What has happened to us?

[Crepitus]

Alex Jones, Sean Hannity, Rupert Murdock, rush Limbaugh, those are the things that happened to us. They took terms like "libtard" and "feminazi" and made them ok to say on the air and the street. They made a career of demonizing the other side. They made it ok, even easy, to hate.

2a. Freudian Projection
The following is a collection of definitions of projection from orthodox psychology texts. In this system the distinct mechanism of projecting own unconscious or undesirable characteristics onto another is called Freudian Projection.

• “A defense mechanism in which the individual attributes to other people impulses and traits that he himself has but cannot accept. It is especially likely to occur when the person lacks insight into his own impulses and traits.”
• “The externalisation of internal unconscious wishes, desires or emotions on to other people. So, for example, someone who feels subconsciously that they have a powerful latent homosexual drive may not acknowledge this consciously, but it may show in their readiness to suspect others of being homosexual.”
• “Attributing one’s own undesirable traits to other people or agencies, e.g., an aggressive man accuses other people of being hostile.”
• “The individual perceives in others the motive he denies having himself. Thus the cheat is sure that everyone else is dishonest. The would-be adulterer accuses his wife of infidelity.”
• “People attribute their own undesirable traits onto others. An individual who unconsciously recognises his or her aggressive tendencies may then see other people acting in an excessively aggressive way.”
• “Projection is the opposite defence mechanism to identification. We project our own unpleasant feelings onto someone else and blame them for having thoughts that we really have.”

They mainsteamed conspiracy theories....

RUSSIA!!!!...PUTIN!!!!

And mostly, from my point of view, because there was a black man in the white house.

View attachment 225292

Beat it fence sitter. When you start voting your opinion might count, until then you're just another whiner.

 

[Coyote]

Us must mean the other team......

Doesn’t have to.

Us is all of us in the madhouse that is politics today.

 

[bodecea]

View attachment 225282

Last week....

A Florida man was arrested after sending mail bombs to prominent Democrats and Trump critics. His online activity was full of hateful rhetoric targeting Democrats and minorities.

A man with a history of violence shot and killed two African-Americans in a Kentucky Kroger store following a failed attempt to barge into a black church.

And Saturday morning, a man shouting anti-Semitic slurs opened fire at a Pittsburgh synagogue, killing 11 people attending Jewish services.

What is happening to us?

EVERY TIME, I disagree with a democrat, I am called a vile hateful name of some sort, such as racist or nazis.


That makes me very mad and makes me look at them as the enemy.


You want to stop the hate and division, stop believing that anyone that disagrees with you, has to be Evil.

I can say the same about conservatives. I used to be able disagree without being labeled “evil” or “Nazi”or “commie”. It is crazy.

Or less than human.....seeing that a lot more lately....as well as traitor worthy of being shot or hanged.

 

[edward37]

View attachment 225282

Last week....

A Florida man was arrested after sending mail bombs to prominent Democrats and Trump critics. His online activity was full of hateful rhetoric targeting Democrats and minorities.

A man with a history of violence shot and killed two African-Americans in a Kentucky Kroger store following a failed attempt to barge into a black church.

And Saturday morning, a man shouting anti-Semitic slurs opened fire at a Pittsburgh synagogue, killing 11 people attending Jewish services.

What is happening to us?

EVERY TIME, I disagree with a democrat, I am called a vile hateful name of some sort, such as racist or nazis.


That makes me very mad and makes me look at them as the enemy.


You want to stop the hate and division, stop believing that anyone that disagrees with you, has to be Evil.

Correll, you know Coyote doesn't believe that.

EVERY TIME. Not one liberal on this site does not play that game.

When did I call you a racist or a Nazi? Link?

They make up shit It's in their genes Just look at their liar in chief

 

[sparky]

I totally agree and that is the conundrum, how to effectively marginalize the hate without limiting free speech. That is why I feel it is up to We The People, not government laws.

