A post by Pat

In this version Mr. Wilson isn’t the irascible man next door and The Menace isn’t a five-year old boy. The media’s version of Mr. Wilson and The Menace is an exuberant member of Congress named Wilson, the Menace is right-wing extremism. The two are not antagonists, they are villains coiled together in a swamp of hatred. The rancorous townhalls, talk radio and tea parties are part of this multi-headed monster.

As Juan Williams puts it:

It strikes me as something threatening..something angry is in the water here and it could go beyond the moment to, you know, people taking up arms, or attack. It’s extremism at work.”

Mitch Albom, Detroit News

Something bigger was at work. A culture of confrontation. Hate breeds hate, anger breeds anger, and I have been arguing in this space for years now that the American discourse – fueled by the Internet, talk radio and cable TV – has turned so mean it has nowhere to go but get meaner.

Colbert King, Washington Post

There’s something loose in the land, an ugliness and hatred directed toward Barack Obama, the nation’s first African American president, that takes the breath away. The thread of resentment is woven through conservative commentary, right-wing radio and cable TV shows, all the way to Capitol Hill.

Editorial, Sheboygan Press

The next step is violence, and thankfully to this point, we have not seen violence erupt from this partisan debate. But is it all that far away?

Here’s the post-show discussion on Fox News Sunday’s Panel Plus*. Brit Hume makes the excellent point that it has now become a matter of what Joe Wilson said not the so-called incivility of his behavior. It is toward the end that Juan Williams expresses his worries about the Right.


Two words and the we hear warnings of dark forces at work. Now poor ‘ol Mr. Wilson must be publicly shamed one way or another.

It does no good to hold up the thick catalog of left-wing extremism. They perfected the tactics of incivility and disorder. It is their stock-in-trade. Community organizers encourage it. I saw the inherent danger of their brand of activism all my life. It is taking hold.

I also feel the presence of something malevolent. The Menace threatening us isn’t incivility or passionate political disagreement, not any more; it is the Stalinist impulses of the Left to suppress opposition while imposing a statist collective oriented society. Step by step they rationalize their oppression in the name of community good. It was previously called the Red Menace. To stand against it is always characterized as the action of bigots and fools. Here we go again. How many more re-runs until this menace is canceled for good?

*(Fox Panel Plus is an extra five minute online segment of Fox News Sunday. They are archived. Every Wednesday Fox Special Report with Bret Baier has a post show panel discussion that lasts about 25 minutes. I don’t think they are archived. I encourage you to watch at Foxnews.com/sronline Wednesdays after the regular show. It’s usually a free-wheeling discussion. Sometimes James Rosen is on and does impressions. You can also ask questions online.)

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16 Comments | Leave a comment
  1. 74Conservative says:

    Of course, we know the Sheboygan Press has it wrong. We have seen violence. Not from the scary fed-up, America-loving Patriots, no; but from the freaks on the left. The paid Townhall goers like the Hanibal nut job who bit off some poor guy’s finger; like the SEIU freaks who assaulted the guy selling “Don’t Tread On Me” pins and flags outside of a townhall. These people are simply stunning.

  2. John Steed says:

    The slow yet inexorable drift towards an armed uprising of the “silent majority” is looking less and less unlikely. Personally, I feel it’s something that has to happen to correct the imbalance that has developed since FDR’s misguided but well meaning jump start into the socialist welfare state mentality so many of our politicians seem to share. This country was not founded on socialist principals, nor was it envisioned as a nanny state which cares for it’s citizen’s every need from cradle to grave. That vision would be anathema to the rugged individuals who found the courage to defy the crown and establish a country founded upon individuality, charity and reward for a bold vision supported by hard work. There are those among us who would try to denigrate our founders by accusing them of being slave holders, and they would be accurate. However, we cannot judge our ancestors by our modern societal standards any more than our antecedants could demonize us for having pets when 200 years from today such a concept may be repugnant. Because a past society adheared to a social hierarchy we dismiss today can not dismiss the IDEAS that were spawned by members of that society and one of those ideas was a country where people could persue their own visions of life, liberty and the persuit of happiness unencumbered by a vast central government dictating what they can and cannot do. Sadly, the president does not share this view and he has surrounded himself with like minded functionaries who wouldn’t lose a moment’s sleep if the government controlled every spect of public life. Hence the spike in private gun sales and the increasingly bitter and divisive rhetoric we hear in the halls of Congress. I fear a revolution is in the wind and if it comes to pass, the entire world will never be the same. The silent majority is silent no more, and the world may tremble at the sound of their collective voice.

  3. Shifra says:

    Excellent post, Pat. The Left is so mired in contempt for “middle America,” that they can’t see their own hatred of Christianity, people who own guns, etc. (you know, those “bitter people who cling to their guns and religion.”) And, as an Orthodox Jew, I must say, it seems that all the Jew-hatred is ON THE LEFT! I have never seen one word of anything anti-Israel or anti-Jewish on any conservative talk show or conservative website, while the Left-wing sites are often sickeningly anti-Semitic. And I suppose it would be useless to point out to these pundits how Sarah Palin was so viciously trashed by the MSM. Or that Whoopi Goldberg uttered obscenities about W. at a Democrat fundraiser in NYC and was practically given a standing ovation. Or that a movie was produced about W. being assassinated. The list is endless…. (three more years of Urkel? G-d help us!)

