Hate Club

I was zipping through TV channels last night just before going to bed when, for no reason really, I turned on Sean Hannity's new Fox television show, Hannity. Mr. “Reasonable” was sitting with his back to the camera, looking at a relatively large sound meter with a sign overhead that stated Hate Meter. In succession different voices became audible (all interestingly with what one might charitably call an Ozark accent); all ranting obscenities about Hannity which resulted in the predictable response on the Hate Meter.

Hannity finally turned to face the camera and claimed the voices were those of liberals who had been invited to call in and rant at him. It was all done altruistically, he claimed, so they could release their hate at him and not at his viewers. He then provided a phone number for future call-ins.

Aside from the fact that I think the voices were actually those of Hannity's parents, I couldn't help but recall in George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty Four something called the Two-Minute Hate. It occurred to me that Hannity (and other squawkers these days) rely on this sort of fear-mongering to incite their followers and enable them to loath and hate anyone different from them. Liberals have become Emmanuel Goldstein and it has been very successful. The word “liberal” is now conservative code word for traitor, commie, tax and spend socialist, etc.

So successful that local conservative bloggers who are losing arguments (most all) resort eventually to calling their debate antagonist a member of the hate left. One local blogger known for less than real debate has even taken to calling a local lefty the king of the hate left. It doesn't matter the subject, anyone writing anything that disagrees with most anything he writes is not only hateful, but the evil falsehoods will likely be sent on a short, quick trip down the memory hole (as does anything he writes that proves to be false).

This reinforces my belief that Hannity's show and the others like him (squawk radio host Charlie Sykes, Rush Limbaugh, Michael Savage, etc.) are merely instruments for conservative brainwashing; the members of the incurious club who are affected most then carry out the demonization of liberals on the local level.

It's sad really. They never had a chance.

No, Not the Muzzle

I think that there are really good local conservative bloggers. There are those who are not so good. And then, there are those whose content borders on the hysterical. One of these is Mary at Freedom Eden.

Her latest "masterpiece" is a look at Bill Cunningham, a Cinncinati-based radio show host, who has been running afoul of Media Matters, a self-professed media watchdog. Ms Freedom Eden claims that Media Matters is targeting Cunningham because of his continued use of the Barack Obama's middle name. Which, she writes, is ridiculous because Obama will need to use it when he is sworn in as President. And, she pants, this is just the beginning. She believes that Cunningham is the first of a “long list of conservative talkers to be deemed a 'purveyor of hate speech' by the Left. The effort is underway to silence conservative talk radio, to squelch free speech, to muzzle dissent.”

Look out hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet. Those darned leftists.

But really, dissent? She calls what Cunningham spews dissent? Mary must have missed the following examples of sewerage dished up from the septic tank that is Cunningham's mind.

From the October 28 broadcast of Clear Channel's The Big Show with Bill Cunningham:

“Imagine being 10 years old, being raised -- imagine being 10 years old in Jakarta, Indonesia, being raised as a Muslim, and your mother, Ann Dunham, hates you so much that she sends you to Honolulu to live with her mom and dad, so she can stay in Jakarta, Indonesia, and being raised -- being married to Barry Soetoro. And imagine at the age of 1 or 2 seeing your father for the last time. See, his father was a typical black father who, right after the birth, left the baby. That's what black fathers do. They simply leave.”

Wow. Barack's mother hated him and black fathers don't stick around after birth. I don't know about you, but that seems a bit of a sretch. Oh, and where's the dissent?

Or, how about this turd from the October 30 broadcast of The Big Show with Bill Cunningham:

“... because Obama wants to gas the Jews, like the PLO wants to gas the Jews, like the Nazis gassed the Jews.”

Cunningham was having a conversation with a fictional character, Randy Furman, when he uttered that classic piece of – what did Mary call it -- oh yeah, dissent. And on his November 3 broadcast of Clear Channel's The Big Show with Bill Cunningham:

"He goes out to his left-wing buddies in San Francisco and smears God, smears guns, smears everything great about this country. Then he comes to these rallies like bromides, like Adolf Hitler in 1933, and the faithful are shouting, 'Yes we can, yes we can.'”

What was that thing called Godwin's Law.

