And Yet More Liberal Civility
Update: She Stands Behind Column, Claiming That Tea Partiers Are, As a Factual Matter, Terrorists

Cribbing a lot from Taranto...

"Froma Harrop, a member of The [Providence] Journal's editorial board and a syndicated columnist, has been named president of the National Conference of Editorial Writers. The NCEW is a 64-year-old professional organization. Its members include editorial writers, editors, broadcasters and online opinion writers. One of its new missions, the Civility Project, endeavors to improve the quality of political discourse."--Providence Journal, April 15

"Make no mistake: The tea party Republicans have engaged in economic terrorism against the United States--threatening to blow up the economy if they don't get what they want. And like the al-Qaida bombers, what they want is delusional: the dream of restoring some fantasy caliphate. . . . Americans are not supposed to negotiate with terrorists, but that's what Obama has been doing. . . . That the Republican leadership couldn't control a small group of ignoramuses in its ranks has brought disgrace on their party. But oddly, Obama's passivity made it hard for responsible Republicans to control their destructive children. The GOP extremists would ask Obama for his firstborn, and he'd say, 'OK.' So they think, why not ask for his second-born, to which he responds, 'Let's talk.' "--Froma Harrop syndicated column, Aug. 2

So... I guess the NCEW's new mission of improving civility in discourse is going gangbusters under Froma Harrop's leadership, eh?

Bitch Doubles Down: She actually claims that what she said is perfectly civil.

She claims her statements are factual -- the Tea Party really is engaging in terrorism, hence this isn't incivil. It's just a fact.

I see incivility as not letting other people speak their peace. It’s not about offering strong opinions. If someone’s opinion is fact-based, then it is permissible in civil discourse. Of course, there are matters of delicacy, and I dispensed with all sweet talk in this particular column. And I did stoop to some ad hominem remarks, I’ll admit.

...

Yes, I was angry, but I’m engaging in the defense of my country. I know the tea partiers say the same, but their behavior is that of a national wrecking crew. Most may be nice people who don’t know what they’re doing, but many a country has foundered on the passions of nice people.

As far as the facts are concerned, I stand my ground. Terrorism is not confined to physical attacks. In May, The Wall Street Journal reported this:

The Pentagon has concluded that computer sabotage coming from another country can constitute an act of war, a finding that for the first time opens the door for the U.S. to respond using traditional military force.

And

“If you shut down our power grid, maybe well put a missile down one of your smokestacks,” said a military official.

Blowing up the U.S. economy to make a point would be an even more serious attack, in my book. And that’s what the tea party saboteurs were threatening. They are what they are.

Well that concludes that project, doesn't it?

God didn't love me enough to make me pretty.

Just stating a fact.

"The Civility Project:" can be found here.

Here's their contact information:

Phone: 717-703-3015

Fax: 717-703-3014

E-Mail: ncew@pa-news.org


They should be asked if they have formally abandoned the civility project, or if it was always a partisan scam, or if they endorse their president's claim that it is a fact that the Tea Partiers are kin to Al Qaida terrorists, whereas it was an outrage to call Obama a "socialist."

posted by Ace at 06:54 PM

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