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The Knoxville Shooting: The Liberals Made Him Do It
Had it not been liberals, it would have been something else. Let's grant that from the beginning.
Broken people, after all, can always find some equally broken rationale for the carnage they cause. And the brokenness of 58-year-old Jim Adkisson can hardly be doubted after he walked into a Unitarian Universalist church in Knoxville, Tenn., on Sunday and, according to police, shot eight people, killing two.
He might as well have said he did it because he didn't like the color of the building, a black cat crossed his path or the voices in his head thought it a good idea. Except, he didn't. Police say that, according to the four-page note he left, he went on the rampage because he couldn't find a job -- and because he hates gay people and liberals.
Even through the brokenness of the man, that reasoning resonates.
From the days the first President Bush branded it ''the L word'' -- i.e., the ideology that dare not speak its name -- conservative politicians and media figures have been relentlessly effective in selling the idea that ''liberal'' is the brand name for every wrong thing they see, every opinion they disagree with, every change they fear. They have not been hampered by excessive devotion to nuance.
As in the pundit who claims ''liberal'' is a mental disorder. And the politician who says liberals are in league with Satan. And the preacher who said Sept. 11 was caused by liberals. And the other preacher who says liberals cause natural disasters.
It has reached the point where I no longer have the faintest idea what liberal -- or, for that matter, conservative -- even means.
Oh, I know what they used to mean. To be conservative was to be suspicious of change and federal oversight, to embrace minimalist government, fiscal responsibility and a strong national defense. To be liberal was to be welcoming of change, suspicious of militarism and committed to activist government that worked to protect and uplift those who are shoved to the margins of American life.
That's what they meant then. What they mean now seems to depend on the needs of a given moment.
Your humble correspondent has never been much for ideology. I find it hard to believe liberals have a monopoly on truth. Same for conservatives. And frankly, as far as I'm concerned, any worldview that can be summed up in a word probably isn't much of a worldview.
But it is increasingly the case that what we are being presented isn't a debate between competing worldviews so much as it is a morality play: righteous good versus unholy evil. Conservatives have cast themselves in the former role, leaving liberals the latter. It's a libel to which liberals have responded as the bug does to the windshield: splat.
Unable to say what they believe or to frame it any compelling way, they have allowed themselves to be defined instead from without, standing ineffectual in a mudstorm of invective. They are, the propaganda goes, effete, unpatriotic, unstable, un-American, anti-God, evil, and the source of a voter's every problem, down to and including the death of his goldfish and the breakup of his marriage.
It is so over the top, so patently ridiculous, it's almost funny. Until you remember that dehumanizing people inevitably has consequences.
That's what Knoxville is, a consequence.
No, conservatives did not cause this bloodbath. Jim Adkisson allegedly did. But in telling him ''liberals'' were the source of his every disaffection and woe, conservatives certainly validated the hatred and madness that drove him.
It would be a fitting tribute to those who were lost in Knoxville if this tragedy gave the authors of the ongoing morality play cause for pause -- and reflection. Or is accountability yet another lost conservative value?
--Leonard Pitts Jr.
Copyright 2008 Miami Herald Media Co.
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140 Comments so far
Show AllRight wing Kook...the Unibomber was a Left Wing Kook...it works both ways...this Guy was "crisp"...no doubt... but I won't blame Limbaugh and O'Reilly
I will blame Limbaugh and O'Reilly and the Rupert they rowed in on. FauxNews indeed.
We are beset by Republicans and their Christian Reichskristallnacht.
I blame *Jim Adkisson*.
my sympathies and condolences to those who lost loved ones in this mess
if we accept that tv and games induce violence in children then why is it so hard to see a causality to the right wing hate mongers
i'd like to meet oreily - i'd like to kick him in the nuts
"why is it so hard to see a causality to the right wing hate mongers"
Which ones urge people to go out and shooy liberals? Murder was solely Adkisson's idea.
All those right wing screeds like Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh, Michael Savage and others have stirred up the bitter masses who have found a target in liberals to blame for all their problems, and yet what they don't realize is that it's the conservatives, oh, excuse me, the NeoCons, who have shipped their jobs overseas, stolen their health care, decimated their neighborhoods with foreclosed homes and wreaked havoc on just about everything they've touched. And yet, they see fit to blame the liberals because, well, someone's got to be guilty of all these problems, and so they target liberals instead of seeing that it was the very people that they voted into office, the NeoCons, that are truly responsible for all of their problems.
