Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Hate speech gets us nowhere


The Fort Worth Star Telegram published a story on November 8, 2012 that disturbed me deeply.  As a matter of fact, it just takes the cake! Under the headline, "Hardin GOP official: 'Maggots' elected Obama,"  Bud Kennedy reported the amazingly hateful comments of Hardin County Republican treasurer Peter Morrison.

Here's just a snippet of Kennedy's story:

Texas Republicans are already using the s-word.

One party official from Southeast Texas calls for -- not secession -- separation.
"Why should Vermont and Texas live under the same government?" writes Hardin County Republican treasurer Peter Morrison, a Ron Paul supporter and author of a race-heavy Tea Party newsletter.
"Let each go her own way," he writes, demanding an "amicable divorce" from the U.S. and from the "maggots" who re-elected President Obama.
"Maggots who re-elected President Obama"?

Seriously?  

Let me just say this sort of conversation destroys community, offends millions and has no place in a serious discussion about how to make the nation work.  Furthermore, this language hurts so many of my friends, people I love and respect.  How dare anyone speak of a fellow American in such a course, demeaning manner.  

Mr. Morrison, who do you think you are, sir?  

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm not in line with the "maggots" point of view, but I do think it's time for a realignment. Though slavery was the issue that set off the Civil War, the underlying problem was states' rights.

Our nation was purposely designed with checks and balances. Sure there's the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government, but there should also be checks and balances between the states and the nation.

The national government is out of balance. It's too big. It's taken on responsibilities it should never have embraced.

The states have been complacent. They've lapped up federal monies and endured invasive federal policies for to long.

Secession? That should not be necessary and there are many things that Texas does share with Vermont. However, we're Texans and we have different values, as well as different problems.

The Republican Party has a lot of work to do if it plans to stay relevant in the new millennium, but states need to flex their muscles, too. I'd like the individual states to remember who they are and what they stand for, within the structure of our national union.

Anonymous said...

The right of a state to secede was decided 147 years ago, and rather decisively and at great cost. Anyone who even talks like that is at the least highly ignorant, and at the worst a traitor, and should be seen as such. (And I say this as a native Texan.)

As to the use of the term "maggot," I would like to think that voters would punish such talk, but apparently this official has no such concern. It is despicable to call the majority of your fellow citizens such a term. I can only hope he pays a price.

belinda said...

i don't think the ones that talk of seceding have thought it all out . . . do they want to be completely independent? like, NO funding from the federal government? i doubt it. it may sound good, but i think they'd be wise to think it all the way through.

Anonymous said...

I suppose it's less dispicable to call your running mate a murderer.

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't call Obama supporters maggots but I can understand the frustration. The majority of the people who voted for Obama are not educated enough to understand the implications.

Obama grew up with a world view very different from traditional America, the system that made us the country that most people wanted to come to and raise their children. He grew up with communist parents and communist mentors. He thinks America is unjust and boy does he want to cut it down to size.

He wants to do this by 'taxing the rich." However, if he took EVERY DIME of a person who made more than a million dollars a year, it would only run the government for about three months. But consider the harm it would do to raise taxes on the so-called rich. It would put a lot of small business out of business.

The people who voted for Obama, by and large do not understand the private enterprise system. They want the person who can do the most for them in the short term.

Have you heard, the admonistration is advertising, on a website, to would be immigrants, legal or illegal, how to game the system to get free stuff, all the way from abortions and birth control to food stamps and you name it. It's all there.

There is a paper, the Czech Republic, that wrote something like this:

"America could deal with one fool for four years, it's the multitude of fools that voted for him that is the problem."

rcorum said...

Larry, here is my problem. I think you are selective in your condemnation. I too think that the offensive words were just that, offensive, and I am repulsed by them, but Larry where is the outrage over the weekly filthy rants by Bill Maher on HBO?a His filth is beyond the pale, but have you ever even once called him out on his words? I know that you will probably call it apples and oranges, but I think in the end you are a bit inconsistent in your condemnations. The sad thing is that we live in a divided nation, and I for one am deeply concerned about what will be left for my grandchildren. Just today I talked to a small businessman who works in the cotton industry. He has 58 employees and he doesn't think he will be able to continue if his taxes are raised. He is not personally rich, but he provides a good living for 58 men and women. Larry, once in a while try to see that there might be good reasons why millions of people are frustrated and afraid. You can always find nut jobs on either side, but my take is that there are decent people who just think that the Federal Government has long ago gotten bloated and out of control.

