Shootings at the Holocaust Museum -- The Politics of Hate

Hate is out of control in the post Bush years. First we have Mr. Looney Tunes shooting and assassinating abortion doctor, George Tiller two weeks ago and continuing to sound his message of hate over the television airwaves. Now, we get notice of a shooting at the Holocaust Museum in DC, but what do we think he was there to do? It sure wasn't to go the exhibits. Admittedly, we don't know yet as to the cause of the rifleman in the Holocaust Museum.

The point is these atrocious actions are the result of the politics of hate. Words spoken in the world of 24/7 news do have an impact. They result in deliberate actions as is evidenced by the recent atrocities. Wonder of wonders, the suspected murderer of Dr. Tiller has reached his personal Nirvana. He has climbed from relative obscurity in Kansas to an international pulpit viewed daily on the news. The absurdity is profound.

The Bush years are the gift that keeps on giving. They were masters of the message deeply infiltrating the culture with seeds of fear and hate. Thank you very much Karl Rove and your minions. These guys and gals were taught how to harness the airwaves of television and the Internet. They became the titans of manipulation showering divisive messages, and the work was extraordinary. They were more skillful then Madison Avenue. Maybe Microsoft should hire you to merchandise their new search engine, Bing!

Every major issue facing this country has been tarnished by their polarizing messaging -- whether it is climate crisis legislation, nuclear proliferation, Mid East peace, stem cell research and treatment, women's reproductive rights, health care reform, or gay marriage. These issues have been infused with emotion, partisan affiliations and religiosity. Yet here we are late for the train with a well oiled message machine, a weary populace, and a greedy media willing to sell their mothers for a story.

Today, an elderly suspected white supremacist walks into the Museum of the Holocaust with a gun and a car filled with explosives with intent to do harm. We are living in a world of hurt, domestic unrest and a country bled dry financially and morally. When will it stop?

Comments

[learnsomething]

The voices of hate always have access to the airways to keep their hate talk saturating the nation.

[Didache]

LOL!!! This article reminds me of the Russian newspaper, "Pravda", a word which means "Truth". However, at the apex of the Cold War it was a big joke among Russians who were well aware that there was no truth in it.

Here's the accurate description of the Holocaust Museum shooter:
"Von Brunn wrote that he believed Christianity is a cult created by St. Paul and proliferated by Jews. Christianity’s set of “dangerous, imbecilic, concepts, tenets, and teachings, often treasonous, destroyed the Roman Empire and drenched the soil of Europe with Aryan blood for almost 2000 years!”"

The real fear expressed in this article is against the "hidden child" in abortion from whom they wish to divert your attention. "DON'T LOOK, ETHEL!" And the real destruction of what is most valuable to two people and to a nation...the blessing of a child. This is not a curse, but a joy. But...SSSHHHHHH! Don't say the word "D.E.A.D. B.A.B.Y." You'll wake up the people...and they'll wonder what the world is coming to..... Pro-lifers LOVE BABIES! And the American people. And if you don't want your baby, don't violate the fifth Commandment, take it to a hospital and leave it there for adoption. God bless you all. This is love speech. If I love you, I tell you the truth.

[GoldenAgeMaster]

You uncovered the true secret. Von Brunn is a liberal/progressive.

[GoldenAgeMaster]

You need to read the following...Racist Museum Shooter Outspoken Liberal
http://giovanniworld.wordpress.com/2009/06/12/racist-museum-shooter-outspoken-liberal/

You won't like it, but it's true!

[cartoonmayhem]

Rush Limbaugh and Pat Robertson were both around in 1993 inflaming the passions of the radical right and their words correlated with the shooting of the abortion doctors Gunn and Slepian and the Oklahoma City Bombings in 1993. The trouble is now there are a ton more voices spewing hatred and times are even tougher than they were in 1990-93.

[michellekraus]

You are correct and we live in a 24/7 news world with instantaneous Twitter and text messaging. And alas, you are sadly correct -- there are more voices and times are much tougher.