I yelled ;THEATER' in a crowded fire once.....~S~

 

[hjmick]

1981: Under President Ronald Reagan, the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act repeals Carter’s community health legislation and establishes block grants for the states, ending the federal government’s role in providing services to the mentally ill. Federal mental-health spending decreases by 30 percent.

''Nuff said.

Only for the partisan or ignorant.

For everyone else, it's an example of "blame enough to go around."

So which are you? Ignorant? Or partisan?

 

[Coyote]

When a radical leftist posts a thread asking "what has happened to US", while only pointing fingers at THEM, it fails in the very purpose it pretends to address.

This is not introspection. It is grandstanding partisanship masquerading as something it is not. If people want to know what has happened to US, they need to look at themselves, not others.

Have you set an example and looked at yourself?

 

[SassyIrishLass]

This thread is interesting....a tiny example of what ails politics and society

 

[bodecea]

View attachment 225282

Last week....

A Florida man was arrested after sending mail bombs to prominent Democrats and Trump critics. His online activity was full of hateful rhetoric targeting Democrats and minorities.

A man with a history of violence shot and killed two African-Americans in a Kentucky Kroger store following a failed attempt to barge into a black church.

And Saturday morning, a man shouting anti-Semitic slurs opened fire at a Pittsburgh synagogue, killing 11 people attending Jewish services.

What is happening to us?

EVERY TIME, I disagree with a democrat, I am called a vile hateful name of some sort, such as racist or nazis.


That makes me very mad and makes me look at them as the enemy.


You want to stop the hate and division, stop believing that anyone that disagrees with you, has to be Evil.

I used to think all of it was hate but last night someone I look up to a great deal told me it's insanity.

I suspect he's correct. Not just one side either....being nuts isnt confined to one faction

Somewhere along the line liberals decided mental hospitals were "mean". They don't understand "unintentional consequences". Having insane people fend for themselves--or loose upon society--can be a lot meaner.

And I have sad news: I love my students, but our special ed professionals have said they often feel like they're running day treatment centers rather than schools, the need is so crushing. I have been teaching for 25 years and have never, ever seen so many students so crippled and needy. It's not going to get better.

PS Kids are still the most superior humans, though. They just are.

Gov Reagan approves your message blaming liberals.

 

[pismoe]

What has happened? It may be more what hasn't happened. Knowledge and wisdom have not been inculcated.

------------------------------------------- or YOUR Knowledge and YOUR Wisdom have been REJECTED '4eye'

 

[edward37]

View attachment 225282

Last week....

A Florida man was arrested after sending mail bombs to prominent Democrats and Trump critics. His online activity was full of hateful rhetoric targeting Democrats and minorities.

A man with a history of violence shot and killed two African-Americans in a Kentucky Kroger store following a failed attempt to barge into a black church.

And Saturday morning, a man shouting anti-Semitic slurs opened fire at a Pittsburgh synagogue, killing 11 people attending Jewish services.

What is happening to us?

Donald Trump became president and the hate magnified

What's so funny ?? I hated republicans for 18 years or so but never as much since this complete AH became president

 

[Coyote]

What's happening to "US"?!?

A few crackpots go off the rails and it's a problem with "US"?!?

Sorry, I don't accept the recriminations and/or guilt for shit I didn't do.

How about for what you support or defend? I hear a lot of defense of incivility and violence usually couched as legitimate pushback or because the other side does it or did it first.

 

[Coyote]

I totally agree and that is the conundrum, how to effectively marginalize the hate without limiting free speech. That is why I feel it is up to We The People, not government laws.

I yelled ;THEATER' in a crowded fire once.....~S~

Must have been a hell of a barbecue....

 

[SavannahMann]

The problem is rhetoric. For my entire life, we have been told that every election, every judicial appointment will see the death of something we hold dear. From Ronald Reagan threatening Abortion, to Bill Clinton taking the guns. Every election, every single appointment, this is the last battle to save something, or it is lost forever. The problem is that people really believe this crap.