  4. Maynard says:

    Of course I have a knee-jerk reaction to be offended at the ridiculous assertion that our political movement is plagued by violence and nastiness. The charge is easily addressed; the facts speak for themselves. But is this an issue of substance to be seriously debated, or just a distraction?

    I think we know what this is really all about: The Left has, through lies and luck, found itself in its strongest position in generations. But people are getting wise to the deception, and the Left’s moment is passing. With the clock ticking, they’re frantic to consolidate power in Washington and nail down a framework that can’t be undone. They’ve lost the intellectual debate, but then this isn’t really about doing the right thing. So the argument is framed in terms of defeating racists or some equivalently-nasty-sounding enemy. And this justifies their own violence, which they rationalize as a necessary response to their opposition. You remember what that SEIU thug said after beating up the man with the “Don’t tread on me” flag? When asked, “Why did you attack that man?”, he answered, “He attacked America!”

  5. morecowbell says:

    After what I saw and heard in DC, no worries.

    The protesters were calm, polite and charming. It was very odd for an event: no pot in the air, no drinking, no swearing, no fighting, no pushing, no factions, no infighting and no littering. The police were joking around, laughing with us and taking pictures for us. When motorcycle cops had to cut through a dense crowd to get to a heart attack victim, people parted like the red sea. At one point it was announced a 9 year child was lost, everybody around me, I mean thousands, started looking around for the kid. Within minutes he was returned to his mom. It was amazing how well mannered (and clean I might add) the crowd was. I have been to family reunions more contentious.

    The protesters prided themselves on their signs, their knowledge of the issues and the fact they were ‘doing something’.

    They have been called Nazi’s, ignorant, rednecks, bitter, clingy, racists, religious fanatics, brown shirts, mean spirited, selfish, greedy and a piece of plastic (AstroTurf). The message from the left has been shouted down, not only out loud, but in the minds as well. The protesters seem more disappointed in the reaction from the right than the left. The lack of “testicular fortitude”, a senior lady from Missouri (tea bags hanging off her hat no less) informed me. The hundreds of pro Joe Wilson signs confirmed that theme.

    Here is the dagger.

    Most of the folks I talked felt disappointed in their lack of participation in the process before the election… the realization was that the government had gotten away from the people because the people had ‘other things to do’. I expected cries of victim hood at the hands of a malevolent and corrupt political system. Instead, they did not blame our political system, they blamed themselves. They felt that folks like Tammy and Glenn Beck were not the cause of their ‘call to action’, they only gave voice to thought. The march was not about Democrats or Republicans… it was getting personally involved … the march was a act to seal that commitment.

    That’s how cats roll.

    The left (and all the elected officials) have a real problem on their hands.
    The people I met have made it their personal responsibility to fix this mess because they feel at some level personally responsible for it.

    That’s how cats think.

    No talking head or policy or law is going to slow that down, it’s only going to grow bigger and bigger. The left, of course, will try to ‘think’ their way around the elephant in the room and then maybe resort to more base tactics. This will only antagonize more to rise up off the couch against them.

    That’s how cats organize.

    The only thing the left needs to concern itself with now is how to recover from 2010, if they can. That year will mark the end of an era of ‘politics as usual’ (yes, another Obama promise, irony still rich). This is when the old messages and methods die off for our generation.

  6. RuBegonia says:

    “feel the presence of something malevolent”. My ears are up! I went sniffing through the web site of the Communist Party of the USA and was perusing their Constitution. Raises the dog hair on my back because it smells like something more familiar than it should be. I think our administration has already rolled in it! Time for a dog bath.

  7. IslandLibertarian says:

    How many windows were broken Saturday?
    How many canisters of tear gas fired off by riot police?
    HOW MANY ARRESTS?

    ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE 9/12/2009!!!……..didn’t it?

  8. seadog says:

    Juan Williams is a great example of the inside the beltway mentality. Most of the D.C. media types do not know anyone outside D.C., NYC or the liberal havens of the left coast. They view the rest of this great land (with the exception of favored vacation spots like Aspen, Jacksons Hole and Martha’s Vinyard) as flyover country. They have no clue to what most Americans think. By next November reality is going to slap them in the face. It will be a very hard slap.

    PS Have you seen the third set of ACORN video’s. This time from NYC. By this time tomorrow 3 more ACORN types will be under the bus.

  9. jack023 says:

    People were astonished at the abrupt collapse of the U.S.S.R. That should make them mindful of the possible abrupt collapse of the U.S.A. as our government builds a house of cards composed of one eyed jacks, and a joker as the cornerstone.

    When the U.S.S.R. collapsed, the possibility of freedom was a lamp that lit up the darkness. When we are led to collapse, the light of reedom will have been extinguished by our leaders; and by what light will we find our way?

