A BIGOT BY ANY OTHER NAME...

A

string of repulsive murders in the United States has lifted the lid from some inconvenient truths, and the hypocritical standards utilized by the pop media to drive the "public debate". The three shootings, which can all be seen as political violence carried out by "lone wolves" consumed by their own separate hatreds, each had very different impacts on the national conversation. Or maybe it should be better called the national screaming match.

First came the abortionist-hater, who gunned down one of the only three doctors in the country who regularly performed "late term" and "partial birth" abortions. Pro-life organisations immediately denounced the murder of Dr. Tiller in his Kansas church, realizing that it would be necessary to point out that a murderer can hardly be considered to be "pro-life". Although it should go without saying that anyone who believes in the sanctity of life could hardly endorse the crime, even stating the obvious was futile in the current polarized climate. Pro-life groups and certain public individuals were nakedly blamed for the doctor's murder. The killer was seen by many as just a simple-minded kook who was "incited" to kill by others. Fortunately for the narrative-weavers, there was no complicating racial aspect to the crime.

Not many days later, a self-described mujahideen (who was actually under investigation by the Joint Terrorism Task Force after his return to the US from Yemen) went on a shooting spree at a military recruitment center in Arkansas. Somebody wasn't paying enough attention to their task. The American jihadi, a recent convert to Islam, later told the media that he was angry about US troops 'bombing villages' and 'killing civilians' in Muslim countries — as the two latest Democratic Party candidates for president have both phrased it on separate occasions. As far as I know, no one on the other side of the aisle has accused either of those public figures of inciting this man's action.

No doubt this jihad warrior was incited by any number of spokesmen for the global mujahideen (indeed, he took "Mujahid" for his own "Islamic" name — Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad), where there is no shortage of those calling for the murder of infidels, Americans, Jews, etc. The killer saw two young Privates (one white and one black) who had just finished basic training, taking a smoke break outside the recruiting office. He hit them each three times in a hail of automatic rifle fire. Pvt. William Long, 23, died almost immediately. He was buried on the day he was to deploy to South Korea. Pvt. Quinton Ezeagwula, 18, survived and plans to stay in the Army. "I like defending this country," he says.

If the second of these three events received far less attention than the first, the third one is getting more than both. An 88 year old 'Aryan nationalist', James Von Brunn, marched up to the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. and opened fire, killing security guard Stephen Johns before he was himself shot by another guard. "Ah hah!" went the narrative-weavers. "A conservative extremist! And he killed a black man while attacking the Holocaust memorial!" Pure gold for the culture warriors, and using the crime for political hay, they certainly are. Unfortunately for this narrative, Von Brunn could in no rational way be tied to conservatives, any more than Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad should be tied to Muslims. The Aryan Nation creeps are in no way conservative, which means limited government power, individual liberty, free markets, and all that right-wing jazz.

Von Brunn left a long trail of his lunacy over the years, and guess who else he hates besides Jews and African-Americans? Well, let's see here, he hates Christianity and capitalism (he once tried to "citizen's arrest" the Federal Reserve) and advocates "Western Socialism." He's also a "911 Truther", believing the "Bush neo-cons" pulled off the attacks for their own purpose (which around one-third of registered Democrats also believe). The early investigation shows that he had lined up the Weekly Standard and Fox News (both believed to be conservative media) as alternate targets. This could all get a bit tricky for that narrative tapestry the weavers would like to work on.

Of course, most citizens will never hear about those aspects of a confused old man's belief system, just like most apparently still haven't heard about the first death by jihad terrorism on US soil since 9/11 (it's an almost daily occurrence lately in southern Thailand). US pop media doesn't like to dwell on certain things these days, and the anti-Semitism of the Left is apparently one of them. Just call the guy a "right-winger" and be done with it, pegging him to conservatives for future reference. All one need do is watch C-SPAN'S Washington Journal call-in program on a day when an Israel-related issue is discussed, and you'll have no doubt from which "wing" most of the unhinged hatred for Jews is coming from these days.

Yet, I would never dare to blame the Holocaust Museum shooting on the "far left" no matter how many issues Von Brunn may have in common with them. That would be no less bigoted than those who are now blaming it on the "far right" or Glenn Beck and whoever else is on the approved hate-list today. There is nothing conservative about racism, hating Israel and Christians, or holding to conspiracy theories about President Bush. No one but a sad, probably senile old racist is responsible for killing Stephen Johns, and to suggest otherwise is nothing but pure bigotry itself.

