http://americaspeaksink.com/2009/09/calm-conservatives-this-is-our-time/

There is far LESS hatred today than at any prior point in U.S. history.”

That’s true, but there is far more intellectual dishonesty. In the early 90’s, in Louisiana, I watched David Duke fashion intellectual dishonesty into a viable piece of the Republican party. Now its true, most portions of the Republican party rebuked him outright, conservative pundits like Rush Limbaugh simply played hands off – no rebuke. It is in that vein I take Rush Limbaugh’s sly bigotry – his Ebonics translations, and musical numbers lampooning African-Americans ( Jefferson theme song, The Magic Negro). I’m called out as a “RINO” for not accepting something I witnessed first hand in Louisiana in the early 1990’s. This type of sly bigotry will not fade away. It has to be firmly rebuked.

They don’t. The entire discussion I think should be focused on whether or not Americans can accomplish goals which are in the best interests of its citizens without resorting to talking heads calling half of America….racists, or not ‘real Americans.’

What my mother and millions like her is hearing a debased conversation and a ratcheting up of inflammatory language. Yes, both sides do it, because 1) it is reactionary 2) it gets high ratings. Sorta like not wanting to see that horrible car wreck at the side of the road, but cannot helping to look anyway.

My point is that regardless whether or not there was violence in our nation’s history, we should be evolving, not devolving.

Where I don’t agree with you…at all….is that inflammatory language is OK. It stirs passions alright, but it can also stir violence. And from that regard, I beg to differ…. we need less of it, not more.

There is far LESS hatred today than at any prior point in U.S. history.

I would ask your mom if she remembers the 1960s, when dozens of U.S. cities were torched by extremists and rioters. Ask her if she remembers the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, and what happened in the streets there. Or the twin assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that same year. (The King assassination was avenged by black riots across the nation.)

Or the late 1950s and early 1960s, when civil rights demonstrators were beaten and occasionally even murdered in the South.

Or the 1930s, when Father Coughlin was in his heyday.

Or the 1920s, when the Ku Klux Klan was in its heyday.

American politics has always been passionate, messy, and (sometimes) violent. We used to have actual duels where politicians shot it out, like Burr and Hamilton.

Frankly, I don’t see “hatred everywhere you look” in today’s politics. Not at all. I see voters shouting at politicians to obey their masters–the voters who put them in office. But there is LESS racial hated, and LESS religious animosity, than at any prior time in U.S. history.

How do you beat an America and Western Civilization Hating Leftwinger?

We need a Democrat Party that isnt controlled by Radical New Leftists. We need that desperately.

You forgot
5: Appeal to ignorance.

I resent that there is a feeling in the Republican party that all you have to do is hold a “Support out troops” sign and wear a “family values” pin to get elected. Its getting old having Republicans claim they are morally superior to half the country. I know I’ve about had my fill of it.

One additional piece of reality for you, Annie, the Rep don’t have to votes to stop anything. So if the Public Option isn’t passing it’s the Dems that are stopping it. So your criticisms are completely off the mark on health care. Besides the Dems, there are a majority of “other Americans” who dislike the public option as well.

So lets do alittle reality wrap up:
Afghan – Necessary War, Dems pull out now, terrorist proclaim victory, you own that in 2010 & 2012
Public Option – Kills the budget, balloons the deficit, no way you can have both
Health Care – Reps don’t have the votes, Dems can’t convince enough of your own party to pass it.
Cap&Trade – Reps don’t have the votes, Dems could but won’t pass it.
Palin – not in office, not setting policy, and this is your biggest reason for hating the Reps. Read 1-4 above.