A week ago I spent several hours engaging a
number of conservatives about what at the time was a fresh topic: Kathy
Griffin’s depiction of a decapitated #45. At its best, it was a tasteless and
over the top gesture; at its worst, it was a gruesome visual that led many
conservatives to contend that it reflected an actual threat on #45’s life. I
read that the FBI has committed to investigate the matter.
Having stipulated all of the above:
1. I personally think Griffin went too far, and,
2. I said that (more than once) in my encounter with several
conservatives who revel in their full-throated support of the current
President…and in their total and absolute disdain and rejection of his
immediate predecessor (Barack Obama).
That is significant because, in engaging them,
I asked did they not see the parallels between Griffin’s act and what President
Obama faced during the entirety of his 8-year tenure in office. As an aside,
numerous reports confirm that President Obama received more death threats than
any President in history. By at least
one account the number increased by 400 percent over the 3,000 or so per year
that George W. Bush received, according to Ronald Kessler, author of, “In the
President’s Secret Service.”
I am confident that most will not find it
surprising, the gaggle of conservatives with whom I spoke felt Ms. Griffin’s
action was not only reprehensible, but that nothing even remotely comparable
happened to President Obama. They used a
number of rationales to reach that conclusion.
At the outset, one individual said I could not
cite a single example of anyone doing anything similar to Obama. Another
accused me of bait and switch by even bringing it up. Then of course, they
dared me to produce such an example. Having been around the track more than a
time or two, I didn’t fall for the okey-doke. I noted that in my interactions
with this group I was able to discern that all of the members were savvy enough
to navigate the web and find numerous examples with just a few clicks.
At that point, the dimensions of the exercise
changed. The response was altered to, not one single person with a significant
social media presence had ever done such a thing. Joe Blow from Kokomo didn’t
count. Say what? So I inquired what difference does a robust social media
presence make?
The answer, I was told was that because Ms.
Griffin had more than a million Twitter followers, her message was spread
instantly to a huge audience. Of course, it is worth noting that the four Presidents
who have been killed while in office, Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, and Kennedy,
were all killed by a lone gunman. By the way, each was gunned down prior to the
age of social media. Moreover, while its fodder for another post, it should
also be added, the perpetrators killed each of them using a firearm.
I went on to observe that one key distinction
was Ms. Griffin’s act drew condemnation from the left, as well as the right,
and she quickly apologized. The apology, they argued was weak, and insincere.
By this time I was becoming more than a little aghast at the double standard
consistently used by these exemplars of conservatism. Well, not really. I’m
accustomed to it by now. Nevertheless, I soldiered on. I asked if that was the
same reaction they had when candidate Trump apologized for having made a
comment about grabbing women’s genitalia? I guess they had no answer for that
one so at least two of them asked me if I had ever mad a lewd comment to a
female or male?
At this point, I felt turnabout was fair play.
I labeled that diversionary tactic exactly what it was, bait and switch. I went
on to add the question was unapt, since I was not a candidate for President. It
was at this point, out of nowhere, one of them introduced the possibility that
the folks threatening President Obama might have been joking. I opted not to
take the easy way out, being as how Griffin is a comedian, and all. Instead, I
stayed on topic, and kept the subject on my initial point about what Obama
experienced. I said I never got the
impression that Ted Nugent was joking (And by the way, he does have an
appreciable social media footprint).
At this point, the response level got even more
extreme in its ridiculousness. The respondent replied that Nugent was a “real
conservative” who was angry with Obama (and Hillary) because he felt they’d
committed treason by their actions related to Benghazi. OK, point-counterpoint;
I asked if they were aware some Americans believe Mr. Trump is guilty of
Treason? Then things just went off the grid. A gentleman responded some
Americans believe Martians walk among us. He went on to discuss the waste of
taxpayers’ money on the countless investigations, when…wait for it…there is no
crime. While it would have been easy enough to reply, and some Americans think
#45 is a good President. But I didn’t. I kept Michelle’s “Go high” uppermost in
mind as I continued to respond.
