utmost disgust have a right to speak their opinion as long as it does not violate another persons rights. The more these peoples positions are brought out into the light of society the more people will recognize what a load of crap they are peddling

[Sapere aude]

9. Personally I can't stand to listen to them for more than a few minutes.

They can teach me nothing. It is so obvious that what they say is not an opinion but propaganda to get a response. I don't think for one minute they believe in what they say. It is their profession. They make money spreading propaganda for two reasons I think. One is to help the right wing remain in power and the second is to make money for their sponsors.

They are not political leaders. They are to the right wing what Joseph Goebbels was to the Nazi party.

[lwcon]

10. Actually, I feel the same way

I wonder how many people said there were more important things to do than criticize Nazi propaganda, so they remained silent?

So, that's why I'm glad that other people keep collecting quotes that crystallize what the Goebbelses are saying, so we can help bring their well-deserved shame upon them. Not that they have a sense of shame, but perhaps for some people who accept them as legitimate.

I have a hard time believing anyone who hears Franken throw Rush quotes at his (Al's) dittohead friend is moved in any direction but toward the left.

___

Hey, the liberal light is always on at the Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy. Please stop by and say "hi!"

[laugle]

15. There's an old say "keep you friends close and your enemies closer"

It's good to know what their up to. It's also important to rebut the lies and distortions they tell. That's why Franken and Olberman are so interesting.

As far as learning something from them, the only thing you can learn is just how far they are willing to go to keep these criminals in power! It's good to stay 1 jump ahead of them!

22% of people in the US get their news from talk-radio; I'm willing to bet they are the ones that support Bushco!

[libodem]

13. i think it's important to occasionally give a listen to the poison

as I believe it is a microcosm of what the Administration is thinking. And i believe it's directed from the top down ie Rove and Snow pass on the points they want hashed out. Plus my two AM stations only play right-wing crap. If I take a spin around the dial often they are all on the same talking-points for the day. One station carries Rashy Limpboy, Glenn Beck and used to be Tony Snow followed...but now it's someone more bigoted. The other station has O'liely, Hannidy, and Savage. They run Faux news and some another more mainstream source. I now listen to Air America via the computer. thank God for them. But it's good to know what the other side is thinking and saying.

[laugle]

14. I agree with you post! Considering the fact that 22% of people get their

news from talk radio.....it is indeed important to rebut these slimeballs.

I am so thankful for Air America and KGO radio--Al, Randy, Malloy, Ray, Bernie, etc.

Olberman also rebut's these lies and distortions!

[treestar]

16. She must perceive victory so she's moving a notch to the right

this is what 30 years of being politely respectful of their "views" has got us.

It's time to treat them with the contempt they dserve.