The disturbing and dangerous ignorance of Democratic hate speech
We’ve got a Democratic Congressman saying on the floor of the United States House of Representatives (of all places) that Republicans want sick people to die and a prominent New York Times columnist lamenting the hateful tactics of a few extreme right-wingers while talking heads on CNN nod their heads in solemn agreement.
This is the Orwellian universe in which we find ourselves when left-wing bloggers and their echo chamber in the mainstream media decry in high dudgeon the extremists of the far right as if they represent the conservative opposition to President Obama and the Democrats’ policies. I wonder if Mr. Friedman ever assumed such a tone — or used such language — to decry the hateful rhetoric coming from the left side of the political aisle during the better part of the George W. Bush era. (If he did, I would take his column a lot more seriously today.)
Rep. Alan Grayson claims he has looked at the GOP health care plans and found it has three planks, (1) Don’t Get Sick, (2) and if you do get sick, (3) Die quickly. Yeah, he actually said, “the Republicans want you to die quickly if you get sick.” Here’s the video if you don’t believe me.
I wonder if the leader of his party in the House, Speaker Nancy Pelosi has concerns about the language Mr. Grayson used, you know, suggesting his partisan opponents want people to die. And I wonder if he’s read any of the 30 or so Republican bills introduced in the House alone. While Rep. John Larson (D-CT), “chairman of the House Democratic Caucus is calling on” Grayson to apologize, the soon-to-be former Congressman refused to do so, offering to “apologize to the dead“.
I’m sure Mr. Friedman’s next column will focus on Grayson’s disturbing and dangerous rhetoric.
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It’s not the right that bothers me, it’s the increasingly moonbatshitcrazy left that has me concerned.
Apparently the usually irrelevant drunk & pill popping Patrick Kennedy thinks people who say things he doesn’t like should be locked up. And then there’s the grossly Over rated Miss M who compares Glenn Beck to the Rwandan genocide, which liberals don’t really give two shits about. It’s a cause du jour to rant about every now and then, but they don’t really have any interest in helping the “fuzzies”.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — October 1, 2009 @ 6:33 am - October 1, 2009
I guess Sarah Palin is then, by your standards, an extreme right winger who employs hateful tactics, since she (among many other mainstream members of her party) is claiming that grandma and grandpa will be killed by Obama’s death panels, right? But I guess it’s only troubling when Democrats say it … come ON. I realize that you and your party are willing to look the other way when a substantial portion of the GOP leadership / media infrastructure (and these are MAINSTREAM republicans I’m talking about, it gets much worse) characterizes Obama as a fascist, socialist, lying, Kim Il Jong-style dictator who is an “enemy of humanity” trying to kill elderly Americans via death panels, and who needs to potentially be deposed by a violent coup, but then to turn around and bitch about THIS and get all indignant? Please. I am glad at least one Dem has the brass to play the GOP’s game. John Kerry certainly didn’t in response to swift boats. Maybe the dems have finally learned that, unfortunately, in order to be heard in today’s climate, your only shot is to scream liar, say your opponent wants to kill other Americans, or call them an enemy of humanity. You guys lowered the discourse; now live with it.
Comment by Jeff — October 1, 2009 @ 7:05 am - October 1, 2009
I mean, for the love of G-d, this is your party leader, seven months into Obama’s Presidency, comparing the democrats to Stalin and Kim Jong-Il. But yeah, it’s Democrats who are the problem here:
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/09/rnc-raising-money-off-of-schoolchildren-singing-about-obama-comparing-it-to-stalin-and-kim-jong-il.php?ref=fpblg
Comment by Jeff — October 1, 2009 @ 7:09 am - October 1, 2009
Jeff, a little truth is in order:
In no way is Steele’s statement “comparing the democrats to Stalin and Kim Jong-Il.”
