Do I Engage in Violent Rhetoric?

Posted on January 16, 2011 in Accountability Terrorism Violence

This idea came to me while I was out hiking in the Santa Ana Mountains this afternoon. I have often been critical of the language used not only by Tea Baggers but also by my fellow liberals and progressives. If you’ve visited this blog enough, you know that I have often taken people to task for employing what I call “folk diagnosis” — calling another person “crazy” because they disagree with that opponent’s politics. But the times are calling for another concern: the use of violent, threatening rhetoric against our opponents to intimidate and silence them. It has undoubtably, on the one side, fueled the eliminationalist movement of the Tea Party. On the other, I am concerned that I have done the same at some point on this blog.

So here is your challenge: catch me doing it.

Leave your findings in the comments. Be sure to reference exactly where you found it so I may review the claim.