…in Madison. Glenn Reynolds has a pithy explanation:
Because to them, politics is sports and religion rolled into one.
I think that’s true as far as it goes, but it’s also an extremely intolerant religion, and the sports fans are like British football thugs.
[Late evening update]
“Why do “liberals” applaud awful behavior?”
Once you understand that they’re not really liberals, it becomes a little more clear.
Bob, watch the video yourself. A man steps on her shoulder to help hold her down, his foot slips off a second and a half later, and the foot stops when it hits her head. Does that really look like an intentional “stomp” to you?
Is it even surprising, once you put the context back? Pick your favoritest politician, go to a rally for them in a crude disguise, make a sudden break for their vehicle, and try to throw something inside. Being forcibly restrained by whatever amateur happened to be closest is probably the *least* awful likely way for this scenario to end. The answer to “why did the liberal at the tea party rally get stomped on, unlike the thousands of other liberals attending and/or protesting tea party rallies?” (to add some more missing context) should be clear now, right?
“I think a good gift for the President would be a chocolate revolver. And since he’s so busy, you’d probably have to run up to him real quick and hand it to him.” That’s a Saturday Night Live gag, not an actual good idea.
Paul, I have family in Madison. I’ve heard about this for years. That no one seems to be able to get through to them and point out how their activities are anathema to free speech tells me I should feel more sorry for friends and family for reasons outside of Wisconsin winters. It’s sad no one even tries anymore.
Paul writes, “they do that around here,” and sees no point in labeling these activists as thugs. It’s almost as if the people of Madison view the boorishness as some sort of quaint local tradition. Like the Gabrielle Giffords gathering, maybe these events should be held in venues less open to disruption by the freaks.
The 2012 campaign will be the ugliest election campaign ever.
The pot is being brought to a boil. The campaigns that follow will make 2012 seem tame.
Bob is demonstrating the lefts myopia regarding magnitude. If he could find a counter example (funny that he hasn’t) one example would be equivalent to thousands of easily found others.
Adult behavior is different from juvenile behavior. Which type is being demonstrated by those trying to silence Palin?
Read what I wrote above and then answer this question: who wrote up the Protest Warriors’ signs?
Sorry, should have read: Who ripped up the Protest Warriors’ signs?
As for magnitude, who was making those town hall meetings so raucous last year?
Who ripped up the Protest Warriors’ signs?
Presumably pro-Bush counter-protesters who “failed to notice the sarcasm”. Though there is no AP link.
When HAVE conservatives done this? Do they show up en masse at public rallies to keep Bernie Sanders or Michael Moore from speaking?
No they don’t. If they did we can all rest assured it would be reported. Why is that bob? Your previous response was to point to a poorly behaving liberal counter-protester getting stepped on. Are you saying the answer to the above is because they fear they’ll be stepped on? I can understand your frustration: “How the hell am I supposed to respond to this criticism of bad behavior; the other side doesn’t even show up!!” Why do they not show up?
As a side point, I’m saying non-left-wingers showed up at town hall meetings in 2009 and chanted so loudly so that elected representatives couldn’t make themselves heard. And there was occasional violence at those town hall meetins as well.
But my main point is that you can’t judge mainstream Democrats by the actions of some idiots in Madison.
If I’m frustrated, it is only with the rudeness and lack of faith in my good intentions you can read by scrolling upward.
Who was making those town hall meetings so raucous last year?
Sheila Jackson Lee for one. There’s hardly anything more rude than an elected representative answering a cellphone call why her constituent is asking her a question during a town hall. I guess Sheila Jackson Lee was yelling over the constituent, but sticking a phone in your ear and going “blah, blah, blah” seems just as affective as shouting down the citizen.
Oh yeah, that’s the same town hall meeting in which Sheila introduce a person as a “Doctor” to talk about how physicians supported Obamacare. Except the “Doctor” was a known Obama delegate, and not a doctor. Here’s the coverage from the Houston Chronicle. I found this part interesting:
A single protester at Jackson Lee’s event at St. Joseph’s, Bryan Klein, appeared at the conference room door, distributing leaflets.
He was escorted from the hospital by guards but continued to hand out leaflets outside the front door.
Hospital spokeswoman Fritz Guthrie said Klein was removed because the session was closed to the public.
Ok, a guy handing out leaflets probably fits Bob’s definition of a raucous protestor shouting down the representative. But then there is the “town hall” session being closed to the public. Ah yes; good times, good times.
So certain are you. Before I’d go that far, I’d have to know who’s in the set of “mainstream Democrats”, compare them against the premises on display of “some idiots in Madison” and consider hypothetical exigencies upon the former. Indeed, your reference to “raucous” senior citizens worried about losing their slice of the collectivist pie underscores this point.
The only difference I see in ‘liberals’ and ‘union thugs’ is their tactics.
The ‘liberals’ are the upper crust, educated, college prof, America haters who want to teach our youth that America is an evil empire, ruled by white guys and racists. They want the same things the ‘union thugs’ want, but are willing to wait for it. They’ll work from behind the scenes.