  10. theroys88 says:

    Violence and anger are the trade marks of the progressive left. It sure would be nice
    if the pansies called Republicans would stand up and support Joe Wilson and remind
    the country of the hate filled behavior of the left. Let’s see: who booed George Bush
    in 2005 at his State of the Union address?? Oh yeah…those polite and civil democrats.
    What short memories we have!

  11. navajosierra says:

    It is the left that is attached to “the first African-American president” business. They are the ones who make a big deal of race, and, actually, it was his nibs, B.O., who made and continues to make the very biggest deal about “the first African-American president,” never deigning to own his white heritage, and I am confident that Axelrod et al, used that very phrase when marketing “the first African-American president,” as I believe his ascenscion to the highest post in the land had everything to do with marketing, marketing, marketing. They are the unevolved – constantly throwing race in our faces. How hard is it to see and understand that a constant force of human nature is anger and revolt upon the threat of the removal of freedom? And never has there been such an in-your-face threat to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness that exists now in this country. And, people will not just walk away and give up life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness because the left and the media would wish otherwise. As for the racism nonsense? Sticks and stones will break my bones, but name-calling will never hurt me. I am not a racist, but if it makes them feel better to call me one, go ahead, but no one is taking away my freedom. (See Braveheart.)

  12. Shifra says:

    The New York Times had an article about the 9/12 March on Washington…. on page 37! To paraphrase Harry Reid: “I hope the NYT goes out of business!”

    • 74Conservative says:

      Karl Rove was on FOX News this am…he showed the NYT paper where a very small blurb was on the front page, below the fold, then it directed the reader to page 37. He continued on to turn to page 37 where he proclaimed and showed to the camera “it’s not there”. It’s actually continued on page 33!!! What a bunch of maroons to quote Bugs Bunny. But, not to fear – if the NYT appears to be going under, the Once will simply bail it out. FREAKS!!! They’re all FREAKS!

  13. sharon says:

    Being in Michigan I can assure you the comments by Mitch Albom are nothing new from his lips. I can not stomach to listen to this guy..

  14. stevenlaib says:

    The rest of the Republicans in the joint session should have supported Wilson. In the English Parliament it is common for the house to shout speakers down. It would have been proper here. As for Wilson’s remarks, they were correct, and one should not have to apologize for telling the truth. The Left likes to use the phrase “speak truth to power.” That’s basically what Wilson did.

    If the Republican legislators had taken over the podium and called for impeachment of Obama for lying to Congress they would have been justified. The rules of decorum were not intended to protect someone using color of authority to commit a fraud on the American People.

  15. Count Crash says:

    The Left has always preached hate, anger, fear, and violence. It’s been doing this since the 1920’s. Action is better than idleness even if its action just for the sake of action. Radical revolution over calm compromise. Unity for the cause over understanding of our differences. The brain washing continues even today (see The NEA and Universities). The DC understanding is only of power, control, and money. Ideals of Liberty and Freedom are fast becoming faint echos of an ignored past. Instead they offer choices, but only what they want you to choose, they diguise and twist it beguiling you into believing its freedom. They offer a free lunch, low rent housing, benifits to the under educated. Candy from strangers tastes sweet until you choke on it then its too late. Its smoke and mirrors to keep you from seeing whats behind the curtain. What they are hording for thier own purposes that don’t include those they used to get it. Put them in condemmed buildings and take away thier hope for any future that doens’t involve them controlling you. High crime? Take away your ability to defend yourself. Poor schools? Quota system based on what your ethnicity is rather than you test scores, then they can teach you what they want you to learn. They will show you a world of rainbows and unicorns and blame others when it doesn’t come true. Its never your falt you can’t read, add/subtract, dont have a good paying job or a job period, why you don’t own your own home, drive a nice car, have a future. Its the rich, the CEO’s, Society, your nieghbor, something anything other than yourself is to blame. Yet those who claim to be fighting for you are the ones who have tied the anchor around your legs. Its because “they are racist and they want to keep you down” they say, while they drive of in their nice cars, to their big homes, with their fat bank accounts and off shore tax shelters and raise their kids away from the “poor retches”. They have taught you to believe that possesions are freedom. What you can hold in your hand or count with a machine is liberty. That responsibility for your actions doesn’t apply. Here take a pill, fill out a form, have this procedure done and you can be liberated you will enjoy freedom and there are no conseqeunces. Equality comes from other peoples’ wallets and purses. They’ve said “Believing in God is how they can control you”. They don’t want you to have ethics, scruples, and morals unless it feeds the agenda of attacking who they tell you to “for the righteousness of the cause”. They will claim a Noble stance with high goals to better the world. A world for them, not for you. You, they will leave choking on your dreams, thirsty for hope, hungry for freedom, while they grow fat on the fruits of your labors, they will toss you crumbs of empty promises and dying wishes. BE NOT FOOLED!!!! Change can take place with out a sound, though sometimes it takes thunder. The colonists of the 1770’s were wise people who trusted God and themselves, but they also kept their guns handy and their powder dry.

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