I have previously lamented what I call “the age of rage” and how many seem addicted to rage in our society. That was evident this week as many vented against groups ranging from the Canadian truckers to the unvaccinated. CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem seemed to suggest vigilantism as a proper response to the Canadian protesters while James Carville said that he wanted to punch the unvaccinated. I do not view either Kayyem or Carville as seriously advocating or condoning violence. However, the heated rhetoric highlights the danger of past demands from the left for censoring or prosecuting others for violent speech.
On her Twitter account, Kayyem responded to a Wall Street Journal article on the gridlock caused by the truckers: “The convoy protest, applauded by right-wing media as a ‘freedom protest,’ is an economic and security issue now. The Ambassador Bridge link constitutes 28% of annual trade movement between US and Canada. Slash the tires, empty gas tanks, arrest the drivers, and move the trucks.”
These snarling, violent comments are all-too-common in today’s environment. However, they also raise the question of how we treat violent speech. Various Democrats are calling for the disqualification of members of Congress, and former President Donald Trump, for their comments made before the January 6th riot. Some members have brought lawsuits over allegations that such speeches constituted incitement for insurrection. However, violent language continues to be common on both sides of our political divide. What constitutes hyperbole and what constitutes incitement is dangerously undefined.
If CNN viewers went out on a tire slashing frenzy, would Kayyem or CNN be legally responsible? I would oppose such claims as inimical to free speech. Likewise, MSNBC hosts and politicians like Minnesota Attorney General Kieth Ellison have supported Antifa, but I do not attribute the violence of that group to their support.
Trump has still not been prosecuted (as previously suggested by some) for incitement. It is not in my view, but, if it were to be prosecuted, some Democrats could face similar allegations. Likewise, many have called for conservative figures to be barred from social media for engaging in violent or incendiary rhetoric. Should Twitter now bar Kayyem or Carville?
The point is only that commentators are risking more than hypocrisy in calling for prosecutions of figures like Trump or disqualification of figures like Rep. Madison Cawthorn for reckless rhetoric. This is a fluid standard that can apply as easily to figures on the left who vent their anger with violent speech and ideations.
“That was evident this week as many vented against groups ranging from the Canadian truckers . . .”
Wait. I thought the Left was in favor of labor actions by blue collar workers.
“Wait. I thought the Left was in favor of labor actions by blue collar workers.”
Sam, the definition of a Democrat, is the consummate hypocrite.
If soldiers own their bodies, just as women own their bodies, then the soldiers should have the right to put their bodies into a war zone if they so desire, in spite of what Tucker Carlson wants.
Not yet mentioned.
At this point, CNN is desperate to be noticed. The only “viewers” it has, is several hundred thousand screens in public areas and waiting rooms.
Flame throwing is all they have left. Stupid as it is. their reputation is already close to zero.
For the love of God, will people please stop making such idiotic comments such as this: “It’s not about the Ukraine it’s about European NATO countries extending to close to Russian border. Do you want Russian troops in Mexico?” This implies there’s a double-standard. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times: for a double-standard to exist, the two things being compared must be equal. The United States and Russia are not moral or political equals. The United States is a good, constitutional republic, while Russia is an evil dictatorship. Of course, good doesn’t want to be threatened by evil, but evil SHOULD be threatened by good. Why are there people who think that Russia is just as good as the United States?
Anonymous asks:
“Why are there people who think that Russia is just as good as the United States?”
Answer: not as good, but some think the US is just as bad. Case in point:
“Fox News released excerpts of the interview Saturday in which host Bill O’Reilly asks the president why he’s so respectful of Putin.
“Putin’s is a killer,” O’Reilly said in the interview.
“There are a lot of killers,” Trump responded. “Got a lot of killers. What, do you think our country’s so innocent?”
Yes, Article 5 requires NATO members to help other members, but there is nothing in the NATO charter that forbids NATO from helping non-NATO countries, at their own discretion if they so desire, if they believe it is the right thing to do.