A few other things separate the three incidents. The abortionist, Dr. Tiller, was specifically assassinated for who he is and what he'd been doing for many years (which the majority of Americans still believe, in the case of very late term abortions solely for the mother's convenience, to be despicable). The bigotry entered the equation in the tarring of the entire pro-life movement with the actions of his murderer.

The other two incidents did grow from a generalized hatred in the killers, who didn't really care who they killed. One hated American soldiers, the other hated Jews (and a long list of others). That's the definition of bigotry — "I don't know you, but I hate you because I hate the group you belong to."

Another thing that sets the incidents apart (besides the media frothing over #1 and #3, and low-key treatment of #2) was the response from on high. Within hours of Dr. Tiller's murder, President Obama released an official statement of "outrage" at the crime. Within hours of the Holocaust Museum shooting, President Obama released another official statement of "outrage." Very commendable indeed. But when Private Long was killed, and Private Ezeagwula very seriously wounded, their own commander in chief was strangely silent for quite a while. Following the shooting, on the third day he rose again, issuing a statement of "sadness".

A statement of sadness would have been more appropriate if directed toward the President's own long-time spiritual mentor, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright. On the very day Von Brunn carried through on his deranged fantasies, the good Reverend was complaining to journalists about the Jews keeping him away from "my son," the President.

"Them Jews ain't going to let him talk to me," Wright said...

"They will not let him to talk to somebody who calls a spade what it is."

Oh my, shall we also denounce the racism in that "spade" remark? The Reverend, who belonged to the racist Louis Farrakhan's Nation of Islam before becoming a pastor, preached to the Obamas for more than 20 years and conducted their marriage. He continued the interview on into international affairs:

"Ethnic cleansing is going on in Gaza. Ethnic cleansing of the Zionist is a sin and a crime against humanity, and they don't want Barack talking like that because that's anti-Israel," Wright said.

He unintentionally got that partly right, with his "ethnic cleansing of the Zionist" in Gaza. It was the Jews who were removed by force from Gaza, which was then handed over to the Palestinians to mess up as they have been doing ever since. Of course that wasn't his intent, and the script has been corrected in the print report, replacing "of the Zionist..." with "(by) the Zionist..." I've put his own word back into the above quote, and if you don't believe me, listen for yourself.

Oh, it's so much fun to fan bigotry on false pretences, isn't it? I would have thought such a display of it could have elicited a bit of "sadness" from the President, if not an equal portion of the "outrage" drawn by the killing of Dr. Tiller, who only ended lives of nearly-born babies.

O

ne small group for whom it seems it's always open season for bigots (because of all the fun to be had), is the Alaska Chill-billies. Yes, it's none other than the Palin Clan of the Cave Bear, who draw more wilfully ignorant bigotry than almost any other group in the history of misplaced hatred. Mama Bear Sarah is hated by the feminists because she's an extremely successful woman, not oppressed by her husband, and nice looking too. Democrats hate her because she scares them silly, and for dozens of other reasons they think they read on a blog somewhere. Like, um, she was baptized by a witch, believes dinosaurs lived with Jesus, burnt books from the library, punishes rape victims, won't give equal rights to gay people, shoots woofs from helicopters, can barely read (much less write), "sees Russia from her house", etc. All nonsense, but millions actually believe some or all of those things.

It isn't just Sarah who is fair game to ridicule, that's for the whole clan on her behalf — from her husband Todd (snow-billy racing machines?) all the way down to baby Trig (yes really, with the retard jokes). But anti-Palin bigotry reached a new landmark last week, on the David Letterman Show.

I used to like you, Dave. In a previous life, I watched you every time I had the chance. But that was nearly 20 years ago, and how you have changed (and I, too). I'm sure I recall you being funny, but now you seem just sad and pathetic, fishing for applause that comes across more as your audience's expression of "progressive politics" than of appreciation for genuine humour.

The Alaska governor was in New York for a few reasons, including a celebration of Alaska joining the Union in Mr. Seward's home town in upstate, and a benefit for an 'independent living for the handicapped' organization. Her husband, her sister, and her 14 year old daughter Willow came along on the trip. Sarah and Willow attended a professional baseball game. All pretty run-of-the-mill stuff.

Letterman did his standard top ten list of the fun things Sarah did in the Big Apple. Insulting, as they almost always are, so nothing new there. Things like, getting to see her first Jewish person, real intellectual stuff. And upgrading her make-up collection so as to really nail that "slutty flight-attendant look". Classy.

