And The Cat Shall Lie Down WithThe Dog

Alan Dershowitz defends Sarah Palin's use of "blood libel" in a metaphorical rather than literal context.  Yup, the "Blame Sarah" crowd has gotten that silly (although Jonah Goldberg thinks they have a bit of a point).

Jim Geraghty has an excellent recap of the use of "blood libel" a metaphor.  Frank Rich and Andrew Sullivan go gay; here is Rich:

Frank Rich, New York Times columnist, October 15, 2006: “The moment Mr. Foley’s e-mails became known, we saw that brand of fearmongering and bigotry at full tilt: Bush administration allies exploited the former Congressman’s predatory history to spread the grotesque canard that homosexuality is a direct path to pedophilia. It’s the kind of blood libel that in another era was spread about Jews.”

WaPo columnist Eugene Robinson goes ethnic:

Ann Coulter’s column, October 30, 2008:

His expert pontificator on race was The Washington Post’s Eugene Robinson, who said the Pittsburgh hoax was “the blood libel against black men concerning the defilement of the flower of Caucasian womanhood. It’s been with us for hundreds of years and, apparently, is still with us.”

And he has many others (including a defender of Al Gore against "blood libel"), but Mr. Geraghty's list does not include this use by Ken Blackwell in The American Spectator:

The Blood Libel of the New York Times

...So, let’s see an example of what the Times calls civility. A leading Thoughtful Writer for the Times is Peter Steinfels. Steinfels writes on religious topics. Here’s a sample of his work in the form of a recent book review:

A Provocative Work About the Christian Right

By PETER STEINFELS The New York Times April 25, 2009
If you wanted a book title to speed the pulse of liberal academics, journalists and politicians, you couldn't do much better than "The Democratic Virtues of the Christian Right." For many people that's a title akin to "The Winning Ways of Serial Killers."

...

I call attention, however, to that vile line: “…a title akin to ‘The Winning Ways of Serial Killers.’” If ever Rush Limbaugh’s term “Drive-by Media” applied, it applies here, in this libelous -- even blood libelous -- terminology.

Works for me.

THE MORNING AFTER:  Some reviews are good; I am irked, and I bet I will find others similarly situated.  I have a Post In Progress; my gist will be that President On The Other Hand seems to rebuke the lefties who laid the blame on the right, then adopts their message by calling on all of us to be more civil.

 

Comments

[Jane says obamasucks]

Hernandez is pretty spectacular.

[Pops]

Some whould have a tee shirt that says:

Hey Media: What will kill more Americans this week, Limbaugh, Palin and Beck rheteroic, or the Democrat lefts support for illegal aliens?

[J.R.]

Is anyone going to come out and say something about those we are actually memorializing tonight first. If I was a family member I would have walked out by now.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Via Wizbang:

I just heard on the news that there will be a special guest at the funeral for Christina Taylor Green, the nine-year-old girl murdered last Saturday in Tuscon.

An NYFD firefighter will be in attendance.

He will be bringing a 20x30 American flag with him.

The largest flag that survived the destruction of the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001.

The day Christina Taylor Green was born.

Oh, damn...

Christina was born on 9/11/2001.

[glasater]

Melinda--I knew it wasn't Chariots of Fire but the music just reminded me of that phrase for some reason.

[Jim Ryan]

The GOP field isn't looking that good, other than Christie or Palin, neither of whom will run I betcha.

So, the best I see coming out of this is Herman Cain.

Cain-Bolton '12
We could do worse

[Danube of Thought]

Krauthammer on the Palin response:

"By the time she had the video on her website, the debate was over. The left, which had launched the accusation, had been completely defeated, ‘refudiated’ if you like, and disgraced over this. There wasn’t a shred of evidence and the battle was over. I mean, it was a rout to make the Pickett’s Charge look like a draw.”

A contest, in the sense that a hanging is a contest between a man and a rope.

[Jane says obamasucks]

I thought Jan brewer did a good job as well. But I just can't get past the cheers.

[clarice]

Iowahawk:

David Burge
Free t-shirts for the first 10,000 grievers! (In a nod to good taste, they're not using Duff Man's t-shirt cannon)

David Burge I'm half-expecting the Phoenix Suns gorilla mascot to drop from the rafters for a trampoline slam dunk show.

[RichatUF]

Jim-

We still have 2 years. How about no t-shirts or branding slogans at memorials as the litmus test?

[Kate]

http://twitter.com/#!/iowahawkblog

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Oh my:

One-day sales of handguns in Arizona jumped 60 percent on January 10, Bloomberg said, compared with the corresponding Monday a year ago, the second-biggest increase of any state in the country, according to the FBI.

