Hate-Mongering Beck Spurs Death Threats Against 78 Year Old Woman

Glenn Beck has been on a tirade against Frances Fox Priven, a 78 year old woman. Her sin, in Beck's eyes, was co-authoring an article with her late husband, Richard Cloward, in 1966.

The article was called "The weight of the Poor: A Strategy to End Poverty," and in it they warned of the dangers of allowing poverty to get out of control and the ramifications it could have on the country.

For this 45 year old article, Beck accused her of "economic sabotage" and termed her an enemy of the Constitution.

Now she is receiving death threats.

But you know, the right wing hate-mongering has nothing to do with violence. Just ask them, they'll tell you.

H/T The Motley Cow

Abnormal Is The New Normal?

After pointing out the irresponsible rhetoric that comes from talk radio and Faux News, Sheriff Clarence Dupnik has been relentlessly attacked by the members of talk radio and their followers for pointing out this fact.

"Loughner was a liberal," some would claim, while others would just call him mentally ill. Apparently, defending their hate is easier than honest introspection.

OK, let's say we give them Loughner. There is always Jim David Adkisson who shot up the Unitarian Church in Tennessee after getting repeated doses of the vitriol and hate speech served up by Michael Savage and Bill O'Reilly.

If they think that is just one example, Blogging Blue posted, last summer, that Adkisson was just one in a string of crazies who lap at talk radio's and Faux News' hate juice.

Digby thinks that this denial of reality by the right and the populace in general is the new normal:

I've been following this story of the radical right very closely since Oklahoma City. But as I mentioned the other day, I didn't realize what a huge role it has come to play in their popular imagination. They believe they were wronged, and it's fed their militant paranoia ever since then.

It is worse. But perversely, because it is worse, people are less alarmed by it. It's fairly obvious to me that this has been normalized. And it's been normalized to the point where what people now find alarming is someonepointing it out

American voters say 52 - 41 percent that "heated political rhetoric drives unstable people to commit violence," the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds. Liberals rather than conservatives are more responsible for such rhetoric, voters say 36 - 32 percent.

No, that's not a joke. But I'm not surprised. I often get accused of being divisive when I write about right wing lunacy. It makes people feel uncomfortable.

I hope like hell it's not the new normal, especially after seeing this list linked to by Digby.

Stupidity, Bigotry Does Not Pay

From Media Matters:

Eight more Glenn Beck advertisers, including Wal-Mart – the world’s largest retailer – have confirmed to ColorOfChange.org that they pulled their ads from the controversial Fox News Channel broadcaster’s eponymous show. Allergan (maker of Restasis), Ally Bank (a unit of GMAC Financial Services), Best Buy, Broadview Security, CVS, Re-Bath, Travelocity and Wal-Mart join the dozen other companies who previously distanced themselves from Beck.

Twenty companies have pulled their ads from Beck’s show in just the last two weeks. The moves come after the Fox News host called President Obama a “racist” who “has a deep-seated hatred for white people” during an appearance on Fox & Friends. Previous companies who pulled their ads include ConAgra, GEICO, Lawyers.com, Men’s Wearhouse, Procter & Gamble, Progressive Insurance, RadioShack, Roche, SC Johnson, Sanofi-Aventis, Sargento, and State Farm Insurance.

“We are heartened to see so many corporate citizens step up in support of our campaign against Glenn Beck,” said James Rucker, executive director of ColorOfChange.org. “Their action sends a clear a message to Glenn Beck: Broadcasters shouldn’t abuse the privilege they enjoy by spewing dangerous and racially charged hate language over the air. No matter their political affiliation, hate language doesn’t belong in our national dialogue.”

Gotta love it. I just wonder when they will start paying attention to local talk radio stations and pull out of supporting that hate speech.

