Is Right-Wing Media Responsible for Right-Wing Violence?

[GiannaIsMyGod]

June 12, 2009
Op-Ed Columnist
The Big Hate
By PAUL KRUGMAN

Back in April, there was a huge fuss over an internal report by the Department of Homeland Security warning that current conditions resemble those in the early 1990s — a time marked by an upsurge of right-wing extremism that culminated in the Oklahoma City bombing.

Conservatives were outraged. The chairman of the Republican National Committee denounced the report as an attempt to “segment out conservatives in this country who have a different philosophy or view from this administration” and label them as terrorists.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/12/opinion/12krugman.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

IMO the Right-Wing media is not solely responsible for the violence these people would have had their views no matter what but its definitely adding fuel to the fire. I'd be the first to admit they are also Left-Wing extremist but nothing compares to the Right.

 

[Shvichal2]

It's an op-ed in the NY Times. Of course there going to say everything is the fault of conservatives.

 

[Neutron66]

By "right wing media" you of course mean Fox News.

Since that's basically all the right has.

 

[Neutron66]

It's also rather funny that we're still hearing about the abortion doctor being killed and the old racist shooting the guard at the Holocaust Museum but everyone has already forgotten about the Muslim-American who killed the soldier in Little Rock and the bombers who were targeting synagogues in New York.

 

[GiannaIsMyGod]

By "right wing media" you of course mean Fox News.

Since that's basically all the right has.

No, they also have right-wing radio like Rush, Micheal Savage, sites like the Drudge Report, and newspapers like NY Post.

 

[Ace Boobtoucher]

There is no empirical evidence to suggest a correlation between the two. It's just the same kind of thing the Clintons did back in the nineties with the fairness in media thing. Only it seems a little more insidious.

Jesus, what a timely commentary. Fourteen years after the Oklahoma City bombing and they pull this out of the hat. Does it pass the sniff test?

 

[Neutron66]

No, they also have right-wing radio like Rush, Micheal Savage, sites like the Drudge Report, and newspapers like NY Post.

Ok granted that's a few others. But nobody takes Drudge or the NY Post seriously.

Meanwhile the left has pretty much every other TV channel and every other newspaper in the country.

And I'm not conservative or liberal. I just call 'em like I see 'em.

 

[GiannaIsMyGod]

It's also rather funny that we're still hearing about the abortion doctor being killed and the old racist shooting the guard at the Holocaust Museum but everyone has already forgotten about the Muslim-American who killed the soldier in Little Rock and the bombers who were targeting synagogues in New York.

Like I said they are left-wing extremist but they aren't as many and as organized as the right-wingers. Don't forget the second largest terrorist attack on US soil was by American right-wing extremist Timothy McVeigh. Specially now with a black president I expect more attacks.

 

[Hot Mega]

It's also rather funny that we're still hearing about the abortion doctor being killed and the old racist shooting the guard at the Holocaust Museum but everyone has already forgotten about the Muslim-American who killed the soldier in Little Rock and the bombers who were targeting synagogues in New York.

Likely because there isn't some shrill echo chamber using inflammatory rhetoric everyday that in many cases is repeated by these nutjobs contemporaneously when they carry out their acts of violence.

When O'Reilly (a so-called mainstream guy) is on a so-called mainstream network using the same extremist language these terrorist are using.

When you have people who are considered mainstream GOPers using the language that the Limbaughs, Hannitys, O'Reillys, Coulters, Malkins, Zeiglers, etc use day in and day...they know what they're doing.

They know there are unhinged people out there listening to the buzz words they use...if you have someone like Rush babbling about how Obama is more dangerous to America than AQ.....wtf do you expect some unhinged, deranged asshole to think or do???

When you say stuff like a member of the US military would put a bullet in Reid and Pelosi first if Bin Laden were standing next them..what on earth do expect some of the lunatics to think or do listening to this kind of shit day in and day out.

When you have mainstream republicans running around talking about Obama isn't the POTUS because you don't believe the B/C he made available...what do you expect some unhinged, ginned up, ignorant extremist to think or do??

What I don't get is how sensible republicans in their party (if their are any left) stand for this kind of unbelievable rhetoric...from not the fringes but the heart and soul of their political mouthpieces.

