Challenge to GOP: Condemn the violence

[Vernon Windsor]

Leonard Pitts Jr. wrote an editorial that bears reading.

Hi, boys and girls! As a public
service, I've prepared the following statement for Republican leaders to
use when some disgruntled opponent of health care reform injures
somebody -- or worse. Given recent reports of threats against Democratic
lawmakers in the wake of last week's historic vote, that moment has
come to feel inevitable.

When it happens, don't you want your favorite GOP lawmaker to be ready? You can ensure that he or she is simply by clipping this statement and mailing it to them. That way, when
the time comes, all your lawmaker will have to do is circle the
appropriate choices and fill in the blank!

***

``We condemn, in the strongest terms, the recent bombing/stabbing/beating/shooting that wounded/killed
Senator/Representative/President __________________. There is no place
in our democracy for that kind of thing and our party stands foursquare
against those who would bring violence into political debate. We extend
our best wishes/heartfelt condolences and join with other Americans in
hoping the perpetrators of this heinous act will be swiftly caught and
punished.

``At the same time, we must also reject the suggestion, made by some, that our behavior over the course of this long debate on healthcare somehow set the scene for this tragic incident
which, as we have already said, we condemn.

``Some have contended that -- through incidents like Rep. Joe Wilson's outburst where he called the president a liar during a joint session of Congress,
and the one where members of our party cheered hecklers in the public
gallery during last week's debate and that thing where Rep. Randy
Neugebauer yelled `baby killer!' and that comment by Rep. John Boehner
that Rep. Steve Driehaus `may be a dead man' because of his vote -- we
have contributed to a coarsening of political discourse that made this
tragedy entirely predictable. This tragedy that we, of course, strongly,
strongly condemn.

``Some have gone so far as to suggest that the tea party patriots who have led the charge against the socialistic/communistic/tyrannical/satanichealthcare bill are themselves
a graver threat to the nation than the legislation they oppose. The tea
partiers have been characterized as dangerous and intolerant extremists
by people who have read their signs and listened to their rhetoric.

(Full article)

 http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/27/1550273/challenge-to-gop-cond...

[Mark Mentzer]

Let's hope this goes further than here and the Miami Herald.

[Madhatterat60]

Ain't gunna happen. They CANNOT win if they cannot keep the people terrorized.

[brujo]

I have a question. In the 70's when the Weather Underground was setting off bombs in police stations, was there an outcry for the Democrats to denouce the fringe element?

[Madhatterat60]

There were lots of Fringe elements in the 60s; SDS and the Weatherman (From which the weather underground devolved.); Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee; Nation of Islam; Yippies (Who can forget Abby Hoffman and the Chicago 7?); Militant Black Panthers; Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA...ok...they were early 70s) ....there were LOTS...most of them left to far left groups.

[brujo]

So who says the GOP makes up this fringe element and needs to speak up against it? My best guess, no one arrested belongs to a mainstream political party.

[Madhatterat60]

"The only comfort I take is that... you're going to rot in hell," one woman yelled, KCAL reported.

Sigh....and sadly, not soon enough!

[Vernon Windsor]

What goes around, comes around.

[brujo]

So this guy is on trial, and the opposing counsel says, "so....you beat your wife?"

and the guy indignantly cries out.."NO, I HAVE NEVER BEAT MY WIFE".

and the lawyer thinks about this for a second and says......."So........YOU DENY........beating your wife"?

[brujo]

I never realized until this moment that humorlessness has a gravitational pull.

[Vernon Windsor]

You are, of course, welcome to continue this little masturbatory exercise, Brujo, but your efforts to hijack this thread will likely fail.

You may like to do a search for humor. I somehow doubt it will lead you to a discussion titled "Challenge to GOP: Condemn the violence."

[brujo]

Ok. Here's what I meant to say. You're rather presumptuous in asking for anyone's apology.

[brujo]

someone else.