Tag: violence

Was it his wife’s shotgun?

ST. MARIES, Idaho (AP) – A northern Idaho man who police say fired his shotgun near a U.S. census worker who was trying to deliver a census form has been cited for exhibition of a deadly weapon, a misdemeanor.

Fifty-4-year-old Richard L. Powell of St. Maries faces up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

The Benewah County Prosecutor’s office says that on March 3 Powell told the census worker to get off his property and then fired a shotgun into the air.

AssociatedPress

Bold text added by the diarist

    Although this happened before Erickson told his listeners on RedState radio that he would pull his wife’s shotgun on any census worker who set foot on his property, it shows how some people are already on the verge of violence and need no egging on.

    So it is official, Erick son of Erick is the new Lou Dobbs/Glenn Beck of CNN.

More below the fold

Crossposted at Daily Kos

THE WEEK IN EDITORIAL CARTOONS

This weekly diary takes a look at the past week’s important news stories from the perspective of our leading editorial cartoonists (including a few foreign ones) with analysis and commentary added in by me.

When evaluating a cartoon, ask yourself these questions:

1. Does a cartoon add to my existing knowledge base and help crystallize my thinking about the issue depicted?

2. Does the cartoonist have any obvious biases that distort reality?

3. Is the cartoonist reflecting prevailing public opinion or trying to shape it?

The answers will help determine the effectiveness of the cartoonist’s message.

:: ::

Hypocrisy

Dave Granlund, Politicalcartoons.com, Buy this cartoon

No. They have no shame. It is the job of those who are repulsed by the Timothy McVeighs of the world to shame them.

    A few days ago Eric Boehlert of MediaMatters.org asked this question.

    It’s a chilling prospect, but one that seems more and more plausible: What if Fox News actually wants mob violence?

My answer: Yes

    Today, Sean Hannity called the astroturfed sheep of billionaire financed tea partiers “Tim McVeigh wannabees” as if it were a compliment, and they actually cheered him.

Watch . . .

HANNITY: When you think about the vast majorities that they have in Congress and they had to bribe, backroom deals, corruption, that’s all because the tea party movement, the people – all these Tim McVeigh wannabes here.

   (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

dailykos.com

   So now the right is cheering for Timothy McVeigh? Is there anything more UnAmerican than praising an enemy of the Democratically elected United States Government?

    This is where the line must be drawn. If not now, when?

    So here is some Fair and Balanced news for tea partiers, Conservatives, Republican politicians, Fox News and right wing pundits:

   Timothy McVeigh was a psychotic killer bathed in the blood of innocent Americans. McVeigh stood for everything our founding fathers fought against, and if you can not denounce violence and eliminationist rhetoric against you fellow Americans you have no right to call yourself an American patriot.

    I’m mad as hell. More below the fold

Crossposted at Daily Kos

THE WEEK IN EDITORIAL CARTOONS

This weekly diary takes a look at the past week’s important news stories from the perspective of our leading editorial cartoonists (including a few foreign ones) with analysis and commentary added in by me.

When evaluating a cartoon, ask yourself these questions:

1. Does a cartoon add to my existing knowledge base and help crystallize my thinking about the issue depicted?

2. Does the cartoonist have any obvious biases that distort reality?

3. Is the cartoonist reflecting prevailing public opinion or trying to shape it?

The answers will help determine the effectiveness of the cartoonist’s message.

:: ::

David Fitzsimmons, Arizona Daily Star, Buy this cartoon

When lone gunmen brutally slaughter innocent citizens on our shores, the first thing everyone runs to diagnose is motive.  Wild speculation rages as the first few confused details trickle out, which eventually are firmed up as substantive information becomes public.  The media framing implies, but can’t bring itself to mention directly, whether the psychological cost of warfare might be a deeply destructive force that erodes the emotional health of those who serve.  That, in turn, points a finger at our reliance on war as an economic tool and a political necessity.  Politicians and military contractors both push a robust military option and insist upon on the existence of many triggers eager to be squeezed.  Socialist might be the right-wing insult of the hour, but pacifist follows closely behind on the scale of damning conservative indictments.  

The Australian actress Nicole Kidman testified yesterday before the House International Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight Subcommittee on the subject of violence in film, in particular the sickening amount of onscreen violence against women.  Kidman stated that many roles portray women as weak, as mere sex objects, or as both and that this permissive attitude of debasement contributes greatly to real life acts of violence perpetrated against women.  The actress’ intent was not merely to condemn the film industry for its excesses but also to advance the larger issue of unchecked, infrequently prosecuted violent acts committed against women across the globe.

The Oscar-winning actress said she is not interested in those kinds of demeaning roles, adding that the movie industry also has made an effort to contribute to solutions for ending the violence.  Kidman testified before a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee that is considering legislation to address violence against women overseas through humanitarian relief efforts and grants to local organizations working on the problem.

That notable stories like these get submerged underneath the incessant back-and-forth of partisan or even inter-party bickering surprises me not one iota.  Such stories are often pigeonholed as merely “women’s topics” or moved to the back of the soft news queue, with the tacit assumption that celebrities are incapable of advancing much beyond their own careers or the manufactured drama designed to garnish publicity.  As for this particular example in question, Kidman is notably treading cautiously here, not willing to assign full blame to Hollywood because of her stated belief that it has devoted committed and serious internal efforts towards self-regulation.  Forgive me for being skeptical, because I know that few major money-making industries do an adequate job of policing themselves from within.  Specifically regarding the celluloid conglomerate, it took the Hays Code and then the puritanical Production Code before Tinseltown ever strongly curtailed the content found in moving pictures.