Anyway, my definition of what contitutes dissent differs markedly from Mary's, because I'm fairly certain my definition actually includes some differences of opinion. All I read of Cunningham was ginned up hate. Yes, hate. That's my opinion, my dissent.

But you know, what even more remarkable is nowhere in the pieces written at Media Matters covering this horse manure does anyone suggest that Cunningham should be muzzled. Why not? Well, here is how Media Matters itself describes its mission.

Media Matters for America is a Web-based, not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) progressive research and information center dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. Media.

Monitoring, analying and correcting conservative misinformation. Hmmm. I don't see any references to muzzling.

Launched in May 2004, Media Matters for America put in place, for the first time, the means to systematically monitor a cross section of print, broadcast, cable, radio, and Internet media outlets for conservative misinformation — news or commentary that is not accurate, reliable, or credible and that forwards the conservative agenda — every day, in real time.

Using the website http://www.mediamatters.org/ as the principal vehicle for disseminating research and information, Media Matters posts rapid-response items as well as longer research and analytic reports documenting conservative misinformation throughout the media. Additionally, Media Matters works daily to notify activists, journalists, pundits, and the general public about instances of misinformation, providing them with the resources to rebut false claims and to take direct action against offending media institutions.
Meida Matters posts rapid-response items documenting conservative misinformation. And, provides resources to rebut false claims and take direct action against offending institutions.

Oh, I see, it's the take direct action part that Mary doesn't like. But, how does that equate to muzzling? Well frankly, it doesn't.

You see, the issue now is that the conservative media no longer can get away with saying the frothingly inaccurate crap they've gotten away with and they don't like it. Having been able to frame discussions with inaccuracy, downright lies and race-baiting for years, the conservative media and their apologists see anyone highlighting their hate speech as attempts at muzzling. In the same way they call any attempt to reenact the Fairness Doctrine (btw: I'm against) as censorship when in fact no speech is being censored, the intent is merely to bring balance. But that's another post.

Some conservatives simply don't feel good about themselves unless they can spew hate recklessly or alternately play the victim game, which Mary buys into well.

Another Victim of Hate Radio

Because that's what some conservatives are best at (the victim part). This was posted at Plaisted Writes:

Mike, you bitter devisive hate mongering liberal coward. The hate you and you cowardly liberals have shown Bush (personally) and all things conservative. This country is still solidly center-right. The only thing the nigger has done is assured that Republicans will regain control quicker. When Obamaramma takes current 6.5% unemployment numbers and turns them into 35%, by raising taxes and creating huge government welfatre programs, this country will lynch the nigger faster thana CC Sabathia fastball.

Another tragedy fostered by the divisiveness of hate radio.

I can't help but note that dad29, a local conservative blogger likes to refer to the President-Elect as Obamamamamama. He must be related to the person above. Or, he's a victim, too.

Open Season Enabled by Hate Radio

According to the New Yory Times, six Long Island teenagers have been charged with hate crimes in the death of a Hispanic man, Marcelo Lucero.

Mr. Lucero’s killing has brought to the fore a fierce debate about race relations in Patchogue, a comfortable village of 11,700 where Mr. Lucero lived and worked for most of the 16 years he had been in the United States.

Latinos make up a quarter of the population, according to the 2000 census, a figure that is growing, fanning what some residents describe as a deepening resentment toward illegal immigrants in general, and day laborers in particular.

And no doubt fanned by hate radio in all its guises and forms. As documented by Media Matters, hate radio has gone out of its way to enflame hatred toward not just Hispanics, but minorities in general.

G. Gordon Libby

On the June 5 broadcast of his radio show, G. Gordon Liddy asserted: "[T]he problem that I have is with people who come over here and instead of wanting to become Americans, you know, fly the American flag, learn English, and so forth, they want to fly the Mexican flag, they want to speak Spanish, you know, and other varieties of illegal alien." Liddy later added: "They want to reconquer America, they say."

Jim Quinn

On October 10, KSFO's Lee Rodgers repeated a variation of the claim that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reported that it gave "5 million illegal aliens" subprime loans which have not been paid back. The same day, Quinn & Rose's Jim Quinn also claimed that "[f]ive million of these bad mortgages went to illegal aliens" without citing a source for the figure. But neither noted that HUD has reportedly stated that this statistic is false.