H/T Caffeinated Politics

O'Reilly Claims Victimhood In Tiller Murder

From Griper Blade (my newest must read site):

I wasn't going to comment on Bill O'Reilly's reaction to the murder of Dr. George Tiller. Keith Olbermann is right to call him "Bill-O the Clown." O'Reilly's just a self-important blowhard idiot with a tremendous ego, a braying ass who freaks out over made-up non-issues like his childish "War on Christmas," where saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" is just the worst possible insult to the Christian faith. He's impossible to take seriously. Sure, he's got a top-rated cable news talk show, but that's a case of being big fish in a very small pond. In terms of market share, O'Reilly probably gets his ass kicked nightly by reruns of Everyone Loves Raymond on TBS. Why anyone takes him seriously is beyond me.

The author goes on in a must read piece highlighting the psychoses of some right wing extremists, and end with this:

And O'Reilly didn't just feign surprise, he pretended (or maybe believed) he was being attacked unfairly by people pointing out his hate speech. "Now it is clear that the far left is exploiting the death of the doctor," Bill-O said in response to Tiller's murder. "Those vicious individuals want to stifle any criticism of people like Tiller. That and hating FOX News is the real agenda here."

That's right, a man was shot dead in church -- in front of his family -- but Bill O'Reilly and FOX News are the real victims here. Because people are being mean to them. Bill then moved on to what he considers the "real" news -- a story about comedian Sacha Baron Cohen and rapper Eminem. Bill's US Magazine-level intellect has never been so apparent.

You're not Hal Turner, Bill. You're really not. Apparently, there's someone out there who's even more stupid and irresponsible than you are and who can't see that line you do your highwire act on. But you aren't Edward R. Murrow, either -- as much as you obviously believe you are. You're just a melon-headed fool who's been lucky enough to find an audience of idiots more simpleminded than even you.

Damn, but to be able to write like that.

Is It Rush bin Ladin or Osama bin Limbaugh?

From Caffeinated Politics, where Rush's fervent hope for Obama's, and consequentially, America's failure is being discussed:

I have to believe that smart Americans feel different, even in spite of political differences they may have with President Obama. After all Limbaugh was not talking about the Super Bowl when he hoped for someone to fail. He was talking about our nation, and our way of life. Think about that.

Limbaugh has had bouts of drug addiction and numerous marital failures, and so he has reason for feeling depressed about his life. But to wish the new leader of this country to fail, and by extension every American, is nothing short of pathetic.

Seems the last one who wanted America to fail was Osama Bin Laden. It is strange that Rush Limbaugh would want to mimic the one responsible for 9/11. But believe it or not, that is exactly what Limbaugh did.

Should we expect Rush Limbaugh to try for a pilots license soon?

Pretty sick man, that Rush into Limbo, eh? Well, guess who wants to expose our kids to that drug-addled unAmerican? You got it.

James Stays Classy

James T. must be missing his fifteen minutes of fame when he was promoted nationally as the fool he is.

In a desperate effort to regain national attention, he gives us this:

Well, now we get to deal with a couple of new firsts. First black President, first black presidential flub up of the Presidential oath. First President to acknowledge non-believers as a religious group.

This can’t be good. How do we know they used a Bible at the do-over and not a Koran? Hey, I’m just asking!

Update: Obama didn’t use the Bible or the Koran! Oh shiggedy! Another first? Which swearing in should count? The one with the Bible or the one without?

First of all, would someone kindly point out to James that John Roberts is the white Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, not a black president?

Secondly, would someone please tell me how Obama can be a Muslim, which reject the teachings of Christ, and at the same time, have gone to one of those hateful Christian churches for 20 some years? It's one or the other, unless your schizophrenic. Then you can believe in both, I guess.

The Concrete Thinking of James T. Harris

James T. wanted us to know just how he felt during Inauguration Day.

First, in the morning, he shows real (lack of) class:

This is the heart of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision. Content of character triumphant in a colorblind society. To say that today’s inauguration of Barack Obama is the culmination of Dr. King’s dream is to spit on that great man’s vision.

If anything, today's coronation of America's first black prince is the triumph of skin color over Dr. King's stated characteristics, and he would be sickened by the celebration.

As am I.

At noon, it's more than a little bit more than a different story, in which he congratulates President Obama.

Later in the day, after the medication wears off, and the madness returns, it's back to bashing and blasphemy.

Indeed, James has a mind like concrete: All mixed up and firmly set.

