What has happened to us?

[Crepitus]

View attachment 225282

Last week....

A Florida man was arrested after sending mail bombs to prominent Democrats and Trump critics. His online activity was full of hateful rhetoric targeting Democrats and minorities.

A man with a history of violence shot and killed two African-Americans in a Kentucky Kroger store following a failed attempt to barge into a black church.

And Saturday morning, a man shouting anti-Semitic slurs opened fire at a Pittsburgh synagogue, killing 11 people attending Jewish services.

What is happening to us?

Alex Jones, Sean Hannity, Rupert Murdock, rush Limbaugh, those are the things that happened to us. They took terms like "libtard" and "feminazi" and made them ok to say on the air and the street. They made a career of demonizing the other side. They made it ok, even easy, to hate. They mainsteamed conspiracy theories and racism. And mostly, from my point of view, because there was a black man in the white house.

They are just part of a larger problem...the demonizing is everywhere.

Not really, not these days, and certainly not to the same extent.

 

[Dogmaphobe]

I can’t help but think of all the crimes you chose not to include in this narrowed-down list.

Like the Orlando night club shooting, for instance.


During that one, she was demanding everybody attack Christians since it was a Muslim responsible.

 

[Crepitus]

Intelligent enough to know bullshit when I smell it.

Thinking with your nose, interesting.

So, not quite getting the whole metaphor thing then?

 

[boedicca]

View attachment 225282

Last week....

A Florida man was arrested after sending mail bombs to prominent Democrats and Trump critics. His online activity was full of hateful rhetoric targeting Democrats and minorities.

A man with a history of violence shot and killed two African-Americans in a Kentucky Kroger store following a failed attempt to barge into a black church.

And Saturday morning, a man shouting anti-Semitic slurs opened fire at a Pittsburgh synagogue, killing 11 people attending Jewish services.

What is happening to us?

What has happened to us is that, over several decades, the norms of Western Civilization bourgeois civil society have been systematically dismantled.

 

[SobieskiSavedEurope]

We're on it right now, Coyote. Social media and anonymous sites are giving people a chance to nurture their hate. This country has made a poor choice with its interpretation of the 1st Amendment, as well, and allows speech that is way outside the realm of acceptable discourse. Put the two together and you've got.....this past week.

If you mean discourse that includes specific, violent threats, I agree. Anything else is protected and should be protected. Even if it's vile and repulsive. The way to counter vile and repulsive speech is to tell the speaker it's vile and repulsive, not to shut it down. That's American.

If you don't do that, you end up with the morass in Europe, where it's not "illegal" to call Mohammad a pedophile, even though he married a 9 year old. Now, would I call him a pedophile? No. Would I hesitate to truthfully say he married a 9 year old? no. And you might notice I engage with people who are critical of my faith as well.

That's Free Speech, and the beauty of free speech. We must have it to remain free.

The KKK used to have folks who took action against blacks. There are groups who take action against Democratic protesters. There are groups that hate Jews. When they are allowed to spew their bullshit and stir up hatred amongst Americans, it is not a wholesome airing of ideas; it encourages hate crimes.

I'm against violent organizations like the KKK , MS-13, Bloods & Crips, Al Qaeda, as well as Democrats & Republicans.

I could compile a much larger list too.

BUT, I will say this approx 4,000 Blacks were killed by lynching in 80 years & lets pretend its all the KKK.

How does that compare to the roughly 6,000 Blacks killed by other Blacks each year.

Scratch that how does that compare to millions killed by Democrats & Republicans?

How does comparing them to other deaths make hate groups less dangerous? We also have had millions killed in car accidents. I'm not sure how your argument follows.

The KKK is pretty impotent now-a-days, and Democrats & Republicans in the past few decades have been still killing, the KKK not so much.

Why believe the KKK is a bigger problem than Democrats & Republicans???

Maybe because Democrats & Republicans have taught us as a society a chock full of PROPAGANDA?????

I mean I'm against violence including the KKK.

But, man the Democrats, and Republicans are causing a ton more problems for many, many decades now.

Isn't it time to get with the times?????????

 

[BasicHumanUnit]

We closed the asylums, and involuntary commitment is difficult these days. After all, "crazy people have rights too".
Every one of the perps was on police radar.

I have to agree with this........
Political Correctness is not a solution to the very real fact that there are indeed many very sick people in society.

 

[Dogmaphobe]

Can you make a big meme of that and set it at the top of every political forum here?