Michael Savage

We need to get our troops out of Iraq and put them on the streets of America to protect us from the scourge of illegal immigrants who are running rampant across America, killing our police for sport, raping, murdering like a scythe across America while the liberal psychos are telling us they come here to work." Savage added: "[Y]ou turn on the cable news, they're covering again a missing child. Not a missing country but a missing child. ... We hear about the rape of a woman, but not about the rape of the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty is crying, she's been raped and disheveled -- raped and disheveled by illegal aliens."

And regarding Muslims, Savage, said this:

"Why would a nation that is as evolved as America, and as liberal as America is socially, want to bring in throwbacks who are living in the 15th century?" He also asked: "What is the societal benefit of bringing in throwbacks, some of whom are no doubt terrorists, and some of whom are gonna produce children who will become terrorists?"

I have heard people repeat verbatim crap like this espoused by others hate squawkers as though it's truth from on high. It's this sort of language that sets people off and enables barbaric behavior like what occurred in New York.

Mr. Haroon Khan

I met Mr. Haroon Khan today, but I wish under better circumstances.

I was beginning a walk with my 21-month old, her brother andd sister and our dog this afternoon when I spotted our neighbors, the Siddikis, in their driveway. Amir and Aysha are two of the nicest neighbors one could after ask for (the entire neighborhood is great, too). Their three kids are absolutely precious.

Anyway, I went over to say hello and noticed they seemed very somber, almost distracted -- quite unlike the usual greeting which is always accompanied with smiles. I asked what was up and Amir told me they had just returned from the funeral of Haroon Khan.

Oh my. I was at a loss for words. What could I say other than I was sorry?

I knew that Mr. Khan, the son of a physician and a UWM student as I had been, had been murdered by a young man from Watertown, apparently as the end act in the theft of Khan's car. I had seen the news on TV and had been shocked. I suppose I should have known that the local Muslim community isn't that large and it was likely that the Siddickis would have know the Khan family.

It was obvious they were both still in shock and deeply affected by Mr. Khan's death. Amir asked if I knew anything about the incident. I replied only what I had seen on television. Amir told me that Khan's murder was a brutal affair. Amir said Khan begged for his life. Khan apparently said he had a family and promised not to say anything about the theft. However, the young man had already determined that this theft would end in murder it was later determined. Khan was stabbed, Amir told me, 25 times and his throat was cut. His body was then dumped into a shallow hole.

As Amir told me this he shook and nearly broke into tears. He couldn't believe this had happened for a car. Why, he asked. It made no sense.

I don't know the young man who so viciously took Khan's life, but I can tell you why I think some of the brutality went beyond simple burglary. I think that a desensitizing effect has come over much of American society as a result of 9-11. I blame those who claim to be right-wingers, conservatives, Republican and many so-called Christians. That includes not only those who have been the most forward about spreading vicious lies and slanders about Muslims, helping to whip ignorant Americans into a fever-pitch frenzy toward anyone who looks or sounds different -- Muslim. I blame those, too, on the right who have not said anything. Those who have remained quiet but could have spoken out.

Being Muslim has become the new four-letter word and anti-Muslim hysteria has been fanned throughout the nation. Even though no other candidate uses his or her middle name formally, the right thinks it somehow funny to use the given middle name of Barack Obama, not out of any sign of respect, but as a crude tie to Saddam Hussein. Muslims are routinely called ragheads and terrorists. Their religion is slandered and their people targeted with hate mail.

Even today I was told by a local small businessman that he wasn't voting for that A-rab Hussein Obama. And then he said, when I mentioned I would be voting for him that he heard A-rab News had said they'd soon have a way in to the United States through the White House.

Yes, A-rab News.

I do know this -- I feel incredibly sorry for my wonderful neighbors. They have adopted this country as their own, their home. They are the best neighbors anyone could ever ask for. And I saw them today in such pain and sorrow. It's not right.

My condolences to the Khan family. I am so sorry for your loss.

