I've seen this discussed as side discussions on a number of threads so I thought I'd pull it together for anyone who wants to talk about it. Obviously the recent bombs mailed to targets of the GOP and the Jewish shooting has brought front and center the vilification of opponents by political parties. To get the discussion started, I'll throw out a few points:
1. There will always be wackos in our society. Every culture on earth has them, and as a result there will always be tragedies. But it's undoubtedly true that political and national discourse can effect it. For those who want to say the politician/national rhetoric couldn't have possibly triggered anything because it's just banter, look at Ping Pong Pizza. That jackass didn't want to shoot up the pizza place because he didn't like their pizza. He wanted it shot up because of the pointed attacks made in the right wing sphere against that particular spot.
2. And for those who say Trump isn't the problem, a major reason his supporters talk about how much they like him is because they say he doesn't talk or act like other politicians. He's un-PC (e.g. calling immigrants rapists) and therefore less 'politiciany'. But what goes with that is language that enflames those wanting to be triggered. There's a reason most politicians will attack their opponents but not demonize in the same way Trump, and the far right, has done. You're seeing it in the defenses now of some of the perps (e.g. the KS Muslim terrorists) where their defense, in part, is Trump's rhetoric created an atmosphere that made it seem okay to do this.
So yes, both sides ramp up attacks - especially in an election season - and both need to be careful about the words they use because like it or not they have a responsibility to the nation to not create an atmosphere where trying to blow up your opponent makes sense, but to deny the pointed vitriol that has come from Trump and the right is blind for the sake of partisanship. Trump and all the far right trolls who have fanned the hatred share, in part, the blame that goes with these acts. Some are random acts by psychos, whereas others are acts by psychos who feel their actions are warranted by the environment the national hatred creates.
1. There will always be wackos in our society. Every culture on earth has them, and as a result there will always be tragedies. But it's undoubtedly true that political and national discourse can effect it. For those who want to say the politician/national rhetoric couldn't have possibly triggered anything because it's just banter, look at Ping Pong Pizza. That jackass didn't want to shoot up the pizza place because he didn't like their pizza. He wanted it shot up because of the pointed attacks made in the right wing sphere against that particular spot.
2. And for those who say Trump isn't the problem, a major reason his supporters talk about how much they like him is because they say he doesn't talk or act like other politicians. He's un-PC (e.g. calling immigrants rapists) and therefore less 'politiciany'. But what goes with that is language that enflames those wanting to be triggered. There's a reason most politicians will attack their opponents but not demonize in the same way Trump, and the far right, has done. You're seeing it in the defenses now of some of the perps (e.g. the KS Muslim terrorists) where their defense, in part, is Trump's rhetoric created an atmosphere that made it seem okay to do this.
So yes, both sides ramp up attacks - especially in an election season - and both need to be careful about the words they use because like it or not they have a responsibility to the nation to not create an atmosphere where trying to blow up your opponent makes sense, but to deny the pointed vitriol that has come from Trump and the right is blind for the sake of partisanship. Trump and all the far right trolls who have fanned the hatred share, in part, the blame that goes with these acts. Some are random acts by psychos, whereas others are acts by psychos who feel their actions are warranted by the environment the national hatred creates.
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