Truth in Old Comics

Flashback: How Clinton exploited Oklahoma City for political gain
With the 15th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing Monday [4/19/10], former President Bill Clinton is playing a starring role in the liberal effort to draw what the New York Times calls "parallels between the antigovernment tone that preceded that devastating attack and the political tumult of today." The short version of the narrative is: Today's Tea Partiers are tomorrow's right-wing bombers. On Friday, Clinton spoke at a symposium on the bombing organized by the liberal Think Tank Center ...

Climate of Hate
By Paul Krugman NYT When you heard the terrible news from Arizona, were you completely surprised? Or were you, at some level, expecting something like this atrocity to happen? Put me in the latter category. I’ve had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach ever since the final stages of the 2008campaign. I remembered the upsurge in political hatred after Bill Clinton’s election in 1992 — an upsurge that culminated in the Oklahoma City bombing. And you could see, just by watching the crowd

My Take: Rep. Giffords and the karma of politics as war
Editor's note : Stephen Prothero, a Boston University religion scholar and author of "God is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions that Run the World," is a regular CNN Belief Blog contributor. By Stephen Prothero , Special to CNN My reflections on America's latest Assassination attempt and on politics as "the continuation of war by other means" begin with one simple claim: ideas matter, as do the words we use to express them. We do not yet know what moved the killer...

Many Eye Role of Rhetoric in Psychotic Arizona Shooting Rampage
Needless to say, it's been a busy weekend here in Washington. The Saturday shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords has left lawmakers among those reeling, as members of Congress prepare to discuss this week what security precautions they should take in the daily execution of their duties as representatives of the people. But while sharing America's sorrow in the attack that left six dead and 13 wounded, the world is watching with interest the immediate storm that arose over the political Rhetoric an...

Hiller gets second straight shutout for Ducks
Anaheim Ducks Right Wing Bobby Ryan (9) celebrates his goal against the San Jose Sharks in the second period of a NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 9, 2011. Jonas Hiller earned his second straight shutout with 37 saves, Bobby Ryan scored in the second period and the Anaheim Ducks handed the San Jose Sharks their fourth straight loss, 1-0 Sunday night. Hiller thwarted three power plays en route to his fourth shutout of the season, the 10th of his career and first against San Jose....

CNN blames political climate for Giffords shooting
If you find the media struggling to grasp the violence against Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, it is because they have been unable to place the blame on their usual suspects. After months of talking about possible violence from the Right Wing and the Tea Party, the media can't believe that the shooter was, in fact, a left-leaning individual who had no connection to the right. Despite what anyone in the media says, there is no proof the current political discourse, whether liberal or conservative, is re...

Krugman: Climate of Hate
When you heard the terrible news from Arizona, were you completely surprised? Or were you, at some level, expecting something like this atrocity to happen? Put me in the latter category. I've had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach ever since the final stages of the 2008 campaign. Why mention his award? Because as an Economist he is used to examining the data and seeing the patterns. And on this the patterns are crystal clear. Read his column. It is as well written as usual, which makes i...

U.S. Tea Partiers run for cover
American Tea Party and Republican leaders were quick to disassociate themselves from the shooting of Congresswoman Gabby Giffords in Arizona this weekend. And indeed, there is no evidence that the shooter is directly or indirectly associated with them. But Tea Partiers and Republicans are right to worry about a public backlash, in the United States and throughout the democratic world, in the wake of this tragedy. And if there is any justice they will get that backlash, since it is richly deserve...

Tucson Sheriff Blames Right-Wing
Labels: Arizona, Gabrielle Giffords, Murder, Tucson New! Share this on Facebook: Share ...

Nope? Racist right-wing rhetoric has nothing to do with it. Nosiree Bob it doesn't....
Illinois Congressman Danny Davis on Sunday said his office received a threatening email. According to Davis' office, the threat said, in effect, "Danny Davis is next," presumably referring to Saturday's shooting in Tucson, Ariz. that critically wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and killed six others. Davis' office said it has notified authorities about the threatening email. The congressman is in Springfield in advance of Monday's inaugural festivities....

Jared Lee Loughner a 9/11 truther and atheist
Jared Lee Loughner - a 9/11 Truther and atheist Well lookie what we have here! Not only is the this whole Jared Lee Loughner story being a Tea Party member and a big Sarah Palin fan, crumbling on the lame stream media and Progressives, it’s turning out to sound like the guy was in fact a Far Left nut job after all. I don’t know of too many Atheist 9/11 truthers who are right wingers do you? I know Van Jones is a 9/11 truther. Wasn’t he a big Right Wing teabagging extrem...

Every Tragedy is a Political Opportunity
I swore I wasn’t going to write anything about yesterday’s Mass Shooting in Tucson, Arizona. It’s not really in our bailiwick, and there is already so much coverage out there about it. Open any news site, and the top story — probably the top eight or ten stories — will be about Jared Lee Loughner (the alleged murderer), Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Judge John Roll, the other Victims, the reaction of politicians, interviews with mourning families, etc. etc. And ...

Live - Scottish Cup
To get involved use My Sport or text us your views & comments on 80295. (Not all contributions can be used) 1613: No signs of complacency in the Celtic line-up. They are working hard to get behind the ball when Berwick have the ball. 1611: Paddy McCourt and James Forrest link up well in the right corner and the latter works his way infield and pings a left-footed shot a foot past Mark Peat's post. 1608: Just a thought, but is this the closest either of the Old Firm will come to playing in E...