The ‘union thugs’ may be educated, I don’t know, you sure as hell can’t tell from their tactics. But they ACT more like Hells Angels on a beer and speed binge. They’ll burn, rape and pillage (destroy stuff and crap in the hallways of the Legislature) to get what they want. They are evidently willing to sacrifice their younger members jobs completely, rather than agree for everyone to take a small hit. Come to think of it, that’s precisely what the professors did last year when they were told the universities were going to have to do with less money.
In the end they are all more worried about ME. ME.ME.ME.ME than their city, state or country. And ME.ME.ME is a LIBERAL CONCEPT, not a conservative concept.
Of course someone will say that the right-wing, Ayn Rand loving right is that way, all about the individual ONLY. But I don’t think so. If there is a true need, conservatives will usually give you the shirt off their back.
Contrary wise, liberals will give you the shirt off the back of someone else, especially someone with money! They won’t give you the shirt off their back, because it’s MINE, MINE, MINE, it belongs to ME, ME, ME, I deserve it!!!!
If I’m frustrated, it is only with the rudeness and lack of faith in my good intentions
A bit more clarity there. It’s our lack of empathy, right? We shouldn’t be so focused on what you SAY, but should look past that and consider what you FEEL. And you’ll keep trying! Because by golly YOU have that empathy, and so you’ll keep coming back to try to instill that in us.
Thanks. I guess.
“I’m saying non-left-wingers showed up at town hall meetings in 2009 and chanted so loudly so that elected representatives couldn’t make themselves heard.
Wait, I thought we were talking about the silliness of the COUNTER-protesters? All the violence at the Tea Party rallies and townhalls was incited by union thug counter-protesters. But really, are protesters not allowed to shout now either? Particularly at politicians who steadfastly refuse to listen to the will of the majority of people. Notice that many of the politicians that were yelled at the loudest don’t really seem to be hanging out around the beltway anymore. Funny how in that case it was the strong majority that had the temerity to warn the politicians before hand that they better change their ways or they will get voted out. And guess what? When they failed to listen they got their asses voted out. Here in Wisconsin we have these union protesters who were clearly in the minority that, despite all their huffing and puffing, still couldn’t get a refendum vote to go their way. For most sane people this would be a sign to just put up and shut up. But nope, all they got is this counter-protester gig now for the last of the hardliners to sputter along with till even they tire out.
And what’s wrong with shouting anyways? It was not that long ago that no one considered it a real protest till someone had been properly tarred and feathered. I’d say in general we’ve toned things down quite a lot. There is plenty of evidence out there though that shows that the union side has gone quite a bit beyond simple shouting in several cases. For starters, the vuvuzelas they are using verge on being a weapon of mental anguish and emotional torture.
Bob, No True Scotsman is a fallacy.
Look it up.
correction: I guess Sheila Jackson Lee was not yelling … and she also wasn’t stopping her speech to ask for a orange juice or asking rhetorically, “must I die”. Anyway, she wasn’t yelling, just ignoring.
John, yes, I agree, “no true scotsman” is quite relevant regarding claims made about people with left-wing beliefs. I started posting to this blog a number of years ago to be a counter-example. I have failed to make any impact, and “no true scotsman” explains why, at least in part. I don’t want to slam the door and say “I’m leaving forever”, since chatting with Carl Pham is enjoyable, but I think I’m done here.
> The 2012 campaign will be the ugliest election campaign ever.
It will not beat 1860. Not even close.
Yours,
Tom
Karl, I’m not comparing Palin to a Nazi. I’m trying to imagine the mindset of the Madison protesters. I thought I made it pretty clear that I don’t think she is evil in any way, let alone like a Nazi.
I’m still not sure why you brought it up. Having such a mental handicap as the protesters described above have doesn’t mean that your political views should prevail (more the contrary, to be honest). Nor does it mean that you should get respect. I see it instead as a sign that the beliefs of the protesters in question is probably bankrupt.
Bob: I have failed to make any impact, and “no true scotsman” explains why, at least in part. I don’t want to slam the door and say “I’m leaving forever”
Sheila Jackson Lee: Must I die
Wonkette has posted an article attacking Trig Palin. Phrases and “jokes” about incest and ‘babyf$%king’ are used.
And Demolibs fall all over themselves to defend the profane and unhuman assault on a three-year-old child… because “Sarah Palin deserves it”. The comments section at Mediate and at Wonkette is full of justification and approval.
These are the people who want to control this country.
No further comment is necessary.
Bob-1 Says:
“As a side point, I’m saying non-left-wingers showed up at town hall meetings in 2009 and chanted so loudly so that elected representatives couldn’t make themselves heard.”
That is a good point. The anti-Obamacare protest were loud. In some cases the representatives couldn’t handle it. Most of the media took a dim view of the protesters while they are very supportive of the union protesters today.
People are upset because of the double standard and because it isn’t just loud noises. There are significant differences in what people are shouting.
“And there was occasional violence at those town hall meetings as well.”
Yes, there was violence by Obama supporters. The tipping point for when things turned violent was after Obama gave a speech telling the unions they had to get out there and fight for Obamacare. Suddenly there wasn’t just a bunch of tea partiers but a counter group sponsored by the Democrats and unions.