10-30-2016, 05:59 PM
(10-30-2016, 02:01 PM)TeacherinExile Wrote:(10-28-2016, 11:27 AM)TeacherinExile Wrote:I have tended to agree with Bob Butler in the past that we were not close enough (yet) to the kind of eliminationist rhetoric that triggers a spiral of violence against "The Other." I am now prepared to say--seven years after David Neiwert first published his prescient book--that we are now dancing on the edge of the abyss. The hate speech--and let's call it what it is--is no longer limited to the extremist windbags of talk radio or cable TV. As author and journalist Chris Hedges has said before, "America Is a Tinderbox," and Trump and his ilk seem hell bent on lighting the match.(10-28-2016, 10:03 AM)Bob Butler 54 Wrote: CNN's Gregory Krieg wrote a piece, "Trump's supporters and their bloody words of war".Anyone with an interest in how a spiral of hateful rhetoric can spark actual violence against "The Other," I would highly suggest the book The Eliminationists by David Neiwert. It was published some years ago during the George W. Bush administration, but his book is no less apropos today. As evidenced by some of the hateful rhetoric--and small-scale violence--on display at some of Trump's rallies and at the RNC Convention, we are witnessing glimmers (and I stress, glimmers only, so far) of what has preceded the Holocaust and the Rwanda massacre. Let us hope that, once Trump is dispatched on Election Day, such rhetoric does not escalate...
It was accompanied by a bunch of links to other articles and videos... Trump Reporter verbally attacks CNN reporter, Trump supporter appears to hit protester at rally, Hillary Clinton: Donald Trump is ‘inciting violence’, Ex-congressman defends violent tweet, Sheriff Clarke: Pitchfork and torches time in America, Joe Biden: I wish I could take Trump behind the gym, Trump: I’d love to fight ‘tough guy’ Biden".
We all emphasize different elements of turning theory. One of my areas of interest is spirals of rhetoric and violence. While part of the above would be media trying to stir up ratings, the incidents behind the articles seem real enough.
I do note a trend to mention archaic weapons when the Republicans are using inflammatory language. They speak of pitchforks, torches and muskets, not high powered semi automatic weapons with large magazines. This seems to be a trick of plausible deniability, a way of pretending they are speaking metaphorically rather than actually inciting violence. To me, they are recklessly escalating the spiral of rhetoric without concern for the possible carry over into the spiral of violence.
Joe Walsh Wrote:"On November 8th, I'm voting for Trump. On November 9th, if Trump loses, I'm grabbing my musket," Walsh wrote to his more than 78,000 followers. "You in?"
Remember, remember the ninth of November?
"Trump rally speaker fantasizes about death of Hillary Clinton"
LAS VEGAS — A speaker warming up the crowd for Donald Trump at a campaign rally fantasized about the deaths of Hillary Clinton and a senior aide on Sunday morning.
Conservative commentator Wayne Allyn Root describing his fantasy of a made-for-TV movie about Clinton and aide Huma Abedin, said, “We all get our wish. The ending is like ‘Thelma and Louise.” In the 1991 film, the title characters drive over a cliff to their death. Root’s line drew cheers from rally attendees.
Root’s call is the latest elevation in the increasingly extreme and violent rhetoric directed by Trump and his surrogates at Clinton at campaign events...
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/10/clinton-trump-abedin-death-230510#ixzz4Ob1sS3zn
Those who utter such rhetoric may claim that their speech is merely allusive or archaic, and not an incitement to violence, but it is highly suggestive--and very, very dangerous in the current political climate.
Some anti-Hillary as well as pro-Hillary astrologers are saying she's in danger around the time of the inauguration. I am thinking we should give her a gentle warning not to put herself needlessly in danger; to stay protected. The "alt-right" is really crazy and irrational; they have no sense of facts, or respect for people they oppose or for the republic as it stands.