Have you seen this anti-Palin poster? It’s by street artist Eddie Colla and it’s all the rage in San Francisco.
Progressive Poster of Sarah Palin in San Francisco
With street art it’s all about the message:
“Enrage them with fear until they feel justified in their violence.” explains the artist, “I’ve associated it with a number of people from Glen Beck to Palin, Pinochet to Pol Pot, Hitler etc. Sometimes events unfold in such a way that your message becomes so much more relevant and you have an opportunity to really make an impact and communicate. That’s timing and timing is important.”
(…)
“Whether or not Palin influenced Jared Lee Loughner, is rather beside the point. Her actions and her language have been consistently hyperbolic, manipulative and irresponsible. Palin gives speeches and the crowd tends to react to the tough-talk and rhetoric, so that’s what she continues doing it… That behavior is typical of people who participate in pageantry, but that’s not leadership. In light of the past weeks events it might be a good opportunity to examine what is effective or appropriate rhetoric and what we as a society deem unacceptable.”
Progressives. We know they want civil discourse but who are they trying to inspire?
I say again…
President Obama had some words last night, that I think you will agree with regarding how we can go forward from here:
“But what we can’t do is use this tragedy as one more occasion to turn on one another. As we discuss these issues, let each of us do so with a good dose of humility. Rather than pointing fingers or assigning blame, let us use this occasion to expand our moral imaginations, to listen to each other more carefully, to sharpen our instincts for empathy, and remind ourselves of all the ways our hopes and dreams are bound together.”
So, this tragedy has happened. Let’s not fight about it. Let’s not blame anybody. Let’s just try to be more respectful to each other.
Can any good American object to that?
Polly says: I love Sarah. I hate that she and her family have had non-stop attacks since running for VP! You don’t like her politics? You don’t have to resort to death threats and things like this. It’s really awful and so unnecessary.
Here’s a link if anyone cares on the death threats. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/blood-libel-sarah-palins-controversial-reference-riled-emotions/story?id=12601352
it was a beautifully written speech Dade and i agree with those words.
as i said earlier, i am in wait and see mode. i’d like to see some self policing on the left but i don’t have a high level of confidence there. i’d also like to see some humility from barack obama — something we have never seen.
by the way… i made that pic smaller. all of a sudden, SP took on the persona of the ’50 ft woman’. 🙂
Mike says: “Just words…”
Anybody remember that from campaign ’08? It’s no secret Obama can deliver a speech. It’s also no wonder it was well written — he has people on staff who do that. I have seen NO EVIDENCE that Obama wasn’t using “Just words…”.
As far as poor Sarah, no wonder she has to beef up her security. With liberal nuts like Eddie Colla calling his trash ‘art’, she needs all the help she can get.
Politicalpony says: May I remind all of you not to be fooled by his words. I can’t recall a time when he has ever said anything that was the truth with the exception of when he said “cost would necessarily sky rocket” and “the constitution is a document of negatives and things that the government can’t do”. Sorry for sounding so negative, but how do you give this guy credit for saying anything about anything when more than likely its nothing more than a speech to deceive the people. How many times will he say one thing then do the opposite. Fool me once shame on you., fool me twice shame on me. Fool the nation and risk destroying it. We know who and what he is, and therefore when it appears he has done our said something appropriate, ignore it. No doubt there is an under current reason for his action and words.
Come on, people.
Do we have to go down this rat hole?
President Obama is not trying to destroy the United States or ruin your way of life.
If you can’t admit that, I’m afraid it might reveal something about you, about all of us: that we would rather continue on as we have done, insulting and debasing each other, instead of committing to finding a way that we can work together.
No?
Ken says: “President Obama is not trying to destroy the United States or ruin your way of life.”
He may not be TRYING to ruin things, but he’s well on his way.
http://blogs.dailymail.com/donsurber/archives/27917
“The Misery Index is the combination of the inflation rate with the unemployment rate.
Bush inherited one of 7.93.
Obama inherited one of 7.73.
It is now 10.94. That’s as of November, the latest figure available.
And rising.”
I understand what you’re saying Dade, but the fact remains that things continue to get worse despite spending trillions of dollars that, from what we were told, would lift us out if it. Are we not allowed to say that?
