Paul Krugman in today's NY Times:
The point is that there�s room in a democracy for people who ridicule and denounce those who disagree with them; there isn�t any place for eliminationist rhetoric, for suggestions that those on the other side of a debate must be removed from that debate by whatever means necessary.
And it�s the saturation of our political discourse � and especially our airwaves � with eliminationist rhetoric that lies behind the rising tide of violence.
Where�s that toxic rhetoric coming from? Let�s not make a false pretense of balance: it�s coming, overwhelmingly, from the right. It�s hard to imagine a Democratic member of Congress urging constituents to be �armed and dangerous� without being ostracized.
On the other hand, the Wall Street Journal reported back in 2008:
Mobster wisdom tells us never to bring a knife to a gun fight. But what does political wisdom say about bringing a gun to a knife fight?
That�s exactly what Barack Obama said he would do to counter Republican attacks �If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun,� Obama said at a Philadelphia fundraiser Friday night. �Because from what I understand folks in Philly like a good brawl.�
Whatever happened to that Obama guy? Did he get ostracized, as Paul suggests he would? My view: We should and do condemn people for their crimes, not for their metaphors.
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