Rhetoric to get people motivated to vote, to scare them into voting the way the party hopes, to actually get to the polls and cast a ballot has become a perpetual fear fest. Look at the midterms now? If we don’t vote Democrat, we’ll never be able to stop Trump from destroying the country and making Minorities second class citizens, or lose the right to abortion, or defend Health Care. If we don’t vote Republican, we will lose the right to keep and bear arms. We will lose the ability to defend our borders from the flood of illegal immigrants. The ANTIFA nuts will gain power and we’ll all be hunted down like rats.

Each election, it is a fear mongering game. Each election has zero consequences on the issues that we supposedly had to win or else. Every Republican has been a slobbering lunatic trying to take away abortion. Every Democrat has been a socialist nut determined to take away our guns, and our hard earned money through taxes etc.

There is just a hint of truth to those matters, so each election we see the panic start up, and when the vote is over, the panic builds. Because people actually believe that crap.

Instead of grand principles we stand for, we become a divided people who are against them, no matter what it is, they are bad, terrible. The Nazi’s only dreamed of what they really will do.

I’ve said before, a Civil War is almost inevitable, and each side has only themselves to blame. Because decades of this rhetoric has dehumanized the other side. Liberals aren’t people, they’re the enemy. Conservatives aren’t citizens, they’re the enemy. We no longer want to win, we want to see our enemy destroyed. It isn’t enough to win, now you have to slaughter the enemy. When you lose, then it wasn’t fair, someone cheated, or the game was rigged.

Gerrymandering, which somehow does’t explain how the Republicans are looking to pick up a couple seats in the Senate. A million excuses, and everyone is trying to figure out how to cheat to stop the effects of the other side cheating. Voters who are dead purged from voting rolls, well we’ll just register some illegals and use vote fraud to counter it. A joke email to say that Democrats vote on the day after Election Day, well, that is a cheat and we’ll vote twice to counter that effect of voter suppression. People standing outside a polling place with clubs? Well we’ll drop the charges and ignore it for now.

Event after event, each one proving the conspiracy nonsense from the other side. Each one showing that the enemy is out to get us, and we must act to stop the enemy. The enemy we have already dehumanized. The enemy we must destroy to protect our values, and our nation.

If you want to know who is to blame, it’s both parties, and all of those who espouse the idea that fringe lunatic beliefs are the ideals of the mainstream of the other side.

Yes, Socialists vote Democrat. But that doesn’t mean that all Democrats are socialist. Yes, Racists vote Republican. But I know that all Republicans are not racist. If you don’t know the truth of those two statements, then you are another of the problems that is causing this animosity, this hatred.

I wish that Truth in Advertising would allow a statement to be attached to each post by a user. “Warning. This user is an avowed racist and his statements should be viewed in that light.” “Warning This user is an avowed socialist and his statements should be viewed in that light.”

Me? I’m a person who voted Democrat for a long time, and left the party after Hillary was nominated. By Georgia Standards, I’m pretty Liberal. By San Francisco standards? I’m a raging right wing lunatic. My personal beliefs cover the spectrum in other words.

 

[SobieskiSavedEurope]

We're on it right now, Coyote. Social media and anonymous sites are giving people a chance to nurture their hate. This country has made a poor choice with its interpretation of the 1st Amendment, as well, and allows speech that is way outside the realm of acceptable discourse. Put the two together and you've got.....this past week.

If you mean discourse that includes specific, violent threats, I agree. Anything else is protected and should be protected. Even if it's vile and repulsive. The way to counter vile and repulsive speech is to tell the speaker it's vile and repulsive, not to shut it down. That's American.

If you don't do that, you end up with the morass in Europe, where it's not "illegal" to call Mohammad a pedophile, even though he married a 9 year old. Now, would I call him a pedophile? No. Would I hesitate to truthfully say he married a 9 year old? no. And you might notice I engage with people who are critical of my faith as well.

