I'm no medical doctor or psychiatrist, but I believe there's a disturbing condition sweeping the left-wing blogosphere, closely related to the well-documented malady of Bush Derangement Syndrome. Call it Limbaugh Derangement Syndrome if you will, and I will.
What else do you call it when a lib blogger compares the radio talk show host to agitators of Rwandan genocide? From Jeffrey Feldman's May 7 blog over at Huffington Post (emphasis mine; h/t NRO's Kathryn Jean Lopez):
The right-wing pundit's 'orders' to his Republican listeners have been clear: vote in the Democratic primaries as a coordinated tactic for sewing [sic] division in the opposition party. The goal of such 'chaos,' Limbaugh has stated explicitly, is to foment hatred between different parts of the Democratic Party leading, ultimately, to street riots during the Denver convention.
The ongoing incident raises a serious question:
How does Limbaugh's bid to incite political violence with radio broadcasts differ from previous instances where radio has been used to that end (e.g., Rwanda)?
Most Americans would agree that using radio to incite political violence is not only wrong, but the attempt itself represents a massive failure in our democracy.
Of course, Limbaugh must be taken grossly out of context to read into his statements that he want asinicide* in Denver this August. A tense convention with an uncertain outcome that can benefit conservatives, yes. Besides, it's also worth noting that it is far-left radicals and socialist agitators who are at the forefront of any calls to "Recreate '68."
Brian Maloney of Radio Equalizer has Limbaugh's actual comments, without the isolation and context-ripping that make for fodder for liberal blog rants.
*murder of donkeys, the jackass being the Democratic Party symbol
—Ken Shepherd is Managing Editor of NewsBusters
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Precious Jeffy Feldman
May 7, 2008 - 14:01 ET by geoff.galeDoes Jeffy own a dictionary? Does he know what genocide is? Does he understand that the Democratic Party is an organisational entity that can't be shot, starved, or beaten to death? Does he understand that the First Amendment protects that very speech with which he doesn't agree?
With all these questions and more, I say Congress should investigate! It'll keep 'em busy so they won't screw up anything else.
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
- Edmund Burke (1729 - 1797)
www.conservativeboot...
Better off dead
May 7, 2008 - 14:08 ET by nkviking75"Does Jeffy own a dictionary? Does he know what genocide is?"
Libs choose words for their emotional impact, not their accuracy. Besides, if this campaign is enough to literally destroy the party, they'd be better off "dead".
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
Libs choose words for their
May 7, 2008 - 15:46 ET by motherbeltLibs choose words for their emotional impact, not their accuracy.
That they do. Thus, every instance of someone bothering them becomes some kind of emotional terrorism, and talking about riots just means someone wants a bunch of Democrats dead.
This is as bad as last week when someone said that to get HRC to quit, someone would have to go into a room with her and only one come out. The overwrought liberal woman said it could only mean beating up Clinton until she was physically incapable of walking out of the room.
For a bunch that pride themselves on their intelligence, Democrats are amazingly dense when it suits their purposes.
Choosing Words
May 7, 2008 - 18:16 ET by geoff.galeOf course MB, modern libs use language as a weapon in their arsenal of weapons against freedom. And you're right, it's not just the words, but the analogies, comparisons and mental images that they conjure that are harmful.
Unfortunately, such heavy reliance on 'emotionally inflated' language desensitises us all to the meanings of those words. Every day we're subjected to the use of emotionally charged words, analogies and mental images, and every day we all grow just that bit more jaded and hardened to the impact they carry. Every day we're less 1950's BBC or vintage Wally Cronkite and more Hollywood Insider Extra Entertainment Tonight; sensationalised and stimulated by their every attempt to pander to our darkest fears and foulest fantasies as they try to normalise the abnormal.
<sarcasm>Personally, I blame the PC and the ever-present thesaurus - without these tools of the devil, the average schlub reporter/reporterette only had a 10,000 word working vocabulary and on top of that their editor chewed them out when they wrote too many "colourful" adjectives. Oh for the days in which the media truly did report and then let you decide.</sarcasm>
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
- Edmund Burke (1729 - 1797)
www.conservativeboot...
Crossovers for me but not for thee
May 7, 2008 - 14:05 ET by NBFSo it's OK when dems cross over and vote for McCain, but not OK if republicans cross over and vote for Hillary. Got it.
Yep... Those are the
May 7, 2008 - 14:25 ET by Clear thinkerYep...
Those are the rules!
"Abstain from McCain"
RDS (Rush Derangement
May 7, 2008 - 14:15 ET by mattmRDS (Rush Derangement Syndrome) is a pleasant side-effect of Operation Chaos. It makes me laugh.
Rush really has them going
May 7, 2008 - 14:20 ET by U.S.S. NixonRush really has them going crazy.. Go Rush go...
"Conservatives saw the savagery of 9/11 in the attacks
and prepared for war; liberals saw the savagery of the 9/11 attacks and
wanted to prepare indictments and offer therapy and understanding for
our attackers"
and he just scathingly
May 7, 2008 - 14:37 ET by Chris Normanand he just scathingly laughs at their efforts, driving them further into insanity.
Danger! Will Robinson
May 7, 2008 - 14:39 ET by KC MulvilleThe scary part of this is that Feldman claims to be a teacher. (God only knows what his final exam might be.)
It's a good tactic: "Yes!
May 7, 2008 - 14:46 ET by balboaIt's a good tactic: "Yes! Sure! Riots!" when he's talking to the caller at first. That makes a good sound bite, gets people upset / talking.
But a couple of minutes later, "Now, see, I'm not saying there should be actual riots."
It's kinda like the "ho" comment. Rush says it, then takes it back. But the comment, the sound bite is already out there, on its way to deliver attention and publicity to Rush.