UPDATE:
Update: You can't go to McCain/Palin rallies now without hearing the hate-driven people who have been whipped to a frenzy and a blind rage. These same resentlul people are yelling that Obama is a terrorist, a Muslim, (as though that would be wrong) a socialist and that his supporters are commuists. And, of course, the racist crap is just starting to appear publicly along with threats to his life (which Palin enables).

According to Glenn Greenwald, there is a billboard (at least one) of Obama wearing a turban and even the little kids are being twisted by the lizards on the right. A neighbor kid suggested I take down our Obama sign because he wants to kill children.

There is nothing at Obama rallies that approaches the invective being delivered at McCain/Palin rallies. The right should be ashamed.

UPDATED AGAIN: Friday at a McCain rally in Minnesota a woman said, "I don't trust Obama. I have read about him. He's an Arab."

Yep, no one unhinged here.

Glenn Beck is So Funny

The baby is underneath the chair, grabbing my legs. Meanwhile, surfing a few sites on the Internet, I came across my friend, Bill over at View From the Cheap Seats. Bill is a great guy. He has been a guest of ours once and we have also shared breakfast. Plus, our baby daughter Quin likes him.

Still, we come from opposite sides of the political spectrum, of which I'm sure Bill would readily agree. We have had a few spirited arguments. This might provide more kindling for the fire.

Bill has a post titled Thoughts on Liberal Radio. He listened one day for a short while and decided it was hateful regarding President Bush and things conservative in general. That's a fairly common refrain. I've never listened to Air America, so I can't answer his claim except to say that in the world of talk radio and blogging, it seems that one person's hate is another person's humor. I mean really, Bush is a deluded fucking idiot is not much of a hateful remark. I would consider it rather truthful ... which, I guess makes me a hater. Oh well.

Bill admits the example she provides are not the worst. He does not print the ones that were worse, so it's hard to gauge, but I do know Bill to be an honest guy so I'll take him at his word. However, this comment he provides (in the comment section of the post) is what causes this post. Bill states that Glenn Beck is in no way hateful and shrill.

WTF!

Bill, those long drives at night in your rig have done something to your “hate” antenna, because if you think calling Bush a deranged idiot is more hateful than the following examples of Beck's spewage, I think you need another vacation.

Waste of Skin
Where I come from, calling someone a waste of skin is akin to saying that person should not be alive ... in other word non-existent or dead. And that is exactly what Glenn Beck said referring to former president Jimmy Carter. From the February 8 broadcast of Premiere Radio Networks' The Glenn Beck Program:

Is there a day that God ever says, "What was I thinking?" Here's what I mean: Do you think God ever says, "I could've used that skin making somebody of value, you know? I could have used that skin in such a -- just a better way." You know? And its not -- the reason why I bring this up is: Is there a bigger waste of skin than Jimmy Carter? Ya know, I don't mean to, you know, I don't mean to look the maker in the eyes and say, "Eh, kind of a waste," but I'm asking, do you think he ever thinks, "I don't know, man, I could've used that skin someplace else." You know? Who's the bigger waste of skin, can you name a bigger -- you know, and you could immediately go to people like Kim Jong Il. OK, there's a big waste of skin, but not really, because his skin's being utilized by evil. At least evil is using that skin. Who's using the skin of Jimmy Carter? What purpose does the skin of Jimmy Carter -- it's like an empty suit walking down the street.

Prostitute
In the January 10 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Glenn Beck called anti-war protester Cindy Sheehan "a pretty big prostitute," later amending, at the behest of his executive producer, Steve "Stu" Burguiere, that "tragedy pimp" would be "the most accurate description."
Beck did not like Sheehan because she was, ostensibly, prostituting her son's death. Without getting into other activities that Sheehan involved herself rightly or not, I hardly think Beck has the right to call Sheehan anything until he has a child killed, especially in a wrongful war.

Prove It
On the November 14 edition of his CNN Headline News program, Glenn Beck interviewed Rep.-elect Keith Ellison (D-MN), who became the first Muslim ever elected to Congress on November 7, and asked Ellison if he could "have five minutes here where we're just politically incorrect and I play the cards up on the table." After Ellison agreed, Beck said: "I have been nervous about this interview with you, because what I feel like saying is, 'Sir, prove to me that you are not working with our enemies.' " Beck added: "I'm not accusing you of being an enemy, but that's the way I feel, and I think a lot of Americans will feel that way."

