My Life In Saint Paul
By Mitch Berg
So as you’ve heard, there was a rape in Saint Paul last week. It was a brutal assault – and, worst of all, a bunch of neighbors saw the attack, and did nothing about it.
I’m involved in an email discussion group for Saint Paul politics. And here’s a sampling of the conversation. Our first subject – a prominent Saint Paul DFL fixer:
It is sad that so many people have become motivated by only two things
greed and fear. But, then when that is all they get from talk radio what
does one expect? Over and over again people are bombarded with how much they have to fear and that someone is out to take their stuff away from them. Protect what is yours don’t worry about the other guy. It is the poor’s fault that they are poor. If a child can’t succeed in school its is fault. Its them liberals that want to steal my money… If a woman was raped its her
fault. Heck, she’s out there in the hallway with him, making noise in my
building… just like Bill O’ says.
I usually pull back when I hear the likes of Michael Savage call liberalism a “mental disorder” – but I have to wonder about some of these people.
So Bill O’Reilly – assuming he really says anything the author accuses him of – speaks for all conservatives? Even all conservatives in talk radio?
Where does that come from?
And I’d be interested in seeing what’d happen if anyone were dumb enough to try to rape someone in an apartment building in, say, Lusk Wyoming?
August 28th, 2007 at 6:21 am
That was exactly 180 degrees from the sentiments expressed at Anti-Strib by the poster (Jim W) and the Conservative commenters. It was the Liberal commenters who were excusing the inaction of neighbors as a “cultural” thing.
August 28th, 2007 at 7:54 am
Mitch, liberalism is a mental disorder. Read the current issue of the Southside Pride newspaper (south Mpls). The editor has a front page article. He said the only difference between Hitler and Bush is the scope of their murdering. He said “it’s not qualitative, but quantitative”.
I always say, there is very little difference between the far left and far right. Neo-Nazi’s in the mideast deny the halocaust happened. It looks like DFLers from south Mpls do also.
August 28th, 2007 at 8:19 am
“”So Bill O’Reilly – assuming he really says anything the author accuses him of – speaks for all conservatives?””
Of course he does, or at least as much as you consistently link loud mouth fringe lefties as speaking for all liberals. Must be the satire again. Hard to tell these days on this site.
Flash
August 28th, 2007 at 9:21 am
Chuck
“We should be grateful that Congressman Keith Ellison has at last begun a serious public discussion of this most tragic period in American history.” Ed Felien, Editor, Southside Pride
Ed Felien used to be a Mpls City Councilmember back in the mid ’70s until he got caught taking bribes
August 28th, 2007 at 9:30 am
Chuck-
The Nazi’s were socialists. Goebbels sang the praises of socialism. The party name has “socialist” in it (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei-National Socialist German Workers Party).
And if you think of it, there are two types of tyranny: anarchy (mob rule) or tyranny (1. cruel use of power: cruelty and injustice in the exercising of power or authority over others
2. politics oppressive government: oppressive government by one or more people who exercise absolute power cruelly and unjustly -© Microsoft Encarta).
When I am described as “anti-government” that’s a lie. I recognize government has a legitimate role.But a VERY limited one. And that is to ensure that my rights (and the same rights as all others). No government= anarchy. Democracy=organized mob rule, the will of the majority.
So, to refer to any tyranny as either left or right is really specious. Tyranny is tyranny.
August 28th, 2007 at 9:34 am
Of course he does, or at least as much as you consistently link loud mouth fringe lefties as speaking for all liberals. Must be the satire again. Hard to tell these days on this site.
That’d be fair enough, except for two things:
1) Conservatives – including myself – routinely rip O’Reilly and his stances on many issues. You see less of that on the left with the pundits you cited.
2) O’Reilly doesn’t really consider himself a “conservative”. Indeed, he’s pretty much a:
a) populist
b) pragmatist
c) chain-yanking self-interest-monger
August 28th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Bill O’Reilly has a highly rated televison talk show, a radio talk show, and a syndicated column. he’s written several politically-themed books.
Yet the only time his name seems to be mentioned by conservative commenters is when his position is criticized as not being conservative or when it’s in connection with one of his celebrity feuds (Rosie O’Donnel, Michael Moore, Al Franken).
Other than his opposition to high taxes his political views are those of a New Deal Democrat.
August 28th, 2007 at 1:01 pm
Yet the only time his name seems to be mentioned by conservative commenters is when his position is criticized as not being conservative or when it’s in connection with one of his celebrity feuds (Rosie O’Donnel, Michael Moore, Al Franken).
I seem to recall back in the early days of NARN they were interviewing Ann Coulter and towards the end of the interview one of them asked her to name who she thought was the most “overrated” pundit/talk show host. Almost immediately and in unison the other hosts and Coulter said “Bill O’Reilly” with a short (and impassioned) discussion on why he wasn’t a “conservative.”
August 28th, 2007 at 3:11 pm
Listen to Bill O’s rants against the energy companies. More out of the Democratic playbook.
But I think he appeals to conservatives when he talks about the culture war and related things. He’ll clownslap the ACLU and race hustlers better then anyone. And he is pro-“Christmas”.
August 28th, 2007 at 8:38 pm
Bill O aside, I’d love to do a door to door with the folks in that apt building and find out how many of them spent the day listening to conservative talk radio vs how many of them think the greatest threat to the world as they know it is climate change. I mean really, it’s the right that fear mongers??
August 29th, 2007 at 9:52 am
So Jodie Foster speaks for librals but O’Reilly, Ann Coulter, Limbaugh and all the other people made rich and famous by wingnuts don’t speak for wingnuts.
Angryclown could use a scorecard.
August 29th, 2007 at 12:34 pm
Jodie Foster speaks for librals
Apparently Angryclown feels the need to speak for Mitch, since I never said any such thing.
Not sure that Ms. Foster “speaks” at all. Just sure that this movie is incredibly hypocritical.
August 29th, 2007 at 1:11 pm
Sorry, you’re right. You only said she speaks for *Hollywood* librals.