Anonymous said...

Larry will say, "I don't like offensive words from either side.":)

But somehow that's as far as he goes. He will never call out Dems.

Larry James said...

Anon 5:44, you clearly share an attitude of disdain for the majority of your fellow citizens. That must be depressing. As for the POTUS' worldview, you need to turn off your radio and listen to the man, watch his family and look at his vitae. It is not against American interests to be in favor of policy that attempts to provide the best shot at success to the most people.

Those of you who are serious about secession really worry me. Brings back memories of the "good old days" (I'm sure you'd call them that) of the South Caroline nullification controversy of the 1830s. Seriously? Really?

RC, sorry to disappoint you. However, I am not attempting to review or critique comedians of any stripe. But more particularly, Maher has never been elected to public office. My harsh reaction re the "maggot" statement was motivated mainly by the fact that the guy who said it was an ELECTED official!

Let me be clear, if someone (and frankly, I have not seen the quote nor know the source) called Mr. Romney a felon I believe that is wrong, stupid and not credible. I also know that Mr. Obama didn't say that, nor did any elected official say that--correct me if I'm wrong. I will continue to push back against hate mongers.

As to your small business owner friend in the cotton business: I bet you a dollar to a hole in a donut that this man's challenges began long before President Obama took office. While I don't know what kind of cotton business he is in, I'd hunch that most businesses like his have disappeared off shore to maximize profits that cater to our WalMart economy. Your friend's real enemy is not the POTUS; his real enemy are the huge corporations who don't pay their fair share and who off shore not just jobs but assets to protect them from taxes. Give this president a chance and urge both sides to work together. This is America, we can make it work. Fear is not motive enough for building a just society or a good life.

Anonymous said...

Can we make it work at debt @ 110% of GDP, Larry?

Anonymous said...

Larry,the murder comment was in a campaign ad talking about a person who lost their health insurance. I thought everyone was familiar with it.

Anonymous said...

Obama considers working together only if they agree with him.

Anonymous said...

America has provided the best shot at success to the most people throughout our history. Why do you think people risk their lives to get here? The reason we have been the most successful and productive country on the face of the earth is, up until recently, we have been the most free. With Obama, this is coming to an end if something is not done. How you can say that he is providing the best shot at success to the most people boggles my mind. Obamacare is just one example. It was rammed down out throats and no one knows even what 's in it . It will literally " break the bank." I understand 90% of the people will see increased taxes in 2013. There is a strong possibility that estate taxes will go up to 55% , that is thievery because the money had already been taxed once. This is income redistribution pure and simple and it will not work.

Larry James said...

Irrational claim not founded in serious analysis.

Larry James said...

Turn FOX off and listen.

Anonymous said...

I did check his vitae. What I saw was a community organizer who followed Saul Alansky. His years in the Senste were unremarkable. In short, he has never had a real job. He even voted to let infants of botched abortions die, then lied about the reason.

This man will not stop until America is brought to it's knees. Everyone should be watchful that he follows the Constitution because he will try to get away from not doing so.

rcorum said...

Larry, I will turn off Fox News if you turn off MSNBC. Is it a deal? Have a great Thanksgiving. We both have much to be thankful for, namely wonderful grandchildren.

Anonymous said...

I consider secession an option to be explored

Anonymous said...

Assertions such as "The majority of the people who voted for Obama are not educated enough to understand the implications" are ignorant, disdainful and patronizing. Obama's greatest bases of support - the West Court and the Northeast, actually have some of the highest college graduation rates in the country. Whereas Alabama and Mississippi (in bright Romney red) have some of the lowest. Keep telling yourself such s*#t if you need to, but it just isn't true. In my house we have two graduate degrees and a college student, all of whom voted for Obama unbderstanding perfectly well why.

And it is just warmed over FOX hash that O is a communist. PLEEEASE!

Anonymous said...

California is broke, more and more are moving to Texas.