Ken,
Legitimate points that should be debated. If we can stay on that, and stay off the insults and name-calling (and I’ve been as guilty as anyone else) then we might make some real progress.
WarLock69 says: BWAHAHAHA! U can get downloads of it on the Internet (google it) and put them up in ur city.
Ken says: That’s it Warlock!! Spread the hate!!!
Thanks for proving my point.
David says: Ironically…
I think that the actual IMAGE in that piece of work implies a “righteous indignation”. If it weren’t for the words he plastered across the front I’d think the piece was a ‘supporting’ piece for Sarah Palin and her positions.
I, for one, find most of her positions insightful & worthy of support – though I’m still on the fence as to whether she’s “presidential material.”
david i think Palin would make a great president! having said that, i’m hoping for a pence/ryan ticket.
I don’t think Sarah Palin can win the GOP nomination. It seems that many influential GOP stalwarts, (Charles Krauthammer, George Will, and others) are actively trying to push her out. Notice that none of them have come to her defense in this latest controversy about her Tucson remarks.
David says: I feel that those you mention should “come to her defense” if defense is warranted. I also believe that they should allow THE PEOPLE to decide if she wins the GOP nomination – not fancypants politickin’.
Ken says: “I don’t think Sarah Palin can win the GOP nomination.”
Agreed. I personally like her, and would vote for her, but I don’t think she’ll be able to win the nomination.
Within hours of the shooting in Tucson, the FB status of one of my liberal relatives was declaring how much she “HATES Sarah Palin.” She added that Sarah was responsible for the shooter’s actions. My reaction was “really, hate? HATE?” That’s a pretty strong word and I was disappointed (although not surprised) to see her passing judgment before any facts were out.
This person claims to be a very open-minded and tolerant and proudly declares herself a liberal. She has also on numerous occasions claimed that she welcomes open discourse. But when I challenged her words, she immediately cut off her FB wall to me and cut off all contact.
ummmmm ok. That’s quite “open-minded and tolerant.”
Of course back on Election Day in 2010 she declared that “conservatives are stupid.” Such wonderful language coming from someone with a Phd. Again I challenged her and although she did (sort-of) admit to being a bit closed-minded, she did not back down from her statement nor apologize. I lost some respect for her that day and I lost a lot more on 1/8/11.
What I find really interesting is that this person is a working mom of several kids. She takes great pride in raising her kids and is a very involved parent. She is active and interested in their schooling and shuttles them all over town to various sports and other extra curricular activities. She worries a lot about her kids and is very concerned that they grow into good people.
Hmmmmm sounds like she has quite a bit in common with the woman she claims to hate. Now doesn’t THAT speak volumes?
domino33^ says: from my mentor: “if u want to acheive greatness, stop asking permission”
rightwing nutter sarah palin isn’t the only 1 to put people in cross hairs.
WarLock69 says: Oh my, did I cross the civil discourse line? My bad. :-[>~
Cathy u imply ur relative is like a liberal Sarah Palin yet she is unaware of this? What a childish and selfish comment. Do u as a Fascist, oh sorry Repubican, advocate free speech in an open society? Then why do u want to shut her up? Cuz you don’t agree with her? Hm. Hypocrisy?
Sam-I-Am says: @Ken @Polly @Cathi @David @Kate, the Blog Beyotch
You rightwingers, including your head beyotch Sarah Palin, have done a pretty good job of promoting and then using to your advantage the hatred you feel for President Obama and liberals. You have conveniently created this toxic political atmosphere in the country which causes people who disagree to escalate and some of you turn to violence. You still aren’t dealing with that. Instead, you and others (@Dade) call for a faux “Civility” that doesn’t get at the root of the problem. You are angry and out of control. You are basically home-grown terrorists. THAT’S the problem. I call it like I see it.
David says: Sam-I-Am… Your post is EXACTLY the EPITOME of the hate that is coming from the Left after this shooting in Tucson. Your post is EXACTLY what is being talked about now around the nation. Do you not see that?
Your
Post
is
the
POSTER CHILD
for the matter that is at hand here… that is being discussed.
YOU used the words, “toxic” and “escalate” and “violence” and call people “rightwingers” and “beyotch” and “angry” and “terrorist”. That’s on YOU; not us. Do you not see that? Sheesh.
