Political Extremism and Hateful Speech Leads to Violence

Sarah Palins Gun-sight Ad targeting Democrat politicians. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/24/sarah-palins-pac-puts-gun_n_511433.html
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Specific facts I have noticed common to all political extremists, they transfer all responsibility to the opposition and they never take responsibility for their actions or comments.

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In the wake of the shooting in Tuscon, Arizona which left 6 dead and 14 injured, the dead included a Federal judge and a child, the injured included a United States Congress woman who was the target of shooter Jared Loughner. News reports released have indicated Loughner planned the attack on Congress Woman Gabrielle Giffords. Story Link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110111/ap_on_re_us/us_congresswoman_shot

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There is much controversy concerning the political rhetoric of Republican extremists. Noted quotes of right wing extremist and propagandists who make money and gain publicity from spreading hate and insanity:

1. Rush Limbaugh: "I tell people don't kill all the liberals. Leave enough so we can have two on every campus – living fossils – so we will never forget what these people stood for."

2. Senator Phil Gramm: "We're going to keep building the party until we're hunting Democrats with dogs."

3. Rep. James Hansen on Bill Clinton: "Get rid of the guy. Impeach him, censure him, assassinate him."

4. John Derbyshire intimated in the National Review that because Chelsea Clinton had "the taint," she should "be killed."

5. Ann Coulter: "We need to execute people like John Walker in order to physically intimidate liberals, by making them realize that they can be killed, too."

6. Ann Coulter: "My only regret with Timothy McVeigh is he did not go to the New York Times building."

7. Bill O'Reilly: "Those clowns over at the liberal radio network, we could incarcerate them immediately. Will you have that done, please? Send over the FBI and just put them in chains."

8. Clear Channel radio host Glenn Beck said he was "thinking about killing Michael Moore" and pondered whether "I could kill him myself, or if I would need to hire somebody to do it," before concluding: "No, I think I could. I think he could be looking me in the eye, you know, and I could just be choking the life out -- is this wrong?"

9. Mel Gibson on Frank Rich: "I want to kill him. I want his entrails on a stick. I want to kill his dog."

10. Fresno, Ca. City Council Member Jerry Duncan in 2003 wrote in an email that police should "Cap" members of the Human Relations Commission and wrote, "If I had one dirty bomb and I could eliminate all the liberals in Fresno at once." When his comments became public, Duncan said "The response I have gotten from the public on this has been 100% supportive."

11. Right winger backer and often a TV guest, Ted Nugent calling for violence against Democrats - http://vyan.blogspot.com/2007/08/nugent-calls-for-violence-against.html

12. "Liberalism Is a Mental Disorder: Savage Solutions" by Michael Savage, conservative radio talk show host. One of the books in which murderer Jim David Adkisson had in his possession. Adkinson stated he was motivated to kill liberals and Democrats. He entered a church in Knoxville, Tn and began a murder spree. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Knoxville_Unitarian_Universalist_church_shooting

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Rachel Maddow, "A Summary of Death Threats by the Right Wing Extreme" (Aug 2009)

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When does political speech cross over the line of responsible speech? A discussion concerning the issue from "Crooks & Liars:" Does hateful rhetoric really lead to violence? History gives us the clear answer: yes

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Trusting Washington politicians to act responsibly concerning this issue leaves this writer very uneasy. Already the extremists on the left are discussing limitations on political speech where "perceived threats" are involved. The threat seems to be originating from extremists on the left and right. I wonder if the "Speech Police" will come and haul me away for this speech?

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UPDATE: FBI finds evidence Loughner planned the attacks, from NPR. "FBI Director Robert Mueller confirmed that authorities "believe we have indication that he [Loughner] attended a similar event" to the one held on Saturday."
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"Investigators also say they found an envelope in which the words "I planned ahead," "My assassination" and "Giffords" were scrawled." http://www.npr.org/2011/01/10/132780010/vitriol-cited-as-possible-factor-in-arizona-tragedy?ft=1&f=1001