Violent rhetoric and the problem of Republican terrorism

The attack on a Liberal church in Knoxville, Tennessee by a Republican terrorist acting out a carefully pre-meditated political agenda was not only predictable: it was predicted by Dr. Jeffrey Feldman. I apologize to Dr. Feldman for the following very long quote. I have bolded certain lines for emphasis:

To win the election, the right is going to try to capitalize on a long-term effort by right-wing pundits to reframe every issue in terms of violent language and logic. This effort has been going on almost entirely under the radar of the mainstream media, as it is unfolding in books written by right-wing pundits and on right-wing TV shows that most big media reporters dismiss as insignificant.

Through this effort, the right has framed our entire system of politics through a logic of violence, the result of which is that Democrats and Liberals are not just seen as political opponents to Republicans, but as a collective mortal threat to the continuing existence of America.

The most common focus of this 'violent rhetoric' is national security.

Most political analysts stop short at understanding the right-wing frame of national security by focusing only on the phrase 'War on Terror.' Indeed, that is a key phrase used brought into American politics through a coordinated effort by the right. But that's not the frame.

The right-wing frame of national security takes the form of a much more general, violent concept of a 'war' for American survival on 'two fronts.' In this logic, American national security is endangered by two enemies, not just by one: (1) by a global movement of Islamic militants and (2) by an internal war against cultural militants--Liberals.

The vast majority of dedicated Republican voters has been subject to years and years of this framing effort through an ongoing conversation on TV, radio, and in books.[1]

Jim Adkisson was not some random whacko: he was acting out a violent script that had been fed to him over and over again by right-wing media sources. Adkisson is not the first Republican to act on the violent fed to him and he will not be the last. In March 2008, Dr. Feldman issued the following warning:

When political debate is taken over by violent language and logic, the effect it has on the public sphere is poisonous and debilitating. Conversation itself shuts down, opening up the door for the return of a pre-modern form of politics antithetical to the free and open exchange of ideas through words.

It has been almost 50 years since this country experienced a sudden collapse in our political conversation and the sudden shift to violence that follows. The Republican effort to frame the presidential debate with violent rhetoric has once again opened the door that leads in that direction. Americans everywhere and of all political perspectives should take note of it and reject it.[2]

Now, five months later, it appears that a new wave of Republican violence is beginning. You don't have to look very far to find violent Republican rhetoric aimed at provoking violence towards those who do not agree with them:

Fighting the Insurgency at Home ... Action Alert
Major Hardcore Insurgent Street Protest at Times Square Recruiting Station!

The hardcore domestic insurgents are planning a rally outside the Recruiting Station at Times Square on Saturday, August 2nd at High Noon. They are putting out the word to bring their lemmings and stooges in from all the surrounding areas. Early estimates are that they will be able to have a turnout in the neighborhood of 2-3,000 at this event. We need a strong turnout to prevent the radicals from damaging the station or claiming to have shut it down.

We will arrive before the moonbats at 11:00 am to secure the area.

Note the use of militarized language. This kind of phraseology could have been copied off of a handbill advertising a Brownshirt rally in the 1930s. The advertisment continues:

The insurgent theme for this event is "Stop War On Iran" with red octagonal shaped images on their signs. If you have the time to make up signs we suggest a "GO Victory" or "GO Army, Navy, Marines or Air Force" theme. Use the color green as much as possible. Use your creativity to come up with other patriotic statements on road sign themes. Possibilities include Stop Treason, Stop Domestic Insurgency, Yield to Victory, etc... Try to keep sign messages short and to the point to be more effective.

This violent rhetoric is inappropriate. The peace protesters have every right to protest. The pro-war demonstrators likewise have a right to counter-protest. But when you hurl epithets like "domestic insurgent" and "traitor," it is only a matter of time before someone resorts to violence.

It is too late to prevent the outbreak of violence. Sadly, that time has already passed--Republican terrorist Jim Adkisson crossed that line when he took a 12 gauge shotgun into a church to kill Liberals. It is too late to ask the Republican Party to moderate their rhetoric: they are already committed to portraying Liberals as a threat the United States and actively encouraging violence against us. Liberals now need to take reasonable steps to ensure their personal security against unprovoked attacks.