Sour Grapes Open Line

I'll be busy today, and so won't to get to monitor all the sour grapes and whining that Charlie, James, Paddy and the rest will be surely doing.

So, you may now Whallah! the whining squawkers and squawking whiners in an open comment thread.

Have at 'em.

Pure Genius

When Tom McMahon came up with the anti-Semitic, prejudicial bastardization of the COEXIST bumper sticker, Sykes thought it was "pure genius."

McMahon has just posted one of his four squares that Sykes will probably wet himself over.

It has it all. Racism, anti-Semitism and most importantly, egocentrism. It is the trifecta of the Hate Right. I'm sure it will be only a matter of time before McMahon gets his own talk show, or at the very least, a regular column at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Say What?

Them bitter clingers had Christmas come early when the corrupt governor from Illinois (Rod Blagojevich-D) was arrested for being a first degree sleazeball. The righties didn't have much to celebrate until then, and were busy licking their wounds from the elections and trying to start impeachment hearings against Obama before he was even sworn in.

On of the most bitter-clinging haters was that goofball, Fred Dooley, of Real Dumbass Wisconsin.

Dooley at 1:18 pm in the afternoon, when most gainfully employed adults are at work, posted this nonsense, whining that not enough liberals were bashing Blago. Not only was he counting (though he must have problems with math problems involving two integer numbers, judging from the comment section), he was taking it upon himself to critique any posts that were written by liberal bloggers. And then he couldn't even have the decency to spell Cognitive Dissidence correctly.

This is from a guy who is so fairly unbalanced in his own blogging that his posts include:

On Larry Craig, who is still guilty of trying to solicit sex in an airport bathroom, Fred wrote this.

On David Vitter, who was on Washington Madame's list of favored shoppers, Fred wrote this.

On Christopher Thomas, a little boy who was murdered, and part of the blame falls on Alberta Darling's Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare, Fred compassionately wrote this.

And for the real kicker, on Michael Gableman, who, like Annette Ziegler, starts his time on the Supreme Court under a cloud of doubt, as he is trying to defend the indefensible. And Fred's take on Gableman's wrong-doings? Well, he didn't write any. Nothing. Zilch. Nada.

But not only did he not write any posts condemning Gableman for his misbehavior, nor any calling for his ouster, but the posts on his site regarding Gableman are either endorsements or defenses of the miscreant. This is not surprising. After all, there is photographic evidence that Fred likes to associate with these kinds of scofflaws:



But you got to give it to Dooley on one thing. What he lacks in propriety, he makes up with chutzpah.

Mike Mathias sure appreciates him though.

This Is So Wrong

James T. Harris must be missing the spotlight now that his guy, McGrumpy, got hit where it hit.

How else could one explain such a pathetic cry for attention than this?

It's hard to believe, but Harris is actually making Sykes and Belling look good in comparison, and that ain't easy.

Fischer: Insensitive, Pompous And Ignorant

We already know that the self-important Kevin Fischer is nothing more than a bloviating, ignorant, pompous ass, but he has gone beyond the pale this time.

Fischer has a post blasting a state representative who issued a press release about the tragic death of Christopher L. Thomas, Jr., a baby boy that was place into the care of his aunt by the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare. The aunt tortured the baby and his two year old sister until the boy died from the abuse he suffered.

Fischer comes to the defense of fellow incompetent Republican, Alberta Darling, who not only helped create the BMCW, but was supposed to be on the committee that was overseeing it so that this type of thing wouldn't keep happening.

Then Fischer's own incompetence and ignorance really kicks in with this:

Not in Darling's backyard? Zepnick represents the south side of MIlwaukee, nowhere near where this murder took place. What's he shooting his mouth off about?

For Fischer's information, the murder took place in the 3000 block of South 12th Street. If 12th and Oklahoma isn't on the south side of Milwaukee, I don't know what is. And that neighborhood is nowhere near Germantown, northern Milwaukee County and southern Ozaukee County, which is the bulk of Darling's district.

Fischer wasn't done with that bit of trivia though. His true racist nature comes out with this:

And then maybe Zepnick should think about the risk of stripping babies away from solid, white foster families only to put them in the dangerous custody of blood relatives on the sole basis of color.