@anonymous
Tell an American, most any American, with few exceptions, ‘liberal’ or ‘conservative’ that there is somewhere in the world, anywhere that is none of America’s BUSINESS and you’ll get a strange look. Of course, it is America’s ‘business’, America only wants to help and spread democracy, right? The ‘indispensable’ nation, right?
Whether I like Russia (or not) from a purely strategic point of view, they do not want a large, hostile country on their borders, it is that simple.
And believe it or not, Ukraine is absolutely none of America’s business and unless the region becomes dangerous or unstable, neither are Russia’s actions there.
Sorry “s@@tlibs” and “conservatives”, I am in neither camp on this one and am tired of the incessant wars to spread ‘democracy’.
antonio
Correct. Now if Russia decided to move through the Baltics to link up Kaliningrad Oblast, for example, that would be an Article 5 issue.
I suggest they try it to see how fast they will get obliterated. Like when Forrest Gump had to take down the greasy lefty in front of the Panthers. Such tough guys!
During the last election, on nationwide television, Carville said that “Republicans would kill to win an election” or words to that effect. I talked to a democrat Episcopal Priest friend of mine about Carville’s calling people like me that immoral. My Priest friend said, “I wonder what caused him to say that?,” as if Carville’s allegation must have been a legitimate response to something a Republican did or said. Of course I should not have been surprised by my friend’s comment. I recall Mariann Edgar Budde, the Bishop of the Washington DC diocese, being “outraged” when Trump had the photograph taken in front of the Episcopal church but did not express outrage when BLM (or some of their comrades) tried to burn the church down. I think she, my friend and others like them have substituted democrat propaganda for the New Testament because I still cannot find a single verse where Jesus preached about politics.
That crowd in front of Lafayette Square were rioters and arsonists, not peaceful protesters.
That crowd in front of Lafayette Square were rioters and arsonists, not peaceful protesters.
You are stuck with reporters,arson flames in the background, declaring it a “mostly peaceful” protest. The US Govt (CDC) saying the protests were protected and could not be shut down due to health risks, (Churches are NOT constitutionally protected) Candidate Harris saying the protests would not stop when they would be elected, nor should the be. Democrat elected officials gave to the bail funds to support the protestors.
Something much worse than, violence, arson murder, looting, destruction, before it is more than a mostly peaceful protest.
I think she, my friend and others like them have substituted democrat propaganda for the New Testament because I still cannot find a single verse where Jesus preached about politics.
In college the Jesuits used to say that the Episcopalian church was hardly Christian anymore. Decades later, I would agree. As a devout practicing Catholic, though, we have even worse problems in the Catholic Church. In the end, God invites all of us to a personal, intimate relationship with Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and then carry that relationship with others, i.e. the greatest 2 commandments. Ive told many people: “I am Catholic in spite of the leadership”.
Pax
Once again, Turley slants his examples, ignoring that Virginia’s Deputy Attorney General Monique Miles has been forced to resign after Facebook posts were uncovered about the January 6 insurrectionists saying
“News Flash: Patriots have stormed the Capitol. No surprise. The deep state has awoken the sleeping giant.” “Patriots are not taking this lying down. We are awake, ready and will fight for our rights by any means necessary.”
Just the kind of encouragement to obey laws that you’d like to see from a DAG.
The VA AG’s office spokesperson says “This information was unknown to the Office of the Attorney General prior to this morning.” “The attorney general has been very clear: Joe Biden won the election and he has condemned the January 6 attack.”
Of course It is good and even commendable to slash their tires, kind of like it was ok for BLM and the Brave, Masked, Wonderful, Warriors of Antifa ™ to burn cities and loot (i.e. I mean “mostly peacefully protest”) in the summer of 2020.
Just waiting for the first s@@tlib to explain this one.
antonio
Instead of giving out crack pipes maybe they should give out sharp knives to slash tires with. Should be a nice peaceful demonstration. See no problems here. Just move along folks, nothing to see here, just move along.
I am, literally, old enough to remember when it was the Democrat Party who advocated for the working class.