That's Free Speech, and the beauty of free speech. We must have it to remain free.

The KKK used to have folks who took action against blacks. There are groups who take action against Democratic protesters. There are groups that hate Jews. When they are allowed to spew their bullshit and stir up hatred amongst Americans, it is not a wholesome airing of ideas; it encourages hate crimes.

I'm against violent organizations like the KKK , MS-13, Bloods & Crips, Al Qaeda, as well as Democrats & Republicans.

I could compile a much larger list too.

BUT, I will say this approx 4,000 Blacks were killed by lynching in 80 years & lets pretend its all the KKK.

How does that compare to the roughly 6,000 Blacks killed by other Blacks each year.

Scratch that how does that compare to millions killed by Democrats & Republicans?

 

[Coyote]

View attachment 225282

Last week....

A Florida man was arrested after sending mail bombs to prominent Democrats and Trump critics. His online activity was full of hateful rhetoric targeting Democrats and minorities.

A man with a history of violence shot and killed two African-Americans in a Kentucky Kroger store following a failed attempt to barge into a black church.

And Saturday morning, a man shouting anti-Semitic slurs opened fire at a Pittsburgh synagogue, killing 11 people attending Jewish services.

What is happening to us?

Alex Jones, Sean Hannity, Rupert Murdock, rush Limbaugh, those are the things that happened to us. They took terms like "libtard" and "feminazi" and made them ok to say on the air and the street. They made a career of demonizing the other side. They made it ok, even easy, to hate. They mainsteamed conspiracy theories and racism. And mostly, from my point of view, because there was a black man in the white house.

They are just part of a larger problem...the demonizing is everywhere.

 

[Auld Phart]

When you elect a clown, expect a circus to follow..

I have an appointment this morning. Hope to continue this afternoon.

When you elect a clown, expect a circus to follow..

That circus started before I was born

 

[Oddball]

How about for what you support or defend? I hear a lot of defense of incivility and violence usually couched as legitimate pushback or because the other side does it or did it first.

I support and defend being left the hell alone.....As for the pushback, how is pointing out the obvious defending it?

 

[Coyote]

View attachment 225282

Last week....

A Florida man was arrested after sending mail bombs to prominent Democrats and Trump critics. His online activity was full of hateful rhetoric targeting Democrats and minorities.

A man with a history of violence shot and killed two African-Americans in a Kentucky Kroger store following a failed attempt to barge into a black church.

And Saturday morning, a man shouting anti-Semitic slurs opened fire at a Pittsburgh synagogue, killing 11 people attending Jewish services.

What is happening to us?

The American Way is to hate your political opponent and want them destroyed at all costs, without any need for civility or morality.

That is what has changed imo...politics is now viewed as a zero sum conflict and the only solution is a scorched earth policy. The idea of win win is impossible to consider these days.

 

[OldLady]

We're on it right now, Coyote. Social media and anonymous sites are giving people a chance to nurture their hate. This country has made a poor choice with its interpretation of the 1st Amendment, as well, and allows speech that is way outside the realm of acceptable discourse. Put the two together and you've got.....this past week.

That is what is so tricky...free speech. Unlike the past, everyone can have a platform and a worldwide audience.

How do we protect free speech without legitimizing the whackos?

Private entities can do it through their TOS agreements, but governments run great risks of partisan persecution.

I understand the risks, but I think in a country like ours there are built in safeguards against partisan prosecution. Germany managed it:
“Human dignity shall be inviolable. To respect and protect it shall be the duty of all state authority.” This is the clear mandate in Article 1 of the German Basic Law, in which Germany acknowledges “inviolable and inalienable human rights” as “the basis of every community, of peace and of justice in the world”.
Protection of Human Rights

They seem to continue to have pretty boisterous political debate. Yet hate speech is verboten. I think it could be done.