And as if the racism isn't bad enough, he gets it wrong, showing that the entirety of his argument is racist. The real reason they put these children with their murderous aunt was because the BMCW wanted to save a few bucks. They pay relatives about half of what they pay foster parents, even though the needs of the children are the same in either setting.

But even past the ignorance, and past the glaring racism, the most disgusting thing about Fischer's post is the fact that he tries to score political hit points by using the death of a baby:

And then maybe Zepnick should think long and hard before putting out another stupid press release. Earth to Josh: The election is over. Sheldon Wasserman lost to Darling.

To sum it up, Fischer makes several ignorant, racist comments in order to use the completely unnecessary and avoidable death of a baby, just in an attempt to score a political point. And then he fails at that anyway.

Fischer truly is a pompous dumb ass.

Hate Radio

Courtesy of Other Side:

A Potential Talk Show Host In The Making

In last week's election, a county treasurer from New Hampshire, seeking her fourth term, was ousted by a 20 year old college student. Needless to say, the exiting incumbent was more than a little salty (emphasis mine):

A county treasurer who lost her bid for a fourth term last week to a 20-year-old Dartmouth College student from Montana blames her failed candidacy on 'brainwashed college kids.'

Republican Carol Elliott said students just voted for the Democratic ticket, which included Dartmouth junior Vanessa Sievers. Sievers won by nearly 600 votes out of 42,000 cast after targeting voters at Dartmouth and Plymouth State University through a $42 ad on the Web site Facebook.

'It was the brainwashed college kids that made the difference,' Elliott, 66, told the Valley News of Lebanon. She said she had little faith that Sievers will fulfill her duties adequately.

'You've got a teenybopper for a treasurer,' said Elliott, who has held the position for six years. 'I'm concerned for the citizens of Grafton County.'

The part-time job pays $6,408. It involves keeping tabs on all county money, making investments and making payments ordered by county commissioners.

Sievers said Wednesday she was surprised by Elliott's 'brutal attack.'

'She's never met me before,' Sievers said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. 'She has no idea what I'm like.'

As the gentle reader can see, she already as the talking points and lingo that any conservative talk show host. Perhaps she can come to Milwaukee, for when Sykes abuses the paid sick leave law.

Fred Dooley: The Epitome Of Hypocrisy

Shortly after the election, right wing blogger Peter DiGaudio made some outrageous comments on his site, Texas Hold'em Blogger, as well as some comments on Boots and Sabers, that could be considered to be criminal. This drew a rather large amount of criticism from the left, like the Prodigal Brawler and Zach, as well as some conservatives, like James Wigderson.

I chose not to write about it for a few reasons. One, I know Peter has a history of flying of the handle and saying irresponsible and totally unacceptable things. Secondly, I do believe, based on what I saw, and from what others have told me, that Peter does have a clinically diagnosable mental health issue. I have a different perspective than most, as that my training and my career is based on helping those with mental illness. Thirdly, with everyone else piling on him, both publicly and privately, I did not feel that I would have anything to add, and did not want to add to any issues Peter might have. Another major reason for my silence on the issue was simply that I had bigger fish to fry.

Well, Peter, in a fit of pique, chose to delete his entire site. A few days later, he came back with a new site. Badger Blogger and Fred Dooley both proudly announced it, but had never publicly denounced the original problematic posts and comments. This caused them a bit of grief, I'm sure. Again, I said nothing, because this was what I expected from them, unfortunately.

Dooley became so incensed with the criticism, that he felt compelled to put up a post explaining his actions. Now, for the uninitiated, Dooley is an extreme right wing blogger that has problems with polite interactions. His site, mistitled "Real Debate Wisconsin" is anything but that. Dooley has the tendency to use irresponsible rhetoric and over the top hyperbole from time to time as well.

He has also banned many people from his site, mostly for the sin of disagreeing with him. The most recent being another one of our prodigal contributors, Other Side.

Dooley also hates a lot of people, including yours truly. He has written many posts and comments attacking me personally and attacking this site. One of the many insults he flailed about in my general direction was that I am some sort of sexist, just because I had the audacity to disagree with Jessica McBride.