[Didache]

Actually, there are not "a ton of voices spewing hatred" with regard to pro-lifers. We don't hate abortion doctors. Nor do we wish to see them murdered, and we don't long for their deaths. We would like to see them be converted. We do not presume to judge them, but we do unearth the facts of abortion and reveal these truths. If people are waking up to the facts of abortion, this is a good thing, and a God thing. The real evil is in the wanton murder of 50 million unborn babies. If you deplore the shooting of abortion doctors and the Oklahoma City bombing, then why don't you deplore the truly brutal murders of 50 million infants? We all deplore these killings. We are pro-life. It says what it means. We don't engage in murder.

[nolabelspls]

agreeing w/ this article. Ironically, and sadly, a museum whose purpose is to show the effects of hate, racism, unchallenged propoganda and the dehumanization of entire people groups - is the site of someone repeating said effects on a simple salaried security guard - who like millions opposing such barbarity also died in the line of duty. So, Blenn Geck of FAUX news says that this demented gunman was a leftist, and it's our President's fault for pushing him to the breaking point w/ his policies (ergo, Obama should be held guilty). Great. More hate, ignorance and lies perpetrated by someone with an audience of millions. Is this 1930's Germany?

[smarti]

I have to agree there seems to be a "radicalization" of the right more than ever. I spend time on some conservative sites as I like to get both sides of opinion on issues, but have found myself becoming increasingly disturbed by the tone of the reader's posts. There are outright calls for violence directed towards liberals, democrats and other right "enemies". There are calls to stock up on guns and ammunition. Many still post that Obama is not a citizen, he is Muslim, etc. They also post their sincere belief that there is a systematic oppression of "white Christians". Then these same people get all offended when DHS puts out a report advising against increases in radical activities from extreme right wing groups.

At the same time, how much attention has the left side of the equation paid to the shooting of a military recruiter by a black Muslim who was radicalized in jail? We need to be vigilant about radicalization from all the known sources and not jump on the ones that are politically convenient.

[nevadaandy]

If we allow the violent acts of hate to continue, America will not be able to speak out against the violence we abhor in other countries i.e., Shias vs. Sunnis, the genoicde in Darfur, the Israelis vs. Palestinians, because we will be no different than them. All those who would misuse the freedoms allowed by our Constitution - freedom to carry arms, freedom of speech, against those they so vehemently disagree with, should have their freedom taken away.

Perhaps we should keep Gitmo open and incarcerate all of these dissident domestic terrorists there.

[Didache]

Sorry. I was commenting on this article and these posts as though this were a real news story and honest comments. Excuse me, I see it's just absurdity, and I was treating it as honesty. I'm signing off now.

[Portnoy]

There are those that are openly calling for the overthrow of a democratically elected president, inciting violence against health care providers, calling on citizens to neglect their constitutional responsibility to pay taxes, openly calling for our leaders to fail, attacking comedianes, contemplating states withdrawing from the union, denying citizens the right to health care and more...

There is a word for this: its called sedition.

For the good of this country and the future of our world, we need to act now to stop this before it gets worse.

Free Speech aside, you can not yell FIRE in a crowded theater without being held accountable for the result. Even when no one is hurt, your actions are STILL hel accountable for the POSSIBLE result of harm.

We need to uphold this standard and apply it to those that are instigating this violence.

[urweatherman]

Using your logic, then it has been verified that the 911 terrororists were spawned out of the Clinton Years! Wise up, and who knows how many violent acts have been perpetrated as a result of the hate speech that spews from this site, the internet in general, and the liberal MSM.......of course we would never hear about that! I have never heard in my 40+ years, more hate and personal attacks, then I hear daily here, MSNBC, etc.

[GGMarks]

The endless blogs and commentary on this subject are serving the same old purpose.

Some hate is just worthy of more commentary. SOME hate is more heinous than others.

SOME hate is ignored. Some hate is exploited.

Now let's measure which is which -- and it will answer LOTS of questions about our culture and it's managers.

[michellekraus]

There is no "hate" that is justified. Period.

[incognito-ergo-sum]

dynwitch, maybe the officials are strung out looking at so many groups. Or maybe they know that most of the rightwing nuts are old white guys who want a revolution they can drive to in their SU V's.

If there is an answer to this problem I don't see it.

[LanceJetson]

"Post-Bush years?" It has hardly been the post-Bush six months. I think the actual "Bush years" some some pretty horrible examples of hate violence also.