Now they are bought off by the worlds richest corporations. in partnership with them to crush the working class truckers. Steeling donations from them, advocating for their financial ruin.
All the truckers are asking for. Petitioning the govt for redress, is a change of policy that would more closely align govt policy with science.
The mRNA medication does not stop contracting the virus, or stop the spread of the virus. Making the jab mandatory does nothing to advance public health. Statistics show as “vaccinations” rose, so did infections.
Not until the highly contagious omicron spread through to population, jabbed, not jabbed, did heard immunity take over and the virus has burned itself out…like every virus ever.
All the truckers want is a govenment policy that recognizes the science.
@iowan2
I am too. The Dem party has been bought and sold over time (i do believe that many of their members, such as the Professor, did have good hearts and good intentions in spite of the crookedness of their leadership). We now have fat cat Democrats instead of Republicans, and the Dems are so very, very much more pernicious than the Republicans could have ever hoped to have been in the past. That’s all there is to it. the American Democratic Party is a fascist regime, period. This is very difficult for younger folks to understand.
The agenda of the Democratic party seems to be division and chaos — straight from the George Soros playbook. When there’s chaos in the cities, no one is watching the power elite in DC. But like everyone in this administration, Dems are inept and incompetent at implementing their agenda. It’s backfiring because they’ve been living in ideologyland for so long, they haven’t a clue about the real values and intelligence of at least half the population. Parents are rebelling, workers are rebelling, Hispanics are rebelling, and if there are any more attacks on synagogues and churches, we might even see religious voices rebelling. The Dems are losing their base, one identity group at a time.
However, violent language continues to be common on both sides of our political divide.
Really? Common? Both sides? Let me guess; speaking as a conservative is now considered violent language.
@OLLY
Your speech is violence and deserves suppression; my violence is free speech and is necessary and commendable.
The above is from my typical s@@tlib.
antonio
Antonio,
Your comment is an inspiration. Conservatives on this blog should devote one day a week and comment from a Leftist’s perspective. Since you got us off to a great start, I’ll add the motto of us “mostly peaceful protesters” by saying: Punch Violence In The Face!
Olly,
Well, yes.
As the professor has noted here in the past, on some college campuses, the progressive left do consider conservatives as threats by simply existing.
And if conservatives dare to have a meeting, rally, debate, the progressive left shouts them down, demands their removal, and then creates a safe space.
Farmer, well I am a white, heterosexual, Christian, conservative, man. So I’m 5 times guilty just getting out of bed in the morning. It’s exhausting.
“Screw your Freedom” 😉
Some German Sons & Grandsons of Nazis like Soros, Klaus Schwab, Schwarzenegger didn’t fall far from the Nazi tree.
Olly says:
“I am a white, heterosexual, Christian, conservative, man.”
You are also a liar since you believe the election was stolen, but I continue to appreciate your military service to our country notwithstanding.
You are also a liar since you believe the election was stolen
Believing in something doesn’t make one a liar. I believe Biden is cognitively-impaired. Does that make me a liar? I believe anchovies should never be put on pizza? Does that make me a liar? As far as the 2020 election outcome, I’m reasonably skeptical and that won’t change without an independent forensic audit. But hey, you keep doing you.
Was there not an independent forensic audit in Arizona? How did that go?
I agree with the Professor…fight bad speech with good speech….that is called Debate.
Everyone has an equal right to Free Speech….granted some very stupid people sometimes abuse that Right but they are free to do so.
They are not free from rebuttal….or being able to deny Responsibility for what they say.
As to the Mouth of the South…..he better be careful about opening that Can of Whoop Ass he said he would go to as a way of expressing his unhappiness with some of our fellows……it may get spilled all over him.
As I compare the Trucker Convoy Protests….to those of BLM and ANTIFA…..I notice the one is a happy family affair and totally peaceful…..with not a whiff of smoke except from the BBQ grills…..whereas the others…a full year of others….involved real violence, actual violence against Police Officers and anyone not siding with the Rioters committing all the arsons, assaults, rapes, and robberies.