From a year earlier, handgun sales rose yesterday by 65 percent in Ohio, 16 percent in California, 38 percent in Illinois and 33 percent in New York, the FBI data revealed, and rose nationally about 5 percent.

[J.R.]

They are clapping after hearing the names of the deceased. I realize that there is a disconnect between the speakers, the attendees and those who lost their lives, and I know this isn't a real memorial and that the families will have or have already had their own. But come on, the clapping and cheering has to stop.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

I do not get all the yelling and clapping. In fact, I find it extremely offensive.

[J.R.]

The cheers for Napolitano were really beyond the pale and they continue as she speaks. I think her choice of verses is well chosen.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

They actually cheered the death of a 9 year old. This is sick.

[Jim Ryan]

no t-shirts or branding slogans at memorials as the litmus test

Will the muddle remember tonight? Arizona muddle will, I suppose.

[Jim Ryan]

Any of the broads up front passing out yet?

[MarkO]

Apparently, Big Sis has a score of Handel's Messiah. How dare she quote Jews?

[Stephanie]

Freebird!

(stolen from Ace's)

Is this embarassing or what.

For the first time in my life I am embarrassed to be an American.

[Sue]

Kathryn Lopez has read Obama's speech and is stepping away from twitter. It must be bad.

[MarkO]

Bob Knight is making sense on another network.

[Stephanie]

Someone over at Ace's said they are reading the bible UPSIDE DOWN? Anyone confirm that?

[Jim Ryan]

Does it ever happen that the well people in a society in which a large group (20%, say) have a social or psychological disorder of some kind (for example, they devote themselves to a kool-aid cult) take years or even decades to recognize that their compatriots have that disorder? Do the well people chalk it up to a "difference of opinion" or a "merely different walk of life"? Does it ever happen that the well people recognize the disorder only later, many years after the gravest damage from the disorder has been inflicted upon the society?

[Jane says obamasucks]

Obama mentioned "free speech". Tomorrow he tells the FCC to implement the fairness doctrine.

[Stephanie]

Death Threats Against Sarah Palin at ‘Unprecedented Level,’ Aides Say
Palin’s Video Prompts Debate Over ‘Blood Libel;’ Palin’s Office Talking to Security

By CLAIRE SHIPMAN and HUMA KHAN
Jan. 12, 2010

An aide close to Sarah Palin says death threats and security threats have increased to an unprecedented level since the shooting in Arizona, and the former Alaska governor’s team has been talking to security professionals.

[MarkO]

The loss of these wonderful people should make every one of us strive to be better in our private lives – to be better friends and neighbors, co-workers and parents. And if, as has been discussed in recent days, their deaths help usher in more civility in our public discourse, let’s remember that it is not because a simple lack of civility caused this tragedy, but rather because only a more civil and honest public discourse can help us face up to our challenges as a nation, in a way that would make them proud. It should be because we want to live up to the example of public servants like John Roll and Gabby Giffords, who knew first and foremost that we are all Americans, and that we can question each other’s ideas without questioning each other’s love of country, and that our task, working together, is to constantly widen the circle of our concern so that we bequeath the American dream to future generations.

[Janet]

Apparently Joe Scarborough says that Glenn Beck "was a nobody" before Fox...as opposed to "IS a nobody" like himself.

I'm a proud owner of a I ♥ Halliburton t-shirt from Beck's days before Fox....as opposed to a funeral thrive t-shirt from these dark days.

[clarice]

Iowahaek who calls this a griefapalooza:
This must be the legendary lost Act IV of "The Producers"

[macphisto]

re: t-shirt timing: someone at the Obama LogoWerk could bang one of their awful logos together in about a half-hour; the file could be distributed to multiple locations as a PDF or other file for printing via e-mail. the only limitation is how fast they can print.

[hit and run]

The Corner has the prepared remarks. Reading along.

He mentions that George Morris shielded his wife.

He won't mention the same about Dorwan Stoddard?

[Barack Obama]

I've got to give you the preacher voice tonight. I need an ego boost. I haven't had one of those crowd-going-wild things in a long time. This president thing isn't working out so hot. I need a little sumpin' sumpin'.

[RichatUF]

Here is a transcript.

[MarkO]

http://spectator.org/blog/2011/01/12/full-text-of-obamas-remarks-at

[OldTimer]

I think Obama is attempting to show empathy by telling personal stories of the victims prior that fateful day. But good grief, the constant interruption with applause makes it seem the audience is reacting to an applause sign and not to what he is saying.

[hit and run]

Oops. There it is. Thank goodness. I love Dorwan.

[clarice]

How intelligent do you think an audience who shows up in matching logo t shirts to a memorial service is anyway?

