Good Piece on SPLC's Pet Assassin

Oh, is it unfair to call Floyd Corkins the SPLC's Pet Assassin?

I suppose I'd be more interested in fairness if the SPLC itself didn't engage in precisely this tactic.

The point here isn’t that the SPLC is to blame for what Corkins did, the point is that hysteria about incitement runs only one way in major media, with virtually no coherent explanation apart from raw partisan advantage. To believe (erroneously) that Palin’s map inspired Loughner but that the SPLC’s “hate map” didn’t inspire Corkins, you have to presume to read two incomprehensibly scrambled minds and conclude that the use of a symbol in a metaphorical context, rather than a blacklist devoted to shaming evil groups, is the tipping point for violent action. Why anyone would presume that, I don’t know; if we’re searching for catalysts to a rampage in a disturbed mind, there’s no obvious reason why demonizing someone by adding them to a “hate” list wouldn’t work just as well as, or better than, an electoral map that uses gun symbolism vis-a-vis defeating incumbents at the polls.

Funny thing, though: The SPLC itself was verrrrry quick to try to tie Jared Loughner to the “far right”, and kept at it long enough that they were posting speculative pieces about “political rhetoric” and its role in the Tucson shooting as late as 13 days after it occurred. Not only are they comfortable with a free-speech slippery slope when it’s right-wingers who are at risk, they’re willing and eager to add some grease.

They don't even bother to explain, of course. That is the privilege of the aristocracy: they don't have to explain themselves to anyone.

SPLC: Did Rightwing Internet Hate Cause Jared Loughner to Shoot People? They're quick to ask the question when it gets them donations.

Shoes on the other foot -- now asked if their own intemperate Otherizing language might be responsible for a crazed loser trying to kill people -- they refuse comment.

posted by Ace at 09:34 PM

| Access Comments