Ah, so it's not all free speech that you despise as you do. It's just the speech of those who disagree with you that you want to squelch by force.




……….and people are actually trying to pass off this sort of thing as "liberal" these days?

 

[BasicHumanUnit]

Oh please, Don't you dare say that the hate spewing is equal on both sides.

NEVER before have we seen this amount of haste from the POTUS as we have from the orange POS you elected.

NEVER EVER

What?!??!
So you slept through the Obama years apparently.
You're a fruitcake. Confirmed.

Trump has honored more black men than Obama ever had in his entire administration.

You're a farse, a joke and a disgrace to your race

 

[hjmick]

1981: Under President Ronald Reagan, the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act repeals Carter’s community health legislation and establishes block grants for the states, ending the federal government’s role in providing services to the mentally ill. Federal mental-health spending decreases by 30 percent.

''Nuff said.

Only for the partisan or ignorant.

For everyone else, it's an example of "blame enough to go around."

So which are you? Ignorant? Or partisan?

Intelligent enough to know bullshit when I smell it.

Whatever helps you sleep at night, pumpkin...

 

[OldLady]

We're on it right now, Coyote. Social media and anonymous sites are giving people a chance to nurture their hate. This country has made a poor choice with its interpretation of the 1st Amendment, as well, and allows speech that is way outside the realm of acceptable discourse. Put the two together and you've got.....this past week.

That is what is so tricky...free speech. Unlike the past, everyone can have a platform and a worldwide audience.

How do we protect free speech without legitimizing the whackos?

Private entities can do it through their TOS agreements, but governments run great risks of partisan persecution.

I understand the risks, but I think in a country like ours there are built in safeguards against partisan prosecution. Germany managed it:
“Human dignity shall be inviolable. To respect and protect it shall be the duty of all state authority.” This is the clear mandate in Article 1 of the German Basic Law, in which Germany acknowledges “inviolable and inalienable human rights” as “the basis of every community, of peace and of justice in the world”.
Protection of Human Rights

They seem to continue to have pretty boisterous political debate. Yet hate speech is verboten. I think it could be done.

I am not so sure. For one, I feel if hate is driven underground, it festers unchallenged. Its followers are legitimized as persecuted purveyors of “truth”. I think it needs to be challenged in the open with one caveat. Calling for violence. That should be verboten.

The other aspect is what constitutes hate speech. I think there is a lot of danger in a government legislating that.

The way to change is to change public thought about it not to inact more laws imo.

I know you believe that, which makes you a great mod and a person of nearly superhuman forbearance. I respect that.

 

[Crepitus]

1981: Under President Ronald Reagan, the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act repeals Carter’s community health legislation and establishes block grants for the states, ending the federal government’s role in providing services to the mentally ill. Federal mental-health spending decreases by 30 percent.

''Nuff said.

Only for the partisan or ignorant.

For everyone else, it's an example of "blame enough to go around."

So which are you? Ignorant? Or partisan?

Intelligent enough to know bullshit when I smell it.

Whatever helps you sleep at night, pumpkin...

I love it when people try to copy me.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery you know.

 

[leftwinger]

The MSM, HollyWeird, schools & big GOVT etc. have been shielding Letist scum for 50 years.

Enough People finally saw through it all and we have a slim shot to save America from ruin for future generations. the commeee are being exposed-removed, albeit slowly.

Don't bring a knife to a gun-fight.

Many Thanks to DJT & common horse sense.

 

[Care4all]

View attachment 225282

Last week....

A Florida man was arrested after sending mail bombs to prominent Democrats and Trump critics. His online activity was full of hateful rhetoric targeting Democrats and minorities.

A man with a history of violence shot and killed two African-Americans in a Kentucky Kroger store following a failed attempt to barge into a black church.

And Saturday morning, a man shouting anti-Semitic slurs opened fire at a Pittsburgh synagogue, killing 11 people attending Jewish services.

What is happening to us?

started with talk radio but the hatred bloomed in to fruition with the Internet and Social media, and the spreading of lies created, as truth.

no one is turning their cheek, or walking an extra mile with their adversary, as Christ TAUGHT.

 

[hjmick]

1981: Under President Ronald Reagan, the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act repeals Carter’s community health legislation and establishes block grants for the states, ending the federal government’s role in providing services to the mentally ill. Federal mental-health spending decreases by 30 percent.

''Nuff said.

Only for the partisan or ignorant.

