-------------------------
The author is troubled that conservatives have started responding to leftist vitriol with thir own milder an more polite version. But rather than telling his fellow leftists to tone down their toxic rhetoric, he wants his side to have a platform to amplify the message.
Ultimately, this article is nothing more than pointless adolescent whining. So rather than analyze this shallow and unsubstantial rant, we will paraphrase the author using " ".
----------------------
What’s worse, being called a fascist or a communist? ("I know the answer, it's whatever conservative talk show hosts do.")
So-called conservative commentators on talk radio are seemingly apoplectic about Trump and his minions being labeled with the f-word. ("Calling conservatives fascists is accurate and perfectly justifiable.")
What’s worse, being called a fascist or a communist? ("I know the answer, it's whatever conservative talk show hosts do.")
So-called conservative commentators on talk radio are seemingly apoplectic about Trump and his minions being labeled with the f-word. ("Calling conservatives fascists is accurate and perfectly justifiable.")
But they have no qualms whatsoever about branding almost anyone who opposes the Trump Administration’s lawlessness as radical leftist extremist communists. ("But this is wrong and in bad taste.")
This happens every day on 1450 KMMS in Bozeman.
Some people just need to be called out for their reckless and ill-informed rantings and ravings. ("Some people actually need to be called fascists." Or, "I object to your language, never mind that our side has been doing it for decades.")
This happens every day on 1450 KMMS in Bozeman.
Some people just need to be called out for their reckless and ill-informed rantings and ravings. ("Some people actually need to be called fascists." Or, "I object to your language, never mind that our side has been doing it for decades.")
Case in point: Aaron Flint, the host of the three-hour-long Montana Talks program that runs Monday through Friday. He has a hard time leaving “radical far left” out of any spoken riff ("I'm offended.")
referring to the state Supreme Court, Gallatin County commissioners, and the Democratic Party.
I’m pretty sure Flint is not well-acquainted with most members of the high court, ("Aaron Flint is ignorant, even though I don't personally know them either...")
I’m pretty sure Flint is not well-acquainted with most members of the high court, ("Aaron Flint is ignorant, even though I don't personally know them either...")
none of whom come close to being radical in any way, left or right. ("My opinion vs. your opinion, I win.")
Flint and his frequent crony John “the Joker” Jackson bellow endlessly about the billowing “hate speech” emanating from “the left” in Montana and all across America. “Democrats hate this country!” That’s the daily spiel. ("That's all they talk about.")
I’ve not met anyone in this great state, Democrat or Republican, who expresses any such sentiment. In spite of the many hateful things done in the name of America in other countries — the Iraq War, for example — I have yet to encounter any fellow citizen venting anything close to hatred for our country; rather, the harshest critics of foreign and domestic policy choices tend to be fiercely patriotic. ("My limited experience refutes you.")
One or two might have burned a flag in frustration and anger in past years, but the vast majority hoist Old Glory on holidays with pride. ("The majority excuses the minority.")
With all due respect for a veteran with a nice voice and lots of no doubt highly respectable fans across the state, Mr. Flint seems to revel in specious labelling and nasty name-calling. (Reader warning: Irony Alert.)
Flint and his frequent crony John “the Joker” Jackson bellow endlessly about the billowing “hate speech” emanating from “the left” in Montana and all across America. “Democrats hate this country!” That’s the daily spiel. ("That's all they talk about.")
I’ve not met anyone in this great state, Democrat or Republican, who expresses any such sentiment. In spite of the many hateful things done in the name of America in other countries — the Iraq War, for example — I have yet to encounter any fellow citizen venting anything close to hatred for our country; rather, the harshest critics of foreign and domestic policy choices tend to be fiercely patriotic. ("My limited experience refutes you.")
One or two might have burned a flag in frustration and anger in past years, but the vast majority hoist Old Glory on holidays with pride. ("The majority excuses the minority.")
With all due respect for a veteran with a nice voice and lots of no doubt highly respectable fans across the state, Mr. Flint seems to revel in specious labelling and nasty name-calling. (Reader warning: Irony Alert.)
He’s not the only one.
Sean Hannity’s show runs for three hours in the afternoon. In the wake of the horrible Charlie Kirk assassination, he’s been waxing thickly about the battle between Good and Evil in our society. Guess who’s which.
He repeatedly claims that Democrats have “no heart, no soul, no conscience”. ("I resent Hannity for telling the truth.")
