Free speech.
I hate President Obama!
Obama's a Moron!
Yeah, that's okay to say. And it's okay to write on a blog....I think....I hope....i jest. It's even okay to print on a piece of cardboard you found in the garage and carry to a town hall meeting or a rally or a protest.
It's okay.
What isn't okay is the asshat who found said piece of cardboard and decided to write "Death to Obama" on it. That's a threat to the President of the United States and should be taken seriously. Even given that the sign also said, "Death to Michelle and her two stupid kids."
Secret Service took a fifty-one year old man.....FIFTY-ONE years old....into custody last week after deputies detained him near the entrance to Hagerstown Community College.
I understand some people are frustrated by all this talk of health care reform. I get it. Get angry, but don't shout. Get mad and carry a sign, but don't, don't, threaten to kill the president and his family.
What kind of discussion will that bring about?
I loathed George Bush as president. Loathed. I would say hate, but Grandma always said that wasn't nice. Loathe will suffice. W advocated torture; he approved torture. He got us into a war based on lies. He declared the war over.....Mission Accomplished....in 2003 and yet, we're still fighting.
I loathed him. I spoke out against him, I ranted and I raged and I called him names but I never, ever, once wished him dead. But now we have asshats around the country wanting the president to die because he wants to make health care affordable for all of us? Seriously?
A war based on lies didn't piss us off this much, but health care brings out our inner assassin?
Get your priorities straight people, and, as my evil twin Beth, from Nutwood Junction, so eloquently reminds us, Calm the eff down.
What infuriates me and scares me at the same time is that people like Limbaugh and Beck get these people so riled up...now, the majority of their listeners are sane. Sadly mistaken and with very poor taste, but sane. But you know--and THEY have to know--that there are some real whackjobs listening to them who will think that they are being sent directives to harm the President. Normally, I'm all for free speech, but there comes a time when it passes into the danger zone, and I believe we're there. The GOP needs to publicly condemn the hateful rhetoric and people need to...well, like I said. Calm the eff down. ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm reading a book about the Secret Service, really interesting. Sadly threats against the President are up 400%. I can only hope that they are the same yahoos making the same threats over and over again. I don't want to think we have that many unbalanced people in the country.
ReplyDeleteI am with you on this. No matter how much I hated GW, not matter how much I hold him responsable for this mess, not once did I ever wish him or his family harm. As a matter of fact, from what I know, no one ever threatened his ass throught out the horrid eight years.
ReplyDeleteKarl Rove a Rush must just be giddy with the hornets nest they have stirred up.
I said the same thing on my blog about feeling exactly that way about W. After living through all the assassinations and violence during the 60's, we probably have some PTSD from it and never want to go there again. I don't want any families to have to experience what the Kennedys, Kings, Evers, and too many others did. I'm not sure our country could get over it if someone acts out this violence on the Obamas.
ReplyDeleteExcellent point: "A war based on lies didn't piss us off this much, but health care brings out our inner assassin?"
What is wrong with people?
Forgive me Mom. I hated George Bush and still do.
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