On Thursday night, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow turned to the example of Congressman Frank Kratovil — who was “lynched” in effigy outside his office — for further “evidence of ugliness” amid the angry healthcare mobs that have been disrupting Democratic town halls over the past weeks.
In one congressman’s words, the “lynch mob mentality” that has prevailed in displays of uncivil discourse has become so extreme, in some cases elected representatives have received death threats or are calling off their town hall meetings for safety concerns.
Maddow also focused on an audience at a Republican town hall on fighting healthcare reform. The people actually applauded a comment about Democrats being lynched, then erupted into laughter when Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) said, “I would assume you’re not approving lynchings, because we don’t want to do that.”
She added that the communications director for Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC) told Talking Points Memo on Wednesday that a caller had warned, “Miller could lose his life over [healthcare reform]” — an obvious threat.
“Our staffer took it so seriously, he confirmed what the guy was saying,” Communications Director LuAnn Canipe reportedly told TPM. “He said, ‘Sir is that a threat?’ and at that time our staffer was getting the phone number off caller ID and turning it over to the Capitol Police.”
Congressman Miller, much like a growing number of his House colleagues, will not be holding any healthcare town hall events during the August recess.
“Congressman Brian Baird of Washington [...] also announced that he won’t be scheduling any town hall meetings over the August recess because of what he called, quote, ‘a lynch-mob mentality out there. There is an ugliness to it,’ he said,” according to Maddow.
She continued: “And for evidence of that ugliness - well, Congressman Frank Kratovil, a freshman Democrat from Maryland [...] was recently lynched in effigy by an anti-health care reform protester outside his own office. Lynched in effigy, because of health care form.”
However, it is not just Democrats on the receiving end of anger in this debate. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on Friday that several fights broke out at an aging summit hosted by Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-MO). Outside the meeting, Kenneth Gladney, a black, conservative activist, was beaten by unknown attackers. Numerous others were arrested, including a Post-Dispatch reporter, and others claimed police were detaining people for filming them.
“Sadly, they got out of control on both sides,” Carnahan said. “That’s not helpful, and I condemn that activity.”
Maddow also pointed out that hardline Republican radio host Rush Limbaugh, arguably the strongest voice in his party, is adamantly comparing President Barack Obama — for his efforts to give poor people access to doctors — to genocidal Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.
“He’s just like Hitler,” said a sober Maddow. “And you know what that means he deserves, right?”
While RNC Chairman Michael Steele has denied his party is helping coordinate these mobs, the National Republican Congressional Committee is actively promoting them, she noted, and using them to taunt Democrats.
They are calling them a “recess roast” for Democrats, Maddow said.
“You know, there’s a reason why comparisons to Nazis and lynchings in effigy and death threats are unacceptable in public discourse, or at least they’re supposed to be,” she added. “They implicitly condone, if not encourage violence. It’s time to stop it before people get hurt.”
Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA) confessed on her show that he too would not be holding any town halls, suggesting that a telephone town hall — which can host 4,000 - 5,000 people at once — would be more appropriate so as to avoid angry crowds and potentially dangerous situations.
“What I’m opting not do is create a venue where people can purposefully intimidate other members of the community who want to be heard and want to express their views,” he said, adding that the GOP “absolutely has a responsibility to call for civility.”
“It’s not enough for them to say, ‘We’re not coordinating it, we’re not condoning it,’” Baird said.
This video is from MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show, broadcast Aug. 6, 2009.
Download video via RawReplay.com
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