2011-01-15-samantha-clemens.Mp3

Guest: David Bernstein, Boston Phoenix

So, why did liberals so quickly conclude that Loughner was a right-wing nut and the shooting was a political assassination?

Was it, perhaps, because there has been a series of such events in the last two years?

Is it because the right-wing media has grown ever more inflammatory?

Is it because the line between the right-wing media and right-wing politicians has blurred?

Is it because death threats against the President of the United States have significantly increased since Obama took office?

Is it because the metaphors used in political speech, especially by the right-wing, has evolved from sports to military and hunting?

Consider this (from Crooks and Liars):

…what’s equally undeniable is that it comes amid a gradually mounting litany of violence directed against “liberal” and government targets, effectively suggesting a fresh onset of domestic terrorism from the extremist American Right.

They go on to list a series of events, beginning with these:

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