The Big Hate, By PAUL KRUGMAN

[jefferson_dem]

The Big Hate
By PAUL KRUGMAN

Back in April, there was a huge fuss over an internal report by the Department of Homeland Security warning that current conditions resemble those in the early 1990s — a time marked by an upsurge of right-wing extremism that culminated in the Oklahoma City bombing.

Conservatives were outraged. The chairman of the Republican National Committee denounced the report as an attempt to “segment out conservatives in this country who have a different philosophy or view from this administration” and label them as terrorists.

But with the murder of Dr. George Tiller by an anti-abortion fanatic, closely followed by a shooting by a white supremacist at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the analysis looks prescient.

There is, however, one important thing that the D.H.S. report didn’t say: Today, as in the early years of the Clinton administration but to an even greater extent, right-wing extremism is being systematically fed by the conservative media and political establishment.

Now, for the most part, the likes of Fox News and the R.N.C. haven’t directly incited violence, despite Bill O’Reilly’s declarations that “some” called Dr. Tiller “Tiller the Baby Killer,” that he had “blood on his hands,” and that he was a “guy operating a death mill.” But they have gone out of their way to provide a platform for conspiracy theories and apocalyptic rhetoric, just as they did the last time a Democrat held the White House.

And at this point, whatever dividing line there was between mainstream conservatism and the black-helicopter crowd seems to have been virtually erased.

Exhibit A for the mainstreaming of right-wing extremism is Fox News’s new star, Glenn Beck. Here we have a network where, like it or not, millions of Americans get their news — and it gives daily airtime to a commentator who, among other things, warned viewers that the Federal Emergency Management Agency might be building concentration camps as part of the Obama administration’s “totalitarian” agenda (although he eventually conceded that nothing of the kind was happening).

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http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/12/opinion/12krugman.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&pagewanted=print

[Clio the Leo]

1. Would it be wrong for Mrs. Napolitano to go on EVERY news program Sunday...

... and say, "told ya so!"

and then walk off the set?

Yeah, I know, it would. But still.

[Cha]

7. Would the corporatemedia

have her? It's too bad these tragedies had to happen in order for her to be seen as not inventing it.

[LaurenG]

2. He pretty much just stuck with the facts and told it like it is.

Those hawking bs conspiacy theories like concentration camps should not be surprised when their party members turn out to be less than stable.

[Doctor_J]

3. Unfortunately Big Media is enabling terrorism

Actually they are part of the terrorist cell. If the government tries to do anything to prevent the right wingers from killing real americans, Big Media paints it as jack booted thugs suppressing free speech.

We, the people are going to end up having to take care of this ourselves at some point.

[Cha]

8. Of course, you're right... and how much

did corporatemediawhoredom lead us into the War On Iraq?

At least we have KO, Rachel, Jon, and a few others who know how important it is to get the facts out.

[Orsino]

4. This is the sort of thing Stewart or Colbert could handle well...

...with a brief segment juxtaposing video clips.

[Cha]

9. Yes! n/t

[Lisa0825]

5. K&R

[Cha]

6. Thank you, Paul Krugman!

"..There is, however, one important thing that the D.H.S. report didn’t say: Today, as in the early years of the Clinton administration but to an even greater extent, right-wing extremism is being systematically fed by the conservative media and political establishment.

Now, for the most part, the likes of Fox News and the R.N.C. haven’t directly incited violence, despite Bill O’Reilly’s declarations that “some” called Dr. Tiller “Tiller the Baby Killer,” that he had “blood on his hands,” and that he was a “guy operating a death mill.” But they have gone out of their way to provide a platform for conspiracy theories and apocalyptic rhetoric, just as they did the last time a Democrat held the White House.

And at this point, whatever dividing line there was between mainstream conservatism and the black-helicopter crowd seems to have been virtually erased."