So what do they do? They go buy a gun and go on shooting rampages as a way to cope with their pent up anger, and now Unitarian Universalists have become their latest target of rage because we are a faith of tolerance, peace and justice. We don't ascribe to a narrow, rigid dogma or hateful narrow views that serve to exclude. Rather, we invite and include all who seek a faith that allows for differing views and accepts a personal search for truth and meaning as being one of the central pillars of our faith. We teach our children that ours is the faith of helping hands, an open mind and a loving heart.
It's just a shame that this one incident has put all of us UU's on notice that we now have become a target of a hate crime and it makes us feel the more vulnerable as a result. We mourn and grieve with our brothers and sisters in faith at the Tennessee Valley UU Church in Knoxville and we hope that they can find healing and strength in the days to come to deal with this tragedy. As a fellow UU in Kent, OH, know that our congregation stands in solidarity with you, as I am sure that all UU congregations world wide do.
We need to bring the term "seige mentality" into the conversation.
We need the term "low self esteem" to properly address anorexia and any number of other social disorders, and we need the term "seige mentality" to properly address modern conservatism.
Seige Mentality is a disorder. If you're not sure what I'm talking about, please look it up.
There could be a device IN YOUR HOME right now that may bring on the onset of either "low self esteem" or "seige mentality". It's called a Television.
Seriously, I mean I remember Mr. Rogers fighting against Low Self Esteem. "You're special, I like you just the way you are". Is anyone out there on the TV reassuring little kids that "There aren't Liberal Fags under your bed waiting to touch you, you're very safe"?
Jim Adkisson is another in a long line of losers that can't take responsibility for their inappropriate feelings. He'll do real good with all of the conservatives in jail. I'm surprised he didn't do himself in when he had the chance. Soon it'll be Bubba's turn.
This reminds me of Thomas Frank's "What's The Matter With Kansas?", with his notion of poor and right-wing being like a weird version of the French Revolution run in reverse. The people marching in the streets chanting, "Hooray for king, lord, and priest! ... Please tell us to 'Eat Cake!'"
Jim Adkisson is a sorry, confused and broken man who took his hurt and anger out on people who would have helped him, if he had asked. The problem with Americans, is we don't often ask for help [this individualism and boot-strap mentality]. The best thing we can do for Mr. Adkisson is to pray for him and his family as well as for his victims and their families. His victims are with God. The church family will eventually heal; Christ does grant peace, especially if requested.
Jim Adkisson is another in a long line of losers that can't take responsibility for their inappropriate feelings
*ding ding ding* Give that man a kewpie doll!
By what stretch of the imagination was the Unibomber a left wing anything? He was an anti-technologist. Is there anything in the left wing thinking that is anti technology?
Honestly, I've read this before, and it doesn't make sense to me at all. He didn't have anything to do with left or right, he was all about the destruction of technology. Plus, he specifically targeted individuals, not randomly went around trying to kill anyone he could. What makes him a leftie? I suspect that some right wing talker spit this out in a moment of typical lying and it's sticking because no one is refuting it.
But if you want to talk about right or left, who is it that went around shooting abortion doctors? It wasn't the lefties, was it? Oklahoma City? I don't think that anyone out there could see McVeigh as a leftie. What about Olympic bomber Eric Rudolph? Well known to be a rightie. What about the abortion clinic bombings that we saw so many of during the 80's? Righties again.
It's a known issue with the right that they see the means and the casualties as being inconsequential as long as they get their way. And they tend to use violence as their means, whereas lefties tend not to, at least not in this country. I don't care what happened in the USSR under Stalin. I'm talking about here. And here, the right is the side that can't allow anyone else to have their say and let the rest of us vote on it. And they tend to be very poor losers, which, when it comes right down to an actual debate, they tend to be. Screaming, lying and threatening others generally doesn't work in an actual debate, and that is what they have.
So when it comes down to who it is that is really being an issue against the stability of this country, place blame where it lies. With those like Coulter, Limbaugh, Savage, and Hannity, who are doing their best to demonize and dehumanize those who they disagree with. Addison had books from Hannity, Limbaugh and Savage in his library. Wonder where he got the encouragement to go killing those who have only tried to make his life worth living? Look there.
Meanwhile, the very ones who he has been reading have been leading the charge to destroy everything that the left has done to ensure this man a job, wages he could live on, health care, vacations, and a safety net that would take care of his needs should be be in exactly the situation in which he found himself. And yet he blames the ones who are actually on his side. What a twisted web we weave...
I blame the Democratic policy of appeasement – of Republicans.
Elvis was a Conservative, and he shot his TV.