David says: Mr. WarLock, sir….
Did Cathi call to “shut up” her friend? No, she did not. No hypocricy there at ALL.
I suggest you RE-READ her post. You’ll see that Cathi can not fathom WHY her friend says what she says, but she said NOTHING and did NOTHING to “shut her up” or suggest that she should BE “shut up.”
Why do you say that Cathi “wants to shut her up?” She said NO SUCH THING.
BTW, when you re-read that post you’ll see WHO shut off WHO on FB, too. I think YOU’LL be surprised to find that it wasn’t Cathi who did any “shutting off.” : )
David says: BTW, Sam-I-Am… can you please supply your evidence that the shooters was “one of us?”
Can you please do so?? Hmmmm??? Can you???
I thought not.
Mindy says: Patriots! Don’t fall for this fake liberal civilty! They’re faking to try to take the edge off of the GOP’s agenda to repeal the sh*t the rammed down our throats over the last 2 years. Don’t forget what they have done!!!
sam-i-am consider this your one and only warning. if you want to continue posting here, you will be respectful of others. otherwise, you’re gone.
warlock: next time, try reading cathi’s post for comprehension.
domino: you really need to upgrade your mentors. anarchy is so yesterday.
BikerDan says: Warlord did your momma give you that name?
Marsha says: Whether you’re a fan or not of Sarah Palin, she has done nothing to deserve this kind of hate. Heal yourself leftists before you attempt to ‘heal’ us.
Well, some of us have been mixing it up on this blog for years. I’ve had a lot of nasty stuff leveled at me, and I’ve let go with some pretty ugly rhetoric myself.
Most of the insults that people throw at me, I think are funny and irritating. But here’s one remark, from BikerDan, that really hurt:
“Well Dade that’s just like you to come in here and make all kinds of elitist accusations that are basically bullsh*t, shill your own blog, and then leave like some freakin Prima Dona. Well to quote you, frankly I don’t give a sh*t either.”
The reason it hurt is because I was afraid it might be true.
So, I’ve got an apology to make, to everyone here, about the mean things I’ve said in the past. And I want to make a friendly wager with all the conservatives on that read this blog:
1. Read (or better yet, listen to) President Obama’s entire speech on the Tucson tragedy. At the risk of ‘shilling’ my blog, I have it posted at this site:
http://dadecariaga.blogspot.com/2011/01/president-obama-speaks-to-tucson.html
2. If you can find a single statement, anywhere in the speech, that you find objectionable, I owe you one item on the menu at Peet’s Coffee, on the corner of SE 37th and Hawthorne, in Portland, Oregon, redeemable whenever you find yourself in my neighborhood.
And, BikerDan, no hard feelings.
Sincerely,
Dade
Ken says: Once again, Sam, you prove my point. You really do make it far too easy.
BikerDan says: Dade I was referring to the fact that you on more then one occasion write your response to issues here over at your site. I guess there’s nothing wrong with that. I was being an ass. I’ve been to your site. You are a typical liberal: namecalling, demeaning, personal putdowns of anything that is even remotely republican or conservative. Your treatment of George W. Bush alone was enough for me. OK. All of a sudden you found Jesus and want to clean things up. But like a few others around here I am skeptical not just of you but of the whole LEFT. It seems that’s the only way you know how to fight. So I guess we’ll see. I will say that you are very intelligent and not all of your stuff is on politics. You write well even if I am hating what I’m reading.
Thanks for your gracious words, BikerDan.
I freely admit that I’ve said some ugly things. There are more than a few people on this blog that could say the same thing.
BikerDan, I issued a mild challenge in my previous post. If you take me up on it, I WILL make good on my bet. (Do you live near Portland?)
In any case, I can see by your comment that you are a decent man.
Best.
Ken says: Well, Dade, the entire atmosphere of the speech was a large problem. I realize that this is not the president’s fault, but I found it a bit offensive that people were treating it like a pep rally rather than a memorial service. Cheering? Booing? I’m gonna go out on a limb and say those weren’t conservatives cheering Obama or booing Brewer. Again, I do realize the president couldn’t help that part.
As for the speech itself, everyone knows that what you don’t say in a speech is just as important as what you do say.