I noted that in this country, we have a system
of protocols that provide a certain order and sequencing of things. In that
light, first come the investigations, and then the conclusions follow. Not the
other way around. Hence, it just might be appropriate to complete a few of
these investigations before we conclude no crime was committed. As to the waste
of taxpayers’ money, I do not remember any strong assertion from the admittedly
fiscal restraint promoting Republicans that any Hillary Clinton investigations
were a waste of money. Not once!
At this point, one of them attempted to double
back and re-insert the question of whether I had ever made lewd comments to a
woman. Now I felt they not only had any pertinent answers, but that they had
also reached the end of their collective hyper creative imaginations. Tempting,
as it was to go rogue or break western, I restrained the urge. I noted that I
would simply not dignify their efforts to malign my character. And, as a
visitor to their social media space, I would certainly never deign to do such a
thing to any of them.
All things considered, it was an interesting
encounter. These are just the CliffNotes. It was also another not so subtle
reminder of that deep and wide ideological chasm I reference frequently. The
right, from #45 to Mr. Nugent, to folks I encounter from time to time on the
WorldWideWeb seem unalterably opposed, but physically incapable of issuing a
simple apology or conceding an otherwise plain to see (by anyone outside the
supporters, surrogates, and spinners) reasonable point.
My own view is that in the strictest sense
Nugent’s speech was hateful, but was not a direct threat. I find it just as
unlikely that no matter how tasteless Griffin’s depiction was, it was not a
threat. I fully expect the Secret Service, even #45’s Secret Service to arrive
at the same conclusion they did with Nugent. Stupid? Yes. Physically threatening?
No. Having said that, I do believe the left is at a strategic disadvantage when
it comes to these matters. The right is
ruthless and relentless. It’s what they expect from each other, and they reward
commitment to the cause.
Nugent’s pearls of wisdom include:
·
“We need to ride into that
battlefield and chop their (the Obama administration’s) heads off in November”
·
“If Barack Obama becomes the
next president in November, again, I will either be dead or in jail by this
time next year.”
·
“Harry Reid, Obama, and
Hillary Clinton should be tried for treason and hung.”
·
Our unholy rotten soulless
criminal America destroying government killed 4 Americans in Benghazi. Period! What
sort of chimpass punk would deny security, turn down 61 requests for security,
then tell US forces to STAND DOWN when they were ready to kickass on the
allapukes and save American lives! Obama & Clinton, that’s who. They should
be tried for treason & hung. Our entire fkdup gvt must be cleansed asap”
·
“Obama, he’s a piece of shit.
I told him to suck on my machine gun.”
Mitt Romney thought so much of him, he sought
(and received) his endorsement. When asked about Nugent’s comments, Romney
would only say in a written statement released by his communications team:
·
“Divisive language is offensive
no matter what side of the political aisle it comes from. Mitt Romney believes
everyone needs to be civil.” – Andrea
Saul, Romney Campaign Spokesperson
Romney’s eldest son, Tagg, was a bit more
effusive. He put it this way, when he tweeted:
·
“Ted Nugent endorsed my Dad
today. Ted Nugent? How cool is that? He joins Kid Rock as great Detroit
musicians on Team Mitt!”
At the time, Nugent was somewhat more subdued,
when he tweeted:
·
“after a long heart&soul
conversation with MittRomney today I concluded this goodman will properly
represent we the people & I endorse him”
And then there was #45, who, of course on
Twitter, said this:
·
Ted Nugent was obviously
using a figure of speech, unfortunate as it was. It just shows the anger people
have towards @BarackObama.”
#45 would double down on his comments by
inviting Nugent to the White House.
It should come as no surprise his thoughts
about Griffin were substantially different. About her, he tweeted:
·
Kathy Griffin should be
ashamed of herself. My children, especially my 11 year old son, Barron, are
having a hard time with this. Sick!”
There is a case study begging to be done on the
nuanced matters tied to these two incidents. It’s apparent that TrumpWorld
readily sees some kind of universal anger towards President Obama that must not
be reflected in the bitterness toward #45. More important, he was rightfully
empathetic toward his son Barron, stemming from Griffin’s depiction, yet found
no such insight into the feelings of Malia and Sasha, tied to Nugent’s despicable
rants. Surprising? No, not really. When taken altogether, you have the
necessary framework for, “Rogers vs.Nugent: Anatomy of a Threat!”
I’m done; holla
back!
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