It is beginning to seem like “blood libel” has become the contemporary term of art. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) took the floor last night to compare the Republicans to Nazi propagandist Goebbels and their arguments to “blood libel.” Since Sarah Palin was just skewered over the use of the term, it will be interesting to see the reaction to this reference occurring just days later over national health.
Cohen stated “They say it’s a government takeover of health care, a big lie just like Goebbels. You say it enough, you repeat the lie, you repeat the lie, and eventually, people believe it. Like blood libel. That’s the same kind of thing, blood libel. That’s the same kind of thing,”
Cohen also noted:
“The Germans said enough about the Jews and people believed it–believed it and you have the Holocaust. We heard on this floor, government takeover of health care. Politifact said the biggest lie of 2010 was a government takeover of health care because there is no government takeover.”
Moving from the Holocaust to health care is a bit too much of a jump for many people. We have repeatedly seen objections to the use of Nazi references by politicians.
Here Cohen wanted to refer to the tactic of repeating a lie so often that it becomes accepted as the truth. He could have done that without the Nazi reference. The “blood libel” reference was just recently denounced by the the Anti-Defamation League in relation to Palin. One would think that they would have to do the same with Cohen for consistency purposes.
In the meantime, CNN has taken a commentator to task on the air for simply using the term “crosshairs.”
I am not sure that the mere reference to crosshairs deserves such a mea culpa on the air.
What do you think?
Source: MSNBC
Jonathan Turley
Buckeye: “Mespo & rafflaw
20 points, 40 points, when we consider what the starting point was (if the 1970′s, the War Powers Act – 1973), whatever the drop – it is truly alarming. If we consider the 1770′s…
This is the result of both sides becoming ideological nincompoops. Where are the adults?”
—
I think it has a great deal to do with 150 years of industrialization and using our air and water as a toilet for any and every pollutant ever used or (after WWII) manufactured. The possibility of cognitive impairment due to genetic damage over the last 10 or so generations can’t be overlooked.
mespo,
Only twenty?
LK,
Only forty?
raff,
No apology to me required. As I was not here to say it, I welcome your proxy on the nincompoop matter. However, Forrest is pissed, but only because he didn’t think to use the word nincompoop. 😉
As to the article proper? To think that on another thread I was just commenting about how the loss of one idiot would not be missed as surely another would come along to take their place. Lo and behold! I turn my head to see my cup runneth over with witlessness of Rep(rehensible) Cohen – D(ipstick) TN.
Nothing quite like timely evidence in support of an assertion.
raff:
Thanks,Like I said.
“No better place to ask this question.”
Buckeye,
I feel your pain! Nincompoops is as nincompoops does! (apologies to Forrest and Buddha)
What the fuck is wrong with this guy? It’s like he’s a secret Republican intentionally screwing over his own side. We won’t miss one vote in the House. Kick this guy out of the Party.
Mespo & rafflaw
20 points, 40 points, when we consider what the starting point was (if the 1970’s, the War Powers Act – 1973), whatever the drop – it is truly alarming. If we consider the 1770’s…
This is the result of both sides becoming ideological nincompoops. Where are the adults?
eniobob,
check out the transcript and you will see what she said. Who knows what she is ever thinking? Here is the link to her Favebook page posting of that speech: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=487510653434
raff:
You are probably right,but when she said this.
“she then said something about having “blood on your hands”so wouldn’t the “liable””
Thats why I asked the question “liable” would seem to be what she was thinking.I don’t know.
eniobob,
I am sure that transcripts of Palin’s speech had it as Libel.
Correction: ‘guy’ SB: ‘asshat’
Mespo,
I was thinking about 40 points lower!
Wait a second… if the left is the same as the right, we should see as many liberal apologists for this guy as we saw right wing apologists for Caribou Barbie, right?
As to Rep Cohen … another overreaction that is not forgivable for the motivation is ugly … in my opinion …
“I am not sure that the mere reference to crosshairs deserves such a mea culpa on the air.
What do you think?” (JT)
===================================================
In my opinion an overreaction but understandable in this environment … people are trying to find their way in adjusting their rhetoric.
“A crosshair or reticle is a shape superimposed on an image that is used for precise alignment of a device. Crosshairs are most commonly a “+” shape, though many variations exist, including dots, posts, circles, and chevrons. Most commonly associated with telescopic sights for aiming firearms, crosshairs are also common in optical instruments used for astronomy and surveying, and are also popular in graphical user interfaces as a precision pointer. The crosshair was invented by Robert Hooke, and dates to the 17th century.”
Take out the reference to aiming a firearm and keep in the “centering” reference … it’s fine … like I said … people trying to adjust their rhetoric … an overreaction that I find forgivable because I understand the motivation.
Maybe I heard Palins interpatation of that term wrong but I thought she said”Blood Liable” and the only reason I say this is she then said something about having “blood on your hands”so wouldn’t the “liable” phrase be more appropriate?
No better place to ask this question.
So much for civility in public discourse. I honestly think the average Congressional IQ has dropped by twenty points since the 1970’s.
rafflaw points out what is likely to show another difference between the left and the right – let’s see how long it takes for him to apologize (we’re still waiting for sister Sarah’s…).
Here’s the difference between the left and the right:
This guy is an idiot and he was wrong to use the term ‘blood libel’ (and Nazi references are right out…).
p.s. the CNN thing seems a little oversensitive but, all in all, better to err on that side…
What a dingbat.
I think this Rep. Cohen is nuts. After all of the publicity of the blood libell comment, why allow the Right to claim both sides are doing it. He is right about the Big Lie reference to health care, but to use it on the House floor is not the right thing to do. He should apologize quickly.