Steele is correctly pointing out that there is an element of fanaticism for Obama that parallels the propaganda techniques used in Communist Russia, North Korea, Yugoslavia, Nazi Germany, and every other radical state that has taught the children to adore the Dear Leader.
If anything, as a red blooded American, you should be as outraged by this as if the video were of kiddies praising Sarah Palin or Dick Cheney.
Will the RNC make money off of this idiocy. You bet. And they will collect even more replaying Rep. Alan Grayson’s really simple minded use of the holocaust.
Take a principled stand, man. Why do you choose to defend dumping raw sewage into the well?
Comment by heliotrope — October 1, 2009 @ 8:00 am - October 1, 2009
Thank you for brodcasting from the parallel world, Jeff.
Of course the Death Panel legislation was removed, so thats’ one for Sarah. I’ll also add that Obama’s lies have been documented in his speech.
You also seem to suffer selective memory of John Kerry’s former companions pointing out his, questionable actions in Vietnam, his admission of committing attrocites in congressional testimony, his treasonous actions in talking with N.Vietnam after he left the theater, not to mention his lies about being in Cambodia as ordered by President Nixon.
Swiftboat, v. to tell the truth about Democrats.
Of course when you hobnob with terrorists, offend democratic allies, abandon agreements, bow to kings, talk with regimes that are killing Americans, and favor dictators over legitimate governments, the judgement should be questioned.
Comment by The_Livewire — October 1, 2009 @ 8:05 am - October 1, 2009
The Orlando Sentinel has this poll:
As I post this, 77% of the responses are: “No. He deserves credit for having the courage to tell the truth.”
This runs counter to the editorial which tells me the wingnuts are busy in their basements.
Comment by heliotrope — October 1, 2009 @ 8:20 am - October 1, 2009
I’m sure Republicans don’t want sick people to die; it’s that they don’t care. Grayson should’ve been more careful with his language.
Comment by jpe — October 1, 2009 @ 9:02 am - October 1, 2009
Well it is an internet poll…
So that makes the Doctors and Nurses the ones running the death camps, right?
Comment by The_Livewire — October 1, 2009 @ 9:05 am - October 1, 2009
Then let me say it here: *Democrats* want sick people to die.
Because that is exactly where their policies are headed. That’s what their policies will result in. Their accusing others of it is likely yet another example of the Left’s constant use of ‘projection’ and ‘deflection’.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — October 1, 2009 @ 10:17 am - October 1, 2009
Alan Grayson is an American hero. If you missed his appearance on the CNN Situation Room, you should watch it. He schools the repugnant republicans on the panel and strips them of all their dignity (although, that’s truly not hard to do).
The GOP needs to stop being the party of NO and come up with some positive and construction programs. Otherwise they’ll continue being the minority party.
Comment by buckeyenutlover — October 1, 2009 @ 11:08 am - October 1, 2009
You have to love Rep. Grayson’s “apology.” Clearly, he wants all those “Holocaust”-denying Republicans (or really anyone with any sense of civilty and decorum) to die before he’ll apologize.
Stay classy, Alan…
Comment by Wesley M. — October 1, 2009 @ 11:40 am - October 1, 2009
oh geez…grayson’s speech is was straight-up satire, and no one thinks he was serious. if you watch his entire speech, he’s making a larger point about the lack of a republican health care reform alternative. there is no equivalence between his speech and the article friedman references which called for a military coup of the obama administration.
Comment by Chad — October 1, 2009 @ 11:41 am - October 1, 2009
#9: Two things. 1) In reference to health care, the republicans HAVE come up “with positive and [constructive] programs.” Indeed, in Dan’s original post there is a link to an article noting over 30 Republican Health Care Bills in the House at the time of the President’s nationwide Health Care Lecture. You don’t hear about them because the Democratic attitude is “my way or the highway”–incidentally not a strategy that helped the GOP retain power.
