Rhetorical Question 0

On the Media devoted two segments to political rhetoric in last week’s show. You can find both of them at the show’s website.

The one I found particularly interesting was this one:

There’s been no evidence to link today’s toxic political environment with Jared Loughner’s decision to use his gun last weekend. But the question persists: what has the aggressive rhetoric — peddled by mainstream candidates and media outlets and not just militant fringe groups — done to our society? The New Yorker’s George Packer says the particular motivations for Loughner’s rampage aren’t the point.

A nugget from the transcript (emphasis added):

GEORGE PACKER: The key part of this is where it’s coming from. It’s coming from leaders in the right wing political movement and their media heroes.

Let me just say one thing about Sarah Palin and the crosshairs campaign literature. By itself I wouldn’t think that that’s a particularly incendiary document. It’s first the context in which it appears, which is continual use of that kind of language of guns, of war.

And second, in retrospect, it just seems indecent. This woman was shot. Isn’t it regrettable someone once put a crosshairs on her district?

Now, these are people who, as Orwell once wrote, are playing with fire without knowing that it’s hot. They don’t seem to understand the toxicity of what they’ve created.

Follow the link above to listen or listen here (mp3):