Many an angry University Student has followed him down this road, both left and right.
I say, if you're going to go on a violence spree inspired by hatred, the world would be a much better place if you hated Televisions than if you hated People.
Fear leads to Anger, Anger leads to Hate. People need to get started on some basic Fear of Televisions. Sadly, TVs are the wellspring of fear, not the settling pond.
Of course, if there was ever a man upon whom the TV exacted a horrible revenge, it was Elvis.
"Broken people, after all, can always find some equally broken rationale for the carnage they cause."
Think of all the "broken rationale[s]" provided over the years of this man's life by the many presidents "for the carnage they cause[d]." Not once were they ever held acountible for their carnage-related crimes--the crimes Nixon was to answer for didn't include those related to the carnage he committed. Then we must consider the massive impact the Propaganda and Indoctrination Systems had on this man; and they were indeed massive or he would never have done what he did. Essentially, Jim Adkisson stands very tall as a proxy for the Broken United States. The likes of him are present in the White House to Foggy Bottom to Capitol Hill. At his trial in his defense, he might say his actions were no different from those of GIs in Baghdad or those of pilots in the skies over Afghanistan, and he would be correct. It's too bad Leonard Pitts Jr. didn't incorporate this bigger picture into his essay.
" Addison had books from Hannity, Limbaugh and Savage in his library. Wonder where he got the encouragement to go killing those who have only tried to make his life worth living? Look there. "
Please specify the "encouragement" to *murder* contained in any of those books.
jakenewton:
No encouragement to murder was in those books, only encouragement to hate. And from that sprung his hateful actions.
When the media is so filled with hatred, as it's been especially so in the last seven and a half years - hatred for the homosexuals; hatred for the Mexican "illegals:" hatred for the Liberals; hatred for the "baby killers;" hatred for the "haters of the troops and America," and on and on - and there are those "out there" who, for a variety of reasons are sick in mind and soul; or youth who believe they've been given the green light for violence, hear this constant drumbeat of hatred, and see an opportunity to act on that supposed approval of violence against any of these groups; or reach the point where all they've endured in their sick lives (some probably were born that way) becomes twisted up with these hated groups, they act on it.
The Unibomber railed constantly against "the left." I read his manifesto many years ago, and if anyone on this site sounds like Ted Kaczynski, it's jakenewton.
miftin, I also read that manifesto, and I don't remember him expressing any doubts or asking for any references...
Snow Wolf ole buddy, nice to see you jumped right in here with the first post. Isn't this a nice tolerant community of bloggers willing to listen to everyones opinion? Last week I joined RedState to banter with your side of the aisle. It took three posts before those wonderful open minded folks banned me. No profanity, name calling or put downs. Just logic. Why all the hate from the right? At least you are aware that not everyone agrees with all your arguments. A give and take of ideas is what Democracy is based on.
"Jim Adkisson is another in a long line of losers that can't take responsibility for their inappropriate feelings"
We can all agree with that.
"No encouragement to murder was in those books, only encouragement to hate. "
Please be specific.
SpaceElevator, "Why all the hate from the right?"
I'm just gonna keep banging my (and Yoda's) drum here. Fear leads to Anger. Anger leads to hate.
I've seen the crap that comes out of the TV, it's designed to make you think you're fat and ugly and under siege.
The only thing to fear is fear itself. Without fear there can be peace.
More news from the Broken USA:
"The result is a city of diehard motorists in need of some anger management. Criminal charges have already been filed against one driver accused of deliberately braking in front of two cyclists in the wealthy suburb of Mandeville Canyon — home of the world's most famous Hummer-driving road hog, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Both cyclists ended up in hospital." http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/news/article4412809.ece
How different is the behavioral root for the above motorist from Adkisson? I would say very little, as the motorist is every bit as broken.
But is the breakage reparible. Or have the actions of BushCo marked Humpty-Dumpty Time for the USA? And if so, what then?
"We want to burn out all the recent immoral developments in literature, in the theater, and in the press—in short, we want to burn out the poison of immorality which has entered into our whole life and culture as a result of liberal excess during the past."
Hitler.
"I can guarantee you liberals, you wouldn't be in business too long. I can guarantee you you'd be arrested for sedition within six months of my taking power. I'd have you people licking lead paint, what you did to this country."
Savage.
"I'll tell you who should be tortured and killed at Guantanamo: every filthy Democrat in the U.S. Congress."