So, you can see, I was just amazed at the level of hypocrisy when Dooley wrote this:

In short, these complainers are the same people who don't seem to have any problem with similar speech from the left. If you'd like to see the local equivalent of Peter's work on the left, do a search for Blue Racine. That's a particularly vile and vulgar site that these same paragons of virtue complaining about myself, Peter and Patrick @ Badger Blogger have no issues at all with. Funny how an acerbic conservative bothers them yet they have no issues at all with acerbic lefties. I prefer to just ignore them, they are not worthy of any energy or effort on my part, I have enough to do.

Yup, Dooley, who had accused me of sexism for disagreeing with a woman, calls a site run by a woman vile and vulgar. Interestingly, one of the contributors at his site is also a contributor at Blue Racine. Perhaps it's just a jealousy issue. More likely it's hypocrisy.

Another funny thing is that none of his commenters found anything vulgar or vile about Blue Racine. In fact, many of the commenters remark that Fred's site is much, much worse than this site.

So, let's review.

• He calls me sexist for disagreeing with McBride, but then attacks a woman, calling her site vile and vulgar.
• The site he calls vile and vulgar is found by independent commenters to be anything but that, but do notice that his site is actually vile and vulgar.
  
• He says that he ignores us terrible, terrible lefties, but felt that he had to respond.
• He calls his site Real Debate, when he bans people for disagreeing with him.
  

About the only way Dooley could have been more hypocritical is by telling someone that they need to seek out mental health counseling.

And has an added bonus to his ridiculousness, we have another comment on Dooley's post from the (in)famous mickey/gus:

Allah-is-a-ok, isn't that far from the truth.
Libs have been known to burn the flag. Virulent strains of LIBTARD-ism still do.
Libs have been known to pretend that VIOLENT ISLAMOFASCISTS...(a "virulent strain" of Islam), are not a threat and need libs protection.
Libs are known to support groups and individuals that will not work and are a drain on society. They have "lot's of time" on their hands.

Lastly, Patriots support, defend and love America.
Libtards don't. They believe others should support, defend and love America. Libs want an America that is weak and full of lazy weak libtards.
And Allah-is-a-ok, thinks taxing those who have achieved is a bottomless LIBBY-BANK.
Libs want an America that is funded by successful people, and Libs want to punish the successful, because LIBS constituents are generally weak and not successful.
Thanks Allah-is-a-ok!

No Insight On Incite

Man, oh man. A guy goes away for a couple, three days, and all heck breaks loose.

As I am trying to catch up on the things I missed whilst tied up in other ventures, I find the perfect example on why no one, and I mean not one person, should ever take Patrick McIlheran seriously.

Showing he is the ultimate shrill for the hate-and-fear-mongering Republicans, Paddy puts up a notice that he will be on Sykes' Sunday Incite show, complete with this laugher (emphasis mine):

Well, politics hasn't gotten mean on "Sunday Insight with Charlie Sykes," though the tone of the presidential campaigns will be one of the topics.

Sykes is pure meanness. How else could one explain his racism, his sexism, his prejudice and his flat out lies?

PaddyMac isn't any better. Remember how he defended the blatant racism of a local blogger. Paddy called it "refreshingly caustic and pungent."

Only the most deranged, or the most fearful of sheep, could ever take either of these people seriously.

Will Sykes Speak Of This?

Last week, Sykes was going on and on and on and on about what he referred to as a "riot" and a "melee" at the Coggs Building, where they were giving out applications for food vouchers from FEMA.

The only problem is, it was no riot. No serious injuries, no arrests. Not even a picture to show riotous behaviors.

The questions is now, will he cover the riot that happened at the lakefront this weekend? From JSOnline (emphasis mine):

By the close of Saturday's Summerfest festivities, Milwaukee Police had made 13 municipal adult arrests.

Police described two of the arrests as drug-related. Four arrests were for underage drinking, five for disorderly conduct, one for assault and battery and one for resisting arrest/obstructing.

