The Joker Racist? Are You Joking? - Thursday, August 06, 2009 at 00:29
http://www.stolinsky.com/news/news/news_item.asp?NewsID=628
The Joker Racist? Are You Joking?
David C. Stolinsky, MD
Aug. 6, 2009
Liberals spent eight years caricaturing President Bush as a chimpanzee, a vampire, a criminal, with a gun to his head, being hanged, being beheaded, and − yes − as the Joker. But these very same people now cry “racism!” when President Obama is caricatured as − you guessed it − the Joker.
This is one of many examples of liberals’ one-way sensitivity − they are acutely sensitive to insults to them, but utterly insensitive to insults by them.
California used tax funds for billboards that showed “big tobacco” as a leering alligator tallying smoking-related deaths. “Big tobacco” is many thousands of farmers, factory workers and distributors. Smoking is unhealthful, but history shows that seeing a group of human beings as repulsive animals can be even more unhealthful.
Consider law professor Alan Dershowitz, who called proponents of impeaching Bill Clinton “mad dogs.” The Nazis depicted Jews as diseased rats. Rabid dogs and disease-carrying rats are killed and incinerated. It is easy to see where this can lead.
Consider the liberal who said that conservatives want to “drag us behind a pickup,” referring to the horrible murder of a black man.
Consider the Democratic activist who called Republicans “night-riders,” referring to the KKK.
Consider the actor Alec Baldwin, who proposed that we “stone to death” conservative Rep. Hyde, then murder his family.
Consider the liberals who call conservatives “fascists” and “Nazis.”
Consider the ACLU official who compared Justice Clarence Thomas to a “serial murderer” and the “Antichrist.” Might this be just a wee bit exaggerated?
Consider MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann, who called opponents of nationalized health care “liars,” “screamers” and “prostitutes” who are “in the pay of insurance companies.” Not satisfied, he called protestors “fake,” while White House Press Secretary Gibbs called their anger “manufactured.” Really? Is ObamaCare so perfect that no one can honestly find fault with it?
Consider MSNBC’s Chris Matthews, who called opponents of ObamaCare “jihadists.” Really? They bomb trains, buses and pizzerias? They behead those who disagree?
Consider Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s claim that opponents of ObamaCare are “carrying swastikas.” Really? They put their opponents into gas chambers?
Name-calling is so much easier than actually debating the issues. Any fool can do it.
If we want a nonviolent resolution of political differences, we must avoid words that imply that those who disagree with us are evil. And we surely must avoid comparing them to loathsome reptiles or rabid dogs.
Language should be used precisely, to convey meaning, rather than carelessly, to rouse emotions. Reckless, emotion-evoking words may bring temporary political advantage, but they rarely lead to effective action.
On the contrary, such language produces muddled thinking and hampers us from finding solutions to serious problems. Worse, it induces us to think of those who disagree with us as vermin that ought to be exterminated.
Thoughtful choice of words is not just a linguistic exercise − it is essential for a free nation.
If Clarence Thomas is a “serial murderer,” what do we call Ted Bundy?
If Republicans are “fascists,” what do we call fascists?
If conservatives are “mad dogs,” what do we call terrorist bombers?
If political opponents want to “drag us behind a pickup,” what do we call Klansmen?
If those who disagree with us are “Nazis,” what do we call practitioners of genocide?
And if those who deny global warming are “traitors,” what do we call John Walker Lindh, Adam Gadahn and other homegrown jihadists?
If we use up our worst insults on political differences, we will have nothing left to describe real evil. And if we can’t describe it, how can we recognize it − much less fight it?
Have you ever heard a conservative call a soldier who was killed in action an “idiot,” the way liberal cartoonist Ted Rall insulted the memory of Pat Tillman?
Have you ever heard a conservative say of someone she disagreed with, “I hope he’s not long for this world,” the way NPR’s Nina Totenberg referred to Gen. Jerry Boykin?
Have you ever heard a conservative hope for the death of a Supreme Court justice, the way ABC’s Julianne Malveaux said of Clarence Thomas, “I hope his wife feeds him lots of eggs and butter, and he dies early like many black men do, of heart disease”?
Have you ever heard a conservative call for the murder of the head of a liberal organization, the way director Spike Lee called for the shooting with a “.44 Magnum” of Charlton Heston, then president of the National Rifle Association?
Have you ever heard a conservative pray for the death of a liberal commentator, the way pornographer Larry Flynt “prayed for the death” of conservative commentator Bill O’Reilly? (Prayed to whom?)
Have you ever heard a conservative ridicule a liberal’s health problems, they way liberals mocked Dick Cheney’s pacemaker, or made fun of John McCain’s difficulty in using a keyboard because of war wounds?
Have you ever heard a conservative hurl nasty insults at a beauty contestant because of her views on marriage, the way liberals call Carrie Prejean a “dumb bitch” with “half a brain,” and even belittle her humanity in revolting ways?
If conservatives made such vicious remarks, the media would rake them over the coals. But liberals get a pass. What does that say about the media?
Conservatives are called “racist,” “uncaring,” “homophobic,” “sexist,” “anti-child,” “unconcerned with the elderly,” “anti-immigrant,” and even “Nazi.” A psychology journal compared Ronald Reagan and Rush Limbaugh to Hitler.
Reagan was president for eight years. Where were the death camps and the world war? Rush has been on the air for 20 years. When did he advocate genocide?
Conservatives have a right to ask, “You so-called liberals are very free with your accusations, but are you sure you aren’t blaming us for your own hostile feelings? Are you sure you aren’t projecting your own racism, sexism and homophobia onto us? Are you sure it isn’t you who want to kill those who disagree with you?”
If we confront our own hostile feelings, we will be less likely to project them onto others – and less likely to choke off legitimate debate and poison the democratic process.
Such accusations give us a window into the mind of the accuser. It isn’t a pretty sight. Rather than hoping that conservatives develop kidney failure, liberals should worry about their own heart failure. Being heartless is an odd quality for those who claim to be “caring” and “tolerant.”
Lincoln said, “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”
Liberals control the White House, both houses of Congress and many courts. They control most newspapers, as well as ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC, CNN and National Public Radio. They control Hollywood. They control most schools and universities. It does not speak well of liberals that they control all this, yet they are still filled with rage at those who dare to disagree with them.
Dr. Stolinsky writes on political and social issues. He can be contacted at [email protected]