But the highlight was in the opening monologue, when Dave quipped that while Sarah and her daughter were at the ballgame, the girl got "knocked up" by one of the players during the "seventh inning stretch." The daughter in attendance had been 14 year old Willow. I imagine Dave's writers' table was rocking with snickers when they came up with the "stretch" line.

Letterman later feigned ignorance when told that his "joke" actually hit a 14 year old. He only meant to say that Bristol was the slut, honest! Like mother like daughter, haw haw haw! She got pregnant out of wedlock, see... and... Sarah Palin, the Alaska Chill-billy is kinda slutty too! He could have at least put on a Maxwell Smart impersonation when he said, "Would you believe... I meant the other one, Chief?"

So now Dave knows the facts, and Bristol was nowhere near that ballgame (most likely in Alaska caring for her child). He had told a knee-slapper ("they're only jokes!") about the rape (that's what it is, with 14 year olds, eh?) of Willow Palin, even if inadvertently due to his (and his writers') lame ignorance of the news which they "joke" upon. So good ol' Dave, he goes on the next night with another Palins-at-the-ballgame gag. Sarah had a great time at that game, except for having to fend off Elliot Spitzer from her daughter. Spitzer is of course most famous for the high-priced call girls who attract him terribly. Haw haw haw! Audience applause, yay for Dave! That'll show those uncouth Palins not to mess with our late night comedy provider!

The following night, Patheticman tripled down on it. Acknowledging Sarah and Todd's anger over anyone talking like that about their daughter on national tv, he admitted the "jokes" were in bad taste, and repeated that he had meant the other daughter. Then he told each one of the "jokes" again, and then said that he was "probably sorry" about it. Geddit?

Consider this: If the target of the story had been anyone other than a Palin, Dave's audience wouldn't have laughed, much less cheered the way they did. "I went to the ballgame yesterday with my neighbour, who brought along her daughter. During the seventh inning stretch, the daughter was knocked up by A-Rod. And then we had to fend off Elliot Spitzer!" Where's the funny? Nowhere. Or A-Rod is the target, Spitzer is the target, and it's still not worth cheering about. Only because it's a Palin. 'Cause they're all kinda slutty, eh?

Will Michelle have to worry about this the next time she takes Malia to a baseball game? The question answers itself.

It was bigotry, nothing more or less than that. Whichever group Sarah represents to him, and that he hates so much, is anyone's guess. Good looking successful women? Republicans? Conservatives? Alaskans? Governors? Or just Palins? It doesn't matter. The Palin family is the smallest of the possible sets of people to been targeted by his hatred, because he'll dig at Mama Bear through any or all of them. This morning I saw a story on this from one of the alphabet networks, describing the "Letterman / Palin feud" in such a way as to make him the victim since Sarah goaded him into it all. Just unbelievable.

The real joke in all this, since Dave claims the punchline was really about an 18 year old unwed mother instead of a schoolgirl barely in her teens, is that Letterman himself is the father of a boy who was born out of wedlock, and he only recently married the boy's mother.

Which of course is only creepy when a Palin does it, the inbred hicks.

By any other name — call him a comedy provider, a jokemeister, or a funnyman (just don't call him Johnny Carson) — Patheticman is a bigot. And some bigotries are more socially acceptable among the populace than others. Perhaps the Imus standard needs to be looked at again.
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Labels: USA

- posted by Agam @ 1:56 AM 2 comments

2 Comments:

Not much I can add, you reflected my views very well and stated things fabulously, as usual. One thing I do want to add is a link: The killer at the Holocaust museum is a registered Democrat. Deniers of the Holocaust are from the left; Conservatives have more sense. http://bit.ly/TgIhF (also at Free Republic).

By  Bob Sorensen, at 15 June, 2009 07:13  

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Hey SB, yes I also saw that on Mac's Mind and other places. I spent a while yesterday trying to confirm it, but I didn't so I left it out. I really hate having to walk back things like that if it turns out to be rumour.

But the research by Ben Johnson that I linked has plenty of like-minded stuff about Von Brunn's background. He worked for some guy who's claimed as the most prominent American anti-Semite, Willis Carto, at his book store. Which promotes Noam Chomsky and all those other nasty right-wing extremists.

I actually don't like that left-right spectrum much. There just aren't nearly enough axes there! Check out this alternate system devised by the amazing Stephen den Beste: Left and Right.

By  Agam, at 15 June, 2009 13:09  

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