Monday, November 04, 2019

Violent Language

I covered last week for a young man who is quite liberal, and sat at his desk.  His coffee mug reads Support SEA
FIGHT BACK

"SEA" being the government union.

Fighting.  Always with the violent rhetoric, justified poorly. He would likely say that it doesn't mean actual violence, but a type of contending against others. He believes that, but it isn't so, at least not in general. The encouragement to violence has been continuous throughout my adult life, and is having its effect. The word "fight" certainly can mean that.  St Paul says I have fought the good fight, for example. Yet if we are to deplore violent rhetoric on one side...

I have written many times that Democrats promise to fight for you, Republicans promise to work for you.  This has changed over the last decade, especially under Trump, whose core supporters are glad that he fights.  Relatedly, the left goes on offense, usually against objects or places, while the right is primarily defensive in its violent speech, though sometimes loudly so, almost daring people to come fight them.  I have worried that both limitations are breaking down, with the left increasingly attacking people, while the right may be going on offense more. 

2 comments:

Roy Lofquist said...

"Relatedly, the left goes on offense, usually against objects or places,"

Except that changed - in spades. Clingers, deplorables, racists, homophobes, teabaggers, directed pointedly at those who do not vote for their candidates. Jesus told us to turn the other cheek. He did not say "rinse and repeat".

Christopher B said...

Regarding "He (Trump) fights"

This is in contrast to other GOP leaders, both Presidential and non-Presidential. Whether the perception is accurate or not, a significant number of Republicans believe that W, McCain, and Romney did little to answer the attacks directed against them. It could be that their defense was ineffective, or that they felt constrained in some way in their responses but this is still a significant contrast with Trump's more openly combative style. For the most part, however, the overall picture is of an active defense.

http://maggiesfarm.anotherdotcom.com/archives/34189-How-Trump-talks.html

Taking some questions yesterday after getting off his chopper. He is a bulldog. "I get along, but nobody is gonna mess with me." Video at link