The Atlantic - Latest Comments in Race And The Pittsburgh Shooter

Re: Race And The Pittsburgh Shooter

Lemmy Caution — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:39:52 -0000

Eh, I think you put yourself on the losing side of an argument when you make claims about the cultural and political temperature of the nation by referencing the radical fringe and nutcases. I can find for you people who advocate the enslavement of women, the enslavement of men, sex with children, a return to feudalism, the reconstitution of government by Pharaoh, and the annihilation of the human race. Using Stormfront as a basis for deciding that we aren't in an essentially different mode of dealing with race than we were 30-odd years ago (which is what I think "post-racial" really means) is really moving the goalposts overseas. I'm more interested in what you come up with when you stick within a couple standard deviations from the center.

Re: Race And The Pittsburgh Shooter

Bill Harshaw — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 16:32:01 -0000

They may be scary, but I remember the late 1960's, when the left was arming (remember the famous picture of black students walking out of the student union at Cornell). One man's "paranoia" is another man's patriotism, or liberation. I can't come up with a principle that would disarm the "militias" that wouldn't also have disarmed the nuts on the left. And that's a slippery slope. I believe most psych professions think they can distinguish between paranoia as a psychological illness, and paranoia as a political style.

Re: Race And The Pittsburgh Shooter

hilts — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:39:41 -0000

Unfortunately,

We'll probably have many more incidents like this occur as rabble rousing demagogues like Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Michelle Bachmann, and Michelle Malkin continue referring to Obama as a socialist, a Marxist, an Islamist, and a fascist.

Beck and company have blood on their hands and they have a lot to answer for.

Re: Race And The Pittsburgh Shooter

Tinare — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:02:57 -0000

Sorry my blockquotes didn't work as I thought they would...

Re: Race And The Pittsburgh Shooter

Tinare — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:02:09 -0000

Political paranoia, by itself, shouldn't be.

But isn't paranoia a mental illness? There is a healthy political interest and even concern regarding the opposition, but then there is the sort of paranoia that causes one to stockpile weapons, kill three police officers and wound two others. Now granted, there is a fine line at times, but really, this is why people on the fringe of the right and the left scare me equally. I'm talking about all of the conspiracy nuts.

Re: Race And The Pittsburgh Shooter

Bill Harshaw — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 13:55:08 -0000

Are you bothered by his stockpile or having guns at all? If you're saying his nutty political views are grounds for limiting his access to guns, I disagree. Threats or mental illness, as Hilzoy said, should be grounds for concern. Political paranoia, by itself, shouldn't be.

Re: Race And The Pittsburgh Shooter

lebecka — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 13:47:01 -0000

Pittsburgh was in a state of shock about the shooting this weekend, and is going into mourning this week, with a mayoral campaign debate cancelled as the city tries to derive some understanding of the situation. We talked about the shooting for a good half-hour at work this morning when we all came in. There will be large, well-attended memorial services for the fallen officers this week, and they will lie in state at the city hall tomorrow. There will be a fund established for the families, I'm sure. Pittsburghers are not wealthy, but they are generous with their money.

What will not happen, and which should be the focal point of this whole tragedy, is a real debate over gun control laws. it's ok to kill 3 of our finest citizens, as long as you can have your AK-47 to mow them down with. What does the NRA have to say about this today?

Re: Race And The Pittsburgh Shooter

DaveinHackensack — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 12:14:07 -0000

Any thoughts on race and the Binghamton shooter? It seems that when a perpetrator is neither white nor black people don't talk about race as much.