The Wrath of Fools: An Open Letter to the Far Right

[agentsculder]

To:       Palin-lovers, Fox "News" the "mainstream" media, and the Far Right, et al.

From: William Rivers Pitt

Date:   Monday 10 January 2011

Re:       The blood on your hands

Dear “Patriots,”

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords isn't much older than I am. She served in the Arizona State House of Representatives, and the Arizona State Senate, before being

Comments

[ttentten]

"Chelsea is a Clinton. She bears the taint; and though not prosecutable in law, in custom and nature the taint cannot be ignored. All the great despotisms of the past - I'm not arguing for despotism as a principle, but they sure knew how to deal with potential trouble - recognized that the families of objectionable citizens were a continuing threat. In Stalin's penal code it was a crime to be the wife or child of an 'enemy of the people.' The Nazis used the same principle, which they called Sippenhaft, 'clan liability.' In Imperial China, enemies of the state were punished 'to the ninth degree': that is, everyone in the offender's own generation would be killed and everyone related via four generations up, to the great-great-grandparents, and four generations down, to the great-great-grandchildren, would also be killed."

- John Derbyshire, National Review, 02-15-01

I'm sorry, is this person implying we follow examples set by the nazis and stalin? Pardon?

[whatisurdamage]

It reminds me of when a friend from high school (no longer a friend, mind you) posted on facebook about immigration (around the time the AZ law was passed) saying how other countries murder and incarcerate illegal immigrants to their countries. I sat slack-jawed not really sure what he was saying or if I should respond. Do they think we should behave like that too? Are they saying our laws aren't tough enough because these countries they call our enemies do worse things? I do not understand the logic at all. If you can call it logic.

[tmlforsyth]

Derbyshire is an odd one. He's on the blog Secular Right, which would imply he's more independent-minded, though he was a whipping boy of Andrew Sullivan back in the days Andrew's conservative credentials were unquestioned

[perfectisafault]

kind of reminds me when Newt Gingrich said that the US's economy should be more like China's. And China is LOLcommunist.

[cailte]

Wow. Angry man speaks words of truth, summing up everything. Also, some of the Facebook comments to that letter are downright ridiculous.

[thefathomist]

You know, all I can think of when I read stuff like this is how it detracts from the real human tragedy. People died. They are dead and never coming back and other people just like them could die at any moment in similar incidents. And this person thinks rage and blame is going to improve the situation? This is the best they can think of to move forward after a moment like this? I know you may be angry and need to work some of this shit off, but come on. You wanna see politicians start behaving better and watching their language? Then stop using it yourself and telling them this kind of language is okay.

[doverz]

I agree to an extent. This article was overly angry, but it does raise good points. He obviously could have said stuff without being so angry.

But stuff like this has to be said. Public figures have been saying violent words and advocating for violence whether they mean it or not. If now isn't a time to try and change how our politicians make their points, then when is??

[thefathomist]

I guess we can just chalk this up to difference of interpretation then, because that is not the message I got from that article at all.

Without naming names, I just feel like the overall tone is saying "You know what the REAL problem here is: Sarah Palin's Facebook! Fuck that!"

Yes, because that is EXACTLY what the real problem here is. It couldn't possibly be a symptom of something deeper in us all as a culture.

[doverz]

Without naming names, I just feel like the overall tone is saying "You know what the REAL problem here is: Sarah Palin's Facebook! Fuck that!"

I definitely feel like that was the way a lot of people on here felt right as the news broke, especially due to the graphic with Giffords' name on it. But, once as time passed, they calmed a bit down and realized that she most likely didn't directly influence Loughner. However, they still saw a problem with her graphic and words she used. Now, we're all using this event as a way to try and get violent rhetoric to be toned down.

[beoweasel]

"Chelsea is a Clinton. She bears the taint; and though not prosecutable in law, in custom and nature the taint cannot be ignored. All the great despotisms of the past - I'm not arguing for despotism as a principle, but they sure knew how to deal with potential trouble."

wat

[lightbird777]

IKR? That is really chilling.

[mollywobbles867]

My local paper's cartoonist summarized it nicely:

[ladypolitik]

BRILLIANT

[doverz]

That's awesome.

[dicranum]

I am a huge fan of the complexities of political cartooning. This is clever and powerful!