That's a heckuva lot more than what happened at the Coggs building. Something tells me thought that Sykes will keep up with his usual inconsistency and not call it the correct way again.

Whallah! Roundup

First, let me apologize for my absence, put I have been busy with a few projects. I have two done, including, for now, my work on the northern castle. I have no idea where everyone else is.
With a dozen contributors, one would think there would be an occasional posting, but...

Anyway, here is a collection of Whallah! worthy posts from around the cheddarsphere:

Jay Bullock points out that Charlie and is cronies are less than factual in their smear jobs.

The mighty Brawler points out that Belling is part of the lunatic fringe, by thinking that mass transit is a concern of only a fringe group of people. Brawler continues with his streak by pointing out that Sykes latest rampage is a more than a bit heavy in the racism department. And following with the Sykes theme, he questions what city Sykes refers to when he says only Milwaukee is suffering in this crappy economy.

Paul Soglin tries to do a psychoanalysis on both Sykes and Belling. That is a feat that not even a trained mental health professional would want to do.

Dan Cody takes on Jay Weber's misrepresentation of what happened with the FEMA voucher applications. He also explains that he learned, from squawk radio, that not even kids should be allowed to be healthy, if they can't afford their own insurance.

And Mike Mathias is waiting for an apology. I think Sykes or McIlheran should be one of the first in line to do so.

School Of Hard Knocks

Hey, kids! Did you ever want to grow up and be a conservative blogger? Did you ever want to learn how to:

• Insult major religions?
• Make racist statements?
• Make sexist statements?
• Make a buffoon of yourself by getting your facts wrong, and then trying to hide the evidence, insteading of being an adult about it?

Well, if you answered yes to any or all of these questions, here's your big chance!

Americans Fed Plentifully is presenting a free seminar, just for you! We'll hand it over to Other Side for the details.

Hurry and sign up now! Spaces are going fast!

But there are two disclaimers. One, it is free, and you usually get what you pay for. Two, Whallah bloggers are eager for the fresh meat.

Hypocrisy And Selective Outrage--They're Not Just For Talk Radio Anymore

This past weekend Illy-T noted that John McAdams was getting his selective outrage on. Why? Because WKLH, the Shepherd Express and American TV had the audacity to sponsor a show with Bill Maher. Apparently McAdams felt this was terrible, because Maher cracked a few jokes at the expense of Catholics, or something.

Sykes picked up on that, and our own kr picked up on Sykes.

Today, there was a firestorm put up. On one side, their was McAdams, Sykes, Belling and several others, putting up such a stink that American responded, rather politely. Unsatisfied, and smelling blood, they kept up their assault until American acquiesced and pulled their sponsorship.

Fair enough. Freedom of speech is protected under the Constitution.

But that wasn't the end of it, really. McAdams, apparently feeling more ornery than usual, decided to take umbrage with this post of mine. He feels that it is OK for him to show his disapproval of an event, but that the left is not allowed the same privilege.

To make his arguments even more ridiculous, McAdams, who claims to be offended by Maher's anti-Catholic jokes, proudly links to those who readily insult Islam, women, homosexuals, Mexicans and people who want to give peace a chance.

Others have caught this grand act of hypocrisy:

Illy-T has been tracking it here, here, here and here.

Jay Bullock has also noted the selective outrage and the hypocrisy.

Other Side cuts to the chase, and notes their shamelessness.

But we are not helpless, my friends. If you feel that enough is enough, there are a couple of things we can do.

One is to show your support for Bill Maher. You can do so by simply going to this site and leaving a message expressing your outrage over the way the right wants to trample his rights.

You can also call American TV at (608) 271 1000 or email them through this site, and let them know that you're disappointed that they gave into a handful of vainglorious hypocrites.

SIDENOTE: Ironically, I received an email from my self-described neocon father. The email contained an old joke involving Forrest Gump entering heaven. He received this joke from someone in his church. At the end of the email was this:

Give me a sense of humor, Lord.
Give me the ability to understand a clean joke,
To get some humor out of life,
And to pass it on to other folks.

This is something that McAdams, Sykes, and the rest of the perpetually offended right wingers should add to their daily prayers.