Infidel Bloggers Alliance
Gabrielle Giffords was shot because she is Jewish? From Carl: Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-Az) wasn't shot because she was pro or anti-immigration. She wasn't shot because she voted against Nancy Pelosi for Speaker of the House. She wasn't shot because Sarah Palin targeted her seat in last fall's Elections. And she wasn't shot because she voted for ObamaCare. Gabrielle Giffords was shot because of a much more baseless hatred. Gabrielle Giffords was shot because she is a Jew!

Some of us want climate change
I’ve had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach ever since the final stages of the 2008 campaign. I remembered the upsurge in political hatred after Bill Clinton’s election in 1992 — an upsurge that culminated in the Oklahoma City bombing. And you could see, just by watching the crowds at McCain-Palin rallies, that it was ready to happen again. There are defensive sounds coming from the right that you can't blame "society" and the social climate for the shooting in Arizo

Broader Implications of Guifford Attack
The Assassination attempt on Gabrielle Giffords and shooting and deaths of bystanders is not merely a tragedy. The targeting of a political figure is intended to stifle opposition. Anyone thinking of running for office or working for a government official will have to now consider personal risk. Another aspect that is troubling is the reaction of some members of the Right Wing. YouTube videos prepared by the shooter John Loughner have vague ramblings and enough paranoid-sounding “they ar...

Missed chances haunt Cavaliers in UNC's 'ugly' win
By Doug Doughty Charlottesville Jontel Evans took it as a sign Saturday when, early in the second half, he swished a long 3-point try as the shot clock expired. "I'm not usually a 3-point shooter," said Evans, Virginia's sophomore Point Guard. "I was thinking, 'Maybe today is our day. Maybe the Basketball gods are with us.' " It was a sign, all right - that U.Va.'s offense had lost its rhythm. The Cavaliers, who led by 11 points following Evans' 3-pointer with 14:25 remaining...

Whats Truth? Scientific Method Under the Microscope
God-experience, ESP, and the decline effect. Arri Eisen is a Senior Lecturer in Biology for Emory University's Center for Ethics and co-editor of Science, Religion, and Society: History, Cultures, and Controversies (M. E. Sharpe, 2007). His Science in Your Life radio spots, which aired on Atlanta's NPR affiliate, can be found here. In a recent New Yorker article Jonah Lehrer shakes up this last question and stirs it well with an engaging discussion of some intriguing and troubling limitations of...

Insanity Nation
First, toldja so: Newsmax declares “Shooter Linked to Left Wing Politics.” Yes, by Newsmax. Apparently it was reported the young man accused of shooting owns copies of The Communist Manifesto and Mein Kampf, which of course (in the minds of righties, who cannot figure out why Hitler was a right-wing psychopath, not a left-wing one) proves he’s a leftie. Anyway, the more I hear about the shooter, the more it appears he was deeply disturbed, possibly psychotic. I am not qualif...

Monday Big Blue Smuf Blogging: What They Said
Today's honoree: None other than the Shrill One himself, Paul Krugman, on the Right Wing Climate of Hate. The point is that there’s room in a Democracy for people who ridicule and denounce those who disagree with them; there isn’t any place for eliminationist Rhetoric, for suggestions that those on the other side of a debate must be removed from that debate by whatever means necessary. And it’s the saturation of our political discourse — and especially our airwaves —...

Jonah Knox Interviews John Hawkins On Social Issues / GOProud
RWN later published, "Why Right Wing News Is Sponsoring Homocon" (August 23, 2010). What I got out of reading that column is that Mr. Hawkins is morally against the agenda that GOProud pushes (which is different from disagreeing or merely being opposed) but that he still welcomes GOProud and does not believe it right for anyone to reject the group for its moral beliefs. This I do not understand and I asked him for an email interview. Mr. Hawkins agreed and I sent him a series of questions relati...

A useful compendium of talking points for pro-assassination apologists
Here. Many of them are now quite familiar to me, especially "Drop the word “crazy” as often as possible." Since I haven't been engaged in the cut and thrust of R vs. D discourse for awhile now, my sense for manufactured Right Wing talking points isn't near is sharp as it once was; I hate to think I have to invest time in that swamp, but after the last few days perhaps I do....

It's Not So Funny Anymore: Gabrielle Giffords and American Rage
I lack easy answers to the mess we're in. Actually, I don't believe there are any easy answers, only hard questions -- questions we've been running from all our lives, questions we've got to stop and withstand. Are we really the home of the brave and the land of the free? Are we the epitome of our hyperbole or living the blackest of lies? Should we wave our flag with bravado or hide our heads in shame? But I don't think we want those answers, for they'll disillusion us perhaps beyond repair. ...

VIDEO: Gabrielle Giffords Talked About Sarah Palins Target List
Incredibly eerie in retrospect. Here’s what Gifford said on March 25, 2010… “…for example, we’re on Sarah Palin’s targeted list, but the thing is that the way that she has it depicted has the crosshairs of a gun sight over our district, and when people do that, they’ve gotta realize there are consequences to that action.” This was in response to Giffords’ door being shattered by somebody after the Palin target list popped up. And here’...

The Tragedy of Gabrielle Giffords
Life seldom fails to humble us. Events strip bare the illusions of certainty and control that ground our aspirations, forcing us to check in with our priorities and the deeper meaning of our purpose. Such is the case for me with the senseless shooting of Representative Gabrielle Giffords. You see, I had the chance to met Representative Giffords in the early months of her First Term in 2007.  Democrats had been returned to the majority in the House, and the Congresswoman had taken a sea...