Last time I read the Bill of Rights, freedom of religion was something allowed and enshrined in the first amendment, which states: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. I think that rightfully includes not questioning the patriotism of someone simply because of the sex, race or faith one chooses to follow.

She's Such a Bitch
Where I come from, calling a woman a bitch is not a friendly little aside. One might even say it's just a little hateful. But that's exactly what Beck had to say about Senator Hillary Clinton. On the March 15 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Glenn Beck said:

"Hillary Clinton cannot be elected president because ... there's something about her vocal range." He went on to say, "There's something about her voice that just drives me -- it's not what she says, it's how she says it," adding, "She is like the stereotypical -- excuse the expression, but this is the way to -- she's the stereotypical bitch, you know what I mean?" Beck also asked: "[A]fter four years, don't you think every man in America will go insane?" and pleaded, "I'm sorry for being such a pig. But please, America. Please. I don't think I could do it for four years. I mean, sure the country is going to go to hell in a handbasket, but could we make this about me for a second? I just don't think I could take it from her." He also said that "there is a range in women's voices that experts say is just the chalk, I mean, the fingernails on the blackboard."

Shades of Auschwitz
On the June 28 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Glenn Beck commented on a mock ad -- produced by subscribers to his website known as "Insiders" -- depicting a "giant refinery" that produces "Mexinol," which, according to the ad, is a fuel made from the bodies of illegal immigrants from Mexico. Beck read from the ad: "At Evil Conservative Industries, we know four things for certain. The country needs cheap, alternative fuel source. Two, the human body is 18 percent carbon. Three, carbons can be turned into hydrocarbons. Four, we have a buttload of illegal aliens in our country."

It wasn't too long ago that human hair was used as jacket filler for submariners and to line the insides of boots. Not too funny.

Michael Moore
Whatever one may think of Michael Moore, advocating his death isn't very funny and might just be considered, you know, kind of hateful to suggest. But that's what Beck did during the May 17, 2005, broadcast of his radio show, Beck himself fantasized about killing filmmaker Michael Moore:

Hang on, let me just tell you what I'm thinking. I'm thinking about killing Michael Moore, and I'm wondering if I could kill him myself, or if I would need to hire somebody to do it. No, I think I could. I think he could be looking me in the eye, you know, and I could just be choking the life out -- is this wrong?

I stopped wearing my What Would Jesus -- band -- Do, and I've lost all sense of right and wrong now. I used to be able to say, "Yeah, I'd kill Michael Moore," and then I'd see the little band: What Would Jesus Do? And then I'd realize, "Oh, you wouldn't kill Michael Moore. Or at least you wouldn't choke him to death," and you know -- well, I'm not sure.

Hate Is Not a Family Value

I don’t know how dislike or hate are manifested. I don't have a degree in psychology or sociology. I have opinions. However, before delving into those, I think I will spend some time recording some thoughts I have had of late.

My inner thoughts are not pure as the driven snow. I suspect they are not very different from others … I mean, how different are we really in our thoughts? Not like we’ll ever know, it’s really how we act on these thoughts and impulses that delineates us from each other.

I’m going to make some confessions … some public confessions that may expose me to ridicule, to some these confessions will be the height of hypocrisy, perhaps others will see themselves in these confessions. I don’t know. These confessions, these – not epiphanies, more like discordant voices – are my own. They belong to me, no one else. I imply nothing for anyone else.

I don’t understand why or how a person is gay. I find the idea of the homosexual sexual act between males repugnant. I find it less repugnant when females are involved and I find the idea of anal intercourse not repugnant at all when a woman and man are involved. Why is this? It’s not very flattering and I am ashamed that it is true. But it is true.

I have used the word faggot in anger, most recently to my younger brother, who is gay. We had an argument. It got heated and I said it. Calling him a faggot broke the tension and we both started laughing, yet it is a hurtful word. I have thought the word when I have seen a man whose appearance or actions were overly effeminate. I’ve thought other hurtful words regarding woman who looked overly mannish … I’ve likely verbalized them as well, though privately or with associates of mine in a joking manner. Why is this?