[Rob Crawford]

Someone over at Ace's said they are reading the bible UPSIDE DOWN? Anyone confirm that?

Has to be a riff on Satanism. But, then, I had doubts about the reports of t-shirts.

[macphisto]

"Does it ever happen that the well people recognize the disorder only later, many years after the gravest damage from the disorder has been inflicted upon the society?"

see: Germany--Weimar Republic--Nazi Party (NSDAP)--1923-1933; see also: Russia--Revolution, 1917.

[Jane says obamasucks]

Is the teleprompter there?

[Mustang0302]

WTH?

Cheering, clapping...tshirts?

YGBSM.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

The Wall Street Journal has obtained samples of Jared Lee Loughner’s online posts at forums. He joined threads dealing with hitting “handy capped” children, believed women enjoyed rape, was cynical about ever finding affection from the opposite sex and despaired of ever getting a job even flipping burgers. As the WSJ put it, at 22 he felt his life was over.

[Audience Member]

Ooh! They're beefy tee's too!

[hit and run]

God bless Daniel Hernandez.

[Jim Ryan]

That's what I'm talking about, Macphisto. I bet there are many more examples of varying degrees of severity.

[Jane says obamasucks]

Oh gawd, that poor man - Giffords' husband has one hand grabbed by michelle and the other by Napolitano. Ugh

[hit and run]

"We are grateful for the men who tackled the gunman as he stopped to reload."

They don't have names? God bless them. God bless Patricia Maisch.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

I guess it is really true that I'm old and time has passed me by. I grew up when the word "unseemly" meant something.

[J.R.]

Obama the healer!

[Captain Hate]

I can't believe this tasteless garbage is on every fucking channel of my television

[sbw]

Captain, head to the college hoop.

[centralcal]

Hey - guys this is a Democrat crowd, with very few exceptions. Oh he here goes about the national conversation . . . ugh

[MaryD]

I'm with you, Captain.

[Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet]

I haven't read the whole thing, but eyeballing it, it is about 5 times as long as W's remarks at Virginia Tech. It's metamessage is "look at me".

[Captain Hate]

You guys obviously have stronger stomachs for this than I do. As I said at AoS last night; I'd rather be expelling impacted anal glands of dogs than watch this abomination

[sbw]

So, are those "Contrive to Thrive" t-shirts SEIU purple?

[Stephanie]

Did ya hear? Obama visited Giffords (and laid hands on her??) in the hospital and when he left

SHE OPENED HER EYES!

He heals!

Twitter's full of it.

I think I have figured this out:

Disgust conservatives til we gag and die.

[Jane says obamasucks]

Actually he just said something good about jumping to conclusions. He averted the temptation.

[RichatUF]

From the Obama speech:

But what we can't do is use this tragedy as one more occasion to turn on one another. As we discuss these issues, let each of us do so with a good dose of humility. Rather than pointing fingers or assigning blame, let us use this occasion to expand our moral imaginations, to listen to each other more carefully, to sharpen our instincts for empathy, and remind ourselves of all the ways our hopes and dreams are bound together.

[clarice]

Capt..Did I ever tell you how fond I am of you and your refreshing candor?

[Captain Hate]

Did ya hear? Obama visited Giffords (and laid hands on her??) in the hospital and when he left

SHE OPENED HER EYES!

Maybe Stinky hadn't bathed.

[Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet]

CH:

Luckily, the Hawks are playing Toronto tonight and it's on cable. It's much better keeping up here.

[centralcal]

I am gonna use this occasion to turn on someone . . .

What the heck is our classy First Lady wearing for this somber even?

[Captain Hate]

Thanks Clarice; I'm embarrassed to say that I caught about 20 seconds of that travesty before recoiling in disgust. This is like Hell on earth.

[OldTimer]

Dear God! He is trying so hard to appear like a wise, consoling, somber, beloved president that it HURTS to watch and listen. (The whistling and halting pauses...irritating) And the applause----arghhhhhhhhhhh. Had to mute it. Will now read JOM comments only.

[Janet]

let us use this occasion to expand our moral imaginations,

What does that mean?...expand our moral imaginations.
Make up some new morals?

[glenda]

not appropriate..but the media will go on and on about waters parting..in other words..nothing will change, sadly

Where are Palin's defenders in the Republican party? I'm beginning to feel 3rd party looks like it has a future!

[Captain Hate]

I read some of your comments before having this inflicted on me and thought "Oh they're just embellishing it a bit (something I can be guilty of at times; without hyperbole I sometimes have nothing)". I owe you an apology because if anything you understated the sheer tackiness of the spectacle. Or maybe the English language isn't sufficient to this display of horrendous taste. Michael Vick's dog killings were at least shielded from the public.