 

[Neutron66]

Likely because there isn't some shrill echo chamber using inflammatory rhetoric everyday that in many cases is repeated by these nutjobs contemporaneously when they carry out their acts of violence.

When O'Reilly (a so-called mainstream guy) is on a so-called mainstream network using the same extremist language these terrorist are using.

When you have people who are considered mainstream GOPers using the language that the Limbaughs, Hannitys, O'Reillys, Coulters, Malkins, Zeiglers, etc use day in and day...they know what they're doing.

They know there are unhinged people out there listening to the buzz words they use...if you have someone like Rush babbling about how Obama is more dangerous to America than AQ.....wtf do you expect some unhinged, deranged asshole to think or do???

When you say stuff like a member of the US military would put a bullet in Reid and Pelosi first if Bin Laden were standing next them..what on earth do expect some of the lunatics to think or do listening to this kind of shit day in and day out.

When you have mainstream republicans running around talking about Obama isn't the POTUS because you don't believe the B/C he made available...what do you expect some unhinged, ginned up, ignorant extremist to think or do??

What I don't get is how sensible republicans in their party (if their are any left) stand for this kind of unbelievable rhetoric...from not the fringes but the heart and soul of their political mouthpieces.

You, my friend...spend way too much time on shit like this.

There's not really any cabal nor any secret language we must fear.

You're just obsessed with your side winning.

 

[Hot Mega]

You, my friend...spend way too much time on shit like this.

There's not really any cabal nor any secret language we must fear.

You're just obsessed with your side winning.

I don't know what you mean by winning but words have consequences...how do you think radical Islamists fly planes into buildings?? They're indoctrinated and whipped up by extremist speech from those they listen to.

 

[Neutron66]

I don't know what you mean by winning but words have consequences...how do you think radical Islamists fly planes into buildings?? They're indoctrinated and whipped up by extremist speech from those they listen to.

Your attempt to link that solely to the "right wing media" is a failure.

What you suggest applies to both ends of the political spectrum.

 

[Hot Mega]

Your attempt to link that solely to the "right wing media" is a failure.

What you suggest applies to both ends of the political spectrum.

Give me examples of mainstream people on the left who consistently use extremist rhetoric which refers to others in manners that provoke unstable nutjobs to violence?

For example, people like Rush, O'Reilly and Hannity (for starters)....even some republican elected officials refer to people like Tiller as baby killers and murderers. That is the exact same language "right to life" people consistently use. In so doing, they believe acts of destruction against property and violence against person is justified.

What is the equivalent example on the left?

 

[Neutron66]

Give me examples of mainstream people on the left who consistently use extremist rhetoric which refers to others in manners that provoke unstable nutjobs to violence?

*yawn*

I already have.

 

[Hot Mega]

*yawn*

I already have.

What was your so-called example?? Your claim that the left has every other channel??

If so, they're not using those channels to personally vilify GOPer with extremist hate speech.

In other words, you can't.

 

[jasonk282]

Give me examples of mainstream people on the left who consistently use extremist rhetoric which refers to others in manners that provoke unstable nutjobs to violence?

For example, people like Rush, O'Reilly and Hannity (for starters)....even some republican elected officials refer to people like Tiller as baby killers and murderers. That is the exact same language "right to life" people consistently use. In so doing, they believe acts of destruction against property and violence against person is justified.

What is the equivalent example on the left?

turn on MSNBC and you will see. Watch Keith Oberman, Rachel Maddow ETC.............

 

[Hot Mega]

turn on MSNBC and you will see. Watch Keith Oberman, Rachel Maddow ETC.............

Hate speech? Give me an example if you can.

 

[Supafly]

Turn on MSNBC for leftist hate-mongering???

Oh boy, that is grabbing for straws - only this one is a straight-sinker.

Your talk just goes to show there are people in the USA who really are whipped up by beyond-conservative media. And already your argumentation is more than a little aggressive. That is not the safe way, mate.

 

[meesterperfect]

NO it isnt

 

[bodie54]

There's no question whatsoever that it's influental.
To what degree is the only thing that's really debatable.