I am not proud of this.

I also confess to being less than charitable in my thoughts towards blacks, African-Americans, Afro-Americans, negroes, niggers … there are many other variations and I’ve thought them all (other than some vague regional variations that I may not have come in contact with). Just the fact there are so many variations convinces me that I am not alone with my disturbing thoughts. I have been cut-off by a black person while driving on the highway and have used that really awful phrase … damn nigger. I have assumed that a person driving like an idiot was a nigger, only to find it was not true.

When walking in a mall, and I see a number of young black males walking toward me, I am usually more cautious and more prone to think that they are up to no good, or are lazy, or sell drugs, rape kill steal plunder … etc. Why is this?

I am not proud of this.

I do not find myself thinking thoughts such as these when regarding people of Asian descent nor people of Hispanic descent. I seem to have avoided that. Why is this?

So, there, I have said it. Now, the fact is I have many friends who are black. I enjoy their company and feel completely at ease with them. I don’t think of them as black. Ever. Just as friends. I have had black people over for supper, as guests, and have gone on outings with them. I dated a few beautiful black women … years ago. So why these thoughts?

As I mentioned earlier, I have a younger brother who is gay. I love him dearly. He’s a goofball and he would be the picture in a dictionary for the entry (if there were one) of a liberal looking at the world through rose-colored glasses. He does not read or listen to the news because of all the hateful things that are reported. He is always there to help, often when it has not been asked for … which can sometimes be very annoying. He’s a very loving and good person.

I have met numerous friends of his. One friend is somewhat confused about his-her-his sexuality … yes, I have seen this individual as a male and in the process of becoming a female. And then back again. It’s odd to me why. I don’t understand it and likely never will.

I have met homosexuals who are flamers, limp-wrested and who shake hands like Greta Garbo, you know, palm down with fingertips extended and quickly withdrawn. I’ve met others whom I would not want to meet on a football field for fear of being run over.


Where do these “uglinesses” come from. Certainly one is not born with these pre-determined within us. My seven-week old daughter harbors no prejudices towards gays or blacks. She cares only to be held, fed, changed, and nurtured in a loving way. My two other children, 11 and 6 years old are the same way. They have been brought up in a household that is accepting of others. They love my younger brother and they have black “uncles” who are very special to them.

I grew up in a time and geographical place which was more suspicious of blacks and dismissive of gays. There were none that lived near us. My father was very conservative (not a slap at conservatives, just a fact). His parents were the same. My grandmother could be very gracious if she met a black woman (very rare in the Fox Valley back then), but in the next breath would tell my little sister, upon hearing she was dating a person who was American Indian, that she did not want any black babies.

I remember Dad making derogatory comments about men who appeared a bit too “swishy,” and yet upon hearing one of his sons was gay, admitted that while he did not understand it, he still loved him. I’ve also heard him say similar vulgarities about blacks, usually when watching news on the television, and then be generous and gracious when meeting a black executive, even inviting him to our home.

It’s a weird world we live in.

It’s been a long journey from growing up in a place that only knew blacks existed on television, and gays did not exist, except in their closets. Change is always hard. I feel strongly that blacks still need assistance in gaining equality in our society. I am equally saddened and appalled by the strife in our inner city. It’s easy to say that “they” need to take responsibility and pull themselves up by their bootstraps, without standing in those boots. For the vast majority of whites, the life of an inner city black kid is as foreign as the culture of a foreign land. Quite simply, blacks in our inner cities do not have the same opportunities as we have had. I cannot say with any kind of certainty what the answer is to the death and poverty in our inner city, yet so many think they can and do … but they say these things from a point of view that has no relation to the one they are commenting about. The same goes for homosexuals and the irrational assault on the wishes of many of them to enjoy the same rights as their countrymen, and marry the person they have fallen in love with.

It really comes down to fear. I was taught that somehow blacks and homosexuals were different. Their difference was what was feared. Only by teaching and raising our children in an atmosphere of love and respect will these fears be put to rest. Only then will my children … our children … not have to face the task of introspection and try to come to terms with the ugliness and anger that reside within.


If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion. – Dalai Lama