Dark Souls

Oh lordy:

I DEMAND HE APOLOGIZE... [JPod]

...to Jill Carroll. I'm speaking of Judd Legum at Think Progress, who wrote these words on Thursday before demanding I apologize for observing that Stockholm Syndrome questions were going to be raised about Carroll's words after her release: "It is totally inappropriate to assume that her description of how she was treated is motivated by anything other than a desire to tell the truth." Oh. Really? Here's what Carroll said yesterday: "Fearing retribution from my captors, I did not speak freely. Out of fear I said I wasn't threatened. In fact, I was threatened many times." I actually don't care whether Legum apologizes or not. The whole "he should apologize" trope is tired and silly, and it would be an aid to civil discourse if it were retired.

(via Mr Fluffit)

Look, fuckwit, there's a vast difference between saying "hey, let's take what Carroll said at face value" and "gosh, I'll bet 'some people' will talk about Stockholm Syndrome."  And perhaps you should take a gander at everything that was said at Think Progress, hmm?

I know this is kinda inside baseball stuff, and I generally don't like the cross-blog warfare, but in the case of the CPT workers and Jill Carroll I really must look at how the Shining Beacons of The Right are reacting to events like these.  It goes to the heart of their lack of compassion, integrity and connection with reality. 

Peaceworkers are called 'peace creeps' and journalists in captivity have their intentions questioned.  The wingersphere leaps to conclusions and attacks without waiting for facts.  The assholes refuse to apologize and then demand others do so (snarkily, I admit) as they equate apples and oranges.  All a disturbing part of their MO.

The Little Green Sociopathicfucknozzles we can dismiss for the most part as just a bunch of hate-filled pusbags, but what of the likes of Michelle Malkin and the miscreants who hang at the Corner?  They get public soapboxes not just through blogging but on national TV, in books and magazines, etc.  They really are the keepers of the conservative flame and are at the forefront of the right's "civil" discourse.

This is the same shit that the president and the rest of the GOP slings in the political arena, and it has worked for several years.  However, I think the schtick has worn thin partly because folks like Media Matters and blogs large and small have shone a little light on these dark creatures of the right.

At least I hope so.

ntodd