[Jane says obamasucks]

He has just gone on far too long.

[hit and run]

2,541 words.

[Theo]

Actually a pretty good speech. As I predicted last night, he will not go all Krugman on us. He can't. He read the polls.
Look folks, this argument is over and our side won. As someone ssid, this was a rout so colossal it makes Pickett's Charge look like a draw. When Obama dares not repeat the talking points from the NYT, much less Krugman, this particular game is over and we won.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Some practice blessings by the laying on of hands, Obama's advance men practice the laying on of tee shirts.

[Danube of Thought]

I haven't watched a second of it. The entire idea of the thing is heartbreakingly repulsive.

[Jim Ryan]

moral imaginations

It's a technical term in recent professional philosophy, largely BS.

[Jane says obamasucks]

and on and on and on and on - he can't get enough of himself.

[PD]

believed women enjoyed rape, was cynical about ever finding affection from the opposite sex

I can see how the second part would follow, if he believed the first part.

[centralcal]

You should watch DoT - Obama is bombing massively. Oh, not with this crowd at the auditorium - but historically. Disgraceful.

[Stephanie]

let us use this occasion to expand our moral imaginations,
What does that mean?...expand our moral imaginations.
Make up some new morals?

I think he's paraphrasing Loughner. Liberalism really is a mental disease.

[sbw]

Someone want to FOIA the White House?

1) Who paid for the "Thrive" T-shirts?

2) How much was David Axelrod or his (former) company paid to orchestrate the event?

[peter]

I just want to know if they will show Modern Family in its entirety.

[hit and run]

What does that mean?...expand our moral imaginations.

Conscience dreaming?

[Sue]

Who the hell is moelane and why am I following him on twitter?

[Captain Hate]

I agree DoT; I feel unclean for having watched any of it. It's like something out of Lord of the Flies.

[Mustang0302]

Campaign rally. Following a massacre. YGBSM.

[Sue]

Tammy Bruce tweeting:
HeyTammyBruce I am reminded how he got elected--some conservatives I admire love his speech and think it's been great. Yeah, amazing.

[Captain Hate]

Moe Lane's a pretty funny blogger, Sue

[Tollhouse]

So did they manage to turn thsi into another Wellstone rally or not?

[Jim Ryan]

Now you know why I haven't watched TV news of any form in about ten years. I understand Clarice is of the same persuasion.

[jimmyk]

2,541 words

Thank you all for witnessing this pathetic spectacle so that I don't have to.

[centralcal]

From Gabriel Malor on Twitter:

Liberals spent the day looking up the definition of "blood libel." I think they should have looked up "memorial service" too.

From a retweet by Tops (richard_Mc enroe:

"and let's not forget the folks who made tonight's show possible! Let's have a big hand for what'stheirnames, the DEAD PEOPLE!"

[Stephanie]

Check out Drudge... Obama looks stoned.

[hit and run]

Everyone rises for the moment of silence except those on the first row (family and survivors). Obama,also in the front row,starts to get up,gets the death grip from Michelle on his wrist then sits back down,then starts back up again then back down again.

[clarice]

Iowahawk:

Forget the somber decorum of the Wellstone funeral. At this point I'd settle for the somber decorum of WWE Monday Night RAW
17 minutes ago via web

DoT, It must be our age. I can't bear to watch this either. Sit next to me and pour.

[Theo]

This was not Wellstone II. This was the anti Wellstone. Some here think that it was tacky with the T Shirts and all, but the larger point is that after the liberal elites spent days saying that even if Palin and the Tea Party are not directly responsible for this crime, they have created this awful atmosphere of hate that could lead to violence at any moment and.....And The One says not one word to advance that message. Not ONE WORD.

The public has rejected the liberal elites and their attempt to frame the discussion. Obama delivered their surrender. Let's be happy.

[clarice]

I have one hope. That those who watched and are not brain dead now realize they were had by this clown and his fog making machine in 2008. And that they will never fall for this bread and circuses carp again.

[macphisto]

"Obama looks stoned."

why should today be different? this is all Obama's fault...he got Loughner's tranquilizers.

[Rob Crawford]

And The One says not one word to advance that message. Not ONE WORD.

He doesn't have to. That's what he has the press for.

[bunky]

Krauthammer in love

[RichatUF]

centralcal-

The spin alley (???) will have it up there with his race speech. Chris Matthews might get his tingle back...

[Theo]

Rob -- No, he is their chief spokesman. The people who read the NYT editorial pages and listen to Olbermann are already counted. They need to reach out to the great mass of people with their message. He would not even deliver it. The liberal elites have been routed on this.