Hannity
"Hitler would be a card-carrying ACLU member. Remember, it is the American Civil Liberties Union which is now behind all abortion on demand, euthanasia, and coming soon perhaps, infanticide for impaired babies."
O'Reilly
Is there anyone here who would say with a straight face that there isn't anyone on the left, here on CD for example, who expresses hatred for certain individuals and groups?
Hey, jake, I hate MBAs, gun nuts, and Central Bankers. But gosh darn it, every time I turn on my TV I can't get the slightest teeny tiny bit of satisfaction from hearing views that support my own. Makes me question myself for being the only one who feels that way. I'd have to pick someone else to hate if I'm to have any chance of getting worked up into a lather every night.
Frank, do you have any proper sources for those quotes?
This one is so cool... "Hitler would be a card-carrying ACLU member."
I think they assume unibomber's a lefty because he went to Harvard.
Looks like we have a bitter guy clinging to guns and religion.
The Weather Underground was left, famous for explosives.
"One can't say all conservatives are stupid people, but one can say that all stupid people are conservatives".
John Stewart Mill
Lets see some sources jakeyboy!
"But gosh darn it, every time I turn on my TV I can't get the slightest teeny tiny bit of satisfaction from hearing views that support my own. "
I often feel that way, including with the radio and internet forums.
"Lets see some sources jakeyboy!"
Start with Wikipedia. The Greenwich Village bomb factory explosion was pretty high profile.
John Stewart Mill is stupid himself.
JakeNewton Asks of the right side: "Which ones urge people to go out and shooy liberals? Murder was solely Adkisson's idea."
Not directly related to this case, yet, O'Reilly did, essentially, invoke lynch mobs in his characterization of Michelle Obama. I am sure some nutcase KKKer could use that to help tie the rope.
"O'Reilly did, essentially, invoke lynch mobs in his characterization of Michelle Obama. "
I highly doubt it. If you are going to provide a quote to show how, frame it with proper context, such as what was said before and after.
Here is a take on the lynch mob statement:
http://politicalvindication.com/?p=1827
Not everything everyone says is meant literally, duh.
What failures they were as terrorists, they blew themselves up! I grew up in that period. Some kind of war was going on. The govt. was sending letters to guys to come join the fun, "kill gooks" as Senator Mcain would say. The WU, and SDS, were terrorists, provoked by the letters, and the war which they thought was a worthless bloodbath.
Hindsight shows that Vietnam was a worthless bloodbath.
jakenewton, if you want lots of examples, you can try here:
http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/2007/03/eliminationism-in-america-appendix.html
Enjoy the debunking of your revisionism.
I'm not interested in getting into any debate (I usually read the posts to glean additional information).
But please, if we are to speak of "proper sources" for any piece of information, then DO NOT cite Wikipedia.
After all, a "proper source" should also be credible.
Thank you kindly.
Jake 123
Great collection of right wing affection. They are a loving bunch.
OK JakeyBoy and Wolfy, your assignment: Find a similar collection of quotes from left leaning MSM types (similar in stature to Rush and lovely Ann Coulter) that spew hatred of other humans.
Actually I really enjoy this place...and yeah...you gotta overlook some of the nasties...
as for Kyzinski's politics I believe the FBI Profilers on the case labeled him a left leaning radical environmentalist..although I do agree with the Gentleman that reffered to him as anti-technology as well
Sometimes they don't want to claim their own...like that piece of human filth Fred Phelps...from the Westboro Baptist Church?...Registered Democrat...they just don't point that out over at Democratic Underground
Space Elevator...you mean like Spike Lee saying Charlton Heston should be shot in the face with a .44 caliber Bulldog or Alec Baldwin saying Henry Hyde should be stoned to death?...you mean like that. right?
Oh...and for the record...I'm not a right winger...I'm a Libertarian so we'd probably agree on more issues than not...
but I'm a common sense Libertarian
Jakenewton...don't undercut your own position...John Stuart Mill was not stupid...but I prefer this quote:
"War is an ugly thing but not the ugliest of things; the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feelings which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."- John Stuart Mill
(This Post in honor of a certain PFC, 1/75 CAV, Patrol Base Thrasher, Iraq) (I Love you, Matt -Dad)
Ping - Pong
Right - Left
Liberal - Conservative
The labeling of people in what has become dualistic pejoratives incites confrontation without thought, with anger, without compassion. Until and unless you and all of us can rise above the simplistic dualistic thinking, to a higher cause and inclusion, not division, we will continue to have violence and suffering whether in a Knoxville sanctuary or regional wars.
People die because of labeling. Let's stop doing this to each other.