Paft, I've followed the discussions that you have had with people on talk_politics about this issue. In my opinion, FWIW, you are right.
Not only are you right to suggest that that violent political rhetoric is being encouraged, you are also right that this is the time to raise the discussion of the issue, the causes of supposedly random violence (oh, but so predictable), and to make suggestions.
If not now, when?
The problem is to many is that they'd rather not hear about such things now. It's too close to them, too visceral and they're too incapable of thinking of what it must be like for others. Hundreds died of political violence in Tunisia and Sudan when Rep. Gifford was shot. Where's the hand-wringing and news stories and outpourings of moral outrage for their loss of life?
The same could be said about 9-11. A terrible loss of life, no doubt. But the people in Iraq at the time were losing 30,000 people per month due to the sanctions placed on that country. Ten 9-11s per month for the previous ten years.
Sadly, it seems that many, if not most, people are not thinking beyond their own limited perspective, even though cognitively they should have the capability to do so.
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Date: 18/1/11 08:51 (UTC)Not only are you right to suggest that that violent political rhetoric is being encouraged, you are also right that this is the time to raise the discussion of the issue, the causes of supposedly random violence (oh, but so predictable), and to make suggestions.
If not now, when?
The problem is to many is that they'd rather not hear about such things now. It's too close to them, too visceral and they're too incapable of thinking of what it must be like for others. Hundreds died of political violence in Tunisia and Sudan when Rep. Gifford was shot. Where's the hand-wringing and news stories and outpourings of moral outrage for their loss of life?
The same could be said about 9-11. A terrible loss of life, no doubt. But the people in Iraq at the time were losing 30,000 people per month due to the sanctions placed on that country. Ten 9-11s per month for the previous ten years.
Sadly, it seems that many, if not most, people are not thinking beyond their own limited perspective, even though cognitively they should have the capability to do so.