For everyone else, it's an example of "blame enough to go around."

So which are you? Ignorant? Or partisan?

Intelligent enough to know bullshit when I smell it.

Whatever helps you sleep at night, pumpkin...

I love it when people try to copy me.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery you know.

I have no idea of what you speak. Link?

 

[SassyIrishLass]

We closed the asylums, and involuntary commitment is difficult these days. After all, "crazy people have rights too".
Every one of the perps was on police radar.

I have to agree with this........
Political Correctness is not a solution to the very real fact that there are indeed many very sick people in society.

PC is nothing but a tool to suppress free speech and punish those they don't agree with


It's dangerous

 

[OldLady]

We're on it right now, Coyote. Social media and anonymous sites are giving people a chance to nurture their hate. This country has made a poor choice with its interpretation of the 1st Amendment, as well, and allows speech that is way outside the realm of acceptable discourse. Put the two together and you've got.....this past week.

If you mean discourse that includes specific, violent threats, I agree. Anything else is protected and should be protected. Even if it's vile and repulsive. The way to counter vile and repulsive speech is to tell the speaker it's vile and repulsive, not to shut it down. That's American.

If you don't do that, you end up with the morass in Europe, where it's not "illegal" to call Mohammad a pedophile, even though he married a 9 year old. Now, would I call him a pedophile? No. Would I hesitate to truthfully say he married a 9 year old? no. And you might notice I engage with people who are critical of my faith as well.

That's Free Speech, and the beauty of free speech. We must have it to remain free.

The KKK used to have folks who took action against blacks. There are groups who take action against Democratic protesters. There are groups that hate Jews. When they are allowed to spew their bullshit and stir up hatred amongst Americans, it is not a wholesome airing of ideas; it encourages hate crimes.

I'm against violent organizations like the KKK , MS-13, Bloods & Crips, Al Qaeda, as well as Democrats & Republicans.

I could compile a much larger list too.

BUT, I will say this approx 4,000 Blacks were killed by lynching in 80 years & lets pretend its all the KKK.

How does that compare to the roughly 6,000 Blacks killed by other Blacks each year.

Scratch that how does that compare to millions killed by Democrats & Republicans?

How does comparing them to other deaths make hate groups less dangerous? We also have had millions killed in car accidents. I'm not sure how your argument follows.

The KKK is pretty impotent now-a-days, and Democrats & Republicans in the past few decades have been still killing, the KKK not so much.

Why believe the KKK is a bigger problem than Democrats & Republicans???

Maybe because Democrats & Republicans have taught us as a society a chock full of PROPAGANDA?????

I mean I'm against violence including the KKK.

But, man the Democrats, and Republicans are causing a ton more problems for many, many decades now.

Isn't it time to get with the times?????????

Sobie, I was using the KKK as an historical example of what a hate group with public support is capable of.

 

[saveliberty]

If we accept the idea things have changed, then does it not follow the political change comes from the party of change Progressives? There's your blame target, now fix it.

 

[Mac1958]

What is happening to us?

I really don't know. Something has broken somewhere. It's like we've lost our humanity.

Maybe it's just a reflection/manifestation of a culture in decay.
.

 

[boedicca]

View attachment 225282

Last week....

A Florida man was arrested after sending mail bombs to prominent Democrats and Trump critics. His online activity was full of hateful rhetoric targeting Democrats and minorities.

A man with a history of violence shot and killed two African-Americans in a Kentucky Kroger store following a failed attempt to barge into a black church.

And Saturday morning, a man shouting anti-Semitic slurs opened fire at a Pittsburgh synagogue, killing 11 people attending Jewish services.

What is happening to us?

started with talk radio but the hatred bloomed in to fruition with the Internet and Social media, and the spreading of lies created, as truth.

no one is turning their cheek, or walking an extra mile with their adversary, as Christ TAUGHT.

Absolute poppycock. It started with Progressive infiltration into our systems of education and government.

 

[Mac1958]

There is blame to be spread all over the place....the trouble is the "sides" point, shout, scream and shout it's not us it's them!!!

Oh please, Don't you dare say that the hate spewing is equal on both sides.

NEVER before have we seen this amount of haste from the POTUS as we have from the orange POS you elected.

NEVER EVER

When the hate is spewing from both sides like water from a fire hose, it doesn't really matter which "side" is "worse".

The issue is holding ourselves, our "side", and each other accountable.

Pointing the finger is a big part of the problem.
.