2) Why this canard about being the party of NO as a ticket to permanent minority? What did the Dems run FOR in 2006 and 2008? I guess they were FOR not being Republicans. The fact is, the Majority can shoot themselves in the foot giving the minority power without the minority having to be FOR anything. From where I sit, the Democrats seem hell bent on doing just that.
Comment by Alex in Denver — October 1, 2009 @ 11:41 am - October 1, 2009
Well, Chad, as per my post & Alex’s comment #13, the Republicans have come up with health care alternatives.
And please note this blogger denounced the guy who favored a coup and Newsmax apparently pulled the article.
Comment by B. Daniel Blatt — October 1, 2009 @ 12:02 pm - October 1, 2009
This is simply indicative of the contempt the Left/Liberals/Progressives/Democrats have for the individual citizen. His perspective is that if Government doesn’t do something, nothing gets done.
Since a big part of a Conservative plan would be to get the Government out of the healthcare business as much as possible, they naturally assume that all the hospitals would close, the doctors would retire and Pfizer would start making energy drinks. Brawndo anyone?
They just can’t fathom that a regular citizen can make reasonable healthcare choices.
Besides, if step 1 is “Don’t get sick”, sounds like a plan I’d choose.
Comment by BigJ — October 1, 2009 @ 12:19 pm - October 1, 2009
[...] The disturbing and dangerous ignorance of Democratic hate speech [...]
Pingback by GayPatriot » And you wonder why Americans hold media in contempt — October 1, 2009 @ 12:27 pm - October 1, 2009
If there is more violence at least now we know where to lay the blame. Squarley at the doorstep of Rep Grayson and the Democrats. I’m sad at the decline in the discourse.
Comment by Gene in Pennsylvania — October 1, 2009 @ 12:32 pm - October 1, 2009
The GOP “alternatives” for health care are deregulation and eliminating medicare. By all means, MSM, please give more coverage to the idiocy coming out of the (R)s..
Comment by jpe — October 1, 2009 @ 12:59 pm - October 1, 2009
jpe, do you bias you comment on your prejudiced view of what Republicans believe or have you actually read the bills listed in the linked articles and can cite particular provisions pointing to the GOP plan to eliminate medicare.
As to deregulation, well, yes, that’s a good thing as it fosters competition, leading to more choices and lower costs.
Comment by B. Daniel Blatt — October 1, 2009 @ 1:04 pm - October 1, 2009
Note: Not sure if my eye was lazy, I was too eager to respond, or what, but my comment (#13) was directed at #10, not #9. Sorry, ILC.
Comment by Alex in Denver — October 1, 2009 @ 1:24 pm - October 1, 2009
Where to begin…
So it’s ok to compare it to the holocaust where (at least) 12 MILLION Jews, gays, gypsies etc. were systematically slaughtered? Are you SURE you wanna back that? Wanna phone a friend or ask the audience?
If your statement is true, then that means we shouldn’t expect better from the liberals. Noted.
The thing about satire is that 1) it has to be funny and 2) there has to be an element of truth to it. This has neither.
Soooooo….you’re not truly interested in lowering costs. Noted.
It’s worth noting that Mr. Grayson is one of the libs who held a “town hall” meeting in a small union hall. There had been a local democrat meeting prior to and most of the attendees refused to give up their seats when asked to do so. So in a union hall that could hold about 100 people, only about 20 citizens from the community could get in.
Not only that, but he brought his children to hide behind in case the discussion got heated. I wonder if his children admire this dreck.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — October 1, 2009 @ 4:32 pm - October 1, 2009
By eliminating regulation and/or Medicare?
No, I’m not. I doubt any Americans outside the True Believers are, either.
Comment by jpe — October 1, 2009 @ 7:43 pm - October 1, 2009
Yeah. I mean everybody’s all for more expensive health care and Obamacareless is just the thing to bring it. Besides, since when did the liberals give a rotten damn about the American people anyway?
Comment by ThatGayConservative — October 1, 2009 @ 10:05 pm - October 1, 2009