... no, I don't hold palin or angle responsible for the az shooting, and i've no desire whatsoever to restrict free speech.
BUT: folks really ought to recognize that metaphorical speech just might be interpreted non-metaphorically!... particularly folks whose speech is broadcast far & wide, folks who have a public podium, folks who pretend to play upon a world stage.
YES: words and images matter.
language & use of symbols distinguishes us from the creatures that are likely to survive us.
o'reilly ranting about 'baby killer tiller' just MIGHT matter.
palin putting congressional districts - and, by implication, congresspersons - in cross-hairs; ...
angle suggesting that '2nd amendment remedies' may be appropriate;...
... This speech matters, and the speakers ought acknowledge this simple fact.
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They don't. On FOX today, they put up the Palin cross-hairs map and said that some people were giving it "special significance" in this time of tragedy. Then, they put up a map from Democratic Headquarters showing several bull's-eye targets on "vulnerable" (their term) Republican district seats. It didn't strike me as an equivalency. It struck me that they were really reaching to disavow their role and point fingers.
ReplyDeleteThere has been some vicious name-calling from the angrier progressive blogs in recent weeks, but no call to arms and certainly nothing like Palin or Beck or Hannity or O'Reilly at MSNBC. Olbermann often sounds bitter, but his words are not threatening.
My friend Ashleigh is one of those in serious condition tonight at University Medical Center. She was shaking Giffords' hand when the shooter struck. She was shot three times.