Sean Hannity’s show runs for three hours in the afternoon. In the wake of the horrible Charlie Kirk assassination, he’s been waxing thickly about the battle between Good and Evil in our society. Guess who’s which.
He repeatedly claims that Democrats have “no heart, no soul, no conscience”. ("I resent Hannity for telling the truth.")
They are purportedly the “they” that killed Kirk (it’s weird how conservatives of Hannity’s stripe have trouble dealing with the principle of individual responsibility, once a hallmark of their creed). ("It's Trump's fault.")
Marc Levin’s program follows Hannity’s. He loves to call the people he doesn’t like “scum”, “filth”, “moron” and “reprobate” (I kind of like this last one, actually). ("But fascist, authoritarian, misogynist, hater, bigot, and xenophobe are all fine.")
Levin’s many followers refer to him as “The Great One”, but I don’t know why. He has written several books about Marxism in America, something that scarcely exists outside a college classroom or two in Montana ("Yes, Levin is specifically commenting about Marxism in Montana, even though he's a national radio show host.")
Marc Levin’s program follows Hannity’s. He loves to call the people he doesn’t like “scum”, “filth”, “moron” and “reprobate” (I kind of like this last one, actually). ("But fascist, authoritarian, misogynist, hater, bigot, and xenophobe are all fine.")
Levin’s many followers refer to him as “The Great One”, but I don’t know why. He has written several books about Marxism in America, something that scarcely exists outside a college classroom or two in Montana ("Yes, Levin is specifically commenting about Marxism in Montana, even though he's a national radio show host.")
but by his account is a clear and present danger to the republic. Levin fulminates ad nauseam about Marxist Stalinist Communist idiots on the Left, ruining our country. ("Which is ridiculous so I won't even refute it.")
Hannity and Levin are proselytizers for the Fellowship of Christians and Jews, and they are constantly urging their listeners to send donations to help the thousands of Israelis whose lives have been disrupted by the heinous attack by Hamas two years ago. I cannot disparage any humanitarian cause, even if it excludes a whole people, but it’s beyond moral comprehension why these guys never utter a word about the killing of tens of thousands of Palestinians (most of them women and children) in Gaza by the Israeli armed forces since that awful event. ("My cause is more important than your cause." And, "You are a hypocrite because you don't mention or support my cause." Or, "Only haters would not support my cause.")
They express no compassion whatsoever for the victims of what has now been defined legally as genocidal violence. This is another form of free speech, the contemptuous and willful ignoring of the suffering of several million people struggling to survive. ("You are evil because you don't care about what I care about.")
All of this is free speech. I’m all for it. If I really hated what I’m hearing, I would just not listen, right? ("I disagree and should just change the channel, but I need to tell you how bad these people are.")
Even intellectually vapid name-calling (Reader warning: Irony Alert.)
Hannity and Levin are proselytizers for the Fellowship of Christians and Jews, and they are constantly urging their listeners to send donations to help the thousands of Israelis whose lives have been disrupted by the heinous attack by Hamas two years ago. I cannot disparage any humanitarian cause, even if it excludes a whole people, but it’s beyond moral comprehension why these guys never utter a word about the killing of tens of thousands of Palestinians (most of them women and children) in Gaza by the Israeli armed forces since that awful event. ("My cause is more important than your cause." And, "You are a hypocrite because you don't mention or support my cause." Or, "Only haters would not support my cause.")
They express no compassion whatsoever for the victims of what has now been defined legally as genocidal violence. This is another form of free speech, the contemptuous and willful ignoring of the suffering of several million people struggling to survive. ("You are evil because you don't care about what I care about.")
All of this is free speech. I’m all for it. If I really hated what I’m hearing, I would just not listen, right? ("I disagree and should just change the channel, but I need to tell you how bad these people are.")
Even intellectually vapid name-calling (Reader warning: Irony Alert.)
can be entertaining and informative. But let it be known that these radio ramjets are staunchly oblivious to facts that run contrary to their political biases, (Reader warning: Irony Alert.)
and that’s annoying. (Reader warning: Irony Alert.)
There’s nothing on AM radio to counter their form of discourse. ("It isn't fair that no one wants to listen to leftist radio.")
Thank heavens, by which I mean We The People, there are still bastions of journalistic integrity like National Public Radio on the FM dial, and Montana Free Press, the Daily Montanan and Jon Tester’s Grounded podcast with Maritsa Georgiou available on the Internet. ("I like these sources, so that means they are 'bastions of journalistic integrity.'")
Stephen Maly lives in Bozeman.
No comments:
Post a Comment