Right hate talk over the years by Operation Rescue lead to and Dr. Tiller's. This is how it started in Nazi Germany. First the local right hate speeches, the right brown shirts, the right hate propaganda. Imagine what Hitler could have done with Fox.

You make an excellent point. There's something of a paradox in the right's claims that their talking heads aren't responsible for those who act out, like Roeder and von Brunn. Words do have power--thus, the importance of the First Amendment in protecting speech--but with that protection comes responsbility.

And so far, the right refuses to assume any responsibility whatsoever for the actions it incites.

Joan,

Just saw you on MSNBC. I see you conveniently did not mention the killing of the U.S soldiers at the recruiting center by a "left wing extremist". Could he have not been motivated by the lefts demonizing of our military as "baby killers" and "occupiers". Im sure if you did some investigating would will probably find that he was a Keith Olbermann fan.

Im not surprised you guys and your allies in the media are trying to blame "right wing talk".

Its despicable.

I mean COME ON.

Ironically, few institutions have ever done a better job of dramatizing the dangers of hatespeak than the Holocaust Museum. My trip there a couple of years ago was emotionally draining; I had little doubt that it could all happen again. Rush and his ilk are walking a fine line--and veering over it regularly.

I also fear that none of us really wants to take responsibility for the influence the media have on the actions of our fellow citizens. Content creators scoff at the idea that violence in their work could incite real violent acts; yet it's unquestionably true that advertising does influence people to purchase goods and services. How can both things be true? It's something all the left-leaning movie stars ought consider before they sign onto their next violent entertainments.

Just saw you on MSNBC. I see you conveniently did not mention the killing of the U.S soldiers at the recruiting center by a "left wing extremist".

First, you haven't explained how you came to the conclusion that it was a "left wing extremist". What exactly about the act or the perpetrator matches the description "left wing"?

Second, I don't hear left-wing pundits spewing the kind of hateful bile that is a chronic recurring element in many right-wing shows and publications. If you are aware of any that I might have missed, please point them out.

Well Joan, you nailed it again today, doing equally well in a non-debate format. Your points were well worth making, and you made them very strongly. I especially appreciate the fact that you went out of your way to state that you don't directly blame commentators, but instead question what they think they're doing with their extreme rhetoric. (By the way, it almost sounded like Chris Matthews had a slip about the First Amendment, and you did a nice job managing to correct him without correcting him.)

for eight years they allowed their Bushie free rein to trash the Constitution, double the national debt, enrich his cronies, start phony wars, and spy on all of us.

yet they did not lift a finger to protest any of this.

I really do believe they just despise America and all it stands for.

And I am no fan of Obama, but he is far more intelligent and respectful towards the aspirations of this country than the Bush cabalists EVER were.

If these assholes want to critique the government spending or the fact that the economy has still not recovered, a mere 4 months into the new term, they ought to be raking the PRIOR administration over the colas for fucking up this country SO BAD that we are still feeling the effect so far down the line.

the Great Depression persisted precisely because government did NOT spend money to fix the economy. I can imagine that the REPEAT of the Great Depression is what these blissfully thought-free idiots want.

Joan,

Thank you for being a voice of sanity. Truly what is being allowed to go on in this country is appalling. The 'Entertainers' Rush,Hannity,Beck..O'Reilly has dangerous and they continue to bark out their hatred and they depend upon planting their seed of hate into the minds of the unstable..who will take what is said..repeated dailey and try to gain status with their rhetoric. Where's the accountability??? Where's media reform???

This is indeed a very sad time...and we seem to allow these 'fat capitalists pigs'..sitting on their high horse dictating to their sheep. Not accountable...huge pay checks..who would not lift a finger to help anyone except their ratings. Again Joan..thank you for a voice..now what...'If not NOW...When?'..when do we stand together and say enough?

The very best to you,

AwakeOne

lilvinnyb: "I see you conveniently did not mention the killing of the U.S soldiers at the recruiting center by a "left wing extremist". Could he have not been motivated by the lefts demonizing of our military as "baby killers" and "occupiers"."

This argument is bogus. You can't come up with a single example of a single media commentator who has called soldiers "baby killers." You probably can't even find one who has called them "occupiers." That renders your whole argument as false.

In fact, I think most liberal commentators have been very positive toward the troops. Stephen Colbert's shows this week are all in Iraq, where he entertains and interviews the troops. I have never heard Olbermann, Walsh, Matthews, Maddow, or any other liberal commentator ever say anything about U.S. servicemen that was hateful toward them. Have you? If so, what?

I see you on Hardball often. I agree with you most of the time if not all of the time. But today I didn't like how you let the right wing nut case Rush off the hook. He and Gingrich are responsible for today's and the doctors killings. As soon as I saw the special on NBC Inside the White House I told my seventeen year old son that there were a lot of old racists sitting around watching this show seeing all the people of color running the White House and telling each other that the n-----s have taken over the country and the world is lost.

I'm a 50 year old white man/plumber that supported Obama heavily. Not because I agree with his policies, because I don't. He's way right of me. I just hoped that the election of a person of color as president of the United States would be a step in the right direction. But it appears all it's done is cause the crazies to come out and Rush and Newt are leading the way. At least you had the nerve to mention Rush when no one else will. You need to point out Joe Scarborough. He is not much different than Rush. Joe just surrounds himself with bobbing heads as co-hosts so he doesn't look so far out there.