Since when does protesting FOR Freedom become evil…..especially when done absolutely peacefully?
The Lefties here are welcome to their opinions but they should carefully consider what they say….because not even Covid affects our sense of smell…..and the overwhelming aroma of bovine fecal matter is easily detected.
I stand with the Truckers….and ending ALL Civid Mandates and restoring those who were harmed by them…..especially the Police Officers, First Responders, Medical Care Professional, the Military…..and Truckers who lost their jobs due to the Mandates.
Interesting the overwhelming majority of “Critics” are employed by Media outlets that serve as the propaganda Division of the Democratic National Communist Party!!!
O Canada
Real grown up aren’t they? Carville has no idea why someone may not get vaccinated. Maybe they have a heart condition that the vaccination will cause to act up, maybe they are allergic to eggs (they say if you are allergic to eggs don’t take the flu vaccine). In the words of his friend Hillary “what does it matter now”. How many people have had one of the variants and have been fully vaccinated and boosted? Family and friends, who I know have had one of the variants, are vaccinated and boosted. And to suggest that people go out and slash tires–so grown up. What submoronic twits they have become–the “spokespeople” for us. Twitter has made people stupid.
Shoot the unvaccinated who breach our border.
That would be everybody since we don’t have a “vaccine” merely a viral inhibitor with decidedly mixed efficacy. Kinda figured you for a final solution kinda person.
@anonymous
You cannot spread coronavirus at any of the following:
1. During illegal entry into the United States; particularly along the Southern Border.
2. A birthday bash for a prominent Democratic politician (i.e. Obama’s 60th b-day party).
3. While eating and drinking in a restaurant.
Coronavirus is deadly when:
1. You want to attend church.
2. Any gathering of deplorable masses (i.e. the Sturgis biker rally).
S@@tlibs, I am trying to follow the science but as being insufficiently ‘woke’, please inform I am missing something.
antonio
ADDENDUM to above:
I forgot to include that you cannot spread coronavirus when “mostly peacefully protesting” or engaging in ANY activism with BLM or the Brave, Masked, Wonderful, Warriors of Antifa ™.
antonio
Ms Kayyem is also a Harvard professor and a former DHS employee.
Along with calling for slashed tires, she lays out a litany of judicial and regulatory punishments; among them, fines, loss of license to drive, permanently banning these truck drivers from the industry.
This member of the “elite” seems to have a distinct hatred of workers who protest.
Very Chinese Communist Party of her.
As in aside, did you see the video of the Ottawa cops manhandling a 78 year old man who honked in support of the protesters?
“Ms Kayyem is also a Harvard professor and a former DHS employee.”
****************
Guess that means she checks the right boxes given this level of affirmative stupid.
Harvard does take Affirmative Action applicants!!!! Clearly, the author of the original article must have gotten in using this method.
Welcome back Paul, if this is Paul from Arizona. Your humor was always welcome on this blog, and your sparring with Natacha legendary!
😀
monumentcolorado ,
” . . . she lays out a litany of judicial and regulatory punishments; among them, fines, loss of license to drive, permanently banning these truck drivers from the industry.”
Let us think about that for a moment . . . we already have a trucker issue (lack there of). So, if we follow her logic, that would remove those truckers from the industry, exacerbating the trucker shortage, supply chain issues we already have . . . And she is a Harvard professor?
Educated – No. Indoctrinated – Yes
Yep. I would call the statements of those on the left far, far more egregious, too. Trump said, ‘pencil neck’, while leftists clamor for bodily harm, damage to property, the ruination of careers, murder, and even suicide. They are not good people – good people can control their anger and do not say or encourage such things even in jest. I get that they think it’s ‘righteous’ anger (even though anger is natural, there’s no such thing as a righteous variety), but it comes off as, ‘never grew emotionally beyond junior high, and was in the counselor’s office every day’. Modern dems are not just sad, but pathetic.
The cries of the Dems are all over the place punching, slashing tires and soon it will be toilet gate.
The Blue Stack strikes again.