Just a thought regarding civility in the media. This road sign in Tucson, Arizona was just taken down today (yes, January 13) - thank goodness, after President Obama's speech last night. Is this a coincidence? Let us hope this could be the final example of using such provocation towards a purpose that seems counter productive - or is it? I agree, readers, this is becoming tiresome.
- Log in to post comments
More like this
Reading the prepared text of Obama's speech at the Tucson Memorial Thursday night, there was one part I really liked:
And if, as has been discussed in recent days, their deaths help usher in more civility in our public discourse, let's remember that it is not because a simple lack of civility…
By now I assume everyone has heard that South Carolina Congressman Joe Wilson heckled President Obama during the latter's big health care speech on Wednesday. When Obama claimed that there was nothing in his bill that would extend health insurance to illegal aliens, the congressman yelled out “You…
So, President Obama is getting an honorary degree and giving a commencement address at the University of Notre Dame, and some folks aren't too happy about that. Why? The stated reasons is his support of limited abortion rights. Let's examine why this stance is hypocritical and nonsensical, then…
As reported on a blog for The New York Times, only three elected members of Congress have signed the "Civility Pledge":
I will be civil in my public discourse and behavior.
I will be respectful of others whether or not I agree with them.
I will stand against incivility when I see it.
Could my…
if you look closely at the bullet holes, you can see that the wide and irregular pattern gives the lie to the claim that Rush is a straight shooter. Maybe they should have left that little subliminal up...
We can hope, but it ain't gonna happen. In a few weeks the media will forget about this and the same rhetoric will be back. Fear and violence has been working for the right and they won't let this incident stop them.
It's said that food, death & sex are the only things humans are truly interested in. After all..
1. Eat
2. Keep from being eaten
3. Reproduce
..are what life is all about. Appealing to what humans are actually interested in works, not just for the "right" but for anyone who has a message they care about others paying attention to. Message content is incidental.
Jeff, I'm a little confused. You say it came down today in the wake of Obama's civility speech. Yet the page you link to says that it went down on Monday the 10th:
"UPDATE: A spokesperson for Premier Networks, the company that syndicates Limbaugh's show, told Politico that the billboard was taken down on Monday, two days after the shooting."
Are Premier Networks telling lies?
I would say the grouping of his shots leaves the straight shooter claim in some doubt. Of course, if you draw a circle around the three closest shots and pretend that was the target...
Good point. According to Ed Schultz's show this evening, it was taken down today. Not sure which one is accurate. Regardless of when it was taken down, in my opinion, it should not have been approved to be displayed in the first place. It is clearly provocative and could invoke thoughts that are, well, uncivil and counter productive towards constructive discussions.
You keep on with this "civility" schtick despite the fact that you haven't addressed the points arising in the previous post, both mine and those of other people. But to add a new one to the mix: Rush Limbaugh's show isn't designed to be "productive towards constructive discussions." It is a mixture of propaganda and entertainment. The advertisement, then, is just a symptom of a much larger problem, and unless you're going to call for his radio show to be non-"approved" then you're indulging basically in an exercise to make yourself feel good while accomplishing nothing at all.
Yeah, I totally do not believe that he could hit a barn from the inside, but of course, that is not the point.
In the end, the backpedaling will be as telling, if not more, than the bluster. Nicely documented.
if you look closely at the bullet holes, you can see that the wide and irregular pattern gives the lie to the claim that Rush is a straight shooter. Maybe they should have left that little subliminal up
As one link in a chain of sad events, this billboard was there the day of the shooting. That was a Saturday. The ad was removed Monday. That was fast considerinÂg it was a weekend and neither the advertisinÂg company, the radio station, and certainly Limbaugh's staff, realized it was there. The term "straight shooter" has been used for so long that, when heard, no one takes it seriously much less literally. It is extremely sad there were people who, within hours, were taking advantage of it for their own political stance. The politicianÂs and others involved should consider the victims rather than careers first. or at least tone it down for awhile. "Straight shooter" is a term often used when giving accolades to a politicianÂ. We Americans have our own version of this. Without saying, not one person associated with that advertisemÂent, from the radio station to Rush's staff, meant to hurt. or offend anyone linked to the victims, or the victims themselvesÂ. Can we leave just one thing untouched when trying for political gain?