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No -- both sides are not the same.
Author: Raine    Date: 10/28/2010 12:47:02

In yesterday's blog, BobR brought up a few disturbing incidents with regard to this year's mid-term elections. It's been an ugly election cycle. The latest was a little incident outside a debate between senate candidates Jack Conway and Rand Paul. A woman was dragged and stomped on the head. It's a horrible thing any time; the fact that this was done in the name of politics makes it even more disturbing and disgusting.

One would think the candidate in whose name this was done would immediately denounce such actions. Not Rand Paul... Mr. Paul still has this statement on his website:
“The Rand Paul for Senate campaign is extremely disappointed in, and condemns the actions of a supporter last night outside the KET debate. Whatever the perceived provocation, any level of aggression or violence is deplorable, and will not be tolerated by our campaign. The Paul campaign has disassociated itself from the volunteer who took part in this incident, and once again urges all activists — on both sides — to remember that their political passions should never manifest themselves in physical altercations of any kind.”
Emphasis mine - the indication here that both sides do it, that both sides of the political spectrum are just as bad as each other.

They are not. This was a crime. There was a victim - and this is FAR from abnormal in this election season from the right. Forget for a moment Sharon Angle, and Joe Miller and Rand Paul. Take a look at this interactive map of Right Wing Violence over the period From March to September of this year. The incidents are listed as such:
Yellow - Threats (assault) and Hate Language
Pink - Vandalism
Red - Physical violence or actions taken that directly would cause physical violence
Camo - Organized anti-government activity.
Black - Death. Added May 20, 2010 with five deaths in two states.
Police: Stolen guns were to be used to overthrow the government
Raymond Franklin Peake III told investigators that "he would kill to defend his country and he was stealing weapons to defend his country," court documents read.

The Hampden Township man is in Cumberland County Prison without bail after being charged with homicide Saturday. Police said one of the weapons Peake, 64, stole resulted in the July 21 shooting death of lawyer Todd Getgen, 42, of Enola.

Thomas Franklin Tuso, 34, of Duncannon, was charged with receiving stolen property, theft and other charges in connection with the incident.
Representative Grayson Receives Death threat
After Fox News spewed its usual clownish hatred about me yesterday, my office received a call. The caller told our receptionist - a young intern - that “10 people are going to kill the Congressman within 24 hours.” We gave the information to the Capitol Police; they are investigating.
Right-Wing Extremists Take On Local Law Enforcement, Lose
Fitzpatrick, a retired Navy commander, is a leading member of the American Grand Jury (AGJ), which seeks to convene a grand jury of citizens to indict President Obama for treason, on the grounds that he's not a natural-born U.S. citizen. Fitzpatrick had previously tried unsuccessfully to get Pettway, an African-American, to convene a grand jury to investigate charges of voter fraud in connection with President Obama's election, according to an online account written by Carl Swensson, another AGJ leader. In response, AGJ accused Pettway of violating state laws governing the length of time that a grand jury foreman can serve -- giving Fitzpatrick the basis for his attempted citizens arrest.

... A number of people responded to Swensson's call. One was Darren Huff, a former U.S. Naval officer from Georgia who is a member of the Oath Keepers, the fast-growing group of former military and law enforcement personnel stoking fears that the federal government plans to confiscate guns and to round up American citizens and place them in concentration camps (their motto: "Not on our watch"). On the day last month that Fitzpatrick was set to face trial, Huff got in his truck -- emblazoned with the Oath Keepers logo on the side -- and drove to Monroe County with a Colt. 45 and an AK-47.
These are just three examples from over 50 in a six month period. People have died. Public representatives have had their lives threatened. Private citizens have been terrorized. Activists have been assaulted. Clinics have been bombed. Offices have been vandalized. Militias have plotted to overthrow the government. Verbal assaults with serious racial epithets are thrown about like candy on Halloween. This is not the left doing this.

Whether they were the victim or the assailant, there are still people who are dead and maimed as a result of this election cycle because of those that are fanning the flames of hate and fear. No, both sides are not the same, as people would have you believe. We don't believe in stomping or punching women. We don't believe it's ok to detain a reporter with private security on public property. We don't believe you should use police to remove protesters from a campaign stop. We don't believe that anyone should 'lock and reload' anything to win an election. We don't believe in 2nd amendment remedies and we certainly don't believe that the Constitution should be changed to fit the political whimsy of the day. We don't answer hate with hate. We don't respond to fear with more fear.

Both sides are not the same. The side that I am on has far more victims and their blood is on the hate merchants' hands. No violence is acceptable - Ever. Stop letting people make excuses for hate - and stop letting the right take you down to their level. When they say both sides are the same, they are blaming you for what they do. Ask anyone who has ever been bullied.

and
Raine

 

55 comments (Latest Comment: 10/29/2010 02:32:31 by Raine)
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