Kirsten Powers, hardly a bastion of right wing conservative thought, seemed to have a number of problems with Obama’s speech:
“But there was another job: shutting down the nonsense about how Sarah Palin or right-wing talkers caused the shooting. This matters not only because it’s important to tell the truth, but also because it would set the stage to move on to really examining the true causes of this nightmare massacre.
Obama mostly chose to be vague on this point, “For the truth is that none of us can know exactly what triggered this vicious attack. None of us can know with any certainty what might have stopped those shots from being fired, or what thoughts lurked in the inner recesses of a violent man’s mind.”
He did add to his prepared remarks that incivility did not cause this tragedy, but he stopped short of a full rebuke of the complete irresponsibility of those who have been stoking anger at conservatives who—as far as we know—had nothing to do with this.
When the president did lay blame, it was on Americans in general. Among the many odd assertions he made: suggesting that “what a tragedy like this requires” is that “we align our values with our actions.” We were told to “expand our moral imaginations.”
Huh?
A mentally ill gunman opened fire at a Safeway. A lack of “aligning” or “imagination” really wasn’t the problem. Obama chided Americans to “be better,” as if we somehow caused this shooting to happen. He said, “We may not be able to stop all evil in the world, but I know that how we treat one another is entirely up to us.”
[…]
Let’s be clear: How we “treat each other” also is not what caused this shooting. Mental illness combined with a gun and a 33-round high-capacity magazine collided to produce a tragedy. This may not have been the venue to discuss this in such pointed terms, but it also should not have been used as an opportunity to push further into the media bloodstream the lie that hostile rhetoric or incivility even played a role in this, let alone caused it.”
So my question is….can you ship that item of my choice off the menu to North Carolina?? 🙂
J/K
Ken,
Fair points all. Let’s see…
Regarding the atmosphere, the speech did occur at a university, and you know how college kids love to cheer.
You said:
“But there was another job: shutting down the nonsense about how Sarah Palin or right-wing talkers caused the shooting. This matters not only because it’s important to tell the truth, but also because it would set the stage to move on to really examining the true causes of this nightmare massacre.
Obama mostly chose to be vague on this point, “For the truth is that none of us can know exactly what triggered this vicious attack. None of us can know with any certainty what might have stopped those shots from being fired, or what thoughts lurked in the inner recesses of a violent man’s mind.”
But you acknowledge that the President said this:
“And if, as has been discussed in recent days, their death helps usher in more civility in our public discourse, let us remember it is not because a simple lack of civility caused this tragedy — it did not — but rather because only a more civil and honest public discourse can help us face up to the challenges of our nation in a way that would make them proud. ”
You said:
When the president did lay blame, it was on Americans in general. Among the many odd assertions he made: suggesting that “what a tragedy like this requires” is that “we align our values with our actions.” We were told to “expand our moral imaginations.”
You’re correct that he didn’t castigate people who were being irresponsible and pointing fingers before they knew the facts. (I might have to cop a plea on that charge myself.)
But he didn’t castigate anybody in that speech. I think they deliberately wanted to avoid scolding anyone.
As I stated above, I don’t think the President laid any blame during the speech. Regarding the quotes you mention:
“what a tragedy like this requires is that we align our values with our actions”
I interpreted this to mean “Folks, don’t make any important decisions when you’re pissed off.” That’s sound advice to me, ’cause, man, let me tell ya, I’ve made some dumb f*cking decisions when I was pissed off. (I bet you have too.)
“expand our moral imaginations”
Yeah, that phrase is a little too New-Agey for me. Fair enough.
Okay, regarding the bet. I owe you a coffee drink of your choice. If, someday you find yourself up here in Portland, or if I someday end up down in your neck of the woods, I’ll pay up.
Ken says: “Okay, regarding the bet. I owe you a coffee drink of your choice. If, someday you find yourself up here in Portland, or if I someday end up down in your neck of the woods, I’ll pay up.”
LOL! No need! I will have to say that none of the words in Obama’s speech were “offensive”. I do think that people were mostly baffled by the atmosphere more than anything.
chi says: Sarah Palin has not done anything but scare the pants off the libs. We know, and they know, she is not responsible for any violence, anywhere, anytime. Its all they got. They can’t shut her up, and it’s killing them……….oops, did I say kill?
43 Comments