Can you imagine if Hillary
May 7, 2008 - 15:10 ET by nicksmith112Can you imagine if Hillary were ahead of Obama in delegates with two Barack states excluded from the process???
Also not in a million year would the Demo-crybabies have envisioned this super-delegate sham be part of the process with a black and a woman candidate......lol.
I'm a refugee from the Democratic Party.
Is the majority always wrong?
May 7, 2008 - 18:06 ET by PTWWhy cannot a reasonable people lament what we see as idiotic. You guys make a living at it. I don't think we're deranged when we disagree. When Carville or Huffington say stupid things I'm not happy and complain. Is should be able to complain about Bush and Rush without being labeled deranged. These posts rail against the very things you despise.
Bid to Incite
May 7, 2008 - 18:13 ET by CobraMan"Why cannot a reasonable people lament what we see as idiotic."
A reasonable person would never claim that Rush is trying to incite a riot. Have you even seen the majority of comments at blogs like the Huffington Post? Only a madman would consider them as "reasonable."
What the media and left
May 7, 2008 - 18:21 ET by futbolisgreat1What the media and left wing blogs and sites are not talking about is the FACT that the DNC, Howard Dean has disenfranchised Democrat party voters in Florida and Michigan. Operation Chaos is NOTHING compared to the dictatorial crap that is going on within the DNC!
and c'mon, how come no one attacks the whole Superdelegate thing. This is just who the Democrat party is. They will allow people to vote, but if the DNC doesn't like the decision that the voters made, it will allow about 800 individuals decide who will represent them? talk about elitism, dictatorship, etc.
I can't believe that any Democrat voter would buy into this whole superdelegate crap.
but that is who Democrats and Liberals are...they believe that a few (those that Liberals believe are educated and better informed, filthy rich, etc) should be electing their Presidential candidate.
The DNC Presidential primary process is a great example of who the Democrats are and why we shouldn't elect any of these elites pigs into any office.
fut... Excellent
May 7, 2008 - 18:36 ET by bigtimerfut...
Excellent points...and Hill and team from way back helped create all this non democratic way/rules for the dem party...coming back to bite her now isn't it?
Nothing like pay backs are hell...you reap what you sell and all that jazz...
I am enjoying it....
"Never murder your opponent when he is committing suicide." ~ W. Churchill
I agree 100% with both of
May 7, 2008 - 19:52 ET by motherbeltI agree 100% with both of you...and the Dems are such hypocrites. They created the superdelegates for the express purpose of overriding the popular vote, represented by the state delegates. Now they are saying the superdelegates have to go along with the state delegations and the popular vote.
Then why have them at all?
As Rush says, in the Democratic party, there are no "rules"...only customs and traditions.
Frankly I think it would serve the Democrats right to have their people marching in the streets chanting "Seat every delegate!" And then to have the same black leaders who hollered "disenfranchisement!" in 2000, arguing against it.
They will all, from Howard Dean on down, end up hoist on their own petard.
Rush gets them ranting and
May 7, 2008 - 18:29 ET by rammingspeedRush gets them ranting and raving like no one else. It's fun to watch - they've got it coming.
Huff & Puff is the vent for the deranged.
May 7, 2008 - 18:36 ET by CTCarbon Credits Smoke'em if you got'em!
If any of Rush's listeners
May 7, 2008 - 19:10 ET by goldbarIf any of Rush's listeners want to go to Denver to start a riot I'll give it my blessing. There's nothing to me that would be funnier than seeing a bunch of fat, pasty republicans getting tased, teargassed and eating jailhouse protein loaf. What a sight!
As an aquaintence of mine
May 7, 2008 - 19:22 ET by Clear thinkerAs an aquaintence of mine would say "you ain't from around here are ya"?
Not to worry leadbar, a Republican would never want to be around that many socialists.
"Abstain from McCain"
Nor...
May 7, 2008 - 20:14 ET by Prester John....would they see any need to disturb the peace, destroy private property, assault the police, and participate in any other childlike behavior that the Left deems as legitimate protest.
Nor...
May 7, 2008 - 20:15 ET by Prester John....would they see any need to disturb the peace, destroy private property, assault the police, and participate in any other childlike behavior that the Left deems as legitimate protest.
Prester... Don't you just
May 7, 2008 - 20:30 ET by Clear thinkerPrester...
Don't you just love how the left calls that behaviour 'civil disobediance'. You know, what we call 'breaking the law'!
"Abstain from McCain"
goldbar, You seem to lack
May 7, 2008 - 19:27 ET by Karmagoldbar,
You seem to lack even the slightest comprehension of what is going on here. Please research this subject and try again.
what??
May 7, 2008 - 22:09 ET by candanceWow goldie - this is really stupid, even for your typical standards. Republicans are going to riot in Denver?
Do you research anything about Republicans before you come on here?
Yes. I just like saying
May 8, 2008 - 11:19 ET by goldbarYes. I just like saying "fat, pasty republicans".
um....okay...
May 8, 2008 - 11:23 ET by candanceSo you enjoy calling Republicans names? Good debating skills there Sparky.
These metalheads can't
May 8, 2008 - 12:12 ET by pbanks7These metalheads can't understand satire and facetiousness. It doesn't translate into text, like the ambiguous, "You'd be doing really well if you could get that guy to work for you."
Patsy Schroeder thought Rush was serious when he said he'd buy his mom dog food to eat if she had to choose between food and her meds.
MSM - shaping all the perceptions you need to believe.
LDS. Hmm, isn't that what Captain Kirk said we were all on...
May 7, 2008 - 23:04 ET by R D Helm...when the Enterprise ventured back to the 20th Century in Star Trek IV?
LOL-Uncanny how that series accurately portrayed the "future" at times.
What the American people are looking for is somebody who can solve their problems. - Barack Obama, April 27, 2008