PBS's "Bill Moyers Journal" will focus Friday night on media-driven hate speech and whether it had an influence on the recent shooting at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church.I dunno, Bill--lots of us have seen media-driven anti-gun hate speech from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting/PBS Television, and we haven't come and shot up your offices and studios.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Looking for Cause in All the Wrong Places
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2 comments:
I wonder when this was taped, because seeing it last night after two plus weeks of our betters making a mockery of their vaunted Higher Ideals when it comes to Sarah Palin made it pretty amusing.
A little intellectual honesty and rationality would say that hate speech is wrong no matter who uses it, and yes, it can be found to come from and be directed at many socio-political segments of our society. Someone of a different political perspective indulging in it doesn't absolve those who think more like we do of guilt for using it as well. Everyone should be accountable.
With freedom of speech comes responsibility to use it fairly and wisely if one wants one's words to be credible. I believe this responsibility rests especially with those who have the sort of incredibly wide influence as those referenced in this broadcast.
Everyone who engages in hate speech is guilty, no matter whose side they are on. It just so happens that this program examined some of the more visible people who engage in it.
It's a fair question as to those whose hate speech clearly influenced the TVUUC shooter. Reading material does indeed influence thinking, and thinking infuences actions. There is clearly a connection, and that makes this legitimate fodder for examination.
BTW, my understanding is that it